# 1
Thule Hitching Post Pro Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches
Great product, fit truck perfectly and follow up from company was great. Much better and easier than trying to find in local store. Woukd definitely recommend to anyone. Like fact that fits both 2" and 1 1/4" hitch, rack is very solid and securely locks bikes in place. Does sit little high on back of truck, but hard for my wife to lift or remove bikes (she is about 5'2"), but think that more function of truck than rack. We hooked up to Yukon and that's bigger truck.
Overall I am very pleased with this product. The one problem that I have an issue with is that I bought a pin with a lock on it so that this rack can not be stolen off of my Yukon. It turns out the Thule has a proprietary locking pin that costs an additional $50 which I think is crazy!!!. I created m own lock that cost about $4 with 3/16" cable and eyelet loops. It is ridiculous to make a lock for $50 that only work with the rack. As for etrailer.com, they were easy to work with and took my order over the phone after I had a question. The product showed up 2 days later with free shipping.
# 2
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.
Positive: The product is well thought out and works for a wide range of automotive vehicles. It comes with interesting dampers that i think work. Instructions seem to be translated from another language, but are quite good, accompanying pictures make installation straightforward. A test drive over speed bumps shows that the rack will support the bike for all travel needs. It can be disassembled , collapsed and stored in the trunk. Downside: The rack is made for the classic triangular shaped frame: horizontal cross bar, "male" bike. For bikes without the horizontal bar, mounting is a little less satisfactory. Such a bike can only be mounted on the outside mounts. Cannot use the damper on one side. Picture shows the mounting. as to a design solution, maybe brackets could be replaced with smaller profile, some adjustability? however, as it is, vibration control is good and adjustability with smaller profile would have vibration concerns.
# 3
RockyMounts MonoRail Solo Bike Rack for 1 Bike - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Wheel Mount
I just finished installing this rack on my 2017 Subaru Outback. I've been researching platform racks for about 2 months now, and the most important things to me (other than a reasonable price) were no frame contact, ease of getting the bike on and off the rack, not too heavy for me to take it off the car, and enough clearance in the back for me to close my garage door. This rack is perfect for me. And I like that it's expandable to two bikes if I want to do that down the line. It came very well packaged. I am a single gal and not handy AT ALL, but I was able to do the installation with no problem. I did put my bike on the rack and took a short test ride, it was very stable. Very solid well made product!
could have been so much better if the front wheel backstop had been designed to fold back to allow easier loading of front tire. almost a deal breaker. the install was straight forward, all parts accounted for and decent materials for the price. but like I said with a bit of thoughtful engineering with that front backstop it would have rated a 4 that's if no surprises come up traveling a distance with the bike loaded. My bike is RadCity 5+ and weighs about 55 pounds without the battery. The weight compounds the awkward loading with that tall front backstop in the way. I doubt I would have noticed if I had been loading a light weight road bike.
# 4
Swagman XC2 Bike Rack for 2 bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
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.
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.
# 5
Swagman Upright Bike Rack for 1 Bike - Roof Rack Crossbars - Frame Mount
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.
We have used the Swagman Roof Rack a number of times when we have needed the additional bike carrying capacity. It took a couple attempts to get the initial spacing of the bike rack properly balanced on the van’s roof rack as recommended by the instructions. But it was easy to do and once set was very easy and quick to put on and take off. The rack works great, the bike is easy to put into place and secure. The bike and rack are very stable and quiet and haven’t required any mid-trip adjustments. We always put the cheapest bike on the roof (lol) but do use a bit of duct tape to protect the finish just Incase. We are very satisfied with the rack and consider it quite a deal for the money.
# 6
Curt Bike Rack for 5 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Tilting
We love this bike rack and use it all the time! The titling option is key with our Yukon back lift door. We have been from Texas to Breckinridge numerous times with the rack, and every time it has been a success. Very well made, and works great for 2 kids bikes and 2 adult bikes.
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.
# 7
Swagman XTC4 Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
Received the rack quickly and in perfect condition. We have owned many styles of racks over the last twenty years including Thule, Yakima, frame styles, ankle biters, and roof racks. I am a female in my forties with small children (3 and 6). For the reviewers who state it won't work with smaller bikes I disagree. We have 16 and 20 in. tire bikes as well as a trailer bike. Instead of putting the tire rings as directed, you can place 4 heading in the same direction which allows for a very short wheel bases. With the rings the same direction it will still easily fit an adult men's medium frame bike. We can't make it fit the balance bike, but we fill it with bigger bikes anyway. We had a similar x-port rack but hated the tightening knobs on the frame holder portion. They seemed to often loosen in travel. I love the ratcheting system. Bikes hold securely. If tires flatten in travel I don't worry about the bike hanging by the two tire straps. We do add some padding on the contact point with the frame, but I don't worry about much. We have a tri bike, 2 mountain bikes, 2 road bikes, single speed, fitness bike, 3 kids bikes (16 & 20in.) and a trailer bike. Fits them all. Good solid rack for half the price of Kuat, Thule, and Yakima. It is really easy to place on and off. Dropping the center bar while placing the first bike and raising it after placed makes it easier. We were very glad the locking pin and cable came with the rack. It works well when rack is on the camp trailer but can't use it on the 2007 Yukon. It is easy to use any bike lock to secure bikes to rack frame. Glad we ordered from etrailer. Very happy with our purchase.
