Customer Reviews

Hollywood Racks E3 Express 3-Bike Trunk Mount Rack

5 star:		(70)
4 star:		(68)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

I too did my homework as for reviews comparing this bicycle rack with others offered on Amazon. I chose this one partially because of the reviews plus it was available directly through Amazon and the price was reasonable. I found that this rack was extremely well made and easy to attach to my 1996 Honda Accord. I could also tell that it would be able to fit many cars because of the way it was designed. I also liked this one because of the fact it has two additional hold down straps which attach to the sides of the rear trunk. There is a weak link in this product though. It is the quality of the tightening fasteners on the hold down straps. I loaded up three 26" bikes on the rack, which was a bit of a challenge, but did work well once you get the hang of it. I re-tightened all the straps as instructed in the directions before driving off and felt confident I did a good job. My vacation trip was only 150 miles away and I just happened to stop after about 50 miles to check how the bikes were doing. I found that the straps had loosened up and the rack was not secure. I tightened the straps up again and rechecked in another 50 miles to find the same result. If I hadn't stopped from time to time to check, I wonder what the result would have been. So, because the rack is built so well and is easy enough to use, I gave it three stars rather than less because I feel this rack would work great for short trips. However for longer trips, I definitely would not recommend this rack. It's really a shame they didn't come up with a more efficient strap fastener. I am returning this rack today and will try another brand with a close eye on the type of strap fastener used. Advice to you....no matter what brand you purchase, for long trips be sure to double check how secure your rack is from time to time....Hope this helps.

Fits nicely on my Nissan Versa. Make sure you check the vehicle fit list before purchasing: http://www.hollywoodracks.com/supp-vehicle-fit.htm

I needed a bike rack to transport my bike 1000 miles. I traveled through rain and snow and wind and the bike stayed put. The rack did not vibrate or shake. The bike stayed secure for the entire trip and the vehicle is undamaged in any way. I would buy one of these racks again.

Pros:
- Well made, looks and feels strong
- Fits very well on Hyundai Sonata
- Easy to setup and remove
- Handled one 40-pound mountain bike and a child's bike (~20 lb) very well.

Cons:
- I can't imagine how anyone can fit 3 bikes on this. There is just not enough room. May be if we remove pedals from the bikes.
- Didn't stay intact with two heavy (35 - 40 lb) mountain bikes. Holding clamps kept moving. We had to stop and readjust 3 times during a 30-mile trip.

Recommendation:
If your bikes are lightweight, you will be fine with this product. If you are thinking of carrying 3 heavy moutain bikes, just forget about it. You may be able to fit 3 bikes only if they are in such away that their handles and peddles don't hit each other.

The product is not so bad to warrant a return. However, its weight capacity is not mentioned anywhere and it would be very hard to carry 3 normal bikes. Hence, 3-star rating.

Update: 3/5/2009
It was very windy when we tried to transport two light road bikes and this carrier couldn't handle the second bike! This is unbelievable. We had to stop 2 times on the highway to remount the second bike. The bike just came off the carrier and was dangling by the belt - both the times. It was scary. In all that commotion, I lost the (expensive) blinker from the other bike! It appears like this rack can handle just one bike under adverse conditions and can carry two in ideal conditions.

I know many of the reviews recommend the Express rack for only 2 bikes, I just thought I'd mention that I had no problem using it with 3 bikes: a 26" Trek mountain bike and two 24" Trek mountain bikes. I did not have to remove pedals. My car is a Kia Sedona minivan. The bikes did not come close to bumping against the car and the straps did not come loose on a 2-hour trip nor on the return. I was impressed with the solid build quality and the metal buckles.

A potential downside is that the racks are a bit far apart. For both of the smaller bikes I put one rack through the frame near the seat and had to rest the bike frame on top of the other rack. I'm also not sure how long the rubber belts will last, though I guess you can eventually replace them with short nylon belts.

Here are a few tips:

If you're worried about the straps coming loose you can knot the strap over the buckle -- that's what I did.

Make sure to use the extra safety strap.

There are 6 U-shaped pieces for resting the bike frames in. You can rotate these sideways to make it easier to slide the bike onto the rack. You can also slide them on the rack to change the spacing between bikes.

Before you attach the bikes to the rack, find the best position for the the bike pedals so they fit through the adjacent bike's spokes and don't interfere with the adjacent bike's frame.

After you've loaded the bikes on, get someone to lift the back of the rack to take the weight off while you tighten the top straps one last time.

This rack works just as advertised. It is easy to install and adjust to however many bikes you're hanging on it (1-3.) I've fitted kids bikes and adult mountain bikes, all with non-standard frames and they fit fine.
It folds flat and is easy to store, although it is on the heavy side.
The straps are longer than needed, you can trim them to suit your needs.
I'm using it on a Toyota Highlander and it fits just right.

I bought this for my 94 Toyota Camry LE. It is quite sturdy, and the rubberized clasps are very thick. I find that strapping my road bike works wonderfully on any of the three bike holders. However, my mountain bike has a more aggressive frame, and cannot slide to the bike holders nearest to the trunk without a lot of hassle. Also, this rack cannot hold children's bikes well due to their smaller frame size not spanning the two rack arms. However, driving 500 miles or so to get to some of my biking locations, I've never had a problem with bikes falling off the rack or swaying, or anything else. It is a great rack for the price--I bought mine for around $150. I wouldn't pay any more for it though, considering there are better racks out there for more money. But for the price, you can't go wrong.

This rack was very easy to get onto the trunk of the Chevy Malibu I rented. What proved significantly more difficult was getting 3 bikes onto the rack. 2 are extra small frames and wouldn't easily slide back. I wouldn't think this rack would work with youth cycles. Because we didn't feel like removing pedals, we were only able to get 2 bikes onto the rack, not 3. It really put a damper on the weekend.

I was very concerned in purchasing a bike rack because I had just bought a new car and did not want to screw it up. I reviewed a dozen racks and after reading all the reviews decided on the E-3 Express.

I bought the 3 bike rack even though I only needed 2 figuring the extra space would help keep the bikes away from the car, I would recommend this.

Mounting the rack was no sweat once you determine the best secure points it no issue thereafter.

Securing the bikes even though one of the bikes was a female bike was no problem if you aim them in the same direction.

The bikes ride rock solid with no wobble even on the highway. We have not taken a long trip yet but expect no issues.

Don't expect to get into the trunk once you mount your bikes so put your gear in the back seat.

I used the bike rack on my Honda Accord the weekend I got it for a long trip, 450+ miles and it worked great. It held on to my bikes and that's all I was asking for. It was a little hard to get smaller bikes (kids bikes) on the rack, but all in all, it's a very nice rack! Short trips to the park should be a piece of cake!

Hollywood Racks E3 Express 3-Bike Trunk Mount Rack