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Which Hitch Rack??

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Which Hitch Rack??

Old 08-05-20, 04:12 PM
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Korina
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Which Hitch Rack??

We just bought a new (to us) car; a 2000 Toyota Echo two door, and it can take a hitch! We've narrowed our options to this Yakima 2 bike rack on CraigsList, complete with keys and straps (I asked), or this Hollywood Destination 2 bike rack on etrailers.com. This is our first rack so we have no idea. To me, the platform style seems more secure, but the hanging style might work better with our subcompact, and would be easier to take off when not in use.

Thoughts? Opinions? Any would be appreciated. Thanks.
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Old 08-05-20, 04:31 PM
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Take capacity on a hanging rack with a grain of salt depending on the type/size of bike.
Is your hitch 1 1/4"?
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Old 08-05-20, 04:55 PM
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For the hanging rack, it makes sense to use a bungy cord to keep the front aligned & the rear wheel from spinning in the wind. Lighter bikes can act like a sail, so it also makes sense to use a strap and strap the crank arm of the first bike to the vertical post & a second longer strap through the chainset/bottom bracket area of the second bike (not to the chainring though) to prevent the bike from sailing horizontal or to contain any swinging around as you go down the road.

Not a trouble strapping everything all the time. It's quick, but the rack the wheels lock into would save the hassle.
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Old 08-05-20, 05:00 PM
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Originally Posted by dedhed
Take capacity on a hanging rack with a grain of salt depending on the type/size of bike.
Is your hitch 1 1/4"?
The one we're looking at is 1 1/4". It's just me and the husbeast, so we'll only carry two bikes max.
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Old 08-05-20, 05:10 PM
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I went through this a couple of years ago. It came down to the Kuat Sherpa 2.0 vs. One-Up. Both are platform racks that have two major advantages: (1) They don't touch anything but the wheels on your bikes, which is especially important with carbon frames. They also keep the bikes from touching one another. (2) They don't drop your bikes; they are very secure. We bought the Kuat because it was (marginally) less expensive and (non-marginally) lighter in weight.

Both of these also have the advantage of not blocking our license plates when they are folded up. Platform racks have the additional advantage of not requiring adaptors for bikes with non-horizontal top tubes.

Neither of these options are inexpensive.

Of the two you listed, I would go for the Hollywood.
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Old 08-05-20, 07:31 PM
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Thanks guys, it looks like we're going with the Hollywood.
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Old 08-05-20, 08:29 PM
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Yeah hanging bike racks are an absolute joke. I bought a 4 bike hanging hitch rack in college so I could transport 2 extra bikes for the team. My hitch couldn’t handle a 4 bike platform rack.

Even using 4 straps for the front wheels and 4 extra straps (one for each bike) for managing sway, in addition to the 3 anchor straps per bike (12 total), we still lost a lot of paint. It looks horrible. Way worse than any normal scrape. It took us something like 40 minutes to load the bikes. Fine if you’re in no rush, but it gets old at 3AM or if you’re stuck in a freezing storm wearing soaked lycra and have numb hands.

If you only need to carry 2 bikes, it’s a no-brainer.

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Old 08-05-20, 09:02 PM
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Hollywood - no question. I have a similar Yakima rack and it has served me well, but I'm looking to upgrade to a platform rack.

Glenn
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Old 08-06-20, 07:49 AM
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I have a hanging rack, was great until I used a friends tray rack......wish I had a tray all along now. So worth it I think.

