Best Bike Rack For Bmw 3 Series (2024 Update)

After going through 2 hitch racks thanks to being rear ended 4-5 times (big vehicles apparently can't see low hitch racks when parking, or just people in DC can't drive…), I was giving up on bike racks for my car. I had previously been told due to my Ford Focus' spoiler, a trunk rack was out, but then this model was released! I bought it, and am pleased to say it completely cleared the spoiler, with room to spare. We've also used it on my friend's 2017 BWM X3. It does not completely clear the spoiler due to the MUCH larger trunk size, but it does take pressure off the top straps and per Saris, shouldn't cause damage. A thing to note with 3 bike racks–they are a bit like tetris since the bikes sit so close. If you have 3 bikes, identically sized, all with racks and fenders… they may not fit without racks/fenders coming off and some weird maneuvering. On our last trip, we had 2x 54 cm bikes with racks, and 1 58 cm bike with no rack. The 54s went on the outside and inside, with the larger 58 cm bike in the middle. Handlebars crisscrossed over each other, around tires, and the racks. Rags and bungee cords were deployed to keep bar tape safe from rubbing on tires. So it WILL work. It might just take some time to get it right.Emm85

NOTE: You will need bungee cords or straps (not included) to keep your bikes' front wheels from moving around. I bought this after I had to start borrowing a car that did not have a hitch. I wanted a bike rack that was more versatile than my hitch-mount bike rack — something I could use on most cars. The Saris Bones EX fit the bill. I bought one of these and had to return it for another one due to Saris' poor quality control. A Committed To Quality card with a hand-initialed QC Check is included with each rack but the QC checks aren't being properly done. Even though they were brand new, the first one smelled like cigarette smoke and was really dirty. It was also missing one of the two strap management caps. The second one didn't have those problems but the ratchets were installed incorrectly so I had to redo them. The included instructions aren't very detailed so having the ratchets installed incorrectly added to the confusion of mounting this rack for the first time. The Saris rack is fairly sturdy but not as sturdy as my hitch-mount rack. But I guess that's to be expected of just about any trunk-mount rack. Still, I was disappointed to discover my bicycle, a Priority Continuum Onyx, didn't mount completely flush against the rack. The bicycle has a relatively standard frame but the seat tube has about an inch of space between it and where the hold down is attached to the rack. The hold down keeps it somewhat sturdy but there is that inch of space for movement. It seems like Saris could easily redesign the seat tube hold downs to better secure a wider range of bike frame geometries. The bike rack fit a 2018 Honda Fit well and it appears to be able to fit quite a wide variety of vehicle shapes. Overall, despite Saris' quality control problems and my bike not fitting snugly, I still recommend this bike rack due to it's ability to fit a wide range of car shapes.Sammy

The installation was so easy after an installation video. Is very sturdy with no shaking. Won't scratch at all. There was one concern then another arose after my 1-hour drive. First, I was not sure how easy it would be to steal this trunk rack. And, would love for this company to maybe provide a latch locking system because after I press to release the upper and all cords, it comes off easily. Second, the bike small strap furthest to the front crack right off. I thought it was too close to the end with nowhere for the bike to slide if the latch belt buckle strap was to break. So, mine broke and the bike held on by the last to latches. I would definitely buy a cord to secure the last two to prevent from bike falling off. I would want to exchange and extra cables and for it not to break so easily.miriam

Just recently purchased this rack for my daughter to take her new bike to college. Instructions were terrible. The guy from the bike store where we purchased the rack was kind enough to help us install. However, less than 30 minutes into her trip to school the straps began to come undone and the bike came off the cradles. Straps were tightened again and 5 minutes on the road later they had come undone again. Had to stop yet again less than 1 hour into her trip and purchase a bungee cord to keep the bike from coming off the rack completely. Also, the hooks that connect to the car have scratched the paint during first use. This bike rack does NOT keep your bike secure. Wish I had purchased a different bike rack.Upset dad

