# 1
Thule Passage 3 Bike Carrier - Trunk Mount
Works really well. Needed another person to make sure the straps would stay while getting the rack situated. Very stable and I am able to get three adult bikes on; a tight squeeze, but doable. Straight forward setup and easy to store.
Shipped fast (arrived ahead of schedule and order was filled the same day) and was easy to assemble once I looked at a few [online] videos. I had been looking for this item in stores (was out of stock at [store]) and was happy to find it online and that etrailer confirmed this was an exact match for Dodge Journey. I definitely recommend this company.
# 2
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.
Hitch pin broke before I got it. Looks like a poor design for the locking pin, they might want to consider a different design. I got a 3/8 shear pin from Home Depot to replace and it works great. Bike rack is great!
# 3
Swagman XTC2 Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
This bike rack is sturdy and pretty easy to use, once you get accustomed to it. I had trouble initially with removing the spacer from the arm that goes into the trailer hitch. I mangled an Allen wrench and injured my hand trying to take off the Allen bolt that holds the spacer on. I had to take the whole rack to a bike shop to get them to remove the spacer, which they did in a matter of seconds. Once that was done, getting the rack loaded onto the trailer hitch was pretty simple. I had to make a lot of adjustments with the set screws (the instructions did not include inserting the washers for those screws, and the rack is really wobbly without the washers) but once I figured out how everything is supposed to go together, the rack worked beautifully. I love being able to open and close the hatch on my CRV while the rack is attached to the car. Awesome feature. And the bikes were quite stable on our initial trek with them. One thing I would suggest is buying locks for the ratcheting hooks that go over the top bars on the bikes. I think those locks should just be included with the rack. They are not essential for using the rack, but they make the journey a lot more secure. I would highly recommend this rack to people but if you are a single woman trying to put this together without a decent set of Allen wrenches, I strongly suggest adding a set to your toolbox. The one that is included in the kit works great on the set screws, but if you have to remove the spacer bar you are on your own.
This is a great rack. Received quickly from eTrailer and already took on a 400 mile journey on the back of my suburban, including some off-road. Rack held up perfectly without incident. Nothing to complain about. I did put some pipe insulation on the clamps as they seem a little hard and would probably leave some marring on the frame of your bike so I figured I would rather be safe than sorry. Other than that couldn't ask for anything more. eTrailer processed and shipped my order super fast. Couldn't be happier with their service. All in all, this is a great rack at a great price!
# 4
Saris Bones 2 Bike Rack - Trunk Mount - Adjustable Arms
It took a little while to get the arms where they needed to be and straps for the first time to make sure it was secure. But now that we have it set we just put it on tighten the straps and off we go! It's amazing and sturdy a little pricey but it's worth the money, I don't feel like our 2 bikes will fall off. I love It! Just make sure u get a bar adjuster for women's bikes or kids. Etrailer is the way to go, free shipping and it was here in 3 days!
# 5
Swagman XTC4 Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
So far I’ve just assembled it and took a quick test drive around the block. My initial thought is this thing is perfect. It’s super sturdy and easy to use. My only gripe and it’s not fault of the rack, but it’s heavy…
If you've done any research or read any of the other comments on either this rack, or this seller...rest assured they really are as good as everyone says! I ordered my rack on around 4pm est on a Friday afternoon and within an hour I received an email that said they have shipped my product AND upgraded to priority shipping. Can't say enough positive things about the customer service! When the rack arrived, it took me a little over half an hour to get it set up. Probably would e been faster if I were even slightly mechanically inclined (or if didn't I didn't have to borrow a socket wrench from my neighbor). We finally had an opportunity to load up the bikes and head out for a ride today. As others have said, the first time you load up your bikes, it's kind of like a puzzle to get them situated. Took about 15 minutes. This rack is awesome! Very sturdy and the bikes were very secure. Only racks I have had in the past were rooftop fork mount racks. This is so much easier! On e we got to the trail (over an hour drive) getting the bikes off was a piece of cake. Afterwards, it was time to load them back up and it was less than 5 minutes to get them all on and ready to hit the road. There were other 4-bike racks on the website, but this one had enough great reviews that I felt comfortable making the purchase. After the fact, I'm very glad I did! I can't imagine the $800 rack can be that much better than this, and I highly recommend this for anyone looking for a 4-bike platform rack. I will definitely recommend this rack and etrailer.com to everyone I know.
