For each bike, arms secure over the tires (no concerns about frame contact), and wheel straps serve as backup for hauling heavier e-bikes, models with fenders, or if you have bikes with very different wheelbases. Type: HangingWeight: 14 lbs.Number of bikes: 2Weight capacity per bike: 40 lbs.What we like: Smart mix of weight, strength, and features.What we dont: Only offered in a two-bike capacity. At $49 and $50 for the Yakima and Thule adapters, these are not cheap accessories and should be taken into account as youre choosing a rack style. Carries 1 bike, up to 60 lbs. This handle is located on the bottom of the main arm of the rack and is incredibly easy to access with the rack in either the up or down position. Simply pull the blue handle up to release the rack and move it into whatever position you like, up, down, or tilted down. In testing, weve found that weight-saving models like the Yakima Dr.Tray and Kuat Sherpa 2.0 have their fair share of compromises in carrying ability and longevity. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing and comparison. GearLab is reader-supported. And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. Type: PlatformWeight: 63 lbs.Number of bikes: 2Weight capacity per bike: 60 lbs.What we like: Built-in swing feature provides easy access to the rear of your vehicle.What we dont: Its the heaviest two-bike rack on this list. If neither of those options work, youll need to do some digging. Material on GearLab is copyrighted. In addition to the 2 bike version of the Monorail we tested, they also make a one bike version called the MonoRail Solo which retails for $280. We also read a complaint online that the clamp arm didn't have adequate clearance for a user's fat bike suspension fork, something to consider if you happen to have one. And finally, the RockyMounts is a little limited in bike compatibility, with a max weight of 40 pounds and tire width of 3 inches. You first loop the cable through the frame and then use the hitch lock to lock the bike onto the rack. As with any hanging-style hitch rack, theres no avoiding the fact that the FullSwing 4 makes direct contact with your bikes frame. A final scenario is where a specific rack simply cant fit a certain wheel or tire size. At the very top of Yakima's expansive hitch rack line-up is the Dr.Tray. I got a Rocky Mounts Monorail to stave me off while I wait for the release of the QuikRack v2. It takes a few minutes but it certainly isn't difficult to put together. Note: The Helium is discounted at the time of publishing, as an updated Helium Platform XT has been released. Privacy | Cookies | Terms. The well-designed wheel trays have a narrow groove in the middle to hold skinny tires securely and can easily fit fat bike tires. Rocky Mounts MonoRail 2-Bike Hitch Rack 4.4 30 Reviews Item #116550 Black $499.95 Color: Black Size: 2 IN Quantity Ship to address $30 oversize shipping Pick up in store or curbsideFREE Find this item in store Members get an estimated $50.00 back on this item. All that said, for those who will utilize their high carrying capacity, a vertical hanging rack can be a worthwhile investment. It's well made, easy to use, and can fit just about any bike in your stable. But despite a growing number of competitors in this categoryincluding Yakimas HangTight, Lolo Racks, and North Shore Racks' NSRthe 1UP's combination of build quality, ease of use, and compatibility with a wide range of bike styles makes it our favorite vertical hanging rack.See the 1UP Recon Rack 6. Free shipping for many products! Lightweight and looks good. A great example is the Kuat Beta, which comes in at a scant 14 pounds and can be easily tucked away in the corner of your garage when not in use. The aim is to keep thieves from removing the entire rack from your car. This straightforward and effective system makes it easy to rapidly load and unload your bike, and it minimizes any wobble or side-to-side movement while driving. What are the downsides of the Recon R6? Finally, the focus on trimming weight means the rack has more of a tendency to wobble on bumpy roads, although the bike attachment system is reliable in general. Failing to verify this can lead to myriad issuesexamples include your vans rear doors cant open more than a couple inches because the rack sits too close, your bikes handlebars come into contact with the back of an SUV when bikes are loaded, or a pickups tailgate cannot be lowered. Similar to racks like the Thule T2 Classic and the Yakima HoldUp, the Monorail has plastic wheel cradles and some clamp arm components. Change begins by doing something different. Code: RKY10002 113 reviews Retail: $813.76 Our Price: $769.95 Quantity: Product Specs: Hitch Bike Racks Platform Rack Fold-Up Rack Swing-Away Rack Tilt-Away Rack Only problem with the 2-timer is that it holds via the frame instead of wheels. Plus, the optional 2-Bike Add-On (for another $550) doubles its capacity. Rockymounts Monorail Solo can be adjusted to fit various bike sizes. 