Product Specs:
Hitch Bike Racks
Platform Rack
Fixed Rack
Fits 1-1/4 Inch Hitch
Fits 2 Inch Hitch
Fits 1-1/4 and 2 Inch Hitch
Class 2
Frame Mount
Locks Not Included
2 Bikes
Swagman
This lightweight 2-bike rack is perfect for the occasional rider with limited storage space in their garage. The wheel trays fold up, so it easily fits into a closet. It also accommodates bikes with a long wheelbases.
Video of Swagman XTC2 Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
Average Customer Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars (1180 Customer Reviews)
This lightweight 2-bike rack is perfect for the occasional rider with limited storage space in their garage. The wheel trays fold up, so it easily fits into a closet. It also accommodates bikes with a long wheelbases.Nice rack and easy to put together. Feels well built. A bit challenging for loading these kind of bikes on there but it worked. The kind of bikes I am using this rack for are not like the usual ones that are previously posted. I plan on using this for my stretch custom beach cruisers also. I will post more pictures once I load those up. I only had time to do my lowrider bikes today.
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.
This Swagman rack does the job it’s designed for well. It’s installed with a Curt hitch and they are solid together. I see many of these racks attached to fellow bike club members. This seems to be a popular choice. I can open my trunk with a bike loaded closest to the car on my 2012 Sonata. I considered the more expensive choices available, but couldn’t justify spending the extra money. I’m pleased. Thanks etrailer.
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.
I own a 2009 VW GTI 4 door. The fact that I have a 4 door GTI may be significant to the 2 door GTI drivers out there because I tend to need to access my rear hatch less frequently since I just put things in the back seat.
I did not want the standard hanging bike rack because my bike got scratched up badly, my brake cables became loose, and my bike pump cage got broken when using a 4 bike hanging rack with my brother and his family. I also do not like the idea of the weight of my bike resting on top of my bike cables in the hanging bike rack cradles. However, if you are frequently putting different types of bikes on your rack like my brother does, a hanging rack may work better for you. The platform racks need to have the wheel holders adjusted for different bikes. Not hard, but it is a little more cumbersome.
I had been using Yakima roof mounted racks for 17 years on 5 different vehicles...until one of the roof clips popped loose on the interstate and my road bike did a wheelie and dented the roof of my GTI. Could not get my Yakima roof clip to lock in place again after that, so I moved to a hitch mount.
I bought the Curt Hitch #11074 and can be seen in the photos. Not really noticeable, but I think it looks better than the Draw-Tite and Hidden Hitch designs.
For platform racks, I looked at several designs with the following criteria in mind.
- Ease of use
- Ability to access the rear hatch
- Extension from bumper
I naturally started with Yakima, but found that their racks seemed overly cumbersome and extended far behind the car. The Thule racks seemed the same, and both brands were over $300. They did offer the ability to tilt the rack up when not in use, but this still blocks my access to the rear hatch.
The Swagman rack has a simple, minimalist design. First is that it is very narrow, only one row of support arms to carry two bikes. Thule and Yakima have two support arms, one for each bike, which causes the rack to extend farther behind the bumper. The Swagman seems plenty beefy to handle two bikes.
The support beams are easy to tilt up and down. Maybe not quite as easy to tilt up as Yakima and Thule, but still pretty easy. But until I watched the eTrailer video before buying this product (WATCH THE VIDEO!), I did not realize that the center upright also folds out of the way if you need access to the rear. This is what sold me. The ratcheting upright supports are easy to use and work as shown in the etrailer video. The rubber straps do their job just fine.
The other manufacturers seem to have an easier method to move the rack out of the way of the rear hatch, but as I mentioned, I have a 4 door GTI, so this was less of a concern for me.
The main selling points were: simple design, easy to use, fit a GTI, upright moves to access hatch, etrailer video, lots of good etrailer customer reviews with pictures, and of course...price.
Easy to assemble. This carrier will be used on a 2012 Nissan Sentra using the Draw Tite 24794 hitch. After the installation on that hitch, there is about 2 inches clearance between the rearmost projection of the rear bumper to the frontmost portion of the wheel carrier of the rack. It is easy to put the bikes into the rack. The trunk lid cannot be opened with the bikes mounted on the rack. The rack seems to be stable and doesn't wobble or bounce much.
It was a toss up between this and the cheaper XT. I got this one cuz they said the wheel brackets are better and it was only a little more. I'm glad I got the XTC. Can't compare to the XT since I never saw one. But I like the XTC a lot. Easy to put it together and it fits the 1.25" hitch tight and nothing moves when you drive. I had no idea Sunday when I was driving around with my mountain bike that it was even there. Quality is good. Just HEFT the thing in your hands...it is pretty heavy duty. I appreciate the attention to detail on this. Holds the bike TIGHT. I would drive across the country with this with two bikes no qualms whatsoever.
I love this rack! Very sturdy and you can have it a single bike rack if so desired, which I do usually only haul one bike. I was worried the gap between the vehicle and bike would be too close but that worry was short lived. I love the ratcheting top clamp, firmly holds down the bike. Adjustability of the wheel chocks is super, I worried about my 29 inch wheels fitting but again, no worries, fit's perfectly with the adjustable sliding chocks. Simply the best rack I've owned.
I looked at a lot of different hitch racks, priced from $100 up to over $500 and for the price the Swagman XTC-2 hit the mark. I've been using it now for a couple of months with absolutely no problems. First trip was 1600 mile round trip from TX to KS and it performed perfectly. Bike is easy off/easy on. Rack is a bit heavy but balanced enough to make it no problem with taking off and on. Etrailer.com was great to work with and rack arrived exactly as stated.
I have a 2015 GTI and have been challenged to haul my 29er and additionally a kids 24" bike. I was looking for a rack that was form fitting not extend too far beyond the car to keep the weight closer to the car to assist the Class 1 trailer hitch i mounted.
I ended up going with the Curt C1142 Class 1 trailer hitch for the GTI and the Swagman XTC-2 bike rack. I think it was good solution for price, quality and fit for my requirements. The Rack is not heavy at all. It's very quick to put on and i leave my 29er closer to the car with the outer rails fixed for it. The other rails i put the smaller bikes further on the rack since they would be lighter. There is little movement when driving. On longer distances or with two bikes use the Curt trailer Strap and that helps in movement.
The clearance is what i was really worried about. I needed a rack that would promptly start rising upon exiting the hitch pin. The Swagman rack does just that. It immediately ramps upward to 3" at its peak giving me more clearance to avoid the virgina roadkill. I do wish that etrailer would give the profiles of the bike racks as that would been way easier than countless hours spent on the internet looking at other's pictures for a best fit for my car.
My other choice was the Kuat Transfer 2. it also has a rapid rise giving 6" maximum. However, it also extends about 12" in the back of the car which i was worried the longer run of the rack was going to have clearance issues on some driveways. In the end, the Swagman was $100 less than the Kuat transfer and i think for my purpose it's a better fit for this little car.
This I was not as happy with. Service was great. Delivery was great but the product QC was off and there is a design flaw in the product (that is most likely fixed by me spending more money, so thats on me.)
Assembly was easy to follow however there was one big problem. The bar coming from the hitch to the rack. The metal mechanisim inside the square tube is cocked (image included) and thus lines up the threads for mounting at an angle and is a perfect setup for cross threading during installation. I managed with some work to get the pieces together (provided hex wrench + vice grips + torque bar). That said I can most likely never disassemble the product again for those threads are going to be toast and unsuable again.
Mounting the rack to hitch was easy.
Adjusting the setup for bike was easy.
Design flaw and place I should spend more money is that once the bike is on the car I can no longer open the hatch to my car. Even if I pull the clamp bar off the rack closests to the hatch. Considering the cost of the rack I can live with this. It just means I cannot drive around with the rack always on the car and I will be pulling it off and only using it when I ride. Never time however I will be spending more to get a rack that either swings away from a hatch or has some sort of a pivot release to gain access into the car.
