Receiver-mounted bike rack

Swagman 3 bike fixed insert. Do not use any type of folding rack.

We have the Thule T2 bike rack which carries 2 bikes(it also comes in a 4 bike rack), and can be ordered for either the 1 1/4" or 2" receiver. It is a fantastic bike rack. We have a Honda CRV so we especially like that the T2 can be lowered to allow us access to the hatchback. Check it out on the Thule site. I also recommend you see if your local bike shop has it in stock so you can examine just how sturdy it is. Oh, by the way, don't forget to check out the weight of the rack and the bikes you will be carrying to be sure you are within limits of your vehicle and receiver. Good luck.

We've had two bike racks, the Swagman and now a Kuat. We LOVE the Kuat -- easy on, easy off, doesn't damage the bikes and has a built-in lock and it turns into a bike rack for doing repairs to the bikes, if needed.

Here are some pics and a review we wrote up:

Kuat NV bike rack

Oops.. I guess I posted this here already… sorry!!

mepboat wrote:
If you are going to use a bike carrier for a female type bike frame you will also need to purchase a crossbar to attach from the handlebar post to the seat post. This will be the part that will attach to the carrier. (Note this when using the lock so the bike will not be removed when only the crossbar with the lock).

I have two female bikes that I put on our rack. No post needed. My rach does not have a lock on it. I simply use a bike lock cable and secure them all together. I paid I think $80 or $100 for my rack.

mepboat wrote:
I highly recommend Yakima brand bike racks. The one that we have can hold up to 4 bicycles. It also comes in a 2 bike configuration. The lock is built into the rack and wraps around the bikes and then secures back onto the rack itself. It works great and keeps the bikes nicely secured. If you are going to use a bike carrier for a female type bike frame you will also need to purchase a crossbar to attach from the handlebar post to the seat post. This will be the part that will attach to the carrier. (Note this when using the lock so the bike will not be removed when only the crossbar with the lock). We also have a hitch lock so the carrier is secured to the receiver on the vehicle. Another great thing about the Yakima is that the arms that hold the bicycles fold down when not being used to allow easier backing clearance. Hope this helps.

Do all racks lock in a fashion that will require a crossbar for a drop frame bike? Here is an example bike, how would it lock down on your favorite tire-supported carrier?



Oops, I see how the Thule, Yakima, and Kuat lock down on the front tire instead. So then the fender on that bike is an issue. I can trim the fender, or remove it.

I have this Thule. There is an extension to make it carry 4 bikes. Expensive, but it has served us well.

I highly recommend Yakima brand bike racks. The one that we have can hold up to 4 bicycles. It also comes in a 2 bike configuration. The lock is built into the rack and wraps around the bikes and then secures back onto the rack itself. It works great and keeps the bikes nicely secured. If you are going to use a bike carrier for a female type bike frame you will also need to purchase a crossbar to attach from the handlebar post to the seat post. This will be the part that will attach to the carrier. (Note this when using the lock so the bike will not be removed when only the crossbar with the lock). We also have a hitch lock so the carrier is secured to the receiver on the vehicle. Another great thing about the Yakima is that the arms that hold the bicycles fold down when not being used to allow easier backing clearance. Hope this helps.

Here is my homemade bracket with rack attached and two bikes hooked up for travel. I only have to watch that the bolt stays tight. I also have a two bike cover that I use extra rope to secure for travel.

Dennis M M wrote:

2-MTnesters wrote:
We have the Swagman bike rack and love it. Ordered from Camping World.

X2 on the Swagman. Might be cheaper here with the freight. There is also a pin lock shown on that page.

We've carried the two bikes over 5k miles on the back of the fiver with that rack with no issues.

We use an Adco cover.

We have an older hitch mount Swagman for RV use that we also purchased from Camping World and it has been carrying our bikes for several years on the back of our trailer. It is all steel and replaced an expensive very robust looking Yakima with cast metal wheel cradles. The Yakima failed because one of the cast cradles fractured allowing one of the bikes to drop down. If we had not had the steel security cable the bikes would have been severely damaged.

Dick

We had a low-end Swagman bike rack that ruined the top tubes of our bikes and was very clumsy for mounting and dismounting the bikes.

We upgraded to a Kuat NV bike rack, and it is AWESOME. The bikes don't jiggle even the least bit, there's no chafe anywhere, and it it's a cinch to mount and dismount the bikes.

We wrote up a full review of this bike rack with lots of pics here:

Kuat NV Bike Rack Review