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# 1
Thule Hitching Post Pro Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches
The good: I like the way the bikes are held in and the ability to add the upright adapters to the bike frame holders. The straps are quality too. For a jeep with a spare tire, this is the perfect length to clear it. This rack is 5 stars from the bike holders to the base of it. The bad: the 2"receiver adapter and bolt are insufficient. I wish they made this in a solid 2" hitch. The entire setup is held into the receiver by a very short bolt. It only goes about half way into the receiver tube. So your hitch is only "secured" on one side. A hitch pin or bolt should go through the receiver tube completely imo so it can be secured on the other end with a retaining clip or nut. Because this only goes in the one side, the entire weight of the rack plus bikes are held tight to one side of the receiver by the undersized bolt and washer. A few bumps down the road and that bolt loosens. Now instead of distibuting the weight of the rack and bikes on the receiver and post, it's completely up to the bolt to keep you from losing the rack. The bolt threads get damaged too. I took this down a dirt road and nearly lost everything. I had to buy my own bolt with hd fender washers and lock washers to correct this. Thule should've provided this from the start. The current short bolt design where only one side of the receiver secures the rack is unacceptable. This rack is 1 star at best for the connection to the receiver.
I bought this bike rack back in April but wanted to make sure I used it to give the best review. First I want to say I did a lot of research on bike racks and found this one to be the best one to fit my needs. The best price I found was on etrailer.com, at the time it was When I called the customer service to place my order, I spoke to Dan. He was very pleasant on the phone and took the time and listened to what I needed and understood my concerns. I ordered the bike rack and also ordered the Thule Snug Tite Hitch Lock and Anti-Rattle Device and the Thule Cable Lock w/ One Key System Lock. Dan suggested I also get the Thule Bike Adapter Bar, which I never even thought of getting. Delivery was in about two business days, which was really fast and at the time of order they were running a special free delivery over $99. When I went to put it together I noticed I was missing the flat cap screw M6 x 16mm, part number #853-5787-02. I emailed Dan and within 24 hours received an email that the part was sent out and also in the email their was a link to track the order. After I received the part I did notice that the flat cap screw was actually in the 2 inch adaptor sleeve. The instructions were very easy to read, and it took me about 20 minutes to put together. I did have an issue when I positioned the stinger into the cradle, with the 8mm locking nut, it was not staying tight and when I took it off I noticed the threads inside were gone, so I ended up going out to Lowes and buying a new one and its holds perfectly fine. I also had a question about that part because it is not a locking part and was worried someone would try to steal the rack. I contacted etrailer.com to find if they make a locking device for this and they said no but I can contact Thule to double check, I'm still waiting for an answer back from Thule. The weather finally broke and we installed the rack onto my hitch, tightened it and it doesn't rattle. When I finally used the rack and put my bike on, it did sway a little but at 50 mph I was very happy with it. The trailer comes out just enough away from my car that I do not have to fold completely out and I can open my trunk with no issues. I am very happy with my purchase and had a great customer experience with Dan. Would highly recommend ordering from them to anyone.
# 2
Yakima FullBack 2 Bike Rack - Trunk Mount - Adjustable Arms
Took a while to get it, and use it immediately - it's as awesome as described. The video on etrailer.com is very insightful, and further clarifies some of the ambiguities of the instruction booklets. Yakima web site also has videos and some online guidance to help you along. The rack works as expected on my Audi Q5 and it's pretty sturdy. I was driving in local road and hwy - there are no shaking whatsoever. Very happy with the quality of the product. My order was late (as with a lot of things this year) and etrailer added a personal touch to have someone (not a robot) inform me of my order weekly. While it doesn't make the order goes any faster, it's good to see what somebody cares about each customer. +1 there
Perfect for my 2019 RAV-4. I like this product because it allows me to drive and park without having to worry about height clearances in the city and parking was still navigable. Definitely worth the money!
