# 1
Thule Spare Me 2 Bike Rack - Spare Tire Mount - Folding Dual Arms
I have aftermarket ExpeditionOne bumpers for my 2020 Ford Ranger. My spare tire is on a rear bumper swing arm (see photos). In my install what worked best was the short arm only, no spacer. If you read the instructions, that will make more sense. I think the instructions are for a Jeep, but my spare tire mount is different, considering I have 265/60 tires. Negatives The thule cable lock for the bike doesn't engage enough to lock, but looking at the design, not sure how robust it is anyway, so I'll just use a bike lock I already have through the swing arm frame and spare tire. Also, for offroading, I think it may be safest to take off both bike wheels and strap the frame separately. I drive on very narrow jeep trails, so I don't want a bike wheel catching on brush/branches that I'm driving by. Those two things are why I only gave 4 out of five stars. Positives The light weight of the rack (15lbs) and the thule bolt lock to the spare tire (different lock vs the bike, see photos), are why I got this rack. Really like that I could offset the rack some, so it's more centered. Really like the spacers that add more contact between the tire and the bike rack, see photos. Summary/Observations I'm lazy, so will try the orange tape, instead of always lowering the arms (see photos) I'm tall, so that should keep me from walking into them. My truck tires aren't huge, so I'm still in the weight range of the swing arm, keep that in mind too, but I'm happy to avoid a hitch bike rack, I didn't want to lose departure angle for off roading. I'll update the review if it doesn't perform like I expect, but I think it'll work well enough. I've had lots of different racks (roof, hitch, rear trunk, etc), so I'm not expecting any surprises.
I needed a solution to put a bike rack on my Jeep where I could open the back door. I also have a backup camera. This works with my back-up camera, because mine is mounted not in the center hole, but in the larger tire hole above it with a bracket. This rack hit all my marks including weight as my e-bike is 43 pounds - so I'm carrying one bike, although my mountain bike probably would still keep it under 75lbs. I had my friend's husband help me install and it was pretty straight forward. The only issue we had is that the safety strap which is sewn (attached) to the handle is not long enough. I have 265 tires, so medium size and there are adaptors for bigger tires included. We tried every possible configuration and could get it attached, but only with an inch of strap left so no tie off. The safety strap is needed, but not long enough. I contacted Thule and they are sending me two straps with metal buckles to extend it. Good customer service.
# 2
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.
# 3
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.
# 4
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.
# 5
Saris Bones 2 Bike Rack - Trunk Mount - Adjustable Arms
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).
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.
# 6
SportRack Ridge Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Swing Away
Unit doesn't fit a Jeep Rubicon with a spare tire. I tried 4 times and contacted etrailer.com that the unit doesn't work as sold and they offered to sell me a 7 3/4 extension and reduce the load capacity 50%. The length of the 2" hitch needs to be 3" longer for a standard Rubicon to get past the spare. You not going to want to take your spare tire off for the hitch to work. It defeats the purpose. Customer service was excellent, however the product is a flawed design. Can't recommend this hitch. Its also heavy.
Solid rack for half the price of the name brands. Don’t waste your money! Thanks to the extensive reviews on etrailer and a free shipping promotion I took a chance and ordered this along with the three of their crossbars, anti rattle hitch pin and cable lock. All for well less than the name brand rack alone. Shipping was painful. Etrailer said it was in stock but then due to a delay with the manufacturer it took 35 days from order to arrival. I wasn’t in a hurry so I waited patiently, and etrailer reps emailed often to lmk they hadn’t forgotten. I thought some kind of reward for my extreme patience was in order- discount, gift card, free bag of chips- but they politely declined. Oh well. In the end it arrived when they (eventually) said it would, all in one box, in great shape. The rack was super easy to assemble. You’ll need a ratchet or two and you’ll need to crank those bolts to assemble- they don’t just “insert.” But otherwise it’s only a few steps; I had mine hanging on my truck in probably 15 minutes. Swings away and locks smoothly and requires no effort to do so. Everything feels quite sturdy and well made. No rattle on initial test drive either. This will be a once in a while rack at best for our family of four. We have two SUVs so I needed a rack that could get out of the way of the rear hatch WITH bikes on it. This will do that. And now I don’t need to stuff four dirty bikes into the back of my truck, getting them all tangled and scratched!