I bought this bike rack about a month ago to use on a 2015 VW Golf and it has been really excellent. I have only put 2 bikes on it so far but it is completely solid on short trips and when used for a 300mi trip I stopped to tighten the straps once to be safe, but it was still very solid overall. My biggest complaint is that the instructions for installing it are terrible. The instructions feature hardly any text, relying entirely on illustrations making it difficult to follow at times. It probably took an hour to finally get it installed properly. Also, tightening the straps (which is very important for keeping the rack sturdy) requires a good amount of strength to do, so I couldn’t tighten it as much as I’d like without help. Overall, it’s a good bike rack, but the instruction manual needs a major update.chelseat

I opted for the 3 bike option and, unless I remove the pedals off all my bikes, I will never be able to fit three bikes on the rack. Not only would the bike closest to my car scratch my car, it's already a tight squeeze with 2 bikes on the 3 bike option. The system is also really difficult to fit on most mountain bikes because the support buckles are so large, which is super unfortunate. We ended up having to get another bike because one of our mountain bikes was completely impossible to get on the rack because it's frame wasn't the standard "triangle" Thule assumes it is. It is also a huge pain that there is no built in way to lock it to your car (and the car lock Thule sells separately can be easily cut), so we have to disassemble it and put it away in our car every time we go on a trip so that we can be sure it isn't easily stolen. That's a big pain too. All that said, I'm glad I got this as it is going the job for now. But, I will likely consider upgrading to something more expensive because I am also pretty disappointed. Bought the Thule Gateway Pro 3 for a 2010 chevy cobalt.April1234

Just got this rack to give as a gift, but I put it together and have mounted and tested it, and the Transfer V2 reflects all the qualities that I've experienced with Küat products. I already have two Küat racks (NV 2.0 and old-style Sherpa), plus a roof basket (Vagabond X), and even some other Küat stuff like the bottle-cage locks ( a great and handy product, and all of mine still work beautifully). Everything I've ever gotten from them has proven to be the most innovative products on the market, well-designed, and built with the highest degree of quality and durability. I don't even bother to look elsewhere for racks – They're simply the best by every measure. Even on those rare occasions when I've had to seek support for a product, their help has been exactly on target, and the people whom I've talked to have always been super friendly and have gotten whatever I needed to me right away – So in addition to everything else I've mentioned, even their customer service in my experience is unexcelled. The rack I use depends on the bikes I'm carrying. So I use my Küats to carry everything from road bikes to a Stumpjumper 650B fatty to a 29er hardtail to Specialized Jett 20" kids bikes, handsome others in between… My racks are the quickest and simplest to mount and use, the sturdiest, and the most secure under all conditions, from highway to rugged 4WD off-road, for any bikes I want to carry. Period.Richard K

Had this rack for about a month. We use it daily to transport our bikes to safe riding locations. I had been looking for a 3 bike rack and having no luck…till I stumbled on this rack at Moosejaw. This thing is a beast. I love how it folds out of the way, securely holds the bikes and zero play in the hitch. Highly recommend!Travis

Purchased the Transfer V2 in May as i wanted a rack for the back of our Airstream that was rated for RV use that I could transfer to my truck when I got to camping locations. Previously had a rack that the bicycles hung from the crossbar. This rack really locks the bikes down and limits movement while traveling. Also the cam lock works well in that there is no movement in the rack once it is torqued down to 18 ft-lbs. Have traveled over 4000 miles and have had no problems. Well made rack. Highly recommendBy Gerry

Good solid rack, real pig to assemble, especially installing the wheel hammocks on the frame. Only BIG disappointment was I ordered this rack as it was supposed by American, "made in Taiwan" is written all over the box.Nigel B

I wanted a non-hanging hitch 3 bike rack w/o breaking the bank. The hanging racks are less expensive, yet many have issues adjusting to female and child bike frames (you have to purchase additional attachments). Therefore I wanted a top mounted one. My bikes hold well, even over rocky mtn roads- in the San Juan Rockies of the Westslope 😉 The frame is well made. I still need to buy a cable lock to lock the bikes + rack to my car's hitch. This was one of the best values for this type of mount made by a great local company. I love the fact that it folds up vertically when not in use. I can still open the hatch for the dogs if I tilt the rack down. Thanks Rocky MountsrockyMTnhigh

