Hollywood Racks SE4 # HR1400Z-FB or Saris Freedom # SA4414B-FB Recommendation?  

Question:

Expert Reply:

In choosing between the Hollywood Racks Sport Rider SE 4 for Fat Bikes # HR1400Z-FB and the Saris Freedom Bike Rack for 4 Fat Bikes # SA4414B-FB, I recommend the Saris for transporting your fat-tire bike, women's beach cruiser, and 2 20-inch kids bikes. One of the advantages of the Saris is that the rack has a longer measurement from the shank's pinhole to the closest part of the rack when folded up (10 inches compared to the 5 inches of the Sport Rider SE). This measurement is important for rear bumper clearance as well as how much space you will have to access the rear hatch of your vehicle when the rack is tilted (with or without bikes loaded).

Since you are transporting a women's cruiser bike and 2 children's bikes, the Sport Rider SE requires you to use a bike frame adapter bar in order to attach it to the mounting points. I recommend the Rhino-Rack Bike Frame Adapter Bar # RRRBCA021 for each of those 3 bikes. The Rhino-Rack adapter bar will give your bikes a straight, horizontal plane that is required to mount the bikes to the ratcheting hooks. This is not needed on the Saris.

The Sports Rider comes with locks for both the hitch and the bikes. While the Saris does include and anti-rattle hitch pin, you might want to add the Hitch Tite Anti-Rattle Hitch Lock for Saris Bike Racks with 1-1/4" and 2" Shanks # SA3022 and the Saris Cable Lock - 8' Long # SA981 to secure your investments.

If you don't already have a hitch, I would be happy to make a recommendation if you provide the year/make/model of your vehicle.

expert reply by: Bob C

0