# 7
Malone Runway Spare Tire Bike Rack for 3 Bikes - Adjustable Arms
The eTrailer has been a God send and we are so grateful. Our son-in-law died from COVID last year which left our daughter and two grand-daughters alone. This eTrailer was a gift which allows the three of them to get out for bike rides whenever they need to “clear their heads” and be refreshed in God’s glorious creation. This is the ONLY three bike carrier we know of… and Thank You for making it available. God bless.
I was excited to get this and eager to just pop it onto my spare tire like it shows in the video. 45 minutes later and I'm resigned to drilling an extra hole where the buttons are in order to tighten the hold over the tire, and chagrined that I had to "rear" my smaller bike frame angled upwards in order to seat it on the red rack receivers. This was because there wasn't enough room vertically on the frame or horizontally on the frame. Not sure how I would have been able to prepare for that, maybe there is some comment about smaller bike frames somewhere? One strap to secure the bikes is not enough in this situation, so things were strapped every which way, including the front tire of the bike so it wouldn't wobble everywhere. The bike and rack made it home for the maiden 60 mile highway trip, but I was not totally confident with it.
# 8
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.
# 9
Hollywood Racks SR1 2-Bike Carrier - Spare Tire Mount
It's sturdy even off-road, and it's simple to take on and off. I've had to use my spare tire twice since owning this rack, and although I have to remove my bike and loosen the bike rack bolts a bit, it comes off and goes back on with minimal effort, which is nice when you're on the Alaska Highway and it's snowing. I've carried my full-suspension bike on this rack for 35k miles all over the U.S. and Canada. I like how my bike fits close to the tire, where I lock it. My tailgate opens without the bike touching the side of my Jeep. Great bang for the buck.
This HRSR1 bike carrier will not fit a 2023 Jeep Wrangler JL UNLESS you remove the stock Liddy Light and associated bracket. Upon discovering this, I was able to locate an aftermarket kit which allows for the relocation of the light to just above the rear camera. The kit was easily installed and the bike mount was installed just as easily as the directions explain. The new location of the light is partially obscured with the bikes mounted and, although not ideal, it is adequate and certainly better than total removal. I was unable to find any mention of this situation in the install instructions or reviews prior to purchase of the rack. I just wish I had been aware of this before purchase. I would have rated 5 stars for this product were it not for the slight hiccup. Kudos to etrailer. It is always a pleasure to do business with them. They are very helpful, friendly and knowledgeable.
# 10
RockyMounts MonoRail Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Wheel Mount
At age 75, I have purchased many bike racks over the years…..this one has no equal in loading and unloading…
This rack is really, good. The only thing i add to make it better is small strap that holds the front wheel to the front wheel bracket. I never had a problem with it, but i like to make sure it is secure. It is a solid bike rack and worth every penny. I would buy this over the Kuat version any day.
# 11
Surco Spare Tire 3-Bike Carrier
Hi This is an Excellent Bike Rack, It came in no time, Nicely Plastic Wrapped incase of Rain, The Instructions were an Easy Read. I Installed it on my 2001 Honda CRV which was a Breeze, I do think that People Who are too week to lift a Tire shouldnt attempt this alone Though. When You install it you have one hand to hold the tire and one to Screw in your bolts. It does require Strength and Dexterity, and we who ride Bikes already Have that I would Think. I put My Trek Bike on the Rack it Fits Great ! , and Im Ready to tour the Countryside. Thanks etrailer.com You Guys Know your Stuff Alan J
Very easy to install, looks great on my jeep. Very strong materials used to make. Looks to last me several years of riding trips. Bonus is that I can also mount it on my pop up tent trailer when I go camping. Very satisfying. Price was decent too. Thank you for prompt delivery. Sincerely, Mr. Mendez
# 12
Yakima SpareRide 2 Bike Rack - Spare Tire Mount - Folding Arms
After a couple of weeks of researching which type of bike rack I wanted for my Jeep Wrangler Unlimited JK (hitch mount or spare tire), I decided on the spare tire mount. And after a 4hr (roundtrip) mountain biking weekend escape, I'm very happy with my decision. What I like about the rack: well built, very sturdy with bike(s) mounted (no sway or rattle), arms fold down and lock in place when not in use (looks slick), full access to cargo area without needing to remove rack, rack and bike cable locks included, economical, lifetime warranty and of course the dual bottle openers ; ) What I would improve upon or revise in a future model: arms should be longer (even just an inch because bikes rub slightly so I had to add padding), more use of aluminum rather than plastic (thinking long term durability of the plastic locking teeth and arms) Thanks eTrailer
This bike carrier is great! It is very well made and is secured to the vehicle with a keyed lock. It comes with a locking cable for the bike as well. I can open the tailgate and access the trailer hitch while the bike is on the carrier. I could not be more pleased!