# 3
Kuat NV 2.0 Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Wheel Mount - Gunmetal Gray
Have used it on a 2015 Audi Q5 with an aftermarket Curt 2" hitch. LOVE it! We were looking for the longest tongue that we could find so that when stored upright, it wouldn't hit the bumper. With the advice of the etrailer phone rep...we got 4 place model which is what we ended up with..(we got the add-on) Avid mountain bikers that love this setup. The model is very solid with 4 bikes! Also like how you can adjust the front wheel cradle so that the bars won't rub on other bars/seats. Heavy when you lower the rack "loaded" to open hatchback, but that's what you'll deal with when going with a setup that doesn't touch the frame which is what we want and need. Much nicer than the Thule/Yakima options that other friends have. A lot better looking too!! It does slightly block the tail lights so added some reflectors for those "distracted drivers" ;-) Highly recommend and feel price is worth it.
This thing is built like a tank! It is of the best fit and funtion I have seen in a bike rack! Solid as can be, fits my bikes perfectly and looks awesome! Plus it folds completely out of the way to access the rear liftgate on my 2022 Rav4!
# 4
Swagman XC2 Bike Rack for 2 bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
It works great! Easy, quick, you know. One needs to screw in the hitch bolt, for some reason, before latching it. Other than that, it makes going bike riding way easier.
I like the overall design of this rack, but unfortunately after hauling a couple bikes around for a while the point where the crossbar connects has apparently rounded off so the rack swings back and forth. I've used rope to tie the ends of the rack to the car to stop this from getting worse, but it's inconvenient. Note: the hitch connection itself is good and solid, but the point where the crossbar connects to the bar coming from the hitch has gotten loose and there's no way that I can see to tighten it.
# 5
Swagman Upright Bike Rack for 1 Bike - Roof Rack Crossbars - Frame Mount
Me and my husband are please with this rack. We did a little highway speeding as we were running late to meet friends for a 6:00 am bike ride and the rack held up fine, holding 2 hybrid bikes. I don't recommend speeding, but it was a fine test to pass. Merry in Maryland.
Planning on bringing bikes while camping. I mounted 2 of the Swagman bike racks to my new Sportrack on my pop-up camper. The bikes fit perfectly. The racks seem sturdy enough. Not heavy duty, but for my needs they should be fine. Assembly was relatively fast and easy.
# 6
Swagman XTC2 Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
First-time rack buyer / owner / installer. The rack arrived in a timely fashion, maybe a day or 2 ahead of schedule. It was well packaged. I’m LOVING this bike rack. It was easy to put together and to mount on my new Honda Passport. Thus far, no squeaks in my 2” receiver. Hardest part of initial set-up is figuring out the best way to position two bikes. Trial & error and some patience. The directions weren’t clear as to where the 2 left-over screws went. I found the answer in another review and have posted a pic in case others have the same problem (photo with pen pointing at screw). These screws go in the underneath side of both of the folding arms. They appear to keep the wheel wells from sliding off in case in you drive with an empty, un-folded rack, and forgot to tighten down the wheel wells. The folding arm push / pull pins can be difficult at times. I coated the tips with some lube. That and a little jiggling seems to solve that issue. I guess it’s better for the pins to be snug vs popping right out. I added a small Master lock to the hitch pin (in lieu of the provided cotter pin) as a theft deterrent. I read that a 3/16 shackle lock will fit into the bike clamp down arms to also act as a deterrent. I had an old 3/16 lock that did snugly fit and appeared to be locked. HOWEVER, I yanked on the lock and it came open as there isn’t quite enough clearance for the shackle to lock. I discovered that longer 3/16 shackle locks are hard to find. Have attached a photo of the lock that actually fits and works (Ace Hardware). One lock on the upper clamp down arm will secure both arms as the lower arm can’t be removed without removing the upper arm. The clamp down arms appear to be coated to prevent damage to your bike. I’ve tried a simple rag and ultimately settled on pool noodle pieces as a precautionary measure. I CAN NOT open my tailgate (regardless of whether or not the rack is fold up and in the bike carry position). If that’s a concern for you, then spring for the more costly titling version. My back-up camera still functions.
