# 1
Swagman XTC2 Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
etrailer.com was very helpful in the phone conversation that preceded my purchase. (Other than the 38 minute wait). I received the XTC-2 tilt within 4 days on standard purchase, without paying extra for shipping. This was great service. I have installed and used the XTC-2 tilt and am happy with it at this point. My 5 year old son figured out what to do to make it work (thoroughly enjoyable to watch him) and was thrilled with putting the bikes on the rack and going to the bike park. I am currently pleased with everything (except the long wait time, and difficulty finding the etrailer phone number -- which might have been obvious and i missed it) so 5 stars. It is too soon to rate the product; one needs some time to see how it holds up. Nonetheless I am pleased.
This I was not as happy with. Service was great. Delivery was great but the product QC was off and there is a design flaw in the product (that is most likely fixed by me spending more money, so thats on me.) Assembly was easy to follow however there was one big problem. The bar coming from the hitch to the rack. The metal mechanisim inside the square tube is cocked (image included) and thus lines up the threads for mounting at an angle and is a perfect setup for cross threading during installation. I managed with some work to get the pieces together (provided hex wrench + vice grips + torque bar). That said I can most likely never disassemble the product again for those threads are going to be toast and unsuable again. Mounting the rack to hitch was easy. Adjusting the setup for bike was easy. Design flaw and place I should spend more money is that once the bike is on the car I can no longer open the hatch to my car. Even if I pull the clamp bar off the rack closests to the hatch. Considering the cost of the rack I can live with this. It just means I cannot drive around with the rack always on the car and I will be pulling it off and only using it when I ride. Never time however I will be spending more to get a rack that either swings away from a hatch or has some sort of a pivot release to gain access into the car. For the money I spent this is going to work, considering the cost of some of the big name platform racks this is literally a small fraction of their price. So I cannot complain too much but that cross thread issue is not a good one.
# 2
Swagman Trailhead Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
Bought this rack because I for some reason are more comfortable (perhaps more used to) the hanging style bike rack. It reminded me of the Thule 4 bike rack that I have and like so much (at much less money). I am very pleased with quality of this rack. At first glance it appears to be built magnificently. Delivery was very speedy. Rack was packaged great with minimal assembly required.
I am unhappy with my purchase as I am unable to access my hatch on my 2013 Prius.
# 3
Swagman Trailhead Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
Appears well made out of the box. Anxious to see how it holds up to use vs. the bing names in racks.
# 4
Swagman Chinook Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
Truly grooving on my wife's new Swagman Chinook bike rack. She wanted to be able to transport her nice road bike easily without throwing it in the back of her car, and since a roof rack is out of the question, this Swagman model fit the bill perfectly. It arrived quickly on the anticipated date. Kudos to etrailer.com for the email updates to keep me informed of my purchase. Within one hour, it was installed on my wife's 2014 Mazda3 hatchback. The Swagman is heavy and solid, which is reassuring as it makes me feel confident that it will keep the bikes secure. It also makes me feel like I got my money's worth. A ratchet wrench and Phillip's head screwdriver were the only tools required for the easy install. I did my research before purchasing the Chinook model as I was also eyeballing a very similar Thule rack that was slightly more expensive. I spoke with an etrailer.com expert who gave me the lowdown on both models. Ultimately, the Swagman won out because it has a smaller 'footprint' while extended or folded up ... and also can tilt away from the car for easy access to the hatchback area. Very convenient! FYI: Mazda doesn't make a trailer hitch for the Mazda3 as it's a small car with a small engine and has no business towing anything. Thankfully, the Curt company makes an aftermarket frame and trailer hitch that fits the Mazda3 hatchback perfectly with no drilling. Stupidly, I purchased it from another online company thinking I was getting a good deal. Turns out etrailer.com had it for less with FREE shipping. Oh well ... live and learn. Now I know that etrailer.com is one-stop shopping for bike racks AND trailer hitches. (Full disclosure: I had the garage down the street install the frame as it's easier with a lift) Only snafu: the shipment contained an extra set of keys that I assumed was for the hitch bolt lock (there was also a set of keys on the bolt itself). I spent 15 minutes using those keys trying to figure out how to remove the lock from the bolt to install it on the hitch. The keys just wouldn't turn in the lock. I called etrailer.com and Kevin told me to try the other set of keys ... and they worked. So an extra set of keys came with it that did absolutely nothing ... weird! Obviously, I can't speak to the longevity and durability of the Swagman Chinook 2 Bike Platform Rack as I just installed it. What I can speak to is the sturdiness of it, the ease of the installation and my complete satisfaction with the good folks at etrailer.com.
# 5
Swagman Trailhead Bike Rack for 3 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
Bought this rack because I for some reason are more comfortable (perhaps more used to) the hanging style bike rack. It reminded me of the Thule 4 bike rack that I have and like so much (at much less money). I am very pleased with quality of this rack. At first glance it appears to be built magnificently. Delivery was very speedy. Rack was packaged great with minimal assembly required.
I am unhappy with my purchase as I am unable to access my hatch on my 2013 Prius.
What our customers are saying:
"Just to let you know I was very satisfied with my orders for a hitch, wiring harness, bike rack and extension. I have a 1995 Dodge Ram van and some of the parts are hard to get elsewhere. I received all my orders proptly and will recommend you to others. The pricing can't be beat. Thank you. Sincerely, Frank"