As new, this is a very solid and sturdy mounting system. I have now had two highway-speed trips with the mount and it doesn't rattle or bounce. The retention arms rely on brazed on bits and one bolt each so I am concerned that over "years" this will be a weak point — I've used plenty of lithium grease in these areas to try to minimize chance of rust. This is my second Rocky Mount product and I'd recommend it.M

Good quality rack with some heft. Overall, easy to install. The built-in lock only works when there are two bikes mounted. I wish there were better instructions or video for when "anchor mode" is required. Didn't come with a wheel strap. Love the bottle opener!Danny D

I decided to purchase this rack because of the two security features – the ability to secure the rack to the car via a reinforced strap thru the trunk and a cable that extends from the end of the rack to lock the bike to the rack. Despite doing all the necessary research to ensure that the rack was compatible with my car (a standard issue 2018 Subaru Crosstrek) before buying this, I had to return it because while the rack fit the car, the security features did not work. The reinforced strap with a loop on one end and a plastic/foam barbell on the other, is supposed to secure the rack to the car by sliding between the two hinges on the hatchback. No matter how hard I (or multiple friendly REI staffers) tried, this strap does not fit through the gap between the vehicle and the hatchback. That means that while the rack itself is compatible with my vehicle, the security strap is not. One security feature down. When fully extended the cable lock, which retracts into the right-hand tube where the bike rests, is so short it really can't even wrap around the outermost bike frame to properly secure the bike. Again the friendly REI staffers confirmed what I had tried dozens of times on my own – it just wont lock because its too short. Second security feature down. I did like the hub feature, and the fact that it store standing up on its own. It seemed like the ZipStrip Cradle system was easy enough to use (although you can definitely lose ZipStrips as they are fully removable). This is a very solid bike rack that is in fact quite heavy. Trying to put this on a hatchback is difficult but doable as long as your strong and have long arms. Just don't expect the security features to work.Maryette

I bought this spring/summer this year, and I love how my bike is held solidly in place with no bouncing around. It takes 3 ratcheting clamps, simple to put on and take off. There is also a locking cable which is a little short, not impossible to secure, can't seem to use ratcheting clamp an locking cable simultaneously. At least I had trouble. They are at same area. The rack is a little heavy, but I like it just the same. It folds up and I keep it in back of vehicle.kc1620

AWESOME, well built. One of few racks that can handle 3 bikes on CLASS 1 hitch without voiding a cars warranty. I wanted to carry three bikes on a class one car hitch without voiding potentially the car warranty. Only the Thule Helium 3 bike and the Saris Bones 3 bike fit the bill as both are very light weight. The Thule is made in aluminum and the Saris is only 16lbs I believe. Tongue weight capacity on a car is usually around + or – 200lbs. Thus if rack weightsstephanegti

First of all, despite the issues I have with this rack, it is a good rack that requires a degree of faith when fitted but after 4 hrs with a bike fitted I have not had a problem. My first issue was when building it. At first the instructions seem ok but they are not precise enough and, as I found out, it is very easy to fit a part the wrong way round. Secondly one of the bolt holes was not pre drilled so had to do that myself. Fitting the rack to the car was simple enough and only takes five minutes to do. The front wheel element has two settings, standard & 29". My mountain bike has 27.5" wheels and did not fit the standard setting so I have to use the 29" option. For me this was not an issue but I recently came across a Facebook post where some with the same size wheel and tyre could not get his bike to fit unless he deflated his tyre. My final issue is its size, it is big and doesn't collapse at all for storage, surely they could design some way of making it easier to store? Despite my gripes I do like the rack, especially the upright design meaning the bike doesn't poke out of the side of the car ( especially in lanes on the way to my favourite trails!) and you don't need a light board. It is definitely worth looking up the road test video to see how much movement there is and what it can cope with.Jontym