The Swagman XTC-2 platform bike carrier arrived very quickly from etrailer and in good shape, the actual carrier box is inside another shipper box, which I'm sure helped with its condition. Assembly was relatively quick and painless, even though the instructions could be a little more thorough. Installing the carrier on the back of our Jeep Patriot also was quick, it helps to have an extra ratchet & 3/4" socket laying around for just this purpose. Installing the bikes takes a little patience and trial and error the first time you try and put them on the carrier. It's easy enough to adjust the wheel holders to fit the wheelbase of your bikes, but for us at least, the challenge was trying to swing the vertical support bar up into position after putting on the first bike (closest to the Jeep). We couldn't angle the bike enough toward the Jeep to have the bar clear the bike. We learned that the easiest way to secure the first bike was to remove the ratcheting frame hooks altogether, put the bike in the carrier, swing up the vertical support bar, put in the pin, and then slide one of the frame hooks down on the bar. The outside bike is much easier because you can set the bike in the carrier at whatever angle you need, not being limited by the back of the vehicle. One thing we did to protect the bike frames was to use some foam pipe insulation as cushion between the frame hook and the frame (see pictures). Once you get a system for installing the bikes, it is very quick to load/unload them. The rack seems to be well made and doesn't wiggle excessively when traveling. All in all a good product for a good price, would definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a platform bike carrier.
# 7
Swagman Trailhead Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
etrailer has the best pre- and post-sales customer service I've ever seen! I started out not knowing anything about hitch-mounted racks. So I wrote to etrailer telling them about my car and type of hitch I was about to have installed. Samuel wrote back with lots of great information tailored specifically to my car. He even included a photo that looked just like my 2017 white VW GTI with a hitch and rack installed. Okay something of a coincidence. But the rest of the assistance I got from the crew at etrailer was just as prophetic. I went into this a novice and came out knowing lots more about hitches and racks and finding the rack best suited to my situation. I have a small car, a class 1 hitch and a heavy mountain bike. I got exactly what I needed. As to the Swagman rack itself, it works fine. If I had a different situation I would probably buy a platform rack as they are easier to load. There's no reason to buy a bike rack anywhere else.
First off, thanks to Jason T. or "Troop". The exemplary customer service he provided is rare these days. Troop made several calls to the various manufacturers to ascertain which bike rack would afford me the most ground clearance as my new VW Golf sits low to the ground and my old bike rack frequently scraped the ground when I went up even a slight up hill grade. His efforts paid off as he found me the best bike rack for my car, the Swagman Trailhead 2 Bike Carrier. It sits up off the ground just high enough that it doesn't scrape on my driveway. It is also sturdy and holds my bikes securely. And, the delivery was amazingly fast. I had my rack in about 2 days! Note to Troop, see my Pittsburgh Pirates Logo on my bumper in the attached pictures? Pirate Fans persevere! The Bucco's will be coming after your Cardinals this year! Thanks again Troop!
# 8
Yakima FullBack 3 Bike Rack - Trunk Mount - Adjustable Arms
Took a while to get it, and use it immediately - it's as awesome as described. The video on etrailer.com is very insightful, and further clarifies some of the ambiguities of the instruction booklets. Yakima web site also has videos and some online guidance to help you along. The rack works as expected on my Audi Q5 and it's pretty sturdy. I was driving in local road and hwy - there are no shaking whatsoever. Very happy with the quality of the product. My order was late (as with a lot of things this year) and etrailer added a personal touch to have someone (not a robot) inform me of my order weekly. While it doesn't make the order goes any faster, it's good to see what somebody cares about each customer. +1 there
Performed perfectly on a 140 mile round-trip in my 2017 Acura MDX. It took me a few tries to position the anchors inside the top of the hatch, but I got the hang of it and the rack did not shift at all while driving 50-60 mph on the highway.
