# 1
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.
# 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
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.
# 4
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!
# 5
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!
# 6
Kuat Beta Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" Trailer Hitches - Tilting
I was looking for a light weight bike rack for my 2015 Honda Accord. Your videos stated that the Kuat Beta was light and easy to install. You were right. I opened the box, read the instructions, and had it installed in about 10 minutes. I don't use a rack lock. It is so easy to pop on and off the hitch that I keep the rack in my car trunk.
We've been using this bike rack with a 1.25" Draw-Tite receiver hitch (also purchased from etrailer) on a 2012 Prius C for a month with no problems. As shown on the pictures, it fits two bikes very well, even one with a baby carrier. I chose this model based on recommendations from etrailer that it can be easily detached from the car without tools. True to their word, it is very easily detachable from the hitch and folds up nicely to fit in your garage/closet/storage area. Basically, it uses a hand tightened ball bearing mechanism to secure itself into the hitch receiver, and then uses a 3/8" hand locked pin as a safety device. You can install and de-install this rack in just a few minutes. During driving, there is little noticeable vibration from this rack, even on rougher roads or speed bumps. The only downside is that the holes on the receiver hitch do not align perfectly with the holes on the bike rack (see picture). I believe a few other reviewers also noted this issue. There is enough room to fit the safety pin, but not quite enough to fit a 1/2" hitch lock. I called Kuat to ask them about this and the rep told me that not all hitches will line up with this rack. Kuat, coincidentally(?), sells a hitch lock that is also 3/8" (same size as the safety pin) and still fits.
# 7
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.
# 8
Thule Passage 3 Bike Carrier - Trunk Mount
Ford EdgeFits perfectly on our Lexus CT200h. Only on the old LS400, the side straps have to be fastened to the wheel arch edge, since the upper trunklid gap is to narrow for inserting the strap hooks. Mounting of two bikes is (with some routine) quickly done, and they stay safe even for longer and faster routes. For transporting three (mountain) bikes, though, the design doesn't seem big and robust enough. Nevertheless, the price-benefit-fun ratios are way better than reasonable.
We are very pleased with the quality and ease of use for our like-new purchase. From the online shopping experience with etrailer.com through multiple outings already, this bike carrier more than meets our needs. Thank you!
# 9
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.
# 10
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.
# 11
Yakima FrontLoader Wheel Mount Bike Carrier - Roof Mount
Overall I am happy with these bike carriers. They mount to the racks over the bed of my Tundra TRD Pro. Installation is simple. I think they could be just a bit sturdier because there is just a bit of wobbling when driving on bumpy roads but I'm not too worried about them coming dislodged. Take note that although they come with a cable lock to attach the bike to the carrier, the key is sold separately.
Very good product. It holds the bike securely on the roof without contacting the frame. It is easy to adjust from my road bike to my 29er mountain bike. Our drives are all relatively short, so I like that I do not need to remove the front wheel to lock in the bike. It's also nice that the SKS locking system allows me to use the same key for this rack that I use for my Yakima roof box and hitch rack. This is my first roof rack and I chose this route for a couple reasons. Some of the roads we travel to get to our trail heads are a bit rough and with a roof rack I don't have to worry about bottoming out a hitch rack hanging off the back of the vehicle. Also, it takes up less room in the garage. Our vehicle is a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee with an additional 4 inches of ground clearance. That makes it a bit of a reach for my 5'4" wife, so we take our two-step along to help her. This is my third time purchasing from etrailer, and each experience has been very good. They are a very customer service oriented company. I really appreciate all the additional information they provide on their products, especially all the videos they produce to aid in reviews, assembly, and use.
# 12
Hollywood Racks Express 3 Bike Carrier - Fixed Arms - Trunk Mount
Installation was straightforward. The rack sits high up on my 2016 Subaru Forester so lifting bikes onto the rack requires effort. Getting 3 mountain bikes on the rack was a bit tricky. When loaded rack was secure and stable.
Seems like a sturdy, reliable product so far. Components are solid and well put together. Fits great and carries well on my 2014 Corolla. Excellent value considering the price tag on other racks out there. And the prompt delivery was great!