I use this rack on a 2009 Toyota Venza. I had trouble finding a rack to even fit my car (as I have no trailer hitch) that would carry two bikes, and this fits the bill. I am pleased with the rack overall. I did have to purchase a separate part from Saris to use with my Venza. You can't use the metal clips on the window on the side (there's no metal around the sides of my rear window), so I had to buy different straps with little foam cylinders to go inside the window. It would have been nice if those had been included. As another reviewer noted, no matter how I crank down those bottom straps, they keep coming undone from the bottom of the hatch and flopping around. I don't think it makes the rack less stable, because it's really being held in place by the top and side straps, but it's really annoying. The other modification I had to make, and this isn't really the fault of Saris, is that, because I have an Electra Townie, it doesn't fit perfectly in the rack. Because it's a pedal forward design, the bike has a longer base than a regular bike. It rests _almost on_ on the bottom holder but the included strap wouldn't quite fit. I bought a small nylon buckle-style dog collar, and it works well. My car is kind of tall, although it's not as tall as a regular SUV, and I'm 5'5". My bike and my son's bikes are not super lightweight, and it took some time before I was very good at getting those bikes up there. It can be kind of unwieldy and a bit of a knuckle-buster, especially for a woman, to load. I think I've gotten pretty smooth at it now, and it's a good opportunity to work on that upper body strength, but if you've got a bad back, you want to think twice. I don't want this to sound like a negative review…it's not. I do like the Gran Fondo, and I don't know what I would have done without it. Not have a bike rack at all, I guess. It looks cool, it fits my car, I feel confident that my bikes aren't going to fly off the back of the car on the highway, and I can load it myself. But it wasn't pop it on the car and done.Marcia

I have an NV hitch rack that I love, so it was an easy decision to stay with Kuat for a roof bike rack. The Trio Rack is not cheap but it is typical great Kuat quality, mounts easy (with supplied wrench), and has the right components to fit my mountain or road bikes without purchasing other components separately. The rack has an integrated lock, it's robust, and good looking. Glad I purchased the Trio rack.tbot5505

Nicely built rack that's designed for the thru axle fork bikes but can also be fitted to the older 9mm skewer type forks as well. Much better than thule or yakima.kevinaue0

I have bikes that have both the standard 9mm skewer width, and a 15mm thru-axle width, so I wanted a rack that could handle them both. I didn't want a holder that kept the front wheel on because they don't feel as secure as a fork mount to me, they all look goofy when not in use, and they create a ton of wind noise when not being used. I actually tried the "Yak" rack that you don't have to remove the front wheel, and it wasn't bad, but it took a while to get the bike on the rack and secured, and I didn't feel like the bike was really 100% secure. It was also a bit awkward to get the bike on the rack, and people shorter than me said they had to use a step "booster" to be able to reach high enough. The "TH" brand solution for a low profile, multi-use rack marred my thru-axle on it's first use, so that was out. Installing the Trio is pretty easy, and come with a five-sided "allen" key to make mounting relatively simple and secure. Changing the mount from 9mm to 15mm to 20mm is very easy, and they give you a tool to do it. Getting a bike up and onto the rack is easier than a front-wheel-on rack, and when secured you KNOW it's secure. One suggestion I have is to put some WD-40 or petroleum jelly on the threads of the 9mm skewer they provide as it will start to get rusty if you don't. Overalll I think the Kuat Trio rack is simple and elegant, looks good when not in use, works well for a wide variety of bikes, and creates minimal wind noise when not carrying a bike. All boxes checked.!canecreekfreak

It’s well made and easy to install, great quality! The price is cheaper than other brands with the same quality. Overall recommend this product!Fabio

bought to use on a nissan versa hatchback. could not be more perfect for this car. very stable and solid feeling. I never worried about the bikes. on a versa hatchback the only thing to watch out for is the added weight to the hatchback. the hatch will slam shut if you let it with an empty rack on it. the arms fold down when not hauling bikes. a good feature but watch your head when closing the hatch. i take the arms off when not hauling bikes. It should be obvious but the rear wipers don't have room to swing with this installed but not a drawback. overall a great product.gmc4chas

This product *might* fit 3 road bikes but certainly doesn't fit 3 hybrids/mountain bikes. If you are using this for anything other than road bikes, think twice about buying it.McDuff

