Best Bike Rack No Hitch (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

I was looking for a rack to work with my 1.25" class 1 that would be able to hold my 5" fatbike. I also have a carbon road bike, so holding the bike by the wheel is required. This fit the bill! It has a low height and keeps the bike tucked behind my car, without blocking my tail lights. Locks are included and it is light weight I keep it in my trunk when I don't have a bike on. Very easy to use and I am really glad I purchased it.Mike

Before purchasing this rack, I carefully read all the reviews. Another user mentioned a problem with the pins that secure the rear wheel (falling out). When I asked REI about this the manager told me that Yakima addressed that issue by using a steel pin. When my hitch was delivered, it had the plastic pins installed? During assembly of the receiver section those pins dropped right out onto my living room carpet? I bought a threaded bolt and lock nut to fix the problem. Just a terrible design on Yakima’s part. Those plastic pins are supposed to interlock in the center but they don’t seem to make contact when the bike is mounted. Do you really want to trust your road bike on this when on the interstate? It’s an easy fix but one they should have addressed. After you clear that hurdle, you will really love the simplicity and ease of use!joetheboss

Good single bike rack, however, Just be aware that this does not have a tilting feature so the bike will/may have to come off if you need to access the trunk if you have a hatchback,SUV, or truck with a camper. Also, because there is no tilting feature, the rack cannot be tilted/folded up when not in use. It would have also been nice if the rack had the adjustability to move left and right to center the bike to the car (my 29er tire sticks out further on the psssenger side). The front tire does dip down and is lower than the rear tire on the rack so if you’re weird about the bike being level on the bike rack this may annoy you, however, I’ve noticed that it helps position the handlebars on the bike to sit just below the roofline on my wagon and not stick out above it (may help gas mileage??) The lock cable feature is useful for quick runs into the coffee shop or market, however, a beefier security device/cable should be used if the bike will be staying on the rack for longer periods. Lastly, this will forever be a single bike rack. You cannot purchase and attach an extension/add-on to make it carry an additional bike like that of the KÜAT or Rockymounts. Overall this is a good rack. Yakima succeeded in developing a simple single bike carrier style hitch rack.Christian

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

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

So far so good. Using it on a Ford Focus St 2017. Initially, had it positioned before the sunroof, but due to noise and the rear wheels sitting on the mid roof (mid roof is weakest point of roof) I moved it back. Since then it is more sturdy and extremely quieter. If you are looking for something that you can remove and add easily this is the way to go.Edward V

This is very good quality, easy to fit and stores away without taking up much room. Once it's mounted on the car roof, it's surprisingly sturdy. Looks cool as well.ollie252

Superb quality. Very sturdy for heavy Ebikes Very easy to assemble, Swagman should offer an option for smaller wheel trays. They come with trays for up to 5 inch bikes. Consequently these trays are higher and make it more difficult to load a 60 lb bike.jabraham54

This is the improved version and Yakima has solved the bike movement problem and improved the stiff handle release. Totally enjoying it as this platform bike rack do not scratch the paint on our bikes and is easy to load on and off the car with its lightweight aluminium structure. No regrets!jolenechan

After researching hitch racks I decided to purchase the Yakima DrTray over the Thule that has been rated #1. The thing I was concerned about is the weight of the racks when removing from the vehicle and the ease of changing the positions of the rack when on the vehicle and when the bikes are on the rack. All my other roof rack items are Yakima and they have worked flawlessly over the years. I can only say that the DrTray met all the concerns with its ease on loading, positioning and removing from the vehicle. I would highly recommend the Yakima DrTray to anyone who is looking to purchase a quality hitch rack.Telemanvt

Solid hitch rack. The only issue I have is the rear wheel movement. If you have a long wheelbase the bike tends to move back when vehicle is moving over bumps. They have a updated revised version to alleviate those issues. I wish I would have known and waited. The remote release to tilt bikes is difficult at times but you must move the handle while squeezing the release to move it. The integrated cables are nice but not theft proof.Awkward Geek Cyclist

User friendly and very well built. I would suggest this product for anyone who doesn't want hitch style system. Thank you for another good product.Jimbo

Just used it for the first time yesterday and it was exactly what I was looking for. One thing that drove me away from 5 stars was two days after the purchase Thule had it $50.00 cheaper online for a Memorial Day special. I called and asked if they would honor it, I got a no from customer service and they said maybe a bike store will honor it and you can buy it from them and send back the one you are receiving which was very unfortunate. Lastly, one thing I would have liked to see is maybe rubber pieces on the bottom of the product.Luke21

I finally got to use my Thule insta Gator bike rack and it worked like a dream. I have Chevy Colorado and had to secure the rear wheel in the bike rack with the front wheel turned to the side. Had no problem with bike fitting in the truck bed. I will put a strap across the bike frame next putting just for extra stability.Tone

I purchased this rack because it looks great and the concept of having a rack that is lightweight and secures your bikes while never touching the frame is appealing. That’s where the Pros end. I have had to return two of these racks for functionality issues. One which I could have lost my bike due to the cheap plastic rivet strips and the second one wouldn’t release from the hitch for storage due to a poor wedge system. I really really wanted this rack to work out which is why I gave it two tries. I’m extremely thankful though for REI and their customer service making it easy to return and exchange it twice in one year but I do lose my dividend. I ended up with a Kuat NV 2.O, so far so good.Steezy

I just had to chime in here. We could not be more pleased with this rack. We have had it for about 2 years and the functionality is amazing. It simply could not be any faster and easier to load/unload bikes. The cable lock thing is a little awkward, but we figure we just need to use it more (we have only used it a couple of times). Luckily (knock on wood), we have not had anything break on it. I empathize with the poor guy experiencing the horrible customer service, but we have not had to engage with Thule. So no feedback either way on that. We love this rack so much that even if it breaks and there is no customer service, we will probably just buy another one.Fred A

I finally decided to spend the money on what I thought was a good rack. I was excited at the unboxing and I started to assemble it first thing when I got home. First impressions were "wow, this is quality and heavy and nice". I started installing the first of the four arms. I was using a torque wrench to install the bolts to the specified tightness, and I cracked the bolt housing. What a real bummer. I returned it to REI without issue.Meee

This is a great bike carrier! I followed the Thule instructions for choosing an appropriate bike carrier for my car and I am very happy with this model! I have had this carrier for two years and it is holding up very well. I have driven hours and hours over all kind of road conditions and my bike always stays secure. The clips that attach to the car are coated to reduce scratching. The carrier is easy to attach to the car and easy to break down/store in the trunk. I am very happy with this product and would recommend to anyone looking for a well priced bike carrier! The only downside to this carrier is that it is hard to fit small frame bikes (like children's 24 frame bikes) on it. I can fit one small frame bike on the carrier, but not two together. I have no problems fitting two bigger bikes on the carrier.outdoorchick207

Easy to install, fits bike perfectly ! It’s pretty sturdy and the bike secures well with the straps . My son who is 15 years of age is able to place the bike on the wrack with no problem. Highly recommendXis

Thule documentation claims that the Thule Passage trunk mount bike rack can be mounted on the back of a 2013 XC70 wagon. However, there are plastic lenses running along the top 80% of the sides of the back of this wagon. As a result, there is no where to attach the side straps. I have contacted Thule for advice. Meanwhile, the best that I can do is to use a homemade accessory strap as shown in the photo. Perhaps Thule should offer such an accessory strap.Joepnick21!

Perfect for me, It will NOT hold three bikes as advertised, but that is to be expected. That is the only reason I gave in a four instead of a five. The clamp system is great, no worries on losing a bike. This is the perfect bike rack for two bikes.N.M.

I was impressed with the construction of this bike rack. I dont think the bikes will fall off, however I wonder what keeps them centered on this rack. Not a good rack for girls bikes as they do not fit.mr--ass

I am really happy i bought this rack. It was super easy to put together. It is sturdy and on the heavy side but i can handle it! I am a woman 5'2". Fits easily in my 2" receiver hitch. There is no way to lock the rack to the hitch, you have to use their hitch pin provided and there is no hole for a lock. You can buy a swagman locking hitch pin on amazon. I may do that next. HAPPY BIKING! Carolcarol43028

The pinnacle of ingenuity, well designed, solid, practical, easy to use, easy assembly ….. only qualities. A great product which, once folded, does not take up too much space. I added the ramp, an additional item to order, so that my wife can easily raise her electric bike on the support. This piece folds and cleverly stores under the bike rack. I highly recommend this product. Fast delivery, good service.Jan

This is a great quality product. Easy to fit and ticks all of the boxes for easy of mounting, lights, number plate and e-bike weight rated. The only issue is that our dual suspension eMTBs wouldn't fit. The support U bar at the back just isn't high enough to allow the clamps to get to the cross bars of the bikes which is the only place to clamp an eMTB as the rear suspension and battery in the down tube prohibit clamping anywhere else. Unfortunately need to return.Michael K.

Superb build quality, light weight and easy to install. Integrated lights and indicators work well and look great. My main issue with this and many other Thule racks is the frame attachment mechanism. Unusually shaped frames are not easy to secure and adding a second bike simply compounds the problem. The attachment arms would be more useful if they were variable in length and able to be secured more easily to very wide down tubes (e-bikes for example). Once mounted and the attachment jigsaw is solved… the bike is securely locked on and held firmly with minimal unwanted movement.Murray R.

Bought this for carrying an ebike and it is perfect. Easy to put together, easy to use. Only draw back is the rack itself is very heavy, about 50#. Argh. I am a small short woman so it was a bit of a struggle to get it on the vehicle, and it took 2 of us to load the bike. Not the fault of the rack, just a heavy bike! I had problems with getting it on the hitch tightly and Rackattack immediately answered my questions and it was resolved! I would buy again from Rackattack!hawk9395

I purchased this rack from Moosejaw last year. It was removed from our van in the locked position with locked bikes in place..time and location ensures it was WAY to simple to accomplish and not a scratch of damage to be seen. Thule has not been cooperative…Moosejaw seems like a great company and have done everything they could to remedy the situation but its not THEIR product, ya know? BUYER BEWARE..as great as this rack is, ease of use, folding up, etc if you purchase ask the professionals at installation time about added levels of security to the Thule "locking" system. Don't think for a minute it will take anything more than a screwdriver to remove this costly rack.scott

Summit Racing Customer Service & Order Fulfillment: 5 stars Summit emailed updates on order status on timely basis. UPS lost shipment, and receipt was delayed by one week. UPS tracking website provided updates. UPS 3 stars. Thule rack: 4.5 stars. Thule should provide lock washers for screws into plastic bike rack carriers and end caps, and metal sliding bracket to securely fasten the rack. Thule only provided flat washer for metal sliding bracket, and no washers for plastic rack carrier and end cap. Bike rack did not wobble due to tightening ball on hitch. I like the rack's side to side adjustment so bikes do not touch each other.BRUCE

The rack arrived on time and and in perfect shipment condition especially from coming across country. Looks great on my truck. I also want to give kudos to Mike spikes customer service for excellent communication!!!WkdMOM

Pretty easy to assemble and it folds nicely when off or on the car. I like it that you don't have to mess with straps around tires. You just set bike on rack and push holders in on tires. It also folds down so you can open back of your car without removing the bikes.Leo B.

Components are well made and the rack is easy to connect to the hitch. Bike is also simple to rack. However the basket for the front wheel is way too flimsy resulting in the front tire easily coming out of the basket by bending over the basket side. (Particularly when hitting bumps. To a point where the front of the bike then comes out of the hold down arm. NOT GOOD! The fix for me was to add an additional strap around the tire rim (where it sits in the basket) and wrap it around the entire basket. Cinch it tight to prevent the sides of the basket from folding over.greg

This bike rack was perfect for what I needed. I bought a 2008 Subaru Impreza last summer and always struggled to slide my bike into the trunk and had to use a bungee cord strapped to my passenger seat to keep it from falling out when accelerating up a hill. (I never had this problem with my 1999 VW Golf as I was able to slide my bike into the hatchback completely and close the hatch.) Finally rolled up my sleeves and installed a hitch and the T1 bike rack on the weekend. Everything went smoothly for the most part. This bike rack feels remarkably strong, is rugged, and looks like it will maintain good appearance for many years with its thick black coating. Securing my bike was quick and easy. The rack didn't wiggle much when I took it for a test drive with the bike attached. I tried sudden panic stops and maneuvers as if to avoid a dangerous pothole and the bike rack held the bike just fine. My only complaint was steps 4 and 5 in the instructions. For someone such as myself who has never owned or installed a hitch mounted bike rack before, I had trouble figuring out exactly how and where to mount the assembly onto the rotating arm. There is a label indicating ideal horizontal placement, but nothing for vertical placement. The instructions only have a drawing indicating that you should stay above the THULE label. Well I wasn't sure how far above, so I left it loose at first, and in trying to figure out the ideal height, the assembly slid down and, without me realizing at first, scraped off half of the T in THULE. I only noticed once I rotated the arm up. After this, I determined that the ideal height for my car (so that nothing will touch the rear bumper) is to put the assembly as high as possible, flush with the handle. I have a professional label machine so I can print another label that says THULE, but it was annoying not to have a minimum vertical placement notch in the metal that could have prevented me from scuffing up THULE in the first place.EM FGC11336

Product preforms as advertised. Solid rack.. ..but… Assembly directions are poor, but found advise on line. (should have Ikea help with that) The bolt that hods the rack to the hitch is very difficult to access and needs to be constantly tightened. (Socket is the best option) Getting rack on/off hitch is not a simple process, because of this bolt. Few options out there for a 1 bike carrier. It is what it is.Sarah T

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

It took about 10 minutes to put together. Adjusting left, right, turn the bikes around, adjusting again and again took some time to get them to fit without touching. This is not the fault of the bike rack, it's the bicycles. Save some time and put the rear tire of the inner bike to the far left. Then the rear tire of the outer bike to the far right and adjust. One 6 mm lock nut was missing on the underside of the tire restraint. This is my only reason for the 4 star rating. Believe it or not I found one at Lowes. Saris should check these before shipping! The rack is not super tight but does the job. It holds the bikes in place, no scratches or damage to the bikes. I set the center restraints on the bottom side of the down tube. This makes for very easy loading. I set the bikes in and they hold the bikes it in place while I set the straps. I really like the design of this rack with the center adjusting restraints. Very well engineered!!!RWild

I bought the Freedom 2-Bike hitch rack in October 2020 after researching other hitch rack options for fat tire bikes. I am very pleased with this purchase! The rack is lightweight, easy to install, and very easy to get the bikes on and off. You can't access your hatchback/truck while the bikes are on it, but that's not a big deal for me. However once you unload your bikes you can fold down the rack so you can access the trunk without having to remove it from the hitch! I ordered the hitch pin lock to go with it which works great and provides more security. I ordered the Freedom Fat Tire Wheel Trays and swapped them out on the bike rack. It came with just the standard wheel trays. The Fat Tire trays are wide enough to hold my fat tire bikes securely. I have two Trek Farley 5 bikes and they fit great on this rack. I drive a Subaru Forester. The price is very reasonable compared to other hitch racks on the market, plus it's made in the USA.Alaska Fat Biker

One annoying thing is the vertical bar does not hold vertical position when you are setting bikes on the rack. There is a spring loaded pin that is supposed to keep it in place but that pin does not penetrate the hole enough to hold so its not a great design and its non functional. It looks pretty sloppy when not full of bikes but I cant imagine what would be a remedy for that. I did have a bag custom made to cover it up when not in use and it helps clean it up. To its credit it holds my fat and my wifes electric bikes securely even on the 1 1/4 inch hitch, I lost a $2k bike off the back of my car last year with a cheap rack, and decided to get something more secure and this fits the bill.Mike

as a solution for people who don't want the risk or inefficiency of a roof rack, the hitch rack is where it's at! There are few racks that can do as much as this rack at this cost! I can throw my bike on the rack and secure it in less than 5 seconds and be on my way. I love how quick and easy it is to use. The securement mechanism is very secure (driven it through some pretty rough terrain and smacked it on stuff and it keeps on kickin') and fits pretty much anything but fatbikes. The rack folds up quite easily and quickly when not in use with a couple quick release pins. The arms fold down and lock themselves into place which is really cool, and keeps the arms from swinging out and hitting your car. You can also easily lock your bikes to the rack using a cable lock that pops out of the top of the securement wheel hook, but the cable is pretty thin and not long enough to secure more than the frame only. I wouldn't trust it alone for too long in bad areas. Minor quibbles are the redundant safety pin that reinforces the "rack folding mechanism" can work free on its own if it isn't inserted entirely, and has a weird little cable that ties it onto the rack, that also can fall off altogether since it's held in by a plastic plug that can just be pulled out. While the loss of this part doesn't really affect the rack's performance and isn't a structural component, it does cut down on some of the sway of the rack so I do like to have it. It just isn't all that secure. I lost that original pin but Yakima sent me a new one that I ziptied on. The other problem is that the cable securing this pin gets pinched into the hole that the pin goes into and eventually frays the cable. This is just dumb engineering, but again, pretty minor. Other thing is that the rack does make some noise on the back of the car from swaying and bounching over stuff. It can't really be helped too much since it is a hitch rack after all but some more stiffness built into the design would have been appreciated. All in all, great rack for the cash! PROS: Durable, Stable, Lightweight, Easy to Install, Easy to Use BEST USES: Mountain Bikes, Road Bikes, Small CarsAaron

I live on Vancouver Island where we receive a fair amount of precipitation and the bike is on the car all year round. I bought this rack a few years ago. The arms rusted very quickly and wrecked the plastic at the arms joints. Yakima was good about the warranty claim and replaced the first set of arms, but the second set quickly followed in the same footsteps as the first. 4 years later and I'm in the market for a new rack. It rusted very quickly and is now super wobbly. If you can take good care of this rack, it'll last a long time. If you're like me and this thing is a year-round necessity, look for something a little more rugged.ilikebsikes

I bought the HoldUp 2 rather than the Thule equivalent partly on price, partly on bulk (the Thule takes up more space on and off the car) and partly because I wanted to be able to add the Plus 2 extension to the Yakima so I could take four bikes. Overall it has been a good purchase, although I mainly use it for two bikes at a time – one of which is an E-MTB. The rack goes on and off the hitch-mount easily (once you've mastered the art and as long as you're strong enough to lift it). I like the fact that it locks onto the hitch-mount too, and the 'wobbling' problems that some people have mentioned when driving can be avoided if you wiggle the rack around a bit as you're tightening it onto the hitch-mount. On the downside it does have a couple of weak points in its design/construction. First, if you have 29 inch wheels you need to be very careful to position the front wheel clamp as close to the forks as possible (ie well over the arch of the wheel) to avoid the front wheel bouncing out of the wheel holder. Before I realised this I once got home to find one bike hanging off the rack and held on only by the rear wheel strap and the fact that its handlebars had become entangled in the bike next to it when it moved. User-error probably, but something to be aware of. More problematic for me has been that although the rack is advertised as taking the weight of an e-bike, the plastic bolts built into the rear wheel clamps don't seem strong enough. I've had two of those break in the year that I've had the rack, and I've ended up replacing them both with a stainless steel bolt which I bought from Bunnings. This has only been a problem when I've been carrying my E-MTB, not the standard bike. It's not an expensive fix, and perhaps something the factory should consider. Another problem I've had has been the built-in lock cable jamming in its housing so I was unable to use/move it. Living in Brisbane I was able to take the rack into the Yakima supplier and they fixed it for me, but it was irritating nevertheless. I should say that the customer service I've had from Yakima with these problems has been great, both in replacing broken parts and in fixing the lock when I went in to see them. However, given the price of the rack it would have been good if the design was such that the problems didn't occur in the first place. I would give this a 5 for its overall usability but marked down to a 4 because of the niggles I mention above.Jonathan W

This is a great bike rack. Its sturdy, easily mounted on my roof rack(Thule style rectangular cross bars). It was about $50 including shipping. Its for an older bike without quick disconnect wheels or brakes so putting the bike inside the truck was ridiculous. I installed it in about 25 minutes including assembly. It did require a wrench to make sure the lock nuts were tight but mounting it didnt require any tools, its a great deal!skynrd.ds2

It does actually work! It definitely looks and kinda feels cheap but for like 40 bucks, it will do! I was a bit confused on installing it but after I figured out what I was really doing it was a piece of cake! I kinda was hoping it was going to be easy on easy off but I probably won’t be removing it off the car unless I absolutely have to. As for putting my bike on there it’s actually pretty easy, the lock for the bottom bar of the bike is a bit tricky/ flimsy But it does work and keeps the bike in place. I have a 2019 27.5 giant mountain bike so it barely fits on the rack and the front tire I can not lock down with the added straps. The back one straps down but not the front. It was an easy fix to correct that, I just found a long strap that will work for now. So far it works well and keeps the bike mostly in place, I’m a bit paranoid about it since I have had a kayak fall from the top roof of the car when I was driving once. The last thing I wanna say is that I’m afraid of going super fast with it but so far I have reached speeds up to 50-55mph and it doesn’t feel any different from just driving the car without the bike on top! Just did like 80-90 mph with the bike on since I went to a bike park at a ski resort. So I say money well spent!!!G.

Fairly simple to assemble and install. One critical point is that the center support device comes with a 7 x 5/16th inch bolt that limits the width of the down tube of the bike which, in turn, limits its ability to accommodate some bikes. That is easily remedied buy replacing it was an 8 x 5/16th inch bolt found at any hardware store.Keith

I am not massively experienced with bike racks, but this seemed a good deal at around £32 at time of purchase so I thought I would give it a try. It is very easy to install (under 5 minutes) and holds the bike fairly firmly. There is a single buckle that stops the bike moving towards and away from the car so it is important to make sure it is tightly fastened to avoid you bike bashing into the back of the car under accelleration and braking, but once tight there is little movement of the bike. With that said, a second strap to hold the bike in place would not have been a bad idea. Another thing I hadn't realised was the need for a lighting board due to the bike obscuring the rear lights and number plate, and if you don't have a tow bar socket then you need to install an electrical kit in the boot. I managed to do all that, but when you factor in the extras you legally require, the price is more like £80 (lighting board, electrics kit, duplicate rear number plate) and that is if you are willing to do the electrical work yourself. With that said, it is a nicely made rack, the buckles don't scratch the car and the rack itself is well padded with rubber stops so there is no damage to the paintwork. It doesn't fold flat though, and does take up a bit of space when not on the car so bear that in mind when buying. Would I buy it again? I am not sure, a roof rack carrier avoids the need for a rear lighting board and the roof rack itself can be used for other things so maybe I would have gone down that route instead, but hindsight is always 20/20. If you are specifically looking for a rear mount bike carrier for a single bike then this is superb value for money, if you already have a tow bar or a roof rack then potentially consider some other options available, they may seem more expensive at first but with straps (to stop the wheels moving while you drive), light board, extra number plate, electrics kit, your time to wire it all up and the rack itself you aren't looking at any change from £100.Jetsetjay

I bought this a couple of months ago and I’ve used it twice – the first was to transport my new bike home from Halfords. On both occasions it has led to my paintwork being seriously scratched. When I used it the second time I covered the inner pedal with bubble wrap and secured the wheels but I still got deep scratches. Can’t understand the good reviews for that reason!HanE73

Good simple and solid unit. Nice and easy to attach the bike, and bike seems pretty well secured although the strap to secure the frame doesn't fit an enduro bike very well. Main issue is you need to be very careful about the pedal scratching the car, you can shift the peddle to top position to keep it out of the way, but this needs to be carefully done prior to loading the bike or you are at risk of scratching.Joel H.