Hollywood Racks Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2017 Mazda 3
Hi everyone, it's Evangeline here at etrailer. And today, we're looking at our Hollywood Racks Destination two-bike rack here on our 2017 Mazda3. So the Hollywood Racks Destination bike rack is a really good bike rack if you're looking for something that is a platform rack without being too expensive. So this is a good, affordable bike rack, which creates a platform, making for a nice, sturdy platform for your bikes, making for a smoother ride for your bikes as you bring them to your next adventure. So let's take a look at the way our bike is mounted to our bike rack. We have one, two wheel straps holding our wheels in, and then we have this frame mount.
Saris Trunk Bike Racks Review - 2017 Mazda 3
Hi everyone. It's Evangeline here at etrailer. And today, we're looking at our Saris Bones EX 3 bike rack here on our 2017 Mazda3. So, the Saris Bones is a trunk mounted bike rack that goes on your trunk of your vehicle. So, if you do not have a hitch or you cannot install one, this might be a good option for you in order to carry around your bikes and bring them to where you need them to go. So, this can carry three bikes.
Yakima Trunk Bike Racks Review - 2015 Mazda 3
Speaker 1: Today on our 2015 Mazda3, we're going to be taking a look at the Yakima FullBack 2 Bike Rack. That's going to be part #Y02634. As you can see, we have a bike installed. Let's take a closer look and show off some of the features.Now starting from the outside and working our way in, we're going to have this integrated cable lock system, which comes out from this arm of our bike rack, wraps around our second bike we have installed, and inserts on this notch right there. You will get a set of keys with your bike rack in order to unlock the cable, thus unload your bikes.On the other arm, we're going to have a Yakima bottle opener.Our cradles are going to be stationary. However, they do have this nice rubber TPE padding, which means these little notches right here are going to act as shock absorbers for your bike frame while you're traveling to help protect it from any damage.Our bike's going to be secured at 3 points of contact.
Inno Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2015 Mazda 3
Speaker 1: Today on our 2015 Mazda 3, we're gonna be taking a look at the Inno Aero Light four bike rack for inch and a quarter and two inch hitches. That's gonna be part number IM8640. As you can see, we do have a bike installed, so let's just take a closer look and show off some of the features.Now starting right here, we're gonna see we have an integrated cable lock system that comes from the base of the bike rack, wraps around the frame of your bikes, and enters into that notch right there. You'll get a set of keys with your bike rack, so when you wanna unlock the cable, you simply just slide this tab up, you have the insert for your key right there, you're gonna unlock your cable, and then unload your bikes.The cradles can pivot left and right, and up and down the bike rack, and that's gonna help provide you with a lot of options for different sized bikes to install on it and different spacing between your bikes you would like. The cradles also have this nice, thick rubber padding right here. That's gonna be nice to help protect your bike frame from any type of scratches or abrasions during travel.Our back is secured at three different points of contact.
Thule Big Mouth Roof Bike Rack Review - 2013 Mazda 3
Today on our 2013 Mazda3 we'll be test fitting the Thule Big Mouth, a frame clamp roof mounted bike rack, part number TH599XTR. With our Tule podium roof rack system already installed on our vehicle we'll begin our test fit by placing the bike rack directly onto our load bars. At the front we'll loosen the two wing nuts, remove the T-bolts from the clamps, let our clamps fall down. Then we'll bring clamps around the underside of our bar, reinsert our T-bolts, and tighten them down with the wing nut. At the rear we'll remove both of the wing nuts and the metal plate. This will allow us to put a bolt down on either side of our load bar.
Yakima FrontLoader Roof Bike Rack Review - 2013 Mazda 3
Today on our 2013 Mazda 3, we'll be test fitting the Yakima Frontloader, a wheel-mount bike rack, part number Y02103. With our Yakima Control Tower roof-rack system already installed on our vehicle, we'll begin our test fit by placing our bike rack directly on top of our load bars. At the front, we'll want our clamp to be in front and behind of our bar. Then we can use the black T-handle to secure it to our bar. With that secure, we'll move to the rear. Here, we're going to loosen the black T-handle, allowing us to remove the T-bolt from the clamp. We'll now bring our clamp around the rear load bar, re-insert the T-bolt into the appropriate slot and tighten it down with the T-handle. With our rack secure, we're ready to load our bike.