# 9
Saris Bones 2 Bike Rack - Trunk Mount - Adjustable Arms
While getting a bike rack for a sports car isn't ideal, I really wanted to transfer my bike with my own car instead of borrowing my friend's pickup truck. After hours of trying to find a bike rack that would be good for my 07 Mustang, I decided to give this one a try and I gotta say, it has been pretty good so far. It fits very well over the factory spoiler. One of my biggest concerns I was worried about when ordering a rack for my Mustang was ruining the paint, but the feet on the legs haven't left one scratch. I have used this to transfer my bike at freeway speeds (up to 80 mph) on car rides that typically last an hour and my bike was perfectly secure throughout each ride. For extra security, I wrapped both bike wheels with a ratchet strap so the wheels and pedals wouldn't shift in transit. So far, I am very pleased with this bike rack for the price and quality. I would highly recommend this if you want a rack that is affordable and durable.
Seemingly well-constructed and supported bike rack. It fits my 2018 Toyota Camry SE just fine and I haven't had any issues with sway or even feeling my bike while driving. I've only carried one bike on it and have used it a limited number of times, so I cannot speak on durability and longevity. Although you shouldn't open your trunk while the rack is attached, I have been able to do so with no issue (without the bike attached).
# 10
Kuat NV 2.0 Base Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Wheel Mount - Matte Black
I've taken this rack all over New England on the front of my Dodge Ram 3500 pick up truck with a truck camper. I had no idea it was possible to love a bike rack so much. After one drive I didn't ever worry about it again. So nice that it locks up when I am camping or taking a quick stop for food on the road. So glad I bought it from etrailer. They totally help me pick the perfect rack for my challenging set up.
Still very new, but what an awesome bike rack! Assembly was a snap and the rack is rock-solid when you secure it to the hitch receiver. etrailer was amazing too - excellent communication, price and fast, free delivery. Overall I am extremely happy with the rack and service!
# 11
Thule Passage Trunk Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - Hanging Style
Excellent and prompt customer service! When I first ordered my product it wasn’t in stock— staff were quick to let me know and offered me comparable products. I ended up waiting for my original order and shipping quick and they stayed in touch with ideas! Thule: The instructions could be a little more detailed. I ended up watching YouTube videos to help me instal. Overall it was easy, and this was the first rack I’ve ever installed and I did it by myself! I was surprised to learn the bike rack is in no way secured inside your vehicle, so.. I store it in my garage when it’s on.
Ordered online, it shipped the same day. Received it 3 days later. There is a little assembly, but, pretty simple. It took me less than 15 minutes to install and no tools were needed. It is adjustable to be used on many different auto types, but, the instructions were very clear about how to adjust it to fit my 2011 Ford Edge. I have used it twice so far to transport my bike. There are a couple of items that are inherent in the design, not a flaw, but, you need to be aware of them. First, you can't use rear window wipers. Second, the back-up alarm goes nuts because it registers a bike less than 6 inches behind you (I tolerate it for the few seconds it takes to back out of my driveway or out of a parking lot). Third, there is a little flexibility, it is held on with straps and clamps, not bolts, so, it bounces a little when you go over bumps or make sharp turns, however, it holds the bike fast to the frame and stays on the car. I use mine to transport my bike on short trips around town to bike trails. On a long trip I would suggest checking that the straps remain tight from time to time during the drive.
# 12
Thule EasyFold XT Bike Rack for 2 Electric Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
The product is great. Thule is the leader. But it is etailer that made the difference. The website allows you to determine the right products for your vehicle so they take out the guesswork. I ordered the bike rack and got a great price, better than anything else I could find on line or elsewhere. Shipping was free and fast. The videos made installation a breeze.
The BEST bike carrier by far!! We are both in our 7th decade and even I alone (5’2” 120 lbs) can manage to attach this in my hitch without any issues. It’s so easy to load both our hybrid and e-bike and they are super secure. We love that it folds up small and wheels away when not in use. This bike carrier is worth every penny!!