For the money I spent this is going to work, considering the cost of some of the big name platform racks this is literally a small fraction of their price. So I cannot complain too much but that cross thread issue is not a good one.
The Swagman XTC 2 bike platform carrier was mounted on a 2010 Subaru Outback equipped with a 2" receiver. I will also use the bike carrier on a 2008 Saturn Vue. Ordering from etrailer was straight forward, shipping was fast with continuous texts from etrailer as to shipping status. Impressive. The bike rack works perfect for my wife's extended wheel base-pedal forward Townie bike and my Giant Sequoia trail bike. Bike positioning is important, but not difficult. Retaining hooks ratchet into place easily, and rubber straps secure the wheels. The anti-rattle receiver mount with threaded locking hitch pin works well. No slop there. The only concern we have is the flexing of the receiver bar. With no bikes on board and the carrier arms in the vertical positing, you can watch the minor 'dancing' of the vertical members. Put 2 bikes on the carrier and you can see a little more wobble of the bikes. I suspect the receiver arm of the carrier needs to be sturdier to eliminate this movement. When you read the warranty, you will notice Swagman will void the warranty if the bikes are carried on a 5th wheel trailer or on a vehicle that is taken off road. That tells me they know the receiver arm needs beefing up. Oh well, it works for my interstate transport. I would recommend this carrier for normal day to day transport of 2 bikes.
I ended up getting a different rack (1up heavy duty). After I installed the Swagman, I was disappointed with how flimsy it was. I called etrailer to discuss because I noticed the Swagman site at the time did not say it was RV approved but etrailers website said it was. The etrailer representative checked with Swagman and they confirmed it was RV approved BUT there was no way I was using it. The quality is not close to the 1up. I never returned the Swagman, it was more trouble than it was worth especially since I had to pay to ship back."
I bought this bike rack to transport our two bikes. We have Trek Pure's. Once male, one female. The rack went together nicely. It fit very snug in the 2" receiver hitch and tightened down very well with the included hardware. Once assembled, I did have to add and remove the bikes several times to get them the way I wanted them so both frame locks would lock properly. My OCD probably kicked in a little demanding perfection. With everything locked in place, the bikes are very solidly in place within the rack. They don't move whatsoever. After loading the bikes, we took the car around the block. There was some bounce, but that's to be expected. All hardware remained tight after our test ride. I'm confident this bike rack is solid. We will definitely get our monies worth from this purchase.
Just got the platform rack yesterday. After fast shipping at no charge. I put it on today. I must recommend putting it on your vehicle before you set out to ride. It takes a little time to make adjustments or at least in my case it did. Have to maneuver different things try putting bikes on in various positions so that brackets will fit snugly. It took me about two hours to be satisfied. My wife's is a ladies style, and it was presenting a problem with bracket due to the chain guard getting in the way. Then I switched them around and then the bracket would not go down on mine.
Perhaps you wont, have these issues. Depending on the style and make of your bikes.
I will be going out tomorrow and i may leave a follow up comment after driving to location.
I did buy a little lock for the hitch bolt. And I am going to buy locks for the brackets at the discount store. The suite case type locks work well.
Ordered the Swagman XTC2 and a receiver hitch from etrailer earlier this week. Paid for 2 day shipping, and received it THE DAY AFTER I ORDERED IT! Can't ask for any more than that. Completed hitch installation today, and then assembled and mounted the XTC2. It slid right into my 1.25 hitch, and the included rattle-proof hitch pin cinched things down very nicely!
