The Rec-Rac consists of two, non marring aluminum clamps that you can position at any point along a pickup truck's bed rail to transport any style or size of bike; mountain, road or recumbent. Once the clamps are set, secure the bike via two soft rubber yokes and two support straps. Wheel removal is not necessary and there are no holes to drill.
NOTICE FROM THE MANUFACTURER:
"ALL STRAPS ARE FIRST QUALITY FROM THE MANUFACTURER AND HAVE BEEN UPGRADED WITH BETTER MATERIALS. ANY OLD, DEFECTIVE STRAPS WILL BE REPLACED AT NO CHARGE TO ORIGINAL PURCHASER"
Submitted by
Dirks
a Weekend Warrior
from scott city, Ks
Date Reviewed: August 6, 2011
Strengths: Looks cool. Good Idea but needs more designing.
Weaknesses: I bought it to take it on a trip but it started leaning right away. they do not hold the bikes up. then in about a week of use the straps are nearly broke.
Bike Setup: bike fold rack plus add a bike seperaters
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Submitted by
mfoudy
a Weekend Warrior
from Carmel CA
Date Reviewed: April 27, 2011
Strengths: Very well designed and made, sturdy, and incredibly easy to use.
Weaknesses: none
Bottom Line:
Works perfectly with Tacoma short bed tie down tracks. Takes a few seconds to load or unload bike. Don't have to remove the front wheel and the units have eye-hook bolts that are used for a cable lock.
I think these are terrific pieces of engineering and production.
Similar Products Used: various purchased and home build bike racks for my Tacoma short bed.
Bike Setup: Specialized 29er
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Submitted by
Dale Van Doren
a Weekend Warrior
from Duluth, MN US
Date Reviewed: April 21, 2011
Strengths: Rec-Rac bike clamps work in my pickup box and have proven to be unusaully durable, and versatile regardless whether I am using my mountain or road bike. Secondly, the well constructed clamps offer a measure of security by providing a locking means to secure the bike to the clamp. Excellent valve and recommend it to bike enthusiasts who don't want to disassemble their bikes every time transporting becomes a issue.
Similar Products Used: Bike racks that required bike disassembly.
Bike Setup: Quick and easy. A screw driver is about all you need.
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Submitted by
railking
a Weekend Warrior
from Texas
Date Reviewed: August 14, 2009
Strengths: easy installation, strong, removable, lockable, portable. Ingenious design. The clamps are small, so there is less shipping charges and storage needed if removed.
Weaknesses: The rubber straps take a little getting used to. But not a big issue.
Bottom Line:
This is the best truck rack system I have seen. The clamps fit great on my Ranger. Easy on, and easy off the bed rails. The bike doesn't move at all. I didn't get the add-a-bike extenders, so can't comment. I am considering the extenders, or a second rack for the other side of the bed.
Submitted by
rghbsn
a Cross Country Rider
from Leland, NC, USA
Date Reviewed: April 15, 2009
Strengths: small, lockable, strong, easy to adjust and set up. Don't need to remove wheels, saves 90% of your truck bed for gear, cost effective, great design.
Weaknesses: I have not found any weaknesses yet...
Bottom Line:
I wish I would have come up with this idea! These racks are exactly was I was looking for, and many, many dollars less than any of the other contenders. Not only did I get quick shipping, but I got email directly from the creator to make sure that they would fit my truck. When I called them, I spoke to him as he was finishing up a ride of his own. I brag about this system every chance I get, because I would love to see them in every LBS and magazine around...it's that good of a design.
If you have a pickup, and you want to use your truck and carry bikes at the same time, this is for you!
I get no bounce, no wobble, no lean from any of my/my wife's bikes...on road, on trail, on highways. My road bike has carbon fiber, bladed front forks... it still secures perfectly with no wobble or shaking at highway speeds. No scratches or frame issues, either. The neoprene straps complained about in the older reviews are no longer used, and the rubber straps are perfect!
Similar Products Used: None like this... regular racks, roof racks, hitch racks
Bike Setup: Raleigh Comp road bike
Gary Fisher Cobia
Felt Nine Elite
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Submitted by
muzza mon
a Weekend Warrior
from busharagua
Date Reviewed: May 20, 2008
Strengths: Easy install if you read the instructions. Bike loads in 8 seconds. Bike unloads in 6 seconds. Just unstrap, lift and ride away. Your bike stays in one piece, no wheel take off. Elegant solution. Low visual impact on my Silverado. Holds my prize Superlight secure, no drill holes or any other damage to the truck after 2 years in place.
Weaknesses: Used the basic unit for 2+ years and it's good as new. The bike extenders , white plastic tubes/straps to attach a second bike, take more time to properly install, but I don't use them much. Guest bikes are usually forced into the prone position, which is only possible because my bike standing straight up on Rec-Rac allows lots of extra storage room on the truck bed.
Bottom Line:
Wifey wants me to buy another Rec Rac so her park bike can stand up straight & proud on the opposite rail of the truck bed.
If you load & unload your bikes several times a week and want storage room left over in the truck bed, this is your very best option.
This product is smart & so convenient you forget the impact it has. Transporting bikes with a Rec-Rac is like indoor plumbing...it becomes part of your life & you forget how convenient it is.
Similar Products Used: Wangly jangly bumper-mounted crap on the wife's mini-van. I can also pile lots of bikes in a full sized pickup truck bed, and get lots of frame scratches & spoke damage. Whats that old expression? Harshes the buzz, 'cause you have to decide who gets to be on top, as it were.
Bike Setup: 06 Superlight on which I still spend money like a drunken sailor, Thomson post/stem, Monkeylite cf bars, XTR crank, standard victim of fancy packaging.., yawn... switched out the standard 6" front rotor for an 8 incher & am now able to do headers at will & sometimes spontaneously.
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Submitted by
Steve
a Cross Country Rider
from Canyon Lake, CA USA
Date Reviewed: May 17, 2008
Strengths: Works Great! Very fast to get the bike in & out. You do not remove wheel from bike.
Weaknesses: none
Bottom Line:
Great product... I just bought a second set for my wifes bike.
Bike Setup: 2007 Santa Cruz Heckler & Full size Chevy crew cab 2500HD
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Submitted by
Chris
a Weekend Warrior
from Casper, Wy
Date Reviewed: July 12, 2007
Strengths: Have owned various iterations of the product for a couple years with different trucks. Newest is the best. Carry two Bikes (one one each side) and have been over the roughest washboards in CO & WY and never had a problem. Also have used the "add a bike" def not for offroad but do carry 5 in bed w/out removing any wheels.
Weaknesses: Different bed depths can pose set-up issues.
Bottom Line:
Excellent design, strength of clamp seems indestructible. In & out of the truck in less than minute.
Submitted by
ben
a Cross Country Rider
from san jose, ca
Date Reviewed: February 10, 2007
Strengths: It holds it pretty stable. Don't have to take off the front tire. Quick installation.
Weaknesses: It doesn't fit my truck. I had to MacGyver it in order to make it to sorta fit. It is stable to hold it but I don't trust it very much under heavier bouncing.
Bottom Line:
If it fit my truck well, it would be good. However, it doesn't work well with my truck.
Similar Products Used: quick release bolted to the truck bed.
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Submitted by
Andy Wood
a Weekend Warrior
from Belmar NJ
Date Reviewed: April 8, 2006
Strengths: It is an elegant design and is fairly well made. The idea is great as having bikes flopping around in the back of the truck is annoying.
Weaknesses: To adjust the rec rac you need a hex wrench. so if you put a differnt bike on you have to use a tool to adjust it. It does not hold the bike really solidly. The 'add a bike' device is an overpriced piece of crap that simply is not fit for the purpose. It is two plastic tubes with velcro at either end. The bikes move and lean out over the side of the truck when I used it. I will not use the 'add a bike' again. The dog restraint is OK, again it is overpriced for what you actually get. A length of nylon leash with a clip on either end and a short length in the middle with another clip.
Bottom Line:
$124 bought me the rack, the 'add a bike' and the dog restraint. The dog loves being in the truck so I guess that was worth it. But on the whole you do not get much for the money. It may work better if it used velcro straps. even the new rubber ones are pretty crap and leave the bike with some 'play' when you try to cinch it into the rack. It probably is OK for one bike, but as I usually ride with a buddy we end up using his car all the time. Given the choice I would go for a hitch type system next time. This thing is under engineered and over priced.