# 13
Hollywood Racks Destination Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
The Destination bike rack works perfectly on my 2020 Pacifica and I have clearance going over speed bumps! I recently upgraded my bike to a Trek step through which hung too low on my old Thule rack no matter how the cross bar adapter was adjusted. Problem solved!
I realy like how it holds my bikes securly in place. I also like that (without the bikes) I can open and close the hatch on my 2014 Hyundia Santa Fe. I have a 2" receiver on my car. We went away for a long weekend from CT to VT and had no issues with it holding my bikes. Would definetly recomend.
# 14
Rhino-Rack XTray Pro Cargo Basket and 2 Bike Carrier - Steel - 58-1/4" x 41" - 165 lbs
The Rhino Rack has been the perfect addition to my Outback. It looks great, and I love the built-in through-axel bike mounts. It's nice not to have to have an additional mount for my bicycles! Is this the perfect cargo basket?
Phenomenal Product. We purchased for our 1200 mile road trip in August 2019 to Sedona the coast and back home in Northern California. Everything was safe and secure our entire trip & no problems other than lots of bugs to clean off our rack & baskets when we arrived at our final destination. We would highly recommend this product and the excellent customer service at etrailer.com.
# 15
Hollywood Racks TRS Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Wheel Mount
This rack has been great on my 2016 Nissan Rogue SUV, very sturdy and holds bike(s) securely. I've used it with a fat bike, a regular mountain bike, and a road bike. Amazingly this rack gave me a couple inches MORE clearance in my small garage than my previous hanging-style rack. The aluminum trays themselves are still in great condition, though other parts are showing some rust after 1+ years (and since I use it in the winter as well I leave it on most of the time). The tilt-down feature is great, but pulling the pin and reaching the knob to do this is awkward with bikes in place. When removing the bike, it can be hard to squeeze the lever on the hook that holds the front tire. (Maybe because of pressure when the hook is against the tire?)
I've had this hitch for a day and used it just once on my Miata (class 2). Going on a trip tomorrow and will use it on a Nissan Frontier pickup (class 3). It seems like a quality hitch for a very good price. I feel like buying one of those other brands (named after cities) you are paying a premium for the brand name. Hollywood provides a great value without gouging my wallet. I like the aluminum rails and the entire system is easy to use. Just holding off one star since I've only had it for a day. As a bonus it arrived a day earlier than it was scheduled!
# 16
Thule T2 Classic Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" Hitches - Wheel Mount
I have to get a trailer hitch extension in order for the bike rack to fold up when not in use. Definitely will go through etrailer for this item.
Great product. We just got a new convertible and I could not use the roof mount or trunk mount. Using the bikes was important. Taking care of the bikes is important too. This bike rack is really the best I have ever had. It is extremely easy to use. I like that it has built in locks. I can use the hard top convertible on the VW Eos if I only have one bike positioned outward. It also works with no bikes installed. I could not be happier with this product and the incredible price, fast shipping and overall value from etrailer.com.
# 17
Swagman Dispatch Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
Seem heavy duty. Have not used it to transported my bikes. The only difficulty I had with the assembly dealt with the wheel cradles. They are not labeled left and right, front and rear. After installation, I discovered that one side of the cradle is higher ,viewing your videos I noticed that you put the higher end on the outside of both wheels. The aventon bikes weight 38 pounds with their battery removed. And this rack is rated at 45 pounds per bike. Therefore I think this rack will be able to transport my bikes safely on my Subaru Outback and my Forest River motorhome.
Excellent bike carrier for the back of our travel trailer. Very stable. We lost a bike once and now we can travel, stress-free, knowing our bikes are secure.
What our customers are saying:
"Great service! From selection of a bike rack in catalog on a Monday morning at 10:04, confirmation received at 10:19am, notice to ship at 11:28am, notice did ship at 6:13pm, all on same day. Pittsburgh, PA delivery on morning of Wednesday, same week, in good condition."