# 6
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.
# 7
Swagman XC2 Bike Rack for 2 bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
Great product, wish tire holders were an inch or 2 wider to support fattire bikes better. Still holds it securely.
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.
# 8
Swagman Chinook Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
Works great. Quickly load/unload bikes. Solid construction. Absolutely no issues. We keep it on the bumper all summer as it doesn’t affect the hatch. When the bikes are on, the fold down is great when getting into the vehicle. This is the one to get!
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.
# 9
Malone Hanger Trunk Bike Rack for 3 Bikes - Adjustable Arms
The Malone rack adjusts to fit my 2017 Trax really snugly and securely. Once we learned how to configure the bikes for best fit, everything traveled without movement. The only downside is that this system seems designed for narrow road bikes rather than the mountain and hybrid bikes we own. Although the anti-sway cradles are sufficiently wide for mountain tires, the close proximity of the individual bike setups sometimes cause a strap to pull loose during travel, so we keep the bikes cabled to the rack frame. We are able to make it work. For narrower bikes, I would recommend this rack without reservation.
# 10
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.
# 11
Kuat Sherpa 2.0 Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Wheel Mount - Black
This rack is great. The adjustable tilt feature is convenient. The price point is solid for the quality. The 4 star rating is simply because some of the plastic melted due to exhaust heat when the rack was in the bikeless up position. Küat warranty and customer service was great. They are replacing the hook. If you're thinking of this for a 2021 Forester, definitely get the Hi-lo adapter so that the hook doesn't sit in line with the exhaust.
I had waited a long time to get this Kuat rack and I am glad I did. The build quality is excellent and using the box as an assembly platform is a nice touch. It went together easily with 3 bolts and secures to the hitch very securely with little to no wobble once the adjustment knob is tightened. My last hitch rack used a threaded bolt to secure it to the hitch and that did an ok job to reduce sway but so far this method is much better. Loading bikes is easy and it holds then securely. I haven't used the security cable yet, other than to test it out, but like anything else I consider it more of a deterrent than anything else as I doubt I would leave my bikes loaded w/o being able to keep eyes on them. Overall this was a good purchase and etrailer was fantastic throughout the process as well. They offered an alternative when I ordered as this item was out of stock, but this is what I wanted so I was prepared to wait. Then to my surprise it shipped almost 2 months earlier than expected! They of course notified me when it was shipped and when it was delivered and made sure I had a contact at etrailer if I had any questions with the rack. Overall it was a great process and a great looking and functioning rack.
# 12
Yakima RidgeBack Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
Check out my other review on the hidden hitch for a 2015 BMW 4 Series for the majority of the review, but this thing is great. Easy setup and install, does all the things it's supposed to do. Mounting and removing bikes is a snap with the included clips (big difference from some of the cheaper variants with nylon ratchet straps). Fits very snugly in my 2" receiver, and pretty solid on the highway and over bumpy roads.
The rack itself is fantastic. Not too heavy, easy to attach to hitch, and very easy setup. The only real downside is if your bicycles don't have a standard frame, you'll need to buy the Yakima Tube Top Bike Adapter Bars (~$50 each) in order to be able to mount them on the rack. I will say that smaller bikes (for my 9 year old) can be a challenge to mount with larger bikes as you'll need to finagle the handle bars and such to get them to line up but once you do it a few times you figure it out.
# 13
Saris Bones 3 Bike Rack - Trunk Mount - Adjustable Arms
It took a little while to get the arms where they needed to be and straps for the first time to make sure it was secure. But now that we have it set we just put it on tighten the straps and off we go! It's amazing and sturdy a little pricey but it's worth the money, I don't feel like our 2 bikes will fall off. I love It! Just make sure u get a bar adjuster for women's bikes or kids. Etrailer is the way to go, free shipping and it was here in 3 days!
# 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.
# 15
Swagman Trailhead Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
Quick and reliable shipping and was able to take to my mechanic to get it installed and it works perfectly with my bike rack!
