Best Bike Rack For Crv (2024 Update)

I'd been stuffing my bike into the back of my FJ Cruiser and driving to trails, so a friend recommended I try his Thule T2 Pro XT bike rack. I used it June & July and knew it was the right model for me… I was ready to buy! Unfortunately, this was during the time of high-pandemic and I hit a wall: every retailer/distributor was out of stock on the T2 Pro XT model in August & September. I kept checking back but mid-October was the availability date across the board -and I didn't want to wait. At end of September, Rack Attack was the first to have it available. I purchased it on a Saturday and it shipped out Monday. Seamless transaction. Would highly recommend.And it looks great on the back of my FJ Cruiser 😉OpenShark-85797

Best option to carry bikes on a car, particularly those with 1.25 inch class I hitches. The ability to raise/lower the rack one-handed while holding the bike in the other is a game-changer. Saves a ton of time/hassle. Installation is simple if you watch a video on YouTube. Plenty of clearance to the rear bumper on my Fiesta ST.Anonymous

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

We got our T2 Pro X a couple of months ago after getting a carbon frame mountain bike that couldn't be safely put on our old hanging rack. This rack is perfect for both our mountain and road bikes! Features I love: – Locks to hitch – Folds up out of the way when not in use – Easy to remove and stow in the garage – Folds down for rear hatch access with bikes loaded – Option to use the add on for increased capacity Features that need improvement: – Added lock cores to swing arms for bike security, but realized that it would still be really easy to steal a bike off the rack, so always add an extra lock. (only reason for four stars)JMag

I bought this bike rack with the 2-bike add on, and there are some things you should know before you do the same. Unless you're a big fan of Ikea furniture, in which case you'll be fine. 1) It's heavy. Like, really heavy. I ended up buying a wheel to fasten on the bottom so I could roll it around. If I had to do it over I'd spend the extra $250 to get the XTR, which already has a wheel installed. But it was such a pain to put it together I don't want to take it apart to return. If you have the four-bike set up, you need at least another person to move it around. 2) It's poorly engineered. As in, bolts don't line up with pre-drilled holes and key pieces are made of plastic. I stripped a couple of bolts and had to go buy extra because it doesn't come with extra hardware – I mean, for $1450… why would it? 3) The instructions are next-level terrible. I mean, when I finally gave up and Googled a 'how to' video, the first thing the person said was. "The instructions are terrible." Also there isn't an XT video anywhere to be found — just XTR. So prepare to take things apart and put them back together through trial and error. 4) If you're buying this rack because you want the flexibility to go between 2- and 4-bike set-ups… don't. Once it's set up for four bikes, it doesn't go back to two. I'm waiting for the kids to move out then I'll convert it just the one time. Now the positive… 1) The ability to stabilize and lock the rack on the hitch is a nice feature. Although the lock on the hitch also falls into the 'poorly engineered' category. I'm fairly sure it will stop working at one point and it'll be locked onto my vehicle. 2) The bikes are nicely spaced apart. And it's fairly easy to get in and out of the rear door without taking the bikes off. Bottom line, if you're looking for a 4-bike option that you put on your vehicle in the spring and leave it on until the fall, then this is an option for you. However if you're looking for something that installs easily, can go from 2 to 4 bikes, and doesn't take 4 hours to put together (counting buying the extra parts) — then keep looking my friends.MarkB

I've only had this bike rack for a few weeks and it's been perfect for us. Our hitch on an SUV didn't have room for a lock cylinder so the hook lock worked great. The bikes are se ure when mounted and easily moved out of the way to access the back of the vehicle. I bought a big cable to lock the bikes to the rack. Even if the rack came with little locks (it doesn't) I would still use the cable.Doc5605

