20 Best Rv Ladder Bike Rack (Jan 2023 Update)

At first I was worried about the low price, however I am pleased with its sturdy construction it is well made. I have mine hanging on the ladder of the back of my fifth-wheel. Been traveling with one bike. I removed the outer rubber hanger. I do use the straps that came with it, I feed them through the wheels to the ladder so the wheels don't turn as we drive. I am very happy with my purchase.MBMarx

Good solid foldable bike rack. Fit perfectly on my RV ladder. Don't know how much weight capacity the rack will hold, but Steel Frame cruiser bikes weigh about 40 up to 48 pounds. I opted for an Aluminum frame Cruiser I found on Walmart.com for around $100 that only weighed about 28 pounds. Two bikes of that weight saves your peace of mind of strapping an extra 100 pounds on your ladder or just 60. Saw some reviews that said rack leaned down, I'm believing this was the result of the weight of the bicycles being heavy steel frames bikes. Of course if you are using this for childrens bikes that's a different story I use mine for two adult bikes 26" Cruiser style. I like how the rack folds up when you take the bikes down and is not staraight out where you could knock your head on walking around your RV. Comes with two straps, one to tie rack down to ladder and the second one to tie loaded bikes to ladder itself. You can then add locks or extra bungees to keep your valuables dextra safe. Very happy with purchase.tg

Did not like , and will be returning. once attached to the ladder the placement of the bikes should be at a 90 degree angle, but it is more than a 90 degree, so it slopes down. i had to stop twice to tie them back on because the rubber tie down just slid down the tube. on my return trip i had to tie the bikes directly to the ladder to make this work, and yet it did slip a little.louis

Received the product within 36 hours. Was easy to install on ladder rack took less than 30 minutes. Remember to measure your bikes for length so the bikes do not block the tail lights. This product looks and great and performers as advertised. We awe very happy with this purchase. The price was very reasonable. RickRichard K

Like this rack because it's permanently mounted and doesn't have to be removed/stored when not in use. Straight forward installation, and provides a sturdy rack for bike transport. Received with one odd flat head bolt to short for use. Was able to purchase a replacement at local hardware store.dwsheltn44

This bike rack, once we finally got it installed, looks like it will be exactly what I want. That being said, the bike rack was very challenging to install. I have probably more than average experience assembling things and using hand tools. The bike rack came with extremely limited instructions and did not state that tools would be required for installation (an allen wrench was included). It took my sister and I almost an hour and a half to install the bike rack. The instructions indicate the importance of the correct arm for the bike rack being installed on the correct side of the ladder (right or left vertical rail) but the arms are *not* marked to indicate which rail goes on the right or left. We also found the screws that were included to be a tad too short, which meant we kept dropping them. We were unable to use the washers included because the screws were too short. My ladder on the RV was also scratched by the installation of the bike rack. Once we did get the bike rack installed, I am pleased with it but feel like installation was much more difficult than it needed to be. I feel so strongly about this that I reached out to Stromberg Carlson via email with my comments. Would I recommend this bike rack to others? Yes, but with the caveat that it was challenging to install, definitely took 2 people to install, have some basic tools available at the time of installation and expect your RV ladder to be scratched in the installation process.kittlecat

Just after a few RV trips, this product broke/was defective. The front left part of the frame (where the tire is placed) bent downward while in route, and my bike was left dragging behind our trailer. Needless to say, my bike was damaged. Now I have to get a new bike carrier and bike. Not happy with this product at all.Diane

While the rack itself looks to be extremely well made, it is not going to work for us. The 'foot' which is the bar between the hitch and the rack is not long enough so the handlebars on the outside bike still hit the back of the 5th wheel. There is no way any bike would fit on the inside. We are going to have to return it and look for another solution. The instructions could be better, but as it was 90% pre-assembled, it wasn't too hard to figure out the rest.Eric

It was easy to assemble. Seems very sturdy. Adjust to fit our two different bikes as advertised. The only negative is that our fifth wheel doesn't have a rear bumper so we had to get a hitch extender so the bikes would clear the back of the camper. The good thing about that is we were able to get one that gives it a little more ground clearance.Dale

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

When the brand says 4", they absolutely mean minimum. Our hitch was 3.85" and this won't work, it doesn't stay (you see in the photo it attached to a pop-up camper that is identical to ours). That's not my main complaint though, the hardware is almost impossible to tighten down permanently. Once mounted, ours kept loosening once the bikes were attached. I'm not a scrawny guy, and I torqued the things down just shy of snapping the metal brackets in half so I know it wasn't because I didn't tighten them all the way. Overall, not exactly what I was expecting to deal with for the cost.R.B.

