Hitch mounted Bicycle racks

What do you use to mount the bikes to your Yakima bedrock? I checked the accessories site on Yakima and not sure if I want to shell out extra $200 just to add a loader for the bikes.

 

I use a 1UP bike rack & love it. Very solid & can store or remove in seconds.

 

This rack works great. Used it in my truck and a van. Really sturdy and the swing out arm is very convenient.

 

I just changed out my hitch setup. Previously I had a Yakima Dr Tray with an EZ+1 third tray. On camping trips we added a Kuat swing out hitch.


The Kuat was pretty good. Here are some pros and cons:

Pros:

• Not super burly, but plenty strong.
• Works exactly as you want it to.
• Easy to put on and take off
• It comes with a locking hitch pin.
• You can lock it in the fully open position
• Relatively affordable, especially if you get it at REI with a 20% off sale.

Cons:

• It does hang down a little low but not so much that it really matter.
• The anti wobble locking hitch pin that works okay but it's not that great.

I never really loved the Yakima. One caveat is that I had one of the first generation racks so they may have resolved a lot of these issues. But here are some pros and cons from my experience.

Pros:

• It’s pretty light.
• Adding on the third bike tray is super easy which is a great option.
• You can open the tailgate completely with mounted.
• The release handle to fold the rack up is at the end of the rack.
• It has integrated cable locks (for what they’re worth).
• It can accommodate long wheel bases, short wheel bases, skinny tires, and fat tires.
  
• You can move the positions of the trays for and aft and side to side with no additional tools
• Easy to load bikes on.
  
• Good anti wobble mechanism.
• Ability to match locking cores retroactively.
• There is a built in locking point for throwing a chain through the bikes and locking them up.
• Built in bottle opener?

Cons:

• The mechanism to fold the rack up is finicky. You have to have it in just the right spot to release the handle.
  
• The bikes tend to wobble and sit funny in the trays. You really have to push the locking arm down hard to take the play out.
• Once you push the arm down hard, it’s difficult to release the arm. You have to push down even harder to take the tension off the locking mechanism before you can push the release button. This is in fact the best theft deterrent the rack has!
• The trays are a little short. I have modern geo mountain bikes, size large, and they always hung past the end of the tray. Technically that was fine, just weird.
• The cables are a little short and hard to put away
• Completely blocks the camera and is just a big rack.
• You can over-loosen the anti-wobble mechanism. Why is there no built in stop to prevent that?
• Pretty damn expensive.

I have since upgraded to a Wilco Hitch Swing and a 1up super duty double rack. These are both really well built and super burley, but not without faults. I haven’t thoroughly tested these but here are my initial impressions.



Note that the picture of the camera view is with the 1up only, not with the Wilco hitch. With the Wilco the camera is blocked.

The build quality of the Wilco is top notch and it's super burly. But it's got a couple things I don't love.

Pros:

• Definitely built for off-road use. Super burly build.
• Great ground clearance.
• Amazing anti-wobble mechanism.
• The fit is really good.

Cons:

• Awkward to mount to the hitch. The anti-wobble mechanism is a little tricky to load into the hitch.
• The plastic shroud around the tailgate handle contacts the hitch. It just barely hits it, but if you dropped the tailgate it might do something.
• The locking pin is a little hard to put in, especially compared to the Kuat.
• No lock in the fully open position.
• You can't open the tailgate all the way with a bike rack on. But that's why you have a swing-out anyway.
• A little harder to swing out compared to the Kuat.
• The bike rack is way higher, which makes it a little trickier to load bikes onto. (But that's the sacrifice for more ground clearance).
• Expensive and long lead time. I scored this one used, fortunately.

The 1up build quality is also top notch, but again, it's not without fault.

Pros:

• Super burly, well built, and an industrial aesthetic.
• Bike heights are staggered which helps reduce conflicts between handlebars and seats
• You can adjust how the bikes are centered with out you position the loading arms.
• Great anti-wobble mechanism.
• Everything can be replaced or repaired.
• Relatively light.
• Super easy to load
• Way smaller profile. It tucks up very nicely next to the tailgate.
• The tailgate can be opened all the way with the rack in the flat position.
• The camera is still functional (without the Wilco swing-out on).
• Clever locks for the wheels and the hitch.
• The bikes are super secure.
• Clever storage configuration.

Cons:

• The release mechanism to fold the rack is finicky. I ended up adding on the pull handle add-on, which should come standard with it IMO.
• It's a little harder to load bikes on and to unload them.
• 2.6" tires are a bit tight. Supposedly it can take 3" tires but that just doesn't seem right to me. You can get a spacer kit though.
• Lots of exposed pinch points.
• An industrial aesthetic.
• You can't retroactively get keyed-alike locks
• No built in locks for the bikes. (FWIW, I always chain up my bikes anyway if I have to leave them unattended).
• No obvious locking point, but plenty to choose from.
• Pricey, though not that far off from Thule or Yakima.

I'll report back on this when I have more experience. Overall I have way more confidence in this new setup for biking/offroading trips. It's also awesome to be able to support smaller manufacturers that are making really killer products.

 

anyone know of a dirtbike rack thread? didnt see any

 

Is that the position that it stays in or is showing it being "swung away"? I think this could work with my swingout bumper, as long as the vertical arm that holds the bikes can be dropped to let the arm open up. Have you ever had any sketchy situations on narrow roads? (I'm thinking of highway roadwork where cones are set up that make the lane narrower).

 

I wonder if this + the rack shown would work with a tacoma swingout? An extension would be needed, but beyond that...

https://www.autoanything.com/bike-r...s6sFU4MrruxtqzFZz9oOlZzJRWzDsSmRoCPkwQAvD_BwE

 

That picture shows the rack in the extended position. The rack hinges in the middle of the swing arm and the bikes are parallel to the tailgate when it’s closed. Not sure whether it would work with another swingout.

 

Not sure which rack we used. My buddy is the biker with the rack. My Tacoma last summer near Crowley Lake

 

If anyone is looking for a swing away hitch, REI has the Saris one on a super deal right now. $215, down from $350.

https://www.rei.com/product/193680/saris-swing-away-hitch-accessory

 

Good find. Those are super useful

 

Well shit, I bought one. Thanks for the link lol

 

Thanks!
Just ordered.

 

Haven't seen a moto rack thread.

Have been happily using one of these since 2017.
https://www.mototote.com/mototote-mtx-sport-motorcycle-carrier.html

Rock steady with a 500excf adv (280#) over all sorts of terrain.
Very simple and effective steadying mechanism. An allen bolt goes through the rack hitch hole (slightly larger than the allen bolt head), the head rests against the truck hitch post and tightening the nut on the other end pulls the two posts together. Once you crank down the bolt/nut the rack is effectively part of your truck.
One time backed into a barrier and the main horizontal post bent a bit, was able to order a replacement part shipped out and easily installed.
They have a modular config.

There's other styles, the one that raises up/down and supports the bash plate is interesting and probably smaller storage req. but haven't needed to change my setup.
MTB with front tire comes off and goes inside, moto on outside, best of both worlds.

 

Really like My Kuat nv2.0 and swing arm... pricey but solid.

 

tempted to fab a hard shell/box that sets over top for theft deterrent. You should see how many extra cables and locks I use when there is $10K on the rack

 

I use the 1up usa rack and love it. Only downside has been one of the arms' bolts seizing and having to use two hands to close.

 

I had a Kuat N.V. 2.0 and it was really solid despite my doubts off-road. I can't say that I wasn't always looking back after I ran a section of rough trail though

 

You think that is strong enough to hold a sport bike? Seems much easier than loading into the bed with ramps?