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

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

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

The positives: The unit is very lightweight, so doesn’t add a lot of drag to the back of the car, and it is easy to put on and off the car. It is also easy to load and unload the bike and secure/release the straps. Not much wobble on the bike, and it keeps it in a position that I still can see out the back window (I have a 2010 CRV, and had a 1.5 in. hitch installed.). The only negative: I opened the box and saw all the pieces and the instructions were all pictures. It was overwhelming (I work better with worded instructions!). Thankfully the guys at the local bike shop were happy to put it together for me and instruct me on loading and unloading the device and my bike. The other challenges are figuring out how to set the additional strap so the front wheel doesn’t turn and rotate, and how to store the carrier when not connected to the car. These would probably be issues with any of the hanging carriers. It’s a learning curve for sure. One of the best things about having the carrier is I can leave my hiking gear in it’s place in the back of the car, and still tote my bike. (The carrier’s swing-down feature is useful for accessing said gear, though it is heavy with the bike loaded). I am glad I purchased this unit!Just getting into it

I had a 10 year old Thule hitch rack which was far less sophisticated, but easier to assemble and use. This unit…not so much. Pieces are not well designed and craftmanship seems inferior to older models. For starters "Piece 1" (pieces not given names) came apart. While attempting to bolt in the main rack to the Piece 1, the plastic hinge top with hook separated from the internal metal rod that enables the rack to swing down when the level is moved. Why is the hinge top and hook plastic? I was unable to reassemble these pieces after attempting a dozen times. I just gave up and am going back to REI. Also, the fastening bolt that pushes through the unit is difficult to push through in order to screw on the fastener and tighten. It all takes real muscle. Overall, this is just a poorly designed unit with poorly designed pieces and instructions. The old stretch rubber straps with holes were less sophisticated but far superior. The anti-sway pieces on the older units were far more substantial and functional than this unit's. The instruction images are useful, but language is the key and too many products these days feel words are not necessary.bluesboy

I have read online complaints about the newest iteration of this wreck having very flimsy straps holding the bike to the rack. I ignored these concerns, and bought the rack to carry two gravel bikes back-and-forth between my house and local trails (20-30 miles). One short section of interstate. Long story short, the straps did not secure my bike to the rack at highway speeds. One of the straps came undone (20 pound gravel bike), and my bike came halfway off the rack at highway speeds. My bike was dangling by just one strap, as the other strap had somehow come unfastened and had released that side of the bike. The bike was dragging behind my car by the single remaining strap…dragging on the bike tire. The bike would have completely come off the rack had I not happened to look up in the rear view mirror at the moment it happened. If it weren’t for the flimsy strap problem, the rack would be fine. I can’t recommend the rack with these flimsy straps as they are on the new HeliumPro 2 rack.OregonGearGuy