So ive struggled with bike racks for our camper. we have 3-4 bikes normally ranging from ages 7 to old guy.. ??. The previous racks were aerial and strapped to the frame, but would bounce so much that the handles would hit the camper(even with overtighten of rack and hitch receiver). Wanted to try these rack cause of the stability and not swining around. It has 2 bars that attach in 2 different places to assist with the security of the bikes. Problem I see is that the bars dont line up with the bikes. So you have to place bike outside of the skinny tire placement. Also the rack is great if you have the same style bikes… each of our bikes are different lengths and heights of course. I measured one bike to attach bike to camper, but the newer version of the 2nd bike is 2" longer, which now makes the bike rack to close. and on the kids bike, i can only use one wheel to drop in to rack, the bike aint long enough.. ?? I love how sturdy it is and the construction material used. i think the uprights need more engineering. thank youR.N.

While sturdy and fabricated with steel members, there are very short vertical supports to secure the bikes. It needs additional brackets that are the same height as a bike and some way to clamp the bike in the vertical position rathe than a short post that is shorter than a bike tire. Bad design.donohoocoins

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

I got this a few weeks ago and happy I did. I also have a Thule Outride 3 for my hatch back. I cant use the Thule on a carbon bike. This installed on my roof cross bars in minutes, securing a bike and removing it also takes minutes. The only concern are bridge clearances. You need to measure from the highest point on your bike to the ground and then PAY ATTENTION to bridges. I have a small SUV. Probably wont work in the North East if you have a large SUV. Top to bottom for me id 8'8" I will eventually buy a second, It also stores easily in a closet. Unlike my Thule. All the reviews are correct. Easy to use and keeps my bike secure. Its 4 stars because locks should be included. I bought those later and they too were easy to install. Very satisfied with this product.LMNYC

I've been using the highroads four about four months. Excellent for a short vehicle. I drive a Honda fit and two of the Highroads are amazing for hauling two bikes. I can get my bike up on the roof without any issue and reach all the adjustments and systems of the highroad without issue. The ratcheting hoop lock system is strong and I have never once worried about something coming loose or a tire getting pinched. The hoops accommodate very wide tires such as my 650b, 2.5 inch Mountain bike tires and more common 700x25mm without an issue. The locking strap system to secure the highroads to the car rack is also very secure. The user experience is mostly hassle free with this rack. I would or sure recommend this to someone with a sorter vehicle who already use a roof rack. Beats strapping a rack to your rear hatch or trunk lid.David

I combined the 20% off REI Anniversary Sale coupon, some gift cards, and my dividends to get the Yakima Highroad bike rack. I was able to utilize my existing Yakima BedRock truck bed crossbars that I use with my Yakima FatCat6 ski rack in the winter. Unlike my previous MTB fork-mount setup, this allows me to keep my bike's front wheel on, my truck's tailgate to close and not obstruct my rear view camera, still retain all my truck bed space, and is more sturdier/secure for those long MTB roadtrips. Yakima states that the max. bike wheelbase for this mount is 48". My Orbea OCCAM is a Large size and has a wheelbase of 46.18", so I had to move (shorten) the rear tire mount inward a few clicks on it's track from it's maximum position to get it centered under the rear axle. I could definitely see some longer trail/enduro XL/XXL size bikes possibly having issues with their rear tire hanging off the rear mount or not fitting at all. Online ordering and the curbside pickup was a breeze at my REI Fort Worth, TX location!TortillaZ71

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

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

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

I have recently purchased this product. More than I wanted to spend on a Hitch rack, but it has proved worth the price. I am very happy with the sturdy construction and the hitch tongue locking mechanism. The Pro's strong well put together, thoughtful design and easy swing away to open the hatch. Straps work well, as with anything you have a learning curve with putting them on and taking them off. When you have them on, they hold very well. I'm not sure about some of the things I have read about the straps, but they are a far better design than most racks in this range and they seem strong enough. The rack itself is built like a brick, very little sway as long as you have the bikes secure on the rack. Easy to utilize once you have put the straps on which is another learning curve. I typically hold two cruisers and I use the straight rods to secure on the rack. I would not be afraid to carry my bikes long distances and I will be doing this very soon. Cons, heavier than you think. Straps are a little tricky to put on and to secure bikes to (again learning curve) Caution when putting bikes on the first position as you have to get the frame through the latches. Can scratch up frames, but each carrier I have owned has lead to some scratches.Mack

I bought this rack in April 2020. There were four of us in lockdown, we all had bikes, and we needed a way to transport them if we wanted a change of scenery. The rack has been a mainstay ever since. Works just like advertised. The swing function is great. Installation is straightforward. Love the locking cable for added security when out and about with the bike on the rack. I read through many of the 1 star reviews as I am recommending this to a neighbor who asked me for the model. The only conclusions I can come up with for the poor reviews are (in order of decreasing likelihood): 1. User error 2. Newer ones are not made as well 3. I lucked out and got a peach instead of a lemon. Obviously, my vote is user error. It does take some effort to lock the stem into the trailer hitch but it is solid for me. Make sure you buy the correct sized product for your hitch. You do have to turn a couple of handle bars 90 degrees when loading up 4 adult mountain bikes. Have never had a problem with the straps. They are easy to use and keep the bike secure. Bottom line: my expectations were exceeded and I have over two years of regular usage with the utmost satisfaction.swmbkrn63

I got the product shortly after I ordered from Thule. Assembly is not very difficult, although there is a step missing as they don't tell you to use the flat key the first time that you need to insert the locks. Functionality is a mixed bag for two reasons: 1. the straps that keep the bikes on the rack are SUPER HARD to operate. You kind of need to choose between leaving them half loose at the risk of the bike falling on the highway or tightening the straps and being stuck as you will not be able to undo them later. I am considering throwing the straps in the garbage and replacing them with bungee cords. 2. The big feature of this "swing away" feature is that you can open the full trunk, unobstructed. This is true, except that when you are done and need to connect the arm back on the hitch, the sheer weight of the bicycles is pushing the arm down and not allowing the main bolt to go back in. You need to be fairly strong and push up the arm + bikes and wiggle with the bolt until you are lucky to find the threaded hole. It takes a ew tries and is a bit exhausting. So paying the extra money to have the swing away feature does not pay off. I would no buy this product again. The positive is that once you are done the bikes stay in place and the thing does not seem to move much.ddgzz

We have two fatties (a Motobecane and a Farley 5) and I'd been using hitch rack from which the bikes hang. The problem was that the bikes would swing and sometimes work their way out of the top clamp. That's a problem on a highway. This new rack is fantastic. The hitch mount includes a screw-in hitch pin that locks the rack firmly in place. The wheel cradles include velcro bands to secure the tires in place, and the clamps on the vertical pole have pins to stop them from coming loose. The two bikes are held incredibly well. I can even back out of the driveway without dragging the rack or the bikes on the ground. That was another problem with my old hanging rack – the bikes hit the ground when I drove up an incline. For about $150 this is a steal – get it before they are gone.StayAtHomeBob

This bike carrier uses an unlockable M16-2 bolt to secure the rack to the receiver hitch. To prevent theft I found a matching locking bolt at etrailers. The other vulnerability of this carrier is the M16 bolt that secures the two-part main frame together and I am substituting an M16x70mm shoulder bolt with an M12-1.75 thread end and an M12-1.75 locking wheel nut to secure it. Otherwise, the rack is fine for the member price.ralphm

This bike carrier is designed so it can be assembled as a single bike carrier or a 2 bike carrier. I began with it as a single bike carrier and the square tube plugs directly into the receiver without the extension pieces and all that extra weight. also, as a single is several inches lower. I'm pulling a trailer so I need a bifurcator in the receiver . The Lower hole is for an extension and the hitch ball and the upper hole is for the bike rack. I had done this before with the Allen 4 bike carrier. This design supports the wheels rather than hanging the bikes by the frame top tube. with a heavy fat tire , or worse an ebike this is much easier to load the bike on. Lift the front wheel into its wheel support loop, then lift the back wheel onto it support loop. with the frame hanging design the entire bike weight has to be lifted at once. Also my ebike is a step through, so there is no upper tube to hang it from. tThis carrier is rated for 200# so that is enough to carry two 70# ebikes with capacity to spare. This carrier is 55% the cost of the Amazon versions and has more weight capacity. The one down side is the plastic topped "wing bolts". cannot be tightened enough by hand to secure the wheel support loops in place or the inverted "vee" frame holder. This 71 year old had to put a wrench on to wing to tighten them adequately, and the plastic wing was obviously distressed. It didn't break. Might have been better to just leave the hex bolt heads exposed.rway227

I bought this after reading a review about a person mounting this on their SUV. That's what I did and I am so glad I did not settle for a rack that was rated for less weight and cost twice as much. Such a great bike rack!Tedd

Needed a Rack strong enough for two E bikes. Think I found it. I added a U bolt tighter to take the wobble out caused my my 2" receiver. Product seems solid.. I will probably add a couple of Straps to bikes as an additional safety item. But can't say its necessary. But just for peace of mind mostlyCraig

I mounted the Elevate 2 bike RV bike rack today on my 4" steel tube bumper on my 5th wheel Trailer. I then loaded a 60lb e-bike and a 35lb traditional bike and they are rock solid. I can't believe the cost of some of the "Big Brand" name bike racks, when Elevate can provide AS GOOD a product at a much more reasonable price. I am extremely impressed and satisfied with this Elevate product. Discount Ramps is a great supplier. Any time in the future I need a product that they sell, I will be buying from Discount Ramps. Happy Customer. John from Upstate NYJohn

Received the product within 36 hours. Was easy to install on ladder rack took less than 30 minutes. Remember to measure your bikes for length so the bikes do not block the tail lights. This product looks and great and performers as advertised. We awe very happy with this purchase. The price was very reasonable. RickRichard K

Like this rack because it's permanently mounted and doesn't have to be removed/stored when not in use. Straight forward installation, and provides a sturdy rack for bike transport. Received with one odd flat head bolt to short for use. Was able to purchase a replacement at local hardware store.dwsheltn44

This bike rack, once we finally got it installed, looks like it will be exactly what I want. That being said, the bike rack was very challenging to install. I have probably more than average experience assembling things and using hand tools. The bike rack came with extremely limited instructions and did not state that tools would be required for installation (an allen wrench was included). It took my sister and I almost an hour and a half to install the bike rack. The instructions indicate the importance of the correct arm for the bike rack being installed on the correct side of the ladder (right or left vertical rail) but the arms are *not* marked to indicate which rail goes on the right or left. We also found the screws that were included to be a tad too short, which meant we kept dropping them. We were unable to use the washers included because the screws were too short. My ladder on the RV was also scratched by the installation of the bike rack. Once we did get the bike rack installed, I am pleased with it but feel like installation was much more difficult than it needed to be. I feel so strongly about this that I reached out to Stromberg Carlson via email with my comments. Would I recommend this bike rack to others? Yes, but with the caveat that it was challenging to install, definitely took 2 people to install, have some basic tools available at the time of installation and expect your RV ladder to be scratched in the installation process.kittlecat

Received the product within 36 hours. Was easy to install on ladder rack took less than 30 minutes. Remember to measure your bikes for length so the bikes do not block the tail lights. This product looks and great and performers as advertised. We awe very happy with this purchase. The price was very reasonable. RickRichard K

Like this rack because it's permanently mounted and doesn't have to be removed/stored when not in use. Straight forward installation, and provides a sturdy rack for bike transport. Received with one odd flat head bolt to short for use. Was able to purchase a replacement at local hardware store.dwsheltn44

This bike rack, once we finally got it installed, looks like it will be exactly what I want. That being said, the bike rack was very challenging to install. I have probably more than average experience assembling things and using hand tools. The bike rack came with extremely limited instructions and did not state that tools would be required for installation (an allen wrench was included). It took my sister and I almost an hour and a half to install the bike rack. The instructions indicate the importance of the correct arm for the bike rack being installed on the correct side of the ladder (right or left vertical rail) but the arms are *not* marked to indicate which rail goes on the right or left. We also found the screws that were included to be a tad too short, which meant we kept dropping them. We were unable to use the washers included because the screws were too short. My ladder on the RV was also scratched by the installation of the bike rack. Once we did get the bike rack installed, I am pleased with it but feel like installation was much more difficult than it needed to be. I feel so strongly about this that I reached out to Stromberg Carlson via email with my comments. Would I recommend this bike rack to others? Yes, but with the caveat that it was challenging to install, definitely took 2 people to install, have some basic tools available at the time of installation and expect your RV ladder to be scratched in the installation process.kittlecat