# 13
Curt Bike Rack for 5 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Tilting
It was obvious that we received a product that was returned by someone else when the box was overly taped shut, a support collar was broken, and most of the pieces were out of their ripped plastic bags. However, it was a great price to hold 5, 26" and/or 27" Trek bikes. I used a piece of the broken collar and went ahead and assembled the rack. Due to the weight of the 5 bikes it did not wobble that much when driving, as one of the bike tires was up against my car. I can only imagine that if we received an untampered product that this review would have been 5 stars. The picture is a little hard to see, but there are 5 Trek bikes on the rack on my 2020 Toyota Seinna.
We received a damaged box, damaged items, no instructions, the nuts and bolts are completely stripped and not inside a bag. This was obviously used, returned, not checked for quality and sent out. We are extremely upset.
Saris Freedom SuperClamp Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2014 Audi Q5
Today on our 2014 Audi Q5 we're going to be test fitting the Saris Freedom Superclamp 2-bike platform-style rack, part number SA4025. We'll begin our test fit by inserting the shank of the rack into our receiver hitch. You'll want to watch for the pinholes to line up. That way you can insert the threaded anti-rattle hitch pin bolt. Go ahead and get that as tight as you can by hand and then we'll finish it off with our wrench. Tightening this down helps to take any extra movement out of the shank of the rack, which overall eliminates movement of the bike going down the road.
Yakima FullTilt Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2014 Audi Q5
Today on our 2014 Audi Q5 we are going to be test fitting the Yakima full tilt 4-bike rack four inch and a quarter and two inch hitches. Part number YO2462. We will begin our test fit by inserting the shank of the rack into the receiver hitch on our vehicle. You will notice here that there is a self-locking pin, so we will go ahead and keep a finger on the anti-rattle device so that it does not bound up as we insert our shank and press this in until it clicks into place. As you can see we are locked into place and it is not going to move out of there. We will then tighten down the anti-rattle knob here. Sometimes it helps to wiggle the rack around a little bit as you tightening it down. And as you can we are nice and secure. With our rack in this position the closest part of the rack to the vehicle is going to likely be the base of the mast here. That is going to measure about three and a quarter inches and the arms are going to measure about five and a quarter inches from the rear of the vehicle. The pin is going to be our lowest point so that is going to be about 8 1/2 inches off the ground.
Thule Helium Aero Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2014 Audi Q5
Today on our 2014 Audi Q5 we're going to be test fitting the Thule Helium Aero 2 Bike Rack part number TH9042. We'll begin our test fit by inserting the shank of the rack into the hitch of our vehicle. This does have a self-locking pin and clip system so you'll want to pull out on the arm here, twist that into place and it'll lock itself into place. You'll then tighten down the anti-rattle device. This helps to take any extra play out of the shank and overall will reduce movement of the bike on the rear of the vehicle. Get that tightened down real good and as you can see we're nice and tight there. We'll go ahead and get a couple of measurements.
Thule Vertex Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2014 Audi Q5
Today on our 2014 Audi Q5, we're going to be test fitting Thule Vertex Four Bike Rack, part number Th9029. We'll begin our test fit by inserting the shank of the rack into the hitch on our vehicle. We'll go ahead and line up the hitch pin holes. Once you've done that you can go ahead and insert the anti-rattle hitch pull. It will need to be inserted from the passenger side. Go ahead and get it as tight as you can by hand, and then you can finish it off with your wrench.
Thule Hitching Post Pro Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2014 Audi Q5
Today on our 2014 Audi Q5, we're going to be test-fitting the Thule Hitching Post Pro 4 Bike Rack, part number TH934XTR. We'll begin our test fit by inserting the shank of our rack into the hitch of our vehicle. Once we have that inserted, we'll go ahead and line up the hitch pin holes. You'll then want to thread in your hitch pin. With this particular rack, you'll have to do that from the passenger side. There we go. We'll go ahead and tighten this down by hand as best we can and then we can finish it off with our wrench.
What our customers are saying:
"I cannot find words to express how professional these guys are. They should start teaching others on how the Internet shopping should look like. I was completely new to the hitches and bike racks. Documentation and movies on www were very helpful and educational. Prices are great, products of good quality and easy to assemble. I will definitely come back to them with every trailing need I will have. Thanks a lot for amazing shopping experience!"