Customer Reviews

Allen Deluxe 3-Bike Spare Tire Mount Rack

5 star:		(67)
4 star:		(45)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(15)

 

 

I have a 2003 CR-V and this carrier works great. I initially thought I would have some problems with the lower anchors but managed to find two places to hook them. I put two adult bikes and a kids bike on it and they stayed secure for a 30 minute trip with highway speeds. The carrier itself takes less than five minutes to install and folds up to fit in a closet when not in use.

I searched all over the internet to find the perfect bike mount for my Jeep. I wanted a light, easy to use bike mount that I can easily put away in the back of the Jeep when not in use. The allen bike rack met the criteria.

The only problem I had was the poor shipping for the rack but I am not rating the rack based on the shipping. When it shipped it was in its original packaging and when it arrived home the box was all beat up and it was open. No manual inside except the rack. I was not to sure if anything else came with it. I downloaded the manual from the web. According to the manual I had everything I needed to use the rack.

After learning to mount the rack on the spare tire you can easily put it on in less than 5 minutes. Once it is mounted it feels really strong. It seems like it may not hold much but it really can hold much. When not in use you can take it off faster than you can put it on.

What I really like about this rack that I did not like on others is:
-I can swing my gate open with the bikes in place
-Super easy to mount/unmount
-My hitch is free for other uses
-Price
-Very light weight

What I don't like:
-The part that rests on the wheel/rim is not covered with rubber or anything. A wrapped cotton towel took care of the problem but it does not look pretty
-Bikes can be a little too close and bang to each other if using 3 bikes. I have only 2 and use the first and third mount and I have not problems.

I bought this bike carrier and overall I like it. It's very easy to put on and take off and holds the bike easily enough. The stirrups that hold the bike are on the small side, so if you have a bike with a frame that's wider in diameter, like a mountain bike, you will have to buy a tension bar for it. Also, it doesn't come with any padding on the lower part that rests on the spare, so it has put some scratches on my wheel. Also, the top part that goes behind the tire should be more padded. It's taken off my paint in that area. Just be sure to rest it on some padding or try to position it so it's not touching paint.

The rack composition is lite-weight and easy to install. Some of the rubber components are flimsy (they fell off right away) and the straps that hold the bike in a locked position are NOT to be trusted. The strap broke before I even took off with the bikes on the road.

The straps to tie down to the spare tire are not long enough and you NEED alternate method of securing the rack to the tire. Go to Wal Mart and by tie-downs with hooks.

Make sure you put a pad on the bottom rung of the rack otherwise it will rub and scratch your tire.

The rack is ok for the price. I took it on a 600 mile highway speed ride. As long as you buy those extra straps and tie the bike to the rack with line and secure it....you will be ok.


Hope it helps.

This Allen Bike Carrier fit perfectly on my CRV Honda SUV and I have carried my 2 bikes so easily from place to place. They fit on snug, and it is very simple to fasten them on the carrier. For the great price of the carrier and the simplicity of putting the bikes on IT IS A FABULOUS BIKE CARRIER.

I was nervous about 2 things before I bought this bike rack. 1. I own a 2005 CRV and I was told I couldn't buy a bike rack for it. 2. Everyone was writing about how lousy the packaging was for this product. I live in a very rural area and if a box was going to get busted up it was surely going to happen coming to my house.
Well, I they were wrong on BOTH counts! I love this bike rack! I can put it on all by myself(no man or engineer needed)! It fits perfectly. My bike is safe and secure. It does not hang out beyond the edge of the vehicle. Do not hesitate buying this if you own a Honda CRV. Also, the box was in perfect condition when delivered.

There aren't many spare tire bike racks that fit a 2008 RAV4, but this one works great. I've taken several trips with no problems. The rack is easy on and off, and holds 2 bikes very securely. I'm not sure about 3 bikes - might be a tad heavy for the RAV4 spare tire mount. Be sure that the lower mounting straps are attached to the RAV4's frame, not plastic trim.

I chose to deal with two small fit issues, but you might not. The left side of the rack is very close to the wiper arm - I flattened the rack slightly with a hammer at that point for more clearance. The bottom of the rack rests on the spare tire - I slipped pipe insulator over the rack at that point to prevent scratching the rim.

Overall, a great rack at a great price.

At first I wasn't sure this rack would work on my 2008 Rav4, but with some work it does. The arms that go over the tire are very very close to the wiper arm but it doesn't harm it. It's hard to attach the straps to the bottom of the tailgate, it just doesn't grab so I attached them to the underside of the bumper and even though the bumper is plastic coated it made enough of a surface to pull the straps tight. The bar though resting on the spare tire isn't wide enough to rest only on the tire and will damage the wheel unless you pad it all the way across. I did so with 2 shop towels. Once the rack is on and pulled tight, it was solid and seems well made. It didn't loosen or vibrate and 70mph..

As the previous reviewers have said, this is a great product. I have a Jeep Liberty that we take camping 2 or 3 times a year. Until now we had not been able to take our bikes along, because none of the generic "fits most cars/SUVs" bike racks would fit my car. This spare tire rack is just what we needed. For us, the price is a good value, because our only alternative was to drive 2 cars (one for the bikes), and with the price of gas... well, you know.

This is my review for the spare tire bike rack which I've used for one bike (with cross tube). Although It weighs less than 11 LBS. the bike rack is SOLID and in no way flimsy. It is EASY to install on the spare tire and is even easier to remove (I take it off my Honda CR-V while riding and then put it back on -- don't want it to get stolen while I am gone). The straps that tie down the rack to the spare tire (they hook onto the bumper or bottom of the rear door) are probably long enough for any vehicle. The rack has soft plastic sleeves on the tubes to protect the bike at points of contact. It is EASY to secure my bike on the rack; taking it off is just as EASY. Because the rack is titled slightly, the bike doesn't bounce while the car is moving. The straps that secure the bike rack to the bike's cross tube are EASY to tighten and loosen. I can't imagine anyone complaining that this bike rack is hard to use --it is NOT. My CR-V spare tire is not centered in the middle of the rear door, allowing the front wheel to extend beyond the right side of the car by a few inches -- nothing to worry about (unless driving into/out of a VERY tight garage door). The rack does not allow the pedals of the bike to contact the spare tire cover - the instructions for the rack recommend removing the spare tire cover to prevent damage to it, but I do not and there is no damage. Lastly, the bike rack is nice looking, too.Allen Deluxe 3-Bike Spare Tire Mount Rack