1 color. The majority of riders stick with the two-bike design, but families or those that anticipate carrying bikes for group rides should consider getting a higher-capacity hanging model or one of the platform add-ons to start. JavaScript is disabled. $499.95 (5) Kuat. (inner); 35 lbs. After shopping others that secured bikes in a similar way, I just went by price at the time and got the 4-timer at 20% off. As the name indicates, tilting racks can be leaned over by pulling a lever that moves the rack far enough down to allow you to open the rear hatch or tailgate of your vehicle. $379.95. I got it from Backcountry when they had a 20% off one full priced item sale. During testing, we didn't have any problems getting any of our adult-sized bikes to fit on this rack. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Along with sturdy materials and a very intuitive instruction manual (a rarity on the market), theres a lot to like with the mid-range WestSlope. In addition, there are no add-ons available, so two bikes are the max you can carry (a Helium Platform 1-Bike is also offered for $500). The ladder straps that secure the rear wheels are also easy to use by simply pulling tension on them, they don't have a ratcheting feature like some racks. I'm happy with my Kuat Transfer 3 rack. while Yakima claims the Dr. Tray comes in at just 34 lb. For group rides, shuttling, tour companies, or if you simply want to maximize your carrying capacity, 1UP's Recon Rack 6 is worth a serious look. With a premium build and price tag to match, this rack is feature-rich, designed to work with a wide variety of bike styles and sizes, and has proven to be durable and reliable even Weve been a fan of Thule bike racks for yearstheir T2 Pro XTR is currently our top-rated modelso we were pretty excited by the release of the premium Helium Platform. During testing we found the MonoRail to be a highly versatile rack. Among platform-style racks, its best to choose one of two basic designs: a ratcheting arm that locks in over the front wheel and a strap through the rear wheel (featured on the Thule T2 Pro XTR, Kuat Transfer v2, Kuat NV 2.0, and others) or a dual-arm design like 1Ups Heavy Duty that tightens over the front and rear tires. And a final pitfall of the hanging rack is how it secures bikes to the rack: it holds them in place by rubber or plastic straps that wrap around the frame. Below we break down our top picks for 2023, from high-end, exquisitely manufactured designs like 1Ups Heavy Duty Double to Kuats budget-oriented and weight-conscious Beta. Tilting racks allow you to open the cargo door on most SUVs, hatchbacks, and trucks, but swing-away designs take access to the next level. Its expanding wedge attachment system makes for a wobble-free connection, the 60-pound weight capacity means you can haul nearly all bike styles (including many electric models), and you get ample clearance from your vehicle and between bikes. No cherry-picked units sent by manufacturers. Easy on and off. It's slightly less refined than some of the more expensive competition but it still checks all of the boxes. Their top-end option is the HangTight, which is offered in four- and six-bike capacities (we tested the former). The standout feature of this hanging rack is its weight, or lack thereof, with the 2-inch receiver version coming in at a scant 14 pounds. Among the options on the market, Yakimas RidgeBack is a long-time favorite: it features a durable build, reasonable price, and anti-sway design that limits bike movement while on the road. $299.00. . And with rapidly changing technology and an ever-growing Not long ago, mountain bikers didnt have a choice when it came to wheel sizes26 inches was the only option. So far we've been quite impressed with the durability of the MonoRail. Number of bikes: 2 (4 with add-on) Weight capacity per bike: 60 lbs. What are the shortcomings of the NSR 4-Bike? I just used a 20% coupon from REI to get the Kuat Sherpa 2.0 and I am impressed. First, the upper cradles that hold bikes in place are not compatible with road or cyclocross-style bikes, which limits its appeal. Plus, a 1-Bike Add-On is available for a reasonable $159 to provide even more carrying abilities. Other racks share