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

I did hours and hours of research and ended up choosing between what I call "the big three", but compared countless off brands as well. I am now replacing a Saris Thelma 2 bike rack from 2015, and before that a Saris trunk mount rack. So we will refer to Saris, Kuat and Thule for this review. I have Specialized and Gary Fisher mountain bikes(heavy), Trek and Euro hybrids(moderate weight), and most importantly a Litespeed Tuscany road machine(weighs less than a gallon of water). Being able to fit any combination of my five bikes is key. I chose Saris again for three basic reasons-Saris has clamping hooks for BOTH front and rear tires, Saris has wheel wells/cups for BOTH front and rear tires, plus Saris was AVAILABLE and ready for purchase from their website. Thule and Kuat could not be bought from their websites-you had to find a retailer who may or may not have anything in stock, mostly not. These three options were in the same group with features and costs being much the same for comparison. Kuat and Thule both have only one clamping arm per bike, and NO wheel wells/cups but rather slippery, flat platforms with maybe an indentation or recession where the wheels sit. But there is much more to talk about: Saris does some advertisments for the SuperClamp in two short videos using a supercute redhead with the most amazing green eyes. The first video sells the function and features. The second video expalins assembly and use. They boast about the "single rail", small footprint and being lightweight. She hoists this rack up in the air over her shoulder in the first video! Do not try this at home, you'll get a hernia. So the only difference between the EX and HD is a dedicated 2" hitch receiver bar with the HD, rather than the 1 1/4" on the EX. I plan to upgrade my EX by replacing my 1 1/4 " with a 2" bar when they become available again. That being said these are my findings with the SuperClamp. I recieved the rack in the mail 2 or 3 days after my purchase online. There were some minor shipping damage issues but nothing to stop it from being used, and I was able to repair these with some moderate effort. A few small pieces were rolling around in the box as well. So shipping and delivery were very fast. Assembly was a breeze and easiest to do with the receiver bar mounted in the hitch, there's a hitch lock here too. Basically two bolts and nuts for installation. But if a thief was hip-this is also the only weakness against theft. (So let's keep it on the lowdown). Very slight play or wobble when in use but nothing to complain about, I've used much worse. Do take the time to register your new rack on the website in case you need repairs in the future. Once assembled let's talk "single rail". This is essential to the smaller footprint but I find that the rail is somewhat crowded. The bikes sit on the rail close to eachother and the pedals and handlebars need to be adjusted to fit without contact. I would have manufactured the wheel cups so that they were sitting a few more inches off of center to allow for some more space between the bikes. The locking swing arms with the clamping hooks only open to about 10 and 2 on the clock instead of 9 and 3 where it should be. So you must lift the heaviest bike over these arms to load it into the inner rail closest to your vehicle. The second video shows the cutie lifting a bike into this spot but cuts away just before it is actually in place, (she must be so strong). So lifting is just something to consider. Using the tire tie down straps on the inside rail is a little clumsy but are a MUST when using the rack, on both sides. Better safe than sorry. The rail offers cable locks at both ends. The length is debateable but serviceable and should not be the only way your bikes are secured. Pro Tip: The keys for both the hitch bar and cable locks must be used for proper function and whatever you do do not lose or misplace these keys or you will be screwed. The smaller footprint lists a fold away feature of this rack but I feel like when it's closed all the way and folded in there is not much difference in the space it takes up. You can travel safely with the rack in either setting. The issue here for me is that the Kuat and the Thule both button up and fold away nicely with a tucked in and finished aesthetic appearance where the Saris is a jumble of cups and hooks. That polished look is missed by me. But again, function over beauty. I am the organizer and leader of a bicycle club in Fort Lauderdale with over 800 members. My peeps always look to me for advice, I like to lead by example and many will follow just what I do-so choosing Saris is an important decision. I may have picked this rack apart with issues I might make changes in but I still chose this rack over many others, that should say something! There are also other features of this rack that were not mentioned here. There is a link on the website to leave a note for someone in manufacturing and design, maybe I'll leave my JesseJames

Last year, as I was in my local bike shop (Cycle Loft, Burlington, MA – go see them) I ended up talking to them about bike racks. I was not in the market at the time for a new bike but had just purchased a used Mazda CX5 and had installed a trailer hitch. My old Yakima rack was (circa 2001) was OK for my old Specialized Crosstrail but I was curious what they would recommend if I bought a carbon bike. They said SuperClamp was the way to go. Fast forward to 2021 and after an 8 week Covid 19 wait, my new Specialized Sirrus 4 arrived. I placed an order on the Saris Website for the SuperClamp and it arrived. There were a couple of manufacturing issues, but the Saris customer service team treated me like their only customer and resolved everything (they are awesome!) The rack is so easy to use and nothing touches the frame so there is no wear and tear on the carbon fiber. I drive an hour or two every week to bike with friends and it has been great to have the SuperClamp. Best rack in the business!OldBostonBiker

PROs – Solid rack. Once bikes are in, they are part of the rack! Nice and tight. Easy to operate. Built in locks are nice. Tilt feature is nice. Cons – Like others say, the rack bounces around and sways. A lot with 2 heavy bikes. Will give you "rack anxiety." So far no issues, but wow. Fenders and rear kickstands can be a problem. Otherwise, really like the rack. Using it on a 2017 Prius Prime. Rack stays on the car, hauls bikes 3x a week or more. 1 bike no worries, 2 bikes, the bouncing is a little more noticeable, and the Prius can feel the sway. Both eBikes, under 60lbs each. Highway hauling doing 75mph is fine. Slow riding to trail head on dirt road is fine, a little anxiety from the bouncing. I suppose a little play is good, it will take some getting used to the bouncing.Rumrunner

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

We got this 4 place rack because it would hold the weight the ebikes we bought. Once we figured out where to set everything for the 2 ebikes it works. The limiting factor is you can't strap around the battery so it was a process. It's not the easiest to get things in and out of except for the end one but it works and is a great price. And it's local (ish). #sweepstakesKrista B

Our purchase of the Freedom 4-Bike was timed to coincide with a family cycling trip. We received it a few days before the trip, and decided to practice. Good call! Putting four bikes on the rack for the first time took more than an hour of trial and error and tinkering. Lining up the parts of the rack and the pedals, handlebars, seats and racks of four adult-sized bikes was definitely a three-dimensional puzzle. The rack was great, though, for carrying the bikes securely and steadily on an 850-mile round-trip journey. We ended up getting very good at getting the bikes on and off of the rack in, probably, 5-10 minutes at a go. One person can load four bikes, but it's better to have a second person around to help.Rich

I bought the Saris Freedom 4 Bike rack about a month ago and I am quite impressed with it. I am not very mechanically inclined but I was able to figure out the installation fairly easily, the online videos do help. Once you establish a particular spot for each bike that you carry, the future setup is quite easy. Some previous reviews questioned the use of plastic parts which I thought were quite well made while also keeping the weight down on the rack. Vehicle rides much better by keeping the bikes as close to the bumper/rear of car as possible. Highly recommend it so far!Edward

Having fenders is no problem, Just drop the arm just in front of the Fender. My E-Bike is 55 lbs & this rack has no problem supporting the weight. Loading my bike is very fast & easy.The front cradle holds the front tire securely & the rear tire sits in a shallow channel. Kuat does offer a ramp witch would make this process even easier. The integrated cable locks are a good way to lock your bike during transport. The Rack over all fills heavy duty & solidly built. Cosmetically it’s very beautifully painted too. Cons, The key hole to the Cable locks has a little spring loaded cover in the hole. So you have to put the key in at a angle to push it out of the way. It took me a Minet to figure that out.Mike

Ok, I love my biking and hate my bike racks. To say that most are put together with string and bailing wire is an understatement. I had one brand that was so top heavy that I honestly thought I would lose my bikes along the highway somewhere. That is until I bought the Kuat from REI. Expensive!!!! I bought the NV and then the doubler so I could have 4 bikes at once. I have been beyond impressed with this rack. Solid, stable, easy to use and very secure. Every part of this rack has been thought out and engineered to perfection. I know this sounds kind of over the top for a review but as a dentist, I look for details and precision in everything. This delivers in spades. I cannot say enough good things about it. So just suck up the price and appreciate the incredible quality that you are going to get for the money.DrKK

Trek Farley 5.0 (large frame) with 27.5 x 4.5 tires (Bontrager Gnarwhal Fat Bike Tire). Kuat phat bike kit installed. Cradles in lowest position. The ratchet arm will not come over the top of the tire without leaning the bike, swinging the arm up, then centering the bike/tire under the arm. Attached is the video Kuat sent me. This metjod is fine for one bike, but with 2+ bikes that need to be leaned, the other bikes get in the way. Kuat support says "Unfortunately at this time we do not have a solution". It seems like a nice rack otherwise, but Kuat's specs are misleading.Stephen K

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

Good: Looks stylish (my opinion, subjective) Holds the bike very well if used correctly. Fast bike install ONCE you get used to it. Bad: If you don't have a Thule set of cross bars you need to buy T Bolts for your model unless you use the over clamps. The over clamps can and probably will scratch your cross bars. The T bolts for my car that Thule recommended had to come from a dealer in Europe and could not be shipped to the US. I will keep looking and hope to find them. I am using the over clamps at the moment that are all metal, for a metal on metal fit. I am not sure why the insides are not lined with a non marring material like rubber. It is possible for the two bars to not click together which could lead to a less secure holding of the front wheel. I double checked and found this condition and reinstalled. Very important to listen for the click. If a person is in a hurry or in a loud area its possible to install the bike incorrectly. Best to visually check to assure the pin is in the groove/ Takes a little getting used to. Not intuitive. Easy once you get used to it. Not the easiest to get your bike into but to be fair This is my first roof rack. My SUV is not tall but I need a step ladder. The lock for the bike to the rack needs to be purchased separately. The lock for rack to the cross bar needs to be purchased separately.By Pat

Since, we have Aeroblade/Wingbar Evo bars for our vehicles already, we didn't want to go to a hitch rack. We were originally looking at the drop wheel roof racks, but we ended up choosing this one instead, since we don't have quick release axles on our bikes. It was really easy to install the bike racks onto the bars – they slide onto the bars with the T-nuts and then put back on the end caps. We found them really quick & efficient to load/unload bikes onto the Upride racks & locking them to the rack. We drove almost 2000 kms in sun, rain, and headwind with 2 Upride racks and 2 gravel bikes attached on this trip on a sedan.JoL99

Assembled the rack today. Impressed in how made it is. Haven’t used it yet due to our weather right now. Very happy with my purchase!Jack P.

I needed a sturdy well built bike rack for our bikes on the back of my Jeep Wrangler JKU with a two inch receiver and I’m glad I found this one. The others were either of low quality or way overpriced IMO. It’s very well designed and functional. It may look flimsy to some but it isn’t. With both of our bikes on it it hardly moves at all. My wife accidentally backed into a post and bent the right support bar. I called the company and ordered a replacement and had it in a couple of days. I feel that all things being equal the damage to a lesser rack would have been more severe and to one of the big name ones would have cost more to repair. I recommend this to anyone and everyone.Charles T.

I have 2 e-bikes and this bike rack is so awesome easy to use and easy to load. I love the tilt so I can open the rear door to my Rav4 with ease. I loved it so much that I bought my daughter her own Hollywood rack for her e-bike!Catherine W.

Excellent lightweight rack. I bought thinking in functionality and easy to use. It met my expectations. I will add a couple of cons and pros to why you want this bike rack. Pros It fits well: It's versatile. It can be used in 1.25' or 2.00 Easy to carry around: If you do not want to have it installed, it folds excellent to keep in your trunk. I have a small car, and it fits well. Good stability: I tested on the freeway. No issues. My bike is 28 pounds. I did not try for more than one bike or heavier bikes. Cons: It only has one locker key. It could be nice to have two keys.IdaPearl

After reading reviews and watching countless videos on single-bike racks I settled on the Kuat Transfer V2 because of the simple, thoughtful design, compact size, and low profile that doesn't interfere with the backup camera or rear hatch access. The rack was easy and quick to assemble and has excellent fit and finish. Installed into the hitch receiver with the 2" adapter, it is tight and sturdy. Loading and unloading the bike is a cinch, and the tilt away to allow opening the back hatch is perfect. Did I mention thoughtful design? To release the hitch for tilting or folding up there's a foot pedal rather than a hand release – so convenient. With the bike (an aluminum frame hard tail, about 30-35 pounds) loaded and clamped down it is rock solid. There is no sway or wobble and very little bounce even over hard bumps or holes. I'm really impressed with the looks, function, and quality of this rack and recommend giving it serious consideration.Craig

Took it on a 5 hour drive with a 50 lb E-Bike on it. Might have shook the tires loose. Had some locking tire skewers installed at a bike shop. SInce the tires are the only part locked onto the rack, it could have made the tires loose. I'm only minusing a star from bad design on the hitch pin area. they have an adapter that makes its fit into a 2 inch receiver. That causes the hole to be off center and can only use a 1/4 thick locking pin to be used. Also at this price they could supply a locking hitch pin so someone doesn't just walk off with both the bike and the rack.Wilson

This was a bit challenging to put together, and needs an adapter to keep it from rattling and moving around in the hitch receiver. That was an easy fix. Haven't used it on any long trips or rough roads. Hope it holds up. I like the design.Lauren H.