My coworker gave me one of these racks for free. I just wanted to say if you try to use it on a Honda Odyssey van it will not work due to the plastic spoiler thing the van has above the back window. DO NOT BUY IF YOU HAVE AN ODYSSEY.Dad

I bought this as it's similar to one my aunt had, but there's one major difference I'm knocking two stars off for. On my aunt's, the strap that holds the bike was independent of the "saddle" that the bike rests in. So you could swing the strap out of the way to put a bike on the inner saddles. But the main drawback to this new (or older?) design with the strap and saddle being one piece is that the saddle is not locked into place like my aunt's was. So if you put a bike on the outer saddles it will slide down the rack, and your pedals can end up banging on the bumper or trunk causing scratches. My solution was to drill a hole just behind the saddle and stick a shower curtain ring through it, though a cotter or clevis pin might look a little more professional. So with one small mod it's a decent rack for the price, and certainly better than the $150 my LBS wanted for their rack.burcs

We bought our Sentinel 3 rack to carry our sons bike back home from school, a trip from Connecticut to central North Carolina. Following the instructions and using the correct accessory straps, we were able to mount it on the Kia van we had to come home. I checked it every 30 minutes at first then each stop we made ever 2 hours. It never budged. It was solid as it could be. Because the pads are foam and all the strap hooks are coated, it did no damage at all to the vehicle. We were very happy with it. We only used it that one time but that was a trip of over 600 miles.JonL

We were a bit apprehensive at first, not necessarily with the bike trailer, but more or less with the 1.25 hitch that we had to opt for as the dealership misinformed us on the size of hitch compatible with outback.I am happy to report we have had no problems with the sturdiness of this bike trailer as we were afraid the 1.25 would result in a wobbly outcome. As other reviews mentioned the trailer itself was a bit difficult to assemble. However once assembled and loaded it was exactly what we needed. We are comfortably and securely able to load our 2 Trek bikes and have no problem with the arms or straps. The only complaint is the thickness of the pin used to lock the trailer to the hitch. Could use a better pin something a bit thicker and sturdier for it to feel very secure.JAAM

First off, I'll mention that assembly was a bit harder than I thought it would be. The long bolts connecting the two pieces of frame together took a bit of finesse (and a rubber mallet) to get them to slide in and line up properly. It helps if you take the part of the frame where they screw in (on the outer rail) off first and line that up separately. Once I figured that out, the rest was a breeze. I really like the ease of use with this thing – bikes go on and off in just minutes. Way easier than it used to be trying to squeeze them into my car. I also enjoy how light it is, and how quickly it comes on and off the hitch. Although the price is a bit high, it is well-made and worth it. Highly recommend.Nate

There are things I like about this rack, but I think it's quite overpriced for what it is. I found it easy to attach to the hitch and I like the overall design – the arms feel secure, I like being able to fold the rack easily, and it does hold my bike well. I was also able to use the farthest rack position as a makeshift bike stand while I did some work on the chain, which was handy since I don't have my own stand. However, for this price point, I expect more than to have to use my own cheap Velcro strap to secure a mountain bike with average/slightly wide tires. I'm not using some kind of niche fat or cargo bike here – why doesn't the Kuat come with an integrated, high-quality strap for this purpose or better yet, a design that doesn't require that extra step at all? I also find the ratchet strap for securing the rear tire to be poorly placed. You can't get the bike on the rack without crunching the strap down and having to yank it out from under the tire manually, which is definitely increasing wear and tear already. Finally, the lock that comes with the rack for securing the rack to the hitch felt very cheap and online reviews suggest it can be broken very easily (a problem when you live in a high-theft area, which is not Kuat's fault), but it did lead to an extra cost to buy a more secure lock. Long story short, I'm glad I have the rack and it gets the job done, but it's premium pricing for an average/good product. I can't give a 4 or 5 star review when the value is skewed like that. Highly recommend waiting until this goes on major sale.liz4500

The whole structure is great and I can see why this is so firm and stable, however, if only the arms can be maneuver with better ideas would be great. Maybe a quick release or something. Overall I'm happy as long as I can ferry my bikes and safely which is my main priority. Lastly, I think the price can be lowered slightly, I don't find the price justified to the product because of what I suggested with the arms. Implement with a quick-release would be great!Andy

