Are all hitch mounted carriers created equel ?

[sndmn2]

I"m looking to get a carrier. Two bikes would be plenty as it will be mostly used for one. I see them priced from $39.99 on fleabay to $250 at REI. I'd like to have one that can be used in either a 2in. or 1 1/4in. receiver. Thoughts and considerations I should be aware of ? Recommendations ? What to look for when buying a used one off of C.L. ? Thanks, Rick

[c0nsumer]

Nope, they aren't.

To avoid wear with lots of use I prefer ones that hold the bike only by the wheels and/or tires and don't touch the frame. I personally have a 1UpUSA rack and like it a lot. Previously I had a Thule T2 which was also nice.

[RMXByker]

Will never use another hitch rack now that I own my 1UpUSA...

[Doc_d]

i concur you definately want one of the 'tray" style racks that just touches the wheels.

I have 2 different racks for 2 different vehicles. I have a Thule T2 and a Saris Cycle-on Pro. They are both excellent.

I like the front wheel locking mechanism better on the Thule T2. I like the rear wheel locking mechanism better on the Saris Cycle-on pro.

The Thule T2 does have a nice feature that allows you to drop down the rack (even with bikes on it) to give you access into the rear of your vehicle.

If I had to buy a new one I'd be very hard pressed to choose between the two. I think the biggest factor is if you need the drop-down ability the Thule T2 has so you can get into the rear of the vehicle with bikes on the rack.

[tagheuer02]

what do you mean to avoid wear? i.e. are you just talking about cosmetic wear on the paint finish, or do you mean the bike will move so much it can actually wear through and damage the frame? I can't imagine anyone using a rack that much in their lifetime.

The 1UpUSA rack for two bikes is $530 shipped....

My Yakima 2" hitch mount rack is 10 years old, has been used hard and driven across country with my steel frame niner, cost $179 new and hasn't damaged any of my bikes.

If you are worried about paint/cosmetic issues, just put some electrical tape and/or a little piece of double sided tape, cloth etc on the contact points. But I haven't even had to do this.

I'm just shocked at the price of $530 for a rack that hauls two bikes, when mine costs $180 and performs the exact same function. wow.

[Leroi Brown]

Do NOT use a hitch rack in which the bikes hang from the top tube/other tube! They can and will likely damage your frame/bike. These types are cheaper for a reason. I definitely recommend getting a tray-type in which the only contact to the bike is on the wheels. Thule makes the best one, I think, without spending a TON of money on a 1UpUSA.....I just can't justify spending that much when the Thule tray-type is excellent.

[TenSpeed]

I picked up this rack from Amazon, and have been very happy with it so far.

http://www.cyclechoice.com/store/produc ... itch-Rack/

Affordable, holds the bikes very well when on the car, and it says that it works on either 1.25 or 2" hitches. I only have a 1.25" so I cannot comment on the adapter that came with it for a 2" inch. Quite a few people are against these types of racks, because the arm locks down over the frame. I have noticed absolutely no ill effects of this. I make sure to wipe the top tube down before putting the bike on the rack. I wipe down the foam padded arm as well. Once strapped in properly, the bike shouldn't move, causing rubbing issues on the top tube. I have had the car at 85+ mph on the highway with 2 bikes on the back, and I could barely tell that they were there.

The 1Up is a sweet rack, but also has a hot price tag. This is a more affordable option I think.

[Slimm]

i have one like that and it works well. have used it with both sizes of hitch

[tagheuer02]

I guess I don't understand why some people are so adamant about avoiding top tube racks.

Like I said, I have used them for at least 10 years, on very lengthy trips, quite often, with expensive bikes (like Niners, etc.) and have NEVER had a single issue of damage to any of my frames etc.

Nor am I aware of any others have damaged frames, but this is my experience.

[slukomski]

I've never had a problem with my top tube rack either. I bought the 2" receiver type so it could hold a lot of weight (4 bikes), but no damage to bikes.

[Ricky Billy]

For 30 to 40 bucks you can buy a Saris bike beam (or any other brand) that connects from seat tube to handle bar stem and keeps all clamps away from the bike frame. It works for me. Besides that... none of the scratches on my frame affect the way it rides down the trail.

The only reason i use the bike beam is because my brake/derailer lines are on the bottom of the top tube on my bike. I do not use a bike beam on my wifes bike as hers are on top.

[iamkickstand]

I am against top tube racks because not all of my bikes will work with a top tube style rack. Even more so, it is so much easier using a tray style rack that I KNOW won't damage my frame, brake lines, cables, etc. I also can just drop my bike on and go, I don't have to add additional steps like wiping the frame clean, or adding additional padding to the rack to protect my bike.

I don't understand why people are so concerned about I don't like something, I'm not very concerned about why you use a top tube rack.

[kbankes]

Had a 4 bike top tube for years and did not appreciate the:
--brake and der. lines snagging while loading,
--shifting bike position due to wind pushing it around,
--spinning wheels when I forgot to use the bungie cord to hold the front wheel,
--need for a bungie cord,
--loose fit of the carrier and hitch receiver especially going over railroad tracks,
--pedals of one bike fed between spokes of another bike and I forgot the bungie cord (see above),
--difficulty of storing the hitch mount (floor required vs wall),
--the general chaotic look of top tube loaded bikes (yeah it's a nit, but I hated the look of my beloved custom 29er crammed among the riff raff).

The final nail in the coffin for my top tube hitch was said custom 29er dangling inexplicably from only 1 strap while traveling 50mph on my way home from O2S. Never again. I switched to 1upusa.com and feel that I purchased a family heirloom with their product. I am now a tray mount bigot and proud of it.

I also believe top tube hitch manufacturers took a page from tent manufacturers in calculating occupancy. 8 person tents are really 6 persons as 4 top tube bike mounts are really 3 at best.

[Ricky Billy]

Im sure the more expensive rack is better. maybe even alot better. but i dont have the cash for a $500 bike rack or a $4000 dollar bike either...so. if you cant afford the top dollar stuff you will probably get by with the other styles of bike rack and a less expensive bike.

[Cruzin Kevin]

I've had a lot of bike racks over the years and none have been better than the 1upusa. I know it costs more but i traveled 100,000 miles or more with bikes on that rack it performed great. What is better is that the company is super customer friendly. Someone rear ended me on Hall Road and the 1upusa rack took the hit squarely while it was folded in the up position. Some pieces were broke rendering the whole thing useless. The insurance company was giving me trouble with covering this "add on" item and eventually said it wasn't covered. I called 1upusa to get info for replacement or repair and they said they didn't make the rack anymore, mostly because the cost of aluminum had made them change designs. However, the owner fabricated a new piece for me and sent it next day air and refused to take any payment whatsoever. Now that is customer service.