This unique and easy to use rack system installs in the 2 X 2 receiver hitch of any sport utility, light truck, or RV on the road. It allows easy access to the rear cargo or passenger doors of the vehicle.
Submitted by
next2last
a Weekend Warrior
from Date Reviewed: September 18, 2008
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Heavy duty, Adjustable holders, slides away easily from the SUV to allow rear access without removing the bikes!
Weaknesses:
Rubber straps tend to break over time.
Similar Products Used:
Saris Bones 3 bike rack for the car.
Bike Setup:
GF XCAL
Bottom Line:
Great rack, easy to install, very stable. Highly recommended if you are treking across country with 4 bikes, or if you are heading to your nearest trail. The rubber straps have broken over time, but one call to customer service and they will send you new ones free. The plastic holders have held up very well and keep the bikes very stable. The weight may be too much for some.
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Submitted by
Four bike owner
a Weekend Warrior
from Vancouver, WA USA Date Reviewed: August 31, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
GI Joes
Strengths:
Bought under the "Hitchmate GlideAway" name. By unscrewing a large butterfly nut AND pulling a pin, a pair of scissor arms allows the rack to pull away from the vehicle.
Weaknesses:
The rubber straps that hold the bikes are not very heavy duty. One of them broke the first time I used the rack. Also, it was very difficult to fit my wife's Trek with a ladies frame, and my kid's small mountain bikes. Finally, there's nothing to keep the bikes from swinging into each other as you brake and accelerate. I had high hopes for this rack, but the poor design of the rubber straps had me return it after the first use.
Similar Products Used:
This was my first rack in many years. I will try a name-brand next.
Bike Setup:
Hybrids & mountain bikes.
Bottom Line:
Inexpensive swing-away style hitch. Okay if you're willing to engineer your own hold-down straps. Be sure to carry backups for the poorly designed straps provided by the manufacturer. If they break, like mine did, you're stuck.
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Submitted by
Scott Bell
a Cross Country Rider
from Saskatoon, SK, Canada Date Reviewed: September 14, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$135.00
Purchased At:
Costco (Canada)
Strengths:
ease of use, strength, clearance from vehicle.
Weaknesses:
propretery locking cores (although you can work around it)
This is a great product, we were able to puchase it for less than half of the US suggested retail at Costco in Canada ($200 Canadian). We used it to transport 2 bikes from Saskatchewan to Vancouver/Seattle, then to Alaska, Whitehores, Inuvik and finally home. No problