[Del]

​

My wife and I are looking to get a hitch-mounted rack at the end of this year and I could use some advice/opinions.

I love the super-nice Thule 916 but it's so dang expensive.

So I was looking at alternatives on Performance and saw their XPORT 2-bike hitch rack but I can only find one review of it on mtbr.com so I don't know how well it would hold up.

Most of the time it'd be just my ~37lb Preston on the rack but I'd occasionally load up my wife's cruiser bike or a friend's heavy freeride bike.

Does anyone know about that XPORT model? A lot of racks tout the weight they can hold but that model does not mention it.

I see it has the brace that goes over the top-tube. Is that a bad thing? Some other manufacturers brag about their "no-frame-contact" designs. Are those top-tube clamp designs bad for the frame or something? They seem to be well padded and if I was really paranoid I imagine I could wrap a rag around it for insulation.

If any other hitch-rack models can be recommended I would like to hear it. We'd like to stay under $300.00 because we need to buy the trailer hitch assembly for our car too.

 

[j.les]

Damn, I thought this topic was about plastic surgery.

 

[syadasti]

Get a Thule T2 for $295 shipped

 

[Del]

Damn, I thought this topic was about plastic surgery.

Which is why this thread will have a 500:2 view to reply ratio.

Get a Thule T2 for $295 shipped

Good deal on a good rack - have you ever ordered from them?

 

[syadasti]

Good deal on a good rack - have you ever ordered from them?

Yes I bought 2 Thule T2 racks from them. No problems and it was fast (I think they just drop ship from Thule?)

For your wife's rack you can also check out a plastic surgery vacation - I think there are some high rated cheap doctors in South America

 

[Del]

Yes I bought 2 Thule T2 racks from them. No problems and it was fast (I think they just drop ship from Thule?)

For your wife's rack you can also check out a plastic surgery vacation - I think there are some high rated cheap doctors in South America

Thanks - I think this might be a good one to go with. Didn't the Thule T2 turn into the Sportworks rack or something like that?

 

[syadasti]

Thanks - I think this might be a good one to go with. Didn't the Thule T2 turn into the Sportworks rack or something like that?

No, the other way around. Thule bought Sportworks and cheapened the product slightly. Its pretty much the same thing for the most part and has the addition of lock cores compatibility and a revised locking hitch.

If you buy lock cores and the locking hitch pin its best to buy a 4 pack of lock cores - that way all three locks will be keyed alike.

 

[TWeerts]

i thought you meant new boobies

 

[TWeerts]

if you want a hitch mount, over-the-wheel style, sicklines.com did a reveiw on three of them:

http://www.sicklines.com/reviews/hitch-mount-tray-style-rack-roundup/

 

[xtremedoritoes]

i have the yakima hookup and love it. and like the thule you can add a segment for another 2 bikes. i love the tire hook thing design. honestly go for one of these designs as it is smaller, foldable, and probably stronger than the ones that hold on to the top tube.

 

[Del]

Can anyone recommend a site or shop for finding a hitch or a particular brand of hitch? We currently own a 2002 Subaru Forrester and I'm having trouble wading through the depth of choices.

I just want a cheap hitch - it's going to be holding my rack and maybe, maybe, one day, a small boat trailer (and boat).

 

[syadasti]

uhaul.com etrailer.com hitch-web.com

 

[Del]

uhaul.com etrailer.com hitch-web.com

Thanks - that etrailer site is a good one and had just what I needed.

 

[syadasti]

Thanks - that etrailer site is a good one and had just what I needed.

I got my hitch from u-haul mail-order. It was the cheapest delivered price.

 

[Del]

I got my hitch from u-haul mail-order. It was the cheapest delivered price.

They don't seem to carry one to fit my car

 

[syadasti]

They don't seem to carry one to fit my car

Yeah it varies from car to car which site is the cheapest/best way to go. With u-haul you sometimes have to call but they usually aren't the cheapest option.

 

[ctrailfreak]

I got a 2" hitch for my Escape at U-Haul locally for $79.00 I should have paid them to install it for $25.00 more, but I decided to save the $25.00 and lay under my car for an hour!

 

[Del]

Well, we ended up with the Thule T2 linked earlier in the thread and found a U-Haul that had the hitch and could install it for us.

Unfortunately, U-Haul sucks. I had an appointment for 11:00 AM and when I get there, I find out the "hitch mechanic" was supposed to be in at 7:00 AM and hadn't shown up for work. So the clerk asked if I could come back at 3:00 PM, when the next shift mechanic would get in. So, after haggling off the cost of labor, I agreed and dicked around the mall until they called.

And when I was assembling the rack I slightly over-torqued the bolts fastening the wheel holder the to rack and the brittle plastic snapped off, leaving me with only a single-bike rack until Thule re-opens after the new year. What really pisses me off though is they had no warning on the instructions that over torquing could do that - and believe me, I didn't put incredible force on it. I guess the cold weather might have impacted things somewhat but still, it doesn't leave me with much confidence when it comes time to hold my 37 pound bike in place at 60 miles per hour.

Happy friggin' holidays, huh?

 

[Horror Business]

It seems to me everything this time of year is frustrating. Don't worry, Thule will get you your replacement part in a couple of weeks, and the T2 really is a sweet rack, I expect you will be happy with it.

 

[syadasti]

It seems to me everything this time of year is frustrating. Don't worry, Thule will get you your replacement part in a couple of weeks, and the T2 really is a sweet rack, I expect you will be happy with it.

Yeah Thule has awesome customer support.

Some of the T2 parts can have problems with over torquing as you have found (also watch the cross brace that holds the tray on). As I mentioned above, Thule has cheapened some of the Sportworks parts since they took over making the design. Make sure you carry the heavier bike on the closer tray so the leverage is lower on the arm holding the bikes.

 

[greenhood]

I had a Yakima hook-up and it was awesome. The only problem was that I was always worried about my $5000 worth of bikes hanging off the back. Eventually my fears came true and I was plowed into. the rack was destroyed, fortunatley my bike were not on it at the time. I decided to go with a yakima high roller instead this time. It is a little less convenient, however, it seems to be even better made than the hook-up.

 

[syadasti]

I had a Yakima hook-up and it was awesome. The only problem was that I was always worried about my $5000 worth of bikes hanging off the back. Eventually my fears came true and I was plowed into. the rack was destroyed, fortunatley my bike were not on it at the time. I decided to go with a yakima high roller instead this time. It is a little less convenient, however, it seems to be even better made than the hook-up.

There are people who have damaged their bikes driving into their garage, parking garage, drive through, or other low clearance area. Also I had an upright first generation sportworks bob ratchet fail (design flaw) and lost a bike at highspeeds though the damage wasn't that bad.

I like the hitch racks for ease of use, rack pads marring your roof from long term use, bike not scratching/denting your roof, the ability to easily take off your rack when not in use, and better car profile (wind noise/mileage/etc).

The high roller does look pretty sweet if you prefer roof racks.

 

[Del]

I currently live in an apartment building with an underground parking garage so that ruled out the roof rack for me. All it would take would be one absent minded trip into the garage and I'd be screwed. But I'm sure I'll be forever paranoid about being rear ended though so I guess I lose one worry and gain another.

 

[Bullit21]

*****