Just easier and probably better for the bikes in the fact less chance to get damaged and more secured.
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Old 08-06-20, 08:57 AM
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The Hollywood will do less damage to your bike.
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Old 08-06-20, 09:26 AM
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You'll find etrailers.com to be a great vendor. I've bought a number of things from them and have been well satisfied. Any company that makes "how 'bout" and "how to" videos for most of their products is incredible in my book.
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Old 08-06-20, 11:01 AM
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I would go with a tray mounted rack like Kuat NV or 1upusa
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Old 08-06-20, 02:51 PM
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Old 08-06-20, 04:43 PM
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Thanks, all, you're awesome.
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Old 08-06-20, 05:38 PM
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I have a Thule hanging rack that holds 2 bikes. It came with some pieces that prevent the bikes from swinging; basically a set of brackets and straps that hang down and meet the downtube or seat-tube of each bike. It's been a wonderful thing to have, and it has never done any damage to carbon frame bikes. I'm not really sure where that stigma comes from, but I've never really seen any evidence to substantiate it. In fact, every piece on my Thule rack that touches the bikes is made of some type of rubberized compound that feels pretty soft; it would be impossible to damage a bike with that material.
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Old 08-06-20, 05:45 PM
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Originally Posted by BoraxKid
I have a Thule hanging rack that holds 2 bikes. It came with some pieces that prevent the bikes from swinging; basically a set of brackets and straps that hang down and meet the downtube or seat-tube of each bike. It's been a wonderful thing to have, and it has never done any damage to carbon frame bikes. I'm not really sure where that stigma comes from, but I've never really seen any evidence to substantiate it. In fact, every piece on my Thule rack that touches the bikes is made of some type of rubberized compound that feels pretty soft; it would be impossible to damage a bike with that material.
Which model of Thule do you have? Thanks.

Glenn
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Old 08-06-20, 05:54 PM
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Get a tray rack that clamps on the tires. The Hollywood center clamp will scar your bikes.
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Old 08-07-20, 06:39 AM
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I had a 1-UP for about 10 trouble free years and when I sold it on Craigslist (we now have trikes) I had many responses. In retrospect I priced it low $200; I could've gotten more but I honored the price I asked.
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Old 08-07-20, 06:55 AM
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Originally Posted by BoraxKid
I have a Thule hanging rack that holds 2 bikes. It came with some pieces that prevent the bikes from swinging; basically a set of brackets and straps that hang down and meet the downtube or seat-tube of each bike. It's been a wonderful thing to have, and it has never done any damage to carbon frame bikes. I'm not really sure where that stigma comes from, but I've never really seen any evidence to substantiate it. In fact, every piece on my Thule rack that touches the bikes is made of some type of rubberized compound that feels pretty soft; it would be impossible to damage a bike with that material.

Hi Borax

Your Thule hanging rack sounds like it is the same as mine, we have a two bike model, It is mounted about 50/50 on the front or back receiver on our Silverado. Always some combination of steel, aluminum and CF bikes. We have had it probably close to 10 years it seems secure and well built with no damage to bikes.
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Old 08-07-20, 12:49 PM
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1up usa
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Old 08-07-20, 01:11 PM
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Originally Posted by Korina
We just bought a new (to us) car; a 2000 Toyota Echo two door, and it can take a hitch! We've narrowed our options to this Yakima 2 bike rack on CraigsList, complete with keys and straps (I asked), or this Hollywood Destination 2 bike rack on etrailers.com. This is our first rack so we have no idea. To me, the platform style seems more secure, but the hanging style might work better with our subcompact, and would be easier to take off when not in use.

Thoughts? Opinions? Any would be appreciated. Thanks.
I would keep looking. Because of the sloped top tube on most bikes, mounting them on a top tube rack is not a very good idea. Something like this keeps both wheels locked in place and the top tube attachment keeps it in place. https://www.morris4x4center.com/yaki...%26%20carriers
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Old 08-07-20, 01:16 PM
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Originally Posted by GAtkins
Which model of Thule do you have? Thanks.

Glenn
IDFK. The one the dealer installed when I bought my car.
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Old 08-07-20, 02:42 PM
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Korina
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Originally Posted by RiceAWay
I would keep looking. Because of the sloped top tube on most bikes, mounting them on a top tube rack is not a very good idea.
That's one of the reasons we're going with the Hollywood platform rack.
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Old 08-07-20, 06:14 PM
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If it's a hitch mount rack you're planning on, there is no peer for the 1UpUSA racks. Simple the best of the best. Nothing on the rack touches anything other than the tires. One rack fits everything from a skinny racing bike to a Plus tire DH MTB or eMTB up to 75 lbs each. These things are heirloom quality .. but also cost like it .. and also look and feel like it. We've been using one of these racks for the last 2 years (I've used perhaps a dozen different racks over 30 years) and very satisfied with the purchase. https://www.1up-usa.com/

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