this attachment style and it isn't especially challenging to use, though the tool-free knob designs on the Thule T2 Pro and the Yakima Dr. Tray are much quicker and more user-friendly. The MonoRail also comes with two small hitch pin locks, keyed the same, that attach to the end of the hitch pin to prevent anyone from simply unscrewing it and making away with your entire bike rack. At RockyMounts, we offer various premium vehicle bike racks and accessories for those anywhere in the US and Canada. Assembling this bike rack is fairly easy and will take you less than 5 . There are a wide range of options to choose from, but hitch racks fall into two basic categories: platform models are the most expensive but offer excellent stability and convenience, while hanging racks maximize carrying capacity in a compact package. The bike nearest the vehicle is quite challenging to load compared to other racks on this list, the release mechanism on the ratcheting arm is difficult to engage, and there are no locks included with your purchase. Other competitors are much taller. Kuat Transfer Universal 2 Bike Hitch Mount, CURT Manufacturing 13316 Class 3 Trailer Hitch. Compared to the Thule T2 and Kuats own NV 2.0 below, the materials and level of refinement are a step down. Their ability to safely carry up to six mountain bikes, while still offering enough ground clearance for waterbars, made them an instant favorite among downhill-oriented riders. $5.00. I'll second the Saris Superclamp EX2, I've been using one all year and it's great! How can we improve GearLab? $598.00 (1) RockyMounts. The second accessory lock is for the receiver hitch, which typically is found on the hitch pin or integrated into the bottom of the rack. Given the low price point, there are bound to be shortcomings, and the Swagman XC2 has its fair share. On the other hand, racks like the $145 Swagman XC2 that use a lot of plastic or cheap, thin metal, will be prone to rusting out or breaking down over time. And what we like most about the SuperClamp is its minimalist and relatively lightweight build that takes up a surprisingly small amount of space behind your vehicle and is easy to store in your garage. Assembly. Home / Bike Racks / Hitch Bike Racks / Yakima OnRamp . Both the T2 and NV 2.0 are very user-friendly and have long-lasting builds, although we have found the Thule is a little more versatile. Testing the Monorail hitch mount platform rack. The standard baskets are able to carry 24- to 29-inch-wheeled bikes (including road and gravel models), and the rack can accommodate 20-inch kids bikes and fat bikes with different attachments. RockyMounts makes a full line of bike racks and accessories. Simply put, this rack does it all. This rack costs less and outperforms than many racks that cost more. The rack secures the bike by the front tire, so there's no contact with the frame. Others, like the RockyMounts WestSlope 3, are almost unreachable when bikes are loaded, because the handle is tucked away too close to the receiver hitch. Furthermore, it undercuts the similarly designed 1UP Recon Rack by a significant margin. That said, theres no denying the Heliums quality and clean looks, and its a perfectly fine match for those planning to just transport standard mountain and road bikes. Saris may not be as popular as Yakima and Thule, but theyve carved out a nice segment of the market with their competitive prices and creative designs. And compared with traditional hanging models, you dont have to worry about issues with a bikes top tube. If your mountain biking gear budget has been stretched thin and youre tempted to skimp on the helmet, dont. One of the reasons that the Thule T2 Pro XTR took the top spot on our list is its ability to fit so many bike styles straight out of the box. 1 color. And as mentioned above, all of the components on the Thule are extremely well-made, which makes the investment worth it over time. Type: PlatformWeight: 63 lbs.Number of bikes: 4 (available in a 2-bike version)Weight capacity per bike: 60 lbs. RockyMounts. RockyMounts Splitrail LS Review RATING: Exceptional MSRP : $599 BEST FOR: Garage with minimal floor space. Kuat is a leader in the platform rack market, and their signature product is the NV 2.0. Was planning on waiting for the Quik-Rack Mach 2 but he has had some material delay issues and just haven't gotten around to spending the money on the 1Up QuikRack (OG version). Priced at a reasonable $469 for the four-bike version, the RidgeBack offers double the capacity of the Thule T2 Pro above for hundreds less. Solid! 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