I bought this rack late last fall. I give it 3 stars because it does actually work to carry bicycles. If your goal is to get from point A to point B, not sweat. However, be aware that unless you have a high tolerance for being annoyed, this rack may not be for you. My chief complaint is that it wobbles...a lot. It comes with an anti-wobble bolt for the hitch, which helps, if you intend to leave the rack on the car all the time. I can't because I need to put my car in the garage and with the rack on, it is too long. That is not the manufacturers problem, but if you have to get a wrench out to remove the rack, it is a pain. So, you will invariably do as I did and get a locking pin. By doing so, you surrender to full on wobbling. Understand that this rack has a bunch of moving parts, some by design, others due to the nature of the beast.
The arms which raise and lower to secure the bikes when in place, are simply clamps on a metal arm. They slide, or at least are supposed to. It takes an effort to get them to work...and cussing. More expensive models of this design rack use a ratcheting system that works much better. When the platforms are flipped up, in the stowing position, the very same arms that refuse to budge when down, invariably slide out of place. This is a fact you will discover when you next try to put a bike in place. The bike wheels will no longer rest in the platform correctly. So, you wind up putting the bike down and trying to get the platform to slide back to the correct position for your bike. A giant rubber mallet is helpful at this point. There are turn knobs which are supposed to lock the platform in the correct adjustment for your bikes, but I'm fairly sure that they are simply a prop to make you fell like you've done something by turning them.
My advice is to just break down and get a more well-known model for a few more bucks. Just saying.
| Fit Guide Manual [PDF] |
- Product Dimensions: 35 x 11 x 7 inches ; 4 ounces
- Shipping Weight: 25.8 pounds
- Domestic Shipping: Item can be shipped within U.S.
- International Shipping: This item is not eligible for international shipping. Learn More
- ASIN: B000UUK276
- Item model number: A30901
- Customer Reviews: 120 customer reviews
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Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
#1,093,521 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)
- #1023 in Bicycle Car Racks
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