Yakima ForkLift Roof Mounted Bike Rack Review - 2013 Mazda 3
Today on our 2013 Mazda 3, we'll be test fitting the Yakima Forklift roof mounted bike rack part number Y02098. With the Yakima controlled tower roof rack installed in our vehicle, we'll begin the test fit by placing our bike rack directly on our load bars. At the front, we'll remove our skewer, side back the black cover and loose the black t-handle attached to our t-bolt. This will allow us to open our front clamp. We'll then bring our front clamp around our bar, fit our t-bolt back in to the appropriate slot and tighten the black t-handle. With this secure, we'll then slide forward our black cover and reinsert our skewer. Now, we'll move to the rear.
Thule Gateway Trunk Mount Bike Rack Review - 2013 Maxda 3
Today on our 2013 Mazda 3, well be test fitting the Thule Gateway Trunk Mounted Two-Bike Rack, part number TH9006XT. Well get started by adjusting our feet out to the correct setting which is six according to the Thule website. Well take our bike rack, place it on to the trunk of the vehicle. Next, we will attach the rack to the vehicle using the appropriate hooks and straps in the correct locations. Well secure our excess straps, then well bring our dual arms out, well do this by pulling up on the grey lever.Youll move the cradle arm in just beyond the teeth, then youll lift up to a parallel position, position back over the teeth, and then close your grey lever. You will repeat this for the other cradle arms as well.
Thule Archway Trunk Mount Bike Rack Review - 2013 Maxda 3
Today on our 2013 Mazda 3, well be test fitting the Thule Archway Truck Mounted 2 Bike Rack with Adjustable Arms, part number TH9009XT. Lets get started by adjusting the fit dial to the number 6 according to the Thule website. Well grab our bike rack, place it onto the trunk of the vehicle and attach it with the appropriate hooks. Well secure the excess straps. Next, well bring out the dual arms. Youll do this by undoing the gray lever, sliding the cradle arm away from the grooves and bringing it up to a parallel position. Youll slide it back over the grooves and then tighten down the lever.
Swagman Upright Roof Mounted Bike Rack Review - 2013 Mazda 3
Today on our 2013 Mazda 3 we'll be test fitting the Swagman Upright Roof Bike Carrier part number S64720. With the Thule Podium Roof Rack System already installed on our Mazda 3 we'll begin our test fit by placing our bike rack directly on to our load bars. At the front we'll bring the two U-bolts around the underside of our load bar through the base plate and secure these using the wingnuts. With the four in the front tight we'll move to the back, at the rear we'll drop our U-bolt through the top of our rack allowing it to go around our load bar. We'll then place the metal plate on the bottom and secure this with two wingnuts. With these wingnuts secure we're ready to load our bike. We'll begin by undoing our wheel straps and opening up our frame clamp.
SportRack Frame Mount Roof Mounted Bike Rack Review - 2013 Mazda 3
Today on our 2013 Mazda 3, we'll be test fitting the Sportrack frame-mount roof bike rack, part number SR4611. With our Thule Podium roof rack system already installed on our vehicle, we'll begin our test fit by placing our bike rack directly onto our loads bars. On the head of our bike rack, we'll bring our two rubber-coated U-bolts around our load bar, through the carrier and we'll secure these using the black wing nuts. We'll want to tighten them down evenly to be sure that the head is secured to our bar. At our rear load bar, we will want the plastic piece of our clamp to be in between the metal of our rack and our load bar. We'll then drop two bolts through it, connecting those two bolts to the black rubber-coated metal plate that we'll install under our load bar. We will then use two black wing nuts to secure these into place. To prepare to load our bike, we'll want to make sure that our frame clamp jaws are open and that our wheel straps are undone.