Strengths: Easy to assemble. Worked well in my Ford Ranger, bike fits securely and cannot beat the price I found on Sears website (not available at Sears retail locations).
Weaknesses: None yet, but unsure how it will hold up long term. If you own a larger truck you may need to buy longer adapters which can be bought from the manufacturer’s website.
Bottom Line:
Price comes in well below competitors, easy assembly, and no front tire removal. Can also be converted to be used a tie downs for securing small loads.
Submitted by
David
a Weekend Warrior
from San Antonio, Texas
Date Reviewed: April 4, 2005
Strengths: I own a Giant NRS-2 and when the Rec-Rac was installed on my 1994 Ford ranger, I felt that my bike was secured very well. I liked the fact you can use a cable lock to secure the bike to the Rec-Rac. The best part is, no more messing with taking off the front tire Q/R. Also, the straps seem to be holding up fine so far. I think you can order replacements if needed.
Weaknesses: Unfortunately, I am having trouble using the Rec-Rac on my 2005 Ford F-150. I sold the Ranger and bought a new truck. The Rec-Rac does not secure well on my new Ford that has a factory installed Ford bed liner. The lip on my new ford apprears to be built like a standard lip (just like my Ranger), however the Rec-Rac has never felt all that secure. I still use it to tranport my NRS and I still feel that the bike is being held securely. The Rec-Rac is not going to break loose or anything, but like I said before, it sometimes seems to slide a little when secured to my new 2005 Ford. I never had this problem with my old Ranger.
Bottom Line:
Works very well and would recommend it to anyone with a pickup truck that wants to avoid taking off the front wheel everytime you transport your bike. Just make sure it is compatible with your truck bed. If possible try to get it at a shop that might let you put it on to see if it feels secure. At the time I bought it, it worked perfect with my Ranger, so 5 and 5. As for my new truck, live and learn.
Similar Products Used: Regular style bike fork mounts.
Bike Setup: NRS-2
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Submitted by
Tim Szekely
a Weekend Warrior
from Boulder
Date Reviewed: June 7, 2004
Strengths: Great concept, mounts bike in a good location and with a minimum of hardware.
Weaknesses: Strength (or lack thereof) of neoprene straps, unaccommodating to many truck and bike combinations
Bottom Line:
The concept is great but it didnt work so well for me. Before driving very far my bike would start to lean a bit outboard. After three days the straps broke, so I returned to the store for a refund.
One problem, due to the xtd cab the truck bed sits farther back on the frame, so the wheel-wells are farther forward. This means I can't really center the bike over the wheel wells to get it closer to the side of the bed, and I think this is one important step to the functioning of the rack. Yes, I do have a 6' bed as the mnfctr recommends.
Second problem, perhaps due to owning a smaller pickup the rack doesn't fit high enough on the bike. It fastens barely above axle level, so that I have to secure it on the drive side to avoid the brake rotors. The real problem with this is that the bike is secured at too low a point to keep it upright. Even slow cornering makes it slip down into more of a lean.
Seems like smaller bikes (kids bikes), and/or trucks with taller bed sides are needed for this rack to work well.
Bike Setup: turner 5 spot, manitou firefly w/ qr 20 + 2000 Toyota Tacoma, 4wd xtd cab
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Submitted by
Robert Hase
a Weekend Warrior
from Belvidere, IL
Date Reviewed: April 8, 2004
Strengths: Low cost, space saving (requires only the space of the bike itself which is carried right next to the side of the PU truck bed, no need to remove and carry front wheel separately, installs easily without drilling 15 minutes for a neophyte.
Weaknesses: None that we have found so far.
Bottom Line:
Have not seen any ads for this yet, except on the web, but has raised a lot of interest from other bikers and my bike shop owner who had nver seen anything like it before. Just purchased a second one so I can carry both bikes securely, one against each side of bed, leaving loads of room in the middle for other gear. Amust for Pick up truck owners who carry bikes,
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