I purchased this bike rack about a year ago and was looking for something that could easily carry four bikes of different sizes for my family that didn't cost a small fortune like some other popular names out there. It only took me about an hour to assemble and once you figure out the best arrangements for the bikes, it's a breeze. I would give this rack 5 stars accept for one issue I am having (which isn't entirely the racks fault). I drive a 2012 GMC Yukon Denali and the way that the vehicle is designed with the hitch and tail light plug for trailers doesn't give you any extra leeway when attempting to put in the anti-wiggle locking pin with the bike cable and locking mechanism. The pin that comes with the rack it just about 1" to 1.5"'s to long to easily install the rack, bike lock cable and locking pin. I actually called Swagman themselves and they know about the issues but don't offer a shorter locking anti-wiggle pin. So instead, I have been using a regular hitch pin and then taking the rack off and laying it in the back of my SUV...not the greatest of solutions. I just don't want someone stealing it off the back of my suv while we are out riding.
# 8
Curt Clamp-On Bike Rack for 3 Bikes - 2" Ball Mounts
Rack fits tightly on hitch with more than enough strap length to reach the sides of the rear door on a 09 Yukon. The rubber cradles grip the bikes well. The unit doesn't move or shake. I will have to remove the front tires from the bikes to give enough clearance for the trailer to connect to the hitch but otherwise I believe it will work perfectly for a vacation trip towing the boat.
This is the best product online. I had to do a few adjustments to make room for the clamp on the trailer hitch. The particular ball hitch I had had a reinforcement welded to the ball which I had to have a piece taken off. Once it was filed down the clamp worked like a champ. Now I have a $200 bike rack that I purchased a year ago that is obsolete. The product arrived early and in good shape. I would definitely buy this bike rack and use this company again!
# 9
RockyMounts TomaHawk Roof Bike Rack for Fat Bikes - Wheel Mount - Clamp On - Aluminum
Great product. Worked as advertised . Used to be able to take 4 wheeler and bike. etrailer did a great job helping me find an item that would work for my application 10 out of 10 on etrailer. Thanks Vanessa
This rack is great. I've traveled about 2,500 miles with the bike loaded up and it has been rock solid. Well designed. I bring a little folding step ladder with me that I use to load/unload the bike. When I'm not using the rack, it lays down nicely and you never even know it's up there. Highly recommended product.
# 10
Yakima ForkLift Roof Mounted Bike Carrier - Fork Mount
Good product. However, the one I ordered was supposed to fit the aero cross bars on 2018 Subaru roof racks and it doesn't. In fact the fit is very sloppy and looks unsafe. Sending mine back if they can't find a clamp that fullly contacts all surfaces.
Yep - exactly what I ordered. Instructions included are very thorough. The bike carrier arrived with some box damage but was in perfect condition. Includes everything but the locking cylinder for the skewer (for obvious reasons). I appreciate the clear instructions on how to assemble it all together. Haven't put it on my Yakima rack yet but I know it's straightforward. Can't wait to put the carrier into service!
# 11
Swagman XTC2 Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
We have a GMC Denali . Im 62 and although fit for my age, the back rack we had was very heavy and cumbersome. I didnt want to always rely on my husband to mount the rack. We love the etrailor rack. Lightweight and easy to 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.
# 12
Saris Bones Hitch Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
The customer service was absolutely fantastic. She helped me choose the perfect bike rack. I have used it many times on short trips and three very long trips. It’s fabulous. I highly recommend this company
These are descent bike holders, but I was disappointed in the fact that at speed, the bike closer to the vehicle will be pushed back (by the air) and rub against the other bike. My brand new bike now has a big bare spot in the paint, which made me pretty unhappy.
# 13
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!
# 14
Swagman Trailhead Bike Rack for 3 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
Draw-tite Sportframe Trailer Hitch Receiver Class I - 1-1/4 Swagman Trailhead 3 Bike Rack - Tilting The Draw-tite Sportframe class 1 trailer hitch and Swagman Trailhead 3 bike rack were ordered for a 2017 Honda Fit. The online order and shipping went just as expected. The trailer hitch and bike rack are very heavy duty. I recommend watching the trailer hitch install video before installing, whereas the video is very helpful. The bike rack has triangles that you can rotate to find the best fit for your bicycle's frame. The rubber straps are thick and secure the bicycles when you pull them tight. This bike rack will stay on the vehicle for 6 months each year. The tilt feature and folding arm feature are must haves for a smaller hatchback. I am pleased with this purchase, it appears to be good quality and good value.
My previous bike rack was a hitch mounted Yakima. It was sturdy but not well suited for my low Subaru Impreza. It stuck out too far and hung too low so that I had to inch my way down the driveway or over speed bumps for fear of it bottoming out. A roof rack or a rear window mounted rack was not suitable since I wanted to be able to also carry two kayaks. First, I tried to modify my rack by shortening the part that sticks out of the hitch. I tried to saw off about 6 inches so it wouldn't stick out so far but the steel was much too hard. I ended up ruining several metal-cutting blades on my power saw before I gave up. I looked for other rack options. There weren't many out there. But eventually, I found something that met my needs. I purchased the "Swagman Trailhead 3 Bike Fold Down Bicycle Hitch Rack" in 2013 from eTrailer.com. The part that enters the hitch curves up to increase clearance from the ground. It is sturdy and sticks out far enough so I can still open my trunk hatch without having to lower the main vertical bar on the hitch (though I could if I wanted to). It isn't often I am really excited about a piece of gear but this hitch rack has made me worry-free when I transport my bicycle(s) via car. The only thing I don't like is that it is advertised as being a 3 bike carrier but it only fits 2 hybrid bikes. Maybe it will fit 3 skinny racing bikes but for the average rider, don't expect to fit on more than 2. But my experience is that is the case for all bicycle racks.
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!"