Needed a five bike hitch. Curt makes great products, and this one is just what I was hoping for. Installation was easy, the rack is solid (and heavy), and has met all my expectations for ease of use and functionality. Does everything it says in the description and carries five bikes safely and securely.ketchamclan

Bought this a week before moving across the country. Even when hitting some pretty questionable potholes on backroads, this rack held steady! Paired with a uhaul hitch on my 2011 crv and it's solid. Very easy to take the bike off and on. I did use a strap to secure the front tire to keep it from moving around when I was driving- definitely recommend that for longer hauls.daniel90

I purchased this rack from REI 2 years ago. Rack itself was at least $100 less and believe that I was able to apply a 20% coupon as well. Cannot believe that this thing now costs $800. Have carried multiple mountain bikes (fat bikes as well) on the highway and never had any concerns with safety of bikes. Integrated locks are nice for quick security while car in driveway, use heavier cable when travelling. I'm a fairly strong guy, and carrying this from my garage to car is a bit of a challenge – this thing is awkward to carry and pretty darn heavy. I have some friends with the 1UP rack which used to be a more expensive option, looks like it's actually now less expensive given the price increase of this Thule. I'd check that out instead.joebloe

I bought this rack recently because I was not satisfied with my previous hanging rack. This rack is very solid construction and works very well for ease of loading bikes. I like the locking cable feature and also the fact that all parts are connected and no loose parts to get lost. All articulating connections work well. Cons- this rack is heavy at 53 pounds. It does have wheels to help transport it from car to shed, but the issue is picking it up to align it with the receiver. The tolerances are very tight, and even after filing the edges of my receiver and guessing both ends of receiver and bike hitch, I still have difficulty aligning hitch and pushing it into receiver. Once it is started, it goes okay, but I think this takes above average strength to manipulate this. My wife is not able to do it. Other than this minor inconvenience, I would give it 5 starsChuck 61

If you have 2 bikes, want to get them on and off your vehicle quickly, and also want them to stay secure on your car without the rack jostling around when off-road, then i think that this is the best rack out there. I have not tried other racks, but I have noticed how much otherws move around while people are driving, and that makes me soooo unsettled. I have dirven way too fast on dirt roads, taking corners with aggression, and i look in my rearview, and there is no jiggle. I have a road bike and a mtb. The one piece with multiple molds front tire holder is really well made so i can put road or mtb on either one without any fussing. The rack is also designed to prevent over-tightening, which would hurt the raack and my wheel. Speaking of wheels, it has wheels on it, so when i take the rack out of my garage to bring to my car, I can just roll it which saves my back. To sum it up, the rack is OBSESSIVELY designed. If you are a believer in the "buy once cry once" mantra, and geek out on features then I would recommend. If you just want something for your old hybrid, then maybe consider something cheaper. Cons: when front tire bar is recessed, it sits over the handle to bring the rack up or down. I try to just leave the bar an inch above, and it stays where I put it. This solves the problem, but I am a gear head so I complain 😉 It is also heavy, which I dont notice much, but its the price you pay for a lifelong tool. Lastly, it can be a tad awkward getting the rear wheel situated without putting it on top of the plastic buckle (the thing with the teeth.) I also fear that this piece is just plastic, and gets pulled around pretty hard, so I fear it will break over time. Also, the little pad on itto protect the wheel is awkward to align bc the buckle moves as it gets tighter. Maybe just a a longer protective piece would work better?By Seth