The wheel rack trays are fairly easy to adjust: I just parked my bike behind it, eyeballed about where the trays needed to be to fit the tires, slid them into place, then plopped the bike in. A couple minor adjustments to the racks, and they were ready to cinch down. My wife's bike went on the outside slot. With the dropping frame tube, I had to shift the trays for her bike to the left a bit so the frame clamp hit at the seat riser. Again this was an easy eyeball placement and adjustment, but proper placement results in the bike being shifted to the left a bit. The front tire protrudes about 4" beyond the side of the car, and I'll probably buy one of those bar extensions to remedy this.
Took the bikes out this afternoon, and drove about 4 miles to a nearby park trail. The rack didn't sway much at all through turns, and shaking was pretty minimum going over bumps. I've only used it once so far, but I already love the ease of use! I I have a 2017 Kia Soul, and the vertical rear hatch made a hitch mounted rack the obvious choice. I loved how etrailer's info and user reviews made part/model selection a no-brainer. Why would anybody shop elsewhere? Thanks etrailer!
The Swagman XTC-2 2 bike rack has worked out GREAT on our 2009 Smart ForTwo! Of all the bike racks we have purchased in the past, this one is the best. It can accomodate any type of bike from a standard diamond frame to a recumbent. It is easy to place a women's bike on there too with the sliding stabilizer hooks that hold the bikes down. The straps on the tire mounts along with the fasteners keep the bikes from any movement. Thumbs up!! BTW, the hitch also came from etrailer.com!
Nice, quality bike rack. Bolts tend to loosen, so keep an eye on them. Rack wobbles a bit, so wish I had bought the 2 inch receiver model instead.
The only reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 is because I am a petite senior female and have difficulty lifting my bicycle up to the platform. I tried the technique suggested by customer help, but didn’t improve much.
It is a very good quality bike rack otherwise! I would recommend for most people!
This bike rack worked perfectly! Very easy installation and set-up. We have a CRV and were taking the front tires off of each mine and my husband's mountain bikes in order to transport them in the vehicle. Now we don't need to remove any tires and the bikes are sturdy and secure on this rack. We have the 29.5 plus sized tires and they fit just fine. Took it on a 3.5 hour trip on interstates and highways and experienced no issues. Great product, highly recommended.
The Swagman XTC2 Bike Rack performed well with my first use of it. Easy to assemble and well-built. Loading my bike onto the rack was easy and quick. The load of the bike rests on the tire cradles (a feature I specifically wanted in a bike rack) and the rubber securing straps for the bike tires are hefty. The top-slide securing-hook (which descends onto the bike frame) is constructed very well and does the job. With the bike loaded and secured, I drove on surface streets and an area freeway in an urban environment. Everything worked as advertised, and I'm thus far pleased with my purchase of the Swagman XTC2.
Shipping from etrailer was fast....as usual.
Assembly and installation took less than 30 minutes including detwrini g best way to mount bikes.
The rack itself appears well constructed and holds the bikes securely.
I did add a piece of "noodle foam" as additional protection for the paint based on concerns expressed in other reviews.
I'll be ordering additional wheel straps shortly since my 2 year old Lab just ate one off the rack while writing this review......terrible 2s' I guess
This bike rack is fantastic. Easy to install and quick on on and off with bikes. The only thing is you can’t put a locking pin thru bar. But I tighten the mounting bolt real tight. You need a socket wrench to get it off.
I purchased the Swagman two-bike carrier, the long version, for carrying my recumbent bicycle. In the majority, the carrier works well, but I have an issue that makes the carrier almost unusable and a pain in the neck.
I do like that my Tour Easy long wheelbase recumbent bike fits, although I have to use a small wheel to keep it from sticking out too far on the sides. I used a shim at the hitch attachment to try to help with movement. I also purchased straps to attach to the car to help prevent sway. I do feel that my bike is safe when mounted on the rack. The bike will not fit inside my current vehicle and the rack is the only way I can carry it. This rack is good value for the money. It was easy to set the rack up to fit the bike and I feel confident that the bike is safe.
I did put some reflective tape on the rack as people who walked close to my car barked their shins on it and I heard a man comment that the thing should be folded up, which is not possible. I believe the tape helped and I haven't hit my shins.
The issue I have that is quite problematic is that the pins that have to be removed and replaced in order to stand the center support upright and lay it back down are not durable or are even defective. Before I could use the rack, I had to get one replaced. etrailer was not able to provide the replacement part, but did help me contact the manufacturer.
The second time I used the rack I almost could not remove one of the pins. The button was stuck and I could not sink it back in to remove it. Finally, after about 45 minutes, I was able to remove it. It is tethered to the rack and I left it hanging. Fortunately, I had another pin that fit and was able to use the rack.
I have no idea why these pins are an issue. I have never had a problem with them on other devices, even the ones that the buttons can be a little hard to push in. I hope that a pin failure doesn't happen at a critical time. I have tried to think of an alternative to the pins but have not come up with anything yet that I would feel safe entrusting my bike to. I am going to look into pins that do not have a button to see if that would be easier to use. In the photo, you can see the three pins. They have all given me fits, but it is the center one that is critical to use of the rack.
Excellent product! No need for an additional piece to accommodate my ladies bike. I can easily open my hatchback without removing the rack.
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Product Specs:
Hitch Bike Racks
Platform Rack
Fixed Rack
Fits 1-1/4 Inch Hitch
Fits 2 Inch Hitch
Fits 1-1/4 and 2 Inch Hitch
Class 2 - 3 Compatible
Frame Mount
Locks Not Included
2 Bikes
Swagman
This basic, lightweight 2-bike rack is perfect for the occasional rider with limited storage space in their garage. The wheel trays fold up, so it will easily fit into a closet. The mast folds down for easy access to your rear cargo area.
Video of Swagman XC2 Bike Rack for 2 bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
Average Customer Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars (1870 Customer Reviews)
This basic, lightweight 2-bike rack is perfect for the occasional rider with limited storage space in their garage. The wheel trays fold up, so it will easily fit into a closet. The mast folds down for easy access to your rear cargo area.Short-term review: Bought this for a 2002 Subaru Forester with 1-1/4" hitch receiver. Very easy & quick to install. Just after receiving it, installed it and threw my mt. bike on it, drove round-trip 240 miles to ride with some buddies, and no problems whatsoever; the rack felt solid. I do put a cam cinch strap around the bike & rack as redundancy, but the rack's ratcheting hold-down hook does stay down very well and holds the bike down tight. Great value too, as most of the other name-brand racks are two to three times the cost. One thing to note: I cannot open the hatch of the Subaru with the rack on. If you have a car with a hatch with an opening rear window, you can probably still open the window. I am OK with this for the price of the rack. It's very quick to take off the bike(s; just a 3/4" box wrench or socket to remove the hitch pin and then the rack. With a socket & adapter for a cordless drill, I can remvove the rack from the car in about 20 seconds; with a socket wrench, under a minute. Definitely happy with this purchase! Oh yeah, etrailer's customer service is awesome!
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.
I had ordered a Swagman bike rack from etrailer and they let me know it would take over a month to get it since the manufacturer was trying to catch up. They recommended another model by Swagman that they had in stock and it was less expensive. I got it promptly and the suggested product will work fine for us. The best thing about ordering from etrailer is that you can get video demonstrations of the product before buying, they show you add ons you might want but don't have to buy-and they have them. They will talk to you about the product and their shipping (at least right now) is free. With the products they sell, their customer service really tops Another online retailer and other retailers in my opinion. Great people to do business with.
Not sure yet if I will keep this rack. It was a little bit loose and it wiggles a lot from the hitch..
was able to attach the bike rack to my 2020 equinox without any problems. Right now only 1 bike on it but will have another one later. Ready for a "glow roll."
my only complaint would be the rack is wobbly when loaded.
the bar that suppots the rack from the hitch needs to be larger.
Other than that I like rack.
.
Easily fit two bikes and no clearance issues around the car. Rack feels sturdy and assembly was easy. The bike closest to the car restricts trunk access but otherwise trunk opens with just one bike.
After a year of use I still do not like this rack. the bar that secures the bike to the rack ereoded the paint and finish on my bike and no matter how much I tighten it or use an anti wable clamp it still wobbles and flops around whilst driving. I had to have my hood repainted where the rack holds the bike to close to the vehicle the handle bar end wore through the paint on my hood since I carry this on the front of my truck.
I own a 2005 Jeep Wrangler X with 31x10.5x15 oversized tires and
wheels. I installed B6196001 HighRock 4x4 Oversize Tire Carrier
by Bestop to carry larger spare tire.
I needed a bike carrier that would carry our two crusier bikes and
clear my spare tire. After measuring, I ordered:
-> S64650 - Swagman 2-bike carrier
-> 80300 - 7" Hitch Adapter 2" to 1-1/4" Trailer Hitch Receiver
-> RM-061 - Roadmaster Quiet Hitch for 2" Trailer Hitches
Our order arrived very quickly, etrailer.com upgraded the shipping.
All these products arrived well packaged and without damage.
In 15 minutes I had every thing assembled, installed on my Jeep
and bikes loaded.
The bike carrier is very well constructed, finish is excellent and
easy to adjust.
When adjusting wheel loops and loading bikes, make sure you
pay attention to bike pedal position.
I chose this extension because I did not want to use the adapter
that comes with the bike carrier, I wanted as few parts as possible
to keep rattles to a minimum and gives me more options for towing.
The anti-rattle bolt/pin firmly secures the bike carrier to the
extension and the Roadmaster Quiet Hitch keeps the extension
adapter from rattling in the receiver.
Road tested approximately 25 miles over rough city roads
( including railroad tracks ), county roads and highway.
Bikes traveled very well without any rattles.
I can remove my complete setup quickly, fold and put in rear of
Jeep if desired.
I am very well pleased with my purchase.
Note to etrailer: Please consider offering Roadmaster Quiet Hitch
in black to match receiver and accessories.
Paul
In the Land of Oz . . .
Just South of the
Yellow Brick Road!
Love it! Holds bikes well. Light weight. So much better than trying to lift my bike on a non-hitch rack. Good price. Would definitely recommend it to the casual rider (i’m 65 years old and 4’11” tall)
After setting up my new bike rack, I found that the "universal tow hitch adapter" that's used for bigger tow hitches such as my Toyota Tacoma didn't seem to compliment entirely.
Attached pictures, you will see that the locking bolt and along with the cotter pin to secure the locking bolt onto the tow hitch doesn't quite reach through all the way across. Therefore, I wasn't able to insert the cotter pin through the locking bolt and couldn't safely secure my bike rack to the tow hitch of my Tacoma.
I know the Toyota Tacoma is a very popular vehicle and I recommend all future orders be replaced with a much longer locking bolt (at least 1/2 inch longer) to accommodate truck owners like me.
On the contrary, the bike rack does manage to fit onto my Mazda5 Minivan when utilizing the smaller tow hitch (without the universal tow hitch adapter for Class 3 Receiver). The bike rack is very versatile when loading bikes of various sizes and folds up to stow away very conveniently. Overall, great product!!
Perfect timing with your email we actually have been on vacation this past week and using our XC2 Hitch Bike rack to transport our ebikes to the Southern California beach trails.
The rack is simple to use and easy to store.
We have a set of beach cruisers we transport back and forth from our beach house to our desert home near Palm Springs and we are satisfied with the XC2 Hitch Bike rack system.
The only thing we've added is some Velcro straps for additional security when transporting the bikes.
We secure the Velcro straps around the tire trays and at the center mount at each bike.
Thank you again for the follow up.
Strong trailer but a little wobbly on the hitch. It’s secure and won’t fall out, but it does move some.
Super easy to set up and use, light weight, quickly mounts on and off receiver, adjusts to mountain bike or road bike quickly, and the price could not be beat. Only negative; wobbles a bit due to small (1-1/4") hitch size. But solid inspite of that.
Great bike rack that works well on my 2016 Prius. Easy to use and I can still open the rear door on the Prius with the bike on the rack. I regularly take my bike when I go hiking in the Smokies to ride between trailheads. Quality product at a reasonable price. I highly recommend this product.
The Swagman XC2 was Shipped same day I ordered it and I received it within 2 days. I put it together easily and tested it with my bike. It was the easiest and most stable bike rack I have ever owned. Kudos to etrailer for their service and Swagman for the product. ABSOLUTELY NO NEGATIVE COMMENTS!!!
I dropped a somewhat expensive hardtail mountain bike off the back of this rack. The damage was minimal and fairly superficial, but that is irrelevant, my bike fell off of this rack and if i hadn't been paying attention I probably wouldn't have known until we got to the trail. The issue is the way the clamps hold the bike in place. Modern mountain bikes tend to have very slack top tubes, many womens bikes do as well. Because of this it is possible for it to roll forward and fall off, even after strongly securing your bike. If your bike has a straight top tube this may not be an issue. I'm sure many may find it easy to dismiss this as user error and I'm certainly capable of doing something wrong, but once I discovered this possibility it was very easy to repeat the result no matter how secure. It is noted in the "Is this right for you?" tab that if you "Don’t want to pay extra for wheel straps and locks" this will be a good option. I will just say, if you value your investment, purchase wheel straps or consider a different hitch rack that has more complete securing system.
Works as expected. The installation directions could be a little better, including what tools are needed. For the set screws, I needed to drill starter holes, and for removing the spacers to use a 1 1/4" hitch, I needed a better Allen (hex) wrench than supplied.
I’ve used this hitch rack for over a year, I’ve had no issue with this hitch. Best bang for the buck. (Some things to watch out for is that the clamp on tire slots that clamp to the square tubing could possibly become stripped of over tighten.) I have not over tightened them and I only use one side for my mtb. Security is not the best if you plan on holding an expensive mtb. With a hat, I never leave my bike unattended for anyone to walk off with.
Nice rack! Sturdy, can hold two large full suspension 29ers easily, although you might have to lower the seats as they hit handlebars if other bike. I also really like the locking pin (threaded pin locks rack securely to car hitch). Also a plus is the adapter plates for switching between 1-1/4” and 2” hitch. Only downside I can mention is that everything has a little surface rust after only one year. There was one trip in icy, rainy weather...
For the price I paid, I’m happy. And etrailer service is great.
This bike rack is perfect for two bikes on the back of any car. It is easy to assemble and attach to the car. The wheel wells are able to slide to fit each bike, and the hooks that hold the bike in place offer a small hole for a lock for added security. The pictures show the stabilizing strap that is attached to the roof of the car so that there is less wobble while driving. We also added an extra stabilizer bracket on the hitch, just for added support (this is not necessary). We have used this bike rack many times in the last two months of having it, and there is no sign of wear on the item. We also bought locking hitch bolts for both points of contact, so that the rack can stay on the car without anyone being able to steal it. I would recommend this bike rack!
Easy to assemble. Easy to load, secure and unload bikes. Only issue I've had is that the pins that secure center post and base support are difficult to insert.
Well built, sturdy and easy to assemble. Assembly instructions does not include the use of washers included. Used bolt/Washer picture to assemble correctly. Moved bikes side to side several times on the rack before I was I satisfied. Unit holds them tightly in place.
It is a simple, straight forward design and it works. Have a name brand rack for a single bike but need to carry two. The name brand was expensive, complicated and not fool proof. This rack is the opposite.
Overall, very pleased with the the product. The only issue has been the wheel chock knobs will feel like they are tight, however the chocks are still prone to shifting position. My wife is the primary user and she is easily able to install it in her receiver, unfold, adjust, remove, and refold for storage without any issues. If I could do 1/2 stars would rate it as 4.5.
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