This is a very solid product! I have used it for over a year now and love it! I have had up to 3 bikes on this without a problem and have traveled over 8 hours in the car one way with absolutely no issues. Many other bike racks like this one that I see on other cars look unstable this is not unstable in anyway. I did have to file some of the paint off of the rack to get it to fit in my 1 and 1/4" hitch but once that was done it has been perfect. I also bought the locking hitch bolt which is awesome too.
# 16
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!
# 17
Curt Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
I bought this Curtis bike rack, because it was the least expensive and since I was not going to be using it that often, figured it was a good gamble. I'm impressed with the material. It's well made. However, based on what I've heard about bike racks in general, I was most worried about the looseness of the rack once mounted on a car. The two places that are most succeptible are the hitch connection and where the two piece rack mast comes together. For the hitch connection I just bought the Quiet Hitch anti-rattle bracket. For the mast I resolved the looseness by taking one of the plastic tie straps that comes as part of the packaging material, placed it on the outside top of the bottom mast, slid the top mast over it, and tightened the two bolts. It now doesn't wobble. Simple, easy, and cheap. Once I take it on a trip and this doesn't work, I'll update the review. Otherwise, I'm very satified with the rack.
Nice bike rack ! Saddles are well made and none of the ears that hold the straps in place have broken like they have with other brands I've owned. It came with 1 strap for each saddle and the straps seem just a tad stretchy. I looked on line and found that Home Depot has a good price for the straps so I now have 2 straps on each saddle. I've got it on a 1&1/4 hitch, but it came with an adapter for a 2 inch. It holds 3 road bikes. I used it all the time.
Softride Element-Parallelogram Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2016 Dodge Journey
Today, on our 2016 Dodge Journey, we're doing a test fit of the Softride Element Parallelogram Hanging Style 4 Bike Rack. That part number is SR26248. Now, we already have our bike secured down. We're first going to show you one of the key features of this rack. Now, unlike other hanging style racks, we can actually tilt this away with our bikes fully loaded, because it keeps our bikes parallel to the ground. What we're going to do is pull out on the black T-pin here on the side and just gently pull that down.
Kuat Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2016 Dodge Journey
Today on our 2016 Dodge Journey, we're doing a test fit of the Kuat NV 2.0 platform style, two-bike rack. That part number is NV22G. Now we already have our bike secured down. We're first going to show you one of the main features of this rack. We're going to come here in between our two cradles and we're going to pull down on this lever. With that pulled down, we're going to tilt our bike rack with our bikes fully loaded away from our vehicle and we'll gain full access into our back hatch area.
Yakima HoldUp Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2016 Dodge Journey
Today on our 2016 Dodge Journey we're doing a test fit of the Yakima HoldUp platform-style 2-bike rack. That part number is Y02443. Now we already have our bike secured down. We're first going to show you one of the key features here. We're going to lift up the back of the rack and pull out on the red pin. That's going to allow us to tilt our bike rack with our bikes fully loaded away from our vehicle.
Swagman Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2016 Dodge Journey
Today on our 2016 Dodge Journey, we're doing a test fit of the Swagman XC2 platform style bike rack. That part number S64650. Now we already have our bike secured down. We're first going to show you how we do that. The front and back tire, we have wheel cradles that are going to hold our tires into place. Then here in the center, we have a frame hook which is going to hold our bike down into those wheel cradles.
Thule Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2016 Dodge Journey
Today, on our 2016 Dodge Journey, we're taking a look at the Thule T2 Classic Platform Style Two Bike Rack. That part number is TH9044. We already have our bike secured down. I'm first going to show you one of the key features of this rack. We're going to come here to the back and remove this pin, then we're going to pull down on this lever, and that's going to allow us to tilt our bike rack, with our bikes fully loaded, away from our vehicle. At this point we are going to gain full access. You'll see there's plenty of room, but we gain full access to our back hatch area to get anything in or out that we may need.
What our customers are saying:
"A couple months ago, I ordered a hitch & bike rack for my new 2005 Saturn VUE. Everything about the order was fast and easy. When my father bought a 2006 VUE, he wanted the same hitch, but it was not listed on the site. I contacted customer service and quickly received a response informing me that they were waiting for details on the new model. The next day I had another email saying it was available, less than an hour later, my order was placed and I had a "shipped" email. Outstanding service!"