# 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.
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!
# 2
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.
# 3
Swagman XC2 Bike Rack for 2 bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
I installed the hitch and bike carrier on a 2021 Toyota Venza XLE. The installation went pretty quick, easy enough. The bike carrier (swagman XC-2) for 2 bikes looks great and easy enough to assemble (good quality and strong) and doesn’t interfere with the rear hatch! And the hands free opening works, just for pass your foot to the left or right of the receiver. I haven’t been on a road trip as of yet, but I’m confident in the quality!
Right on day promised.easy to put together .real good qualitiiy .best deal on line.
# 4
Swagman XTC4 Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
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.
Loads and unloads bikes super fast, and holds them firm. Wish I would have purchased this a long time ago instead of struggling with my old frame mount rack. I actually ride more because I don't dread having to load. Adjusts to different bikes easily. Time will tell if the fittings, springs, straps hold up to weather (I leave it on car). It is fairly large and heavier than the more expensive 4 bike racks (it's mostly steel vs. composite plastic), so if you are going to take it off hitch and store it - be prepared. Only recommendation I have is to add softer foam on the frame bar for traveling on rough roads.
# 5
Thule EasyFold XT Bike Rack for 2 Electric Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
This rack is perfect! eTrailer had it shipped and at my home in almost no time. I drove with it on the car today, and it was solid and secure. It's super easy to get on and off the hitch. I'm 5'1 and I was able to load the bike on with the ramp without a struggle. Thanks for the thorough video and comparison information. It made this purchase easy.
I purchased the rack and receiver hitch a year ago. Installation of the rack was made simple with the installation video that was specific to my vehicle (2020 Honda Accord). Literally took less than an hour start to finish. Only tool that I needed to buy was a torque wrench, which was about 20 bucks. It did require a very small cut in the plastic bumper that was accomplished easily with a keyhole saw. There was no drilling or other significant issues. The rack itself is awesome! My wife and I have two Lectric XP3 bikes. They weigh about 65 pounds each with battery. When we travel I revome the batteries to save a bit of weight. I have made two cross country trips (over 6000 miles) with this rack and have never had an issue. Literally every gas stop or hotel stop someone asks me about the rack and bikes. It really is that nice. My wife usually scolds me because we lose a 1/2 hour of travel time each stop to visit with complete strangers:) The rack is easy to install and remove on the receiver hitch. The lockout feature works great and gives a great deal of peace of mind. The bikes are easy to load. I don't use it, but there is a ramp that could make loading the bikes easier if a person couldn't lift the bike onto the rack. There are two arms the lock onto the frame of the bikes similar to the receiver hitch. Once locked down the bikes will not move. I would recommend ordering the longer ratchet staps if you have fat tires. I think they cost around 20 bucks but the longer straps allow for a little more flexibility in arranging bikes on the rack. I would strongly recommend this product and this company.
# 6
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!
# 7
Yakima FullBack 3 Bike Rack - Trunk Mount - Adjustable Arms
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.
Excellent quality! Bike rack comes fully assembled. Cam locks hold the upper support and the bike arms in position and are very easy to use.fairly useless included cable lock. Will only work if you always carry 3 bikes. I just used my cable lock and had no problems transporting my bike to the trails.
# 8
Rhino-Rack Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Tilting
I purchased this bike rack a year ago and I use it A LOT. I had to buy and install a stabilizer because without it, the unit would sway back and forth even without a bike on it (very noisy). This makes removal more cumbersome but since I keep the hitch on year round it doesn't matter to me. The tilting function is fabulous allowing easy use of my RAV4 hatchback. I can even tilt it down with a bike on it. I got the 2 bike hitch. Plenty of room for two bikes to fit without rubbing. Lastly, the hitch has a sizable through-hole on the bottom to thread a good sized cable so I can lock my bike up. Sturdy. I highly recommend.
The unit ‘s simplicity is a real plus. It takes less than 3 minutes to put the rack on the vehicle. It is well built and very durable and has a nice feature that allows you to open the rear hatch for SUV owners without removing the rack.
# 9
Yakima HoldUp Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Wheel Mount
The packing of the bike rack was great, the delivery faster than anticipated. The rack is very solid and I expect many years of service from it. I needed the rack due to the inability to carry anything on top of the vehicle. Great product and shipping. alan
Works well for transporting two 29" wheeled mountain bikes. However, after one year it's starting to rust in several areas (see attached photos), and the front wheel arms are becoming increasingly difficult to raise and lower. Finally the locking cable is extremely rusty as you can see in the attached photo. I'm not sure how durable this rack will be long term.
# 10
Thule Tandem Roof Mounted Bike Rack - Pivoting Design - Fork Mount - for Tandem/Recumbent Bikes
I have ordered several products from etrailer.com, always with the same prompt delivery and email followup. I installed the Thule gutter foot mounts and rails on a 1995 Geo Tracker which we tow behind our motorhome. I have used a Draftmaster tandem bike rack for several years, but the drawback is the bike gets covered with road grime especially during rain storms. The Thules roof mounted rack should limit the amount road grime while we are on the road. I don't know this for fact, but I think the Thule roof mounted tandem rack is probably made by ATOC, the manufacturer of the Draftmaster and Tandem Topper. The Thule rail is made in the USA and there was Seattle newpapers pages stuffed in the Thule box as packing. I have visited the ATOC shop in Lynnwood, WA and like their products.
Got everything put together and it looks great. Going to be a nervous first trip on the highway but hopefully everything is good to go.
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"