Best Hitch Mount Bike Rack ( Pics Please )...?

Hi Ray.

I have the Thule 917XT T2 1.25 inch hitch rack. Sorry I don't have a pic of mine, but I found one on a Prius:


I had one of the hollywood style racks before this one so I have a pretty good perspective of the pros + cons.

Thule Rack Pros
-You can get your bike on/off in 30 seconds or less - this is GREAT!
-You can leave this rack on your auto because it folds up. I leave mine on for the bulk of the year.
-The rack doesn't touch your bike - just the wheel in the back and the tire on the front

Thule Rack Cons
Price
Weight: This has not been an issue for me (fyi, have a Curt hitch), but the Thule is heavier that the Hollywood style racks.

Either rack will get the job done. I have over a year on the Thule and had a couple of seasons using the Hollywood. The Hollywood worked fine, but I was tired of the extra time and effort it took to get bikes on/off relative to the Thule rack.

If I can come up with a pic or two I'll add it to this thread.

-Brad

 

Somewhat surprised that nobody has mentioned the best, lightweight option yet! Saris Thelma. It now fits both receiver sizes - NICE! You can get a 3-bike unit as well, but I don't recommend hanging that much weight off the back.

Saris Thelma

 

Small and light... but $400 to carry two bikes?? Really?

 

Hey Ray.

Grabbed a couple of pix today. Sorry - none with a bike attached, but a couple of shots to give you an idea of how the rack fits on the Prius. The rack is folded up and I leave it on for the bulk of the year like this. You will notice that this rack steps up a bit which helps a lot in terms of clearance. It's really a fantastic rack:





Here are a fex pix of my old rack. Nice - but not nearly as nice as the Thule:



I hope this helps.

-Brad

 

Huge thread over on the mtbr site with personal reviews on the 1UP.

1up Quick Rack Quick Review. - Mountain Bike Review

-1UP: Compact, light weight aluminum, rustfree, but expensive -$500 2 bikes.
-Kuat Sherpa: Great CS, light weight aluminum, rustfree, gray/white color option, but still a bit expensive -$400 2 bikes. ~27 lbs.
-Thule T2: Very solid and built-in lock, but very heavy and will rust. ~50 lbs.

I have a Thule T2 on my 4Runner and a Kuat Sherpa on my Prius, both works great. Even though the Sherpa is rated for no more than 80 lbs, I am still always cautious when I have 2 full-suspension bikes on the Sherpa.

I never use ANY racks that straps down on top of the frame, it has to either lock at the fork dropouts or wheels.

 

Kuat only makes 2-bike platform racks..the Sherpa and the NV. The NV is a bit heavier than the Sherpa and can fit wider tires and longer bikes. On the Sherpa, I have no problems with a 2.3" wide tire...it is nice and snug.

The NV does include the built-in bike repair arm, but it is also an optional add-on for the Sherpa. NV includes a built-in cable lock. Other than that, they're both practically the same.

 

The KUAT NV looks a bit heavier duty, as indicated by the weight difference, and looks like it might sit up higher than the Sherpa (the tilting mechanism looks different). The round turning knob for tightening looks like it would be easier to use and reach on the NV. The drawback to all the little extras on the NV is the 30 lb increase in weight.

Also, notice how the platform does not extend all the way under the back wheel holder on the sherpa. That was almost a problem for me and I would prefer that the bar extended further, with a sliding holder. The NV looks like it doesn't have that issue or problem.

 

My final comment: Have you even considered the Thelma??

Great video of the 1UP. Not that I'm a slave to fashion, but damn that thing is ugly.

 

Here's the Thelma video. Note that the bike is securely held while you put it in place. The 1UP it seems like the bike is free to fall out when you lower both arms??

 

Uh. Yes. Looks like an Erector set.

See post #22 above where I linked to my page here: Saris Thelma

I agree that the 1UP has a lot going for it. I love the all Al construction. And I love that it locks on with the anti-wiggle device. Very nice! And it seems like it would do a great job. I don't like how the bike is free to fall over when you release the wheel locks though! On the Thelma when you release the straps, the bike is still firmly held by the front wheel cup until you yank it out of there.

I've been very happy with my Thelma. Super light and does the job well. I can tell by the video I just posted that the wheel cup has been redesigned after my complaints. Good news!

 

I actually love that the rear wheel strap doesn't slide around. It pivots in accordance to the length of the wheelbase. With a sliding rear strap, you drop the front wheel in and have to fiddle with the rear into position. But with the Sherpa, you just drop the front wheel in and do the same with the rear.

Another thing that the NV have over the Sherpa is the ability to add a +2 bike attachment, though I doubt you'd do that on a Prius.

 

I'm trying to determine if $350. is about average cost to have a receiving hitch installed on my 2008 Prius. The dealer as well as a Trailer company quoted within $10. of each other. I have a Thule hitch rack that I used on my old Outback. Thanks!