The most difficult thing about installing a Saris Bones cycle rack is, on a hatchback, they suggest disabling the rear windscreen wiper. As the upper back feet sit right within the swing of the wiper, this is a Very Good Idea – if you can do it; otherwise, don't switch the thing on if it rains, and be very careful if your car is overly clever (like mine) and enables the rear wiper EVEN IF IT'S NOT SWITCHED ON if the front wipers are in use and you select reverse gear. Setup on a Saris Bones is a little awkward, as two of the arms on both sides have to be taken off the central spindle and slotted back on in their correct-for-your-car position; this is just a touch finicky as there are webbing straps down the centre of the spindle which dangle about and get gently in the way, but that's the worst of it. You can do the setup by yourself, but a second pair of hands is a bonus. The suggested maximum loading for a three-bike rack is 15kg/bike. I went over by 1kg and all was well, but I don't know what the limits are – higher than 1kg, I hope! Fitting to a hatchback went easily, although I did stop half a mile down the road and tighten the webbing, which hooks with metal hooks around the top, sides and bottom of your hatch or boot, as the feet were bouncing against the rear window. Sensibly, the hooks are labelled for top, bottom and sides (although I seem to have three sides and one bottom, but that's just one of those things, I suppose. At least I could find mine with one hand – something I'm rarely accused of being able to do). I'd suggest placing the hooks at the side of the rear door/hatch carefully: mine is glass up to the edge and I thought that hooking directly to it might be a bad thing, so I angled the webbing straps downwards to below the window and everything seemed to survive the journey without a problem. Fighting a bike into place over the straps the first time is a bit of a mission – do the straps up first and then everything is under control. They spring a bit if you catch the bike on them as you lift it over, but at least they don't get caught under the frame. A tip I had beforehand was to make sure there's no grit beneath the feet of the rack as that could leave you with scratched paintwork – a very good idea, especially if you've gone somewhere fun, have mud all over the place and have removed the rack from the vehicle for the night . Children's bikes (hopefully lighter) should go on last. I fitted a 20" children's MTB on safely, but would say that, especially with the short head tubes and tight spacing between top tube and down tube on children's bike-frames these days, you may not be able to hang the bike from its top tube alone and one of the forks of the rack may have to sit under the down tube. While the forks of the bike rack are no more than 30cm/12" apart at the tips, they do have depth, and that depth is certainly deeper than the gap at the head tube on the bike I tested with, The thing fitted safely though, and that was what mattered. Each bike position position has two retaining loops on top of the frame and one beneath to stop the bikes from swinging. Even so, give them a good rattle and make sure they're clear of your paintwork before you set off, just in case. Also remember that your car rear window will be half-blocked by bike frames and that your vehicle might be a touch wider than you expected, so side mirrors are a Good Thing, although you probably won't need extended mirrors as you might whilst towing a caravan. So far, it's doing the job and I have no real complaints – four stars on everything because I've not been using the thing very long and it might be better to ask again in six months when I've had to fit it in the dark while the rain is hosing down: we'll see how things are then 😉QuinB

I'd previously bought a cheapo cycle carrier from a well known budget supermarket. It didn't work so it had to go back. With the imminent arrival of my new bike I needed a safe and secure way of transporting it. I'd researched the Saris Bones and generally the comments were very positive. There are six adjustable arms that lock against a ridged central axle. All of the retaining straps thread through the axle and are easy to distinguish. You adjust four of the arms to arch over the back of the car and rest on the bumper and rear window. The other two are set to support upto three bikes at a time. The retaining straps are clipped top, side and bottom of the car rear hatch. Setting it up for the first time is a bit fiddly, but once you have it right it makes for a secure platform to mount your bike. A nice touch is the stickers so you can mark up the correct setting for future use. The product looks and feels a quality bit of kit. You may need some retaining straps or bungees to hold the front wheel steady when mounted on the bones. I needed to buy an additional beam bar as my son's suspension bike won't fit. I think it needs some webbing buckles to hold the loose ends together; the instructions suggest tying a knot in them. There is a danger that your number plate becomes obscured. That it works is the main thing.OldBones

Purchased our matt black Kuat NV Base 2.0 bike rack to transport our two Gazelle Ultimate T10 HHMB eBikes. The bikes weigh 51 pounds each so we were looking for a rack that would easily support that weight. After doing our research, talking to several bike store owners and reading reviews, it was quite clear the Kuat rack was the right choice. Additional factors that influenced our choice, the integrated cable lock – hitch lock system and the Kuat bike ramp accessory. My wife and I are in our 60's and the bike ramp makes rolling the 51 lb. bikes into the rack quite easy rather than lifting them up and into the rack. Installation was very easy, taking about 15 minutes to assemble. Instructions are very clear and all of the tools you need are provided with the rack. Our rack is attached to a Nissan Frontier pickup truck with a factory installed 2" trailer hitch. The truck tailgate can be folded down completely when the rack is down and no bikes in the carriers and the rack can be folded out of the way with a simple lever. We are very impressed with the fit/finish/quality of this rack. We could not be more pleased with our purchase.NWA Steve

Just received, assembled, and installed it, but can already tell how well built it is. With the exception of the rear wheel strap ratchets, which feel a little flimsy, everything else is super solid. I've read some negative comments that it is hard to assemble, but that was not my experience. I got it together on my own in about 20 minutes or so, and that included unpacking and then breaking down the box for recycling after. It's literally just 5 bolts required to put it together. Yes it would be easier to assemble with two people, but if you can't do it by yourself, you'd have no chance with a piece of furniture from IKEA! Literally, just read the instructions (or use common sense) to figure out that putting it together upside down is easier. And no, all of the parts will not lie flat even when it is upside down, but a few rolled up towels, or riding shoes, or whatever else you have lying around the garage strategically placed under the base and rails will line everything up without a second pair of hands. Oh, and note that the adapters for fat tire bikes and small wheels are included in the box, so there is no need to contact Kuat for them after purchase. This is a seriously solid and nice rack. Looking forward to lots of adventures with it.Ruben A

Incredible build quality. You are definitely getting what you pay for. Hold bikes solid. Every part and piece during install feels premium. The only difference between this and the normal NV (not base model) is that one you can get in orange or silver, and has a built in work stand you can use when the rack is up. But you can buy that separately and add it to this rack as well for nearly the same as the price difference between that model and this base one. The black on black looks great. I wouldn't want any other rack after getting this one. Worth the higher price for sure. Built in locks are cool, but could be longer.CoffeeDrinker

I needed a hitch rack for my 2012 Prius V ants after much searching and blog reading I decided to find the Beta-2. Luck would be on my side and I found the rack at a great price at OutdoorPlay. Shipped free and got it quickly. The Beta-2 works great , easy to use,store, and solid. Never knew of Kuat before this but I would recommend them to anyone looking for this type of bike rack.Tracy

Well built, nicely coated, no wiggle! Drove two bikes from NJ to NC with zero concern. I would strongly suggest other buying this bike rack – read a robust review from switch back travel and trusted other purchases based on their reviews and am incredibly pleased. Please note this bike mount has a hitch stabilizer so the whole rack keeps secure.Kelly

The rack was easy to assemble and the bikes went on easy as well. The rack looks great and is lightweight. I have not taken the bikes for a drive yet but look forward to doing so.Bryan

Went to a local bike shop who normally sells another brand which was sold out because of supply chain problems. For less than $200 who needs China? Buy this made in Wisconsin all steel well designed well priced product that does what the European and Japanese brands do.Rick

I bought this rack to travel to Acadia National Park. The rack performed solidly, keeping 3 adult mountain bikes solidly locked in for the 6 hour trek. Over the week of biking our group had many different bikes from Cruisers to kids BMX to Adult mountain bikes on this rack all of which tightly attached and strapped on with ease using the the system of pulls and swivel stops. I love this rack. I never felt comfortable with my older aluminum rack which rested on the glass of my Toyota Hatchback. Be sure to latch the straps onto the hinges and not use the spoiler body molding to fasten the straps. There is a bit of play in one of the arms that bothers me a bit as it seems loose and shifts up and down a bit when not loaded. Once everything is on, the bikes rest solidly and the rack stays in place. Sweet piece of equipment.Paul M

I had watched the videos so when I received the rack it was installed on the car in about 5 minutes. Seems rock solid- attached my road bike and went for a test ride on bumpy roads and the highway and it did not move at all. I used an elastic strap to secure the front wheel to the bike frame so it did not rotate- you could use a bungee or some rope also. I had looked at some cheaper and smaller racks but really glad I got this one. And it keeps the bike away from my car so there should be no damage.Dave

I just purchased this bike rack and so far I am pleased. The product comes assembled in the box and is relatively easy to install. It does take some getting used to and only gets easier with practice. It's a little on the heavier side compared to other racks (not a bad thing), so be prepared. The ratchet system definitely secures the rack to the car and is very stable. Just remember to be cautious with the ratchets or you will damage your car. I did put some minor scratches in my bumper but they will easily buff out. I've only gone on a short trip with it (about 10 miles) but at higher speeds and winding roads and the two bikes held fast. My Giant XTC2 went on with no issues and my son's BMX went on will a little more difficulty but it did fit securely. On the way home he had a new mountain bike that fit on just as easily as mine. It seems that three bike will be a bit of a squeeze but I won't know until I try to get my wife's bike on. The only improvements I might suggest are wheel straps included in the box, the left hand key facing outboard instead inboard and maybe cable channels in the cradle. All in all, my initial impression is that this is a quality product and I made the right choice. Hopefully after some use I won't change my mind.Grafx365

My son has a large frame mountain bike with dual suspension and I needed a rack that could provide stability for a cross country drive. This rack (I got the 3x) is perfect! I can haul 3 bikes and easily load/unload. This was a great purchase.Rochelle

My first clamp style rack, what can I say it works incredible, the ease of mounting bikes is nothing short of amazing. The bikes are held very securely tested at 80+ mph on my recent trip they did move at all and were as tight as when I loaded them after I arrived. The assembly is fairly straightforward if you have some mechanical abilities. Installation on my Tundra is fairly easy outside of the weight it's best with two but doable solo. The pin is a bit tricky to get lined up maybe I will learn a trick after some time. The only issues I found are in the tilt mechanism it's a pretty long stretch to the release especially with bikes on, and utterly impossible to lower the tailgate completely with bikes on. Overall I'm extremely pleased with this rack, considering the low cost and the lifetime warranty I would recommend the rack to anyone not wanting to drop a grand on a bike rack but still wants all the convenience.RICHARD

This was easy to put together, it comes with all the tools in the box to put it together..i assembled it and put it on my vehicle within an hour.. Very stable and secure rack. You do have to purchase the lock kit separately.Darren

Well constructed and easy to put on and take off of full sized suv. The amount of rubber in contact with rear window and bumper on this model is far superior to less expensive Thule models. Happy with the built in locking of the rack to the veichle and bike(s) to the rack. I did have one sway holder fall off while not in use, but easily replaced.Kef118

I bought this to replace an old trunk mounted bike rack I've had for many years that was difficult to work with and somewhat flimsy…and was skeptical about whether or not I really needed to buy another bike rack at all. I am very pleased with this Thule carrier because it is significantly more stable especially at high speeds while driving and is quick and easy to get the bikes and off quickly. The anti-sway mounts are very handy and keep the bikes firmly in place so that they do not make contact with each other or the car. Also, fitting the Thule to the car is very easy with the cleverly designed cable lock system that also doubles as a security feature so that it won't be stolen off your car. The only con is that it is a bit heavy and Bulky making it a little difficult to mount and unmount from the car and store. But, it can be folded flat for storage. There is also a cool feature allowing you to set the angle of adjustment specifically to your car so that when unfolding it from storage, you can set it up quickly to the exact fitting for your car. Overall, I'm very pleased with my purchase and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a trunk mounted 3-bike carrier system that is sturdy and well made.MTB dude