RockyMounts TieRod Roof Bike Rack Review - 2013 Mazda 3
Today on our 2013 Mazda 3, well be test fitting the RockyMounts TieRod, a roof minded bike rack, part number RKY1014. With our Thule Podium Roof Rack System already assembled on our vehicle, well begin our test fit by placing the rack directly onto the top of our load bars. Well then take off the black plastic cover on the front of the head, bring our black rubber coated metal straps around our front bar and fit them back into the head. Well then use our Allen key to tighten the Allen bolt, securing the straps to our front load bar. Once our straps are secure, well go ahead and replace the black plastic cover. At the rear, well undo one of the Allen bolts, freeing the clamp. Well bring it around our rear load bar, reinstall the Allen bolt and tighten them up evenly to secure it to our rack. Were now ready to load our bike. Well begin by undoing our rear wheel strap and loosening our front skewer.
Kuat TRIO Roof Bike Rack Review - 2013 Mazda 3
Today on our 2013 Mazda 3, well be test fitting the Kuat Trio, a Fork Mount, Roof Mounted bike rack, part number RU01. With our Thule Podium Roof Rack system already installed on our Mazda, well begin our test fit by placing the bike directly onto the roof rack. Well take the black rubber coated U-Bolts around the bottom of our load bar, up through the head of the frame. We can then thread on our cylinder nuts. Well do this on both sides. We can then take our provided Allen key and tighten these cylinder nuts down. Well now move to the rear, remove one of the wing nuts, slide our clamp around our rear bar, then reinstall our wing nut. With our rack secure, were now ready to load our bike.
Thule Domestique Roof Bike Rack Review - 2013 Mazda 3
Today on our 2013 Mazda 3, well be test fitting the Thule Domestique Fork Mounted Bike Carrier, part number TH513. To begin our test fit, we want to have them remove the skewer for easier installation. Well place our carrier onto of our load bars, bring in our front clamp around our front load bar. Once we have the clamp into position, we can untighten the three Allen bolts that hold the front clamp into place. Well move to the rear where well bring the rear clamp underneath the rear load bar. With that clamp in position, well feed our bolt through and tighten them down using an Allen key.
RockyMounts TieRod Stretch Roof Bike Rack Review - 2013 Mazda 3
Today on our 2013 Mazda 3, we'll be test fitting the RockyMounts TieRod stretch roof-mounted bike carrier, part number RKY1011. We'll begin by placing our carrier on top of our load bars. I already removed the cover from the front part of our carrier for easier access when tightening our straps. We'll want to make sure that our rubber straps go around our front load bar, and that our rear clamp goes underneath our rear load bar. We'll secure the front part of our carrier first. We'll feed the straps around our load bar, fitting them into position, and then using an Allen key to tighten down the Allen bolt, which will secure our straps.
Rhino Rack MountainTrail Roof Bike Racks Review - 2012 Mazda 3
Today on our 2012 Mazda3, we're doing a test fit of the Rhino-Rack MountainTrail rooftop bike rack. That part number is RBC035. Now, we already have our bike secured down, so we're first going to show you how we do that. Here at the back, we have a cam buckle strap. It's quick and easy to remove; you would just push the button and pull that strap through, and it is adjustable up and down the length of the bike rack, so you can accommodate different style bikes. Up at the front, we have a skewer.
Rhino Rack Road-Warrior Roof Bike Racks Review - 2012 Mazda 3
Today on our 2012 Mazda 3 we're doing a test fit of the Rhino-Rack Road Warrior roof-mounted bike rack. That part number is RVC036. Now we already have our bike secured down. We're first going to show you how we do that. Here in the back we have a cam buckle strap. We're just going to push on this button here and pull start up to release that.
Thule Trunk Bike Racks Review - 2012 Mazda 3
Today on our 2012 Mazda 3 we're doing a test fit of a Thule Gateway XT Trunk-mount bike rack. That part number is TH9006XT. Now, we already have our bike secured down so we're first going to show you how we do that. We've got two cradles in place with three straps, two on our fame, and one is our anti-sway strap in the back. I'm going to start by pulling down and lifting up to release those. Then we'll be able to pull our bike off and set if off to the side. With that out of the way, let's start off with some measurements. First, it's going to be the overall what we're adding to our vehicle with our arms out.
Thule Trunk Bike Racks Review - 2012 Mazda 3
Today on our 2012 Mazda 3 we're doing a test fit of the Thule Raceway Pro Trunk Mount 2-Bike Rack. That part number is TH9001PRO. Now, we already have our bike secured down. I'm first going to show you how we do that. We have two cradles in place with three straps, two on our frame and one is our anti-sway strap in the back. We're just going to pull down and lift up to release those.
Thule Passage Trunk Bike Racks Review - 2012 Mazda 3
Today on our 2012 Mazda-3 we're doing a test fit of the Thule Passage trunk mount bike rack. That part number is TH910XT. We already have our bike secured down. I'm first going to show you how we do that. We have two cradles in place, with three straps. Two on our frame and one is our anti-sway strap in the back.
Thule Vertex 4 Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2012 Mazda 3
Today on our 2012 Mazda 3 were going to be test fitting the Thule Vertex 4 gauge-mounted bike carrier, part number TH9029. To mount our carrier to our vehicle well insert the shank of the carrier into the receiver tube of the hitch. Well line up the hitch pinholes and then thread in our anti-rattle bolt, tightening it down with a wrench. Next, we want to check for rear vehicle access. So well grab the switch at the base of the bike rack and tilt it down. We want to make sure that we can open the trunk and access the cargo area even with the bike rack installed.
Thule Hitching Post Pro Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2012 Mazda 3
Today were working with the 2012 Mazda 3 and were going to be test fitting the Thule Hitching Post hitch mounted bike carrier, part number TH934XTR. To mount the carrier to our vehicle well insert the shank of the carrier into the receiver tube of the hitch on our Mazda 3. Well make sure that we line up the hitch pinhole then well thread on our anti-rattle bolt and tighten it down with a wrench. Next we want to check for cargo area access. Well remove the pin at the base of the bike rack and tilt it down. We want to make sure that we can open the trunk of our Mazda and access the cargo area even with the bike rack installed.
Thule Doubletrack Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2012 Mazda 3
Today on our 2012 Mazda 3, were going to be test fitting the Thule Doubletrack platform style bike carrier, part number TH990XT. To mount the carrier to our vehicle well insert the shank of the carrier into the receiver tube of the hitch. Well line up the hitch pinholes, thread in our anti-rattle bolt and tighten it down using a wrench. Next well go over a couple of clearance measurements. Weve got a bout 1-1/2 inch of clearance between the closest part of the bike carrier and the closest part of the vehicle. Weve got about 8 inches of ground clearance from the bottom of the bike rack to the ground.
SportRack EZ Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2012 Mazda 3
Today on our 2012 Mazda 3 well be test fitting the Sportrack 2 hitch mounted bike carrier, part number A30901. To mount the carrier to our vehicle well insert the shank of the carrier into the receiver tube of the hitch. Well line up the hitch pin hole, insert our anti-rattle bolt and then tighten it down using a wrench. Next well go over some clearance measurements. Weve got about 8 inches of ground clearance from the bottom of the bike rack to the ground. Weve got about 6 inches of clearance from the closest point of the carrier to the closest point of the vehicle.
Rhino Rack MountainTrail Roof Bike Racks Review - 2011 Mazda 3
Today on our 2011 Mazda 3, we're going to be test fitting the Rhino-Rack mountain trail bike carrier, part number RBC035. We got the bike in the rack installed on the Mazda's roof here to give you a nice idea of how everything looks installed. We can go ahead and dive into the details, but first, I'd just like to point out something that's often overlooked real fast, and that's the Mazda's trunk. There's plenty of clearance in between the rack and the bicycle, so it'll give you no issues there.Now, if you want to take a look at how the bicycle itself is secured to the rack, it's a very simple design. It's very easy to use. Simply the back tire is held on by this locking strap and the front is secured by this locking fork clamp.
What our customers are saying:
"Everyone that bought before me was right! I got my rack in time for my next days off and putting it together was fast too. And I'm a grandma!! Thank you for being fast and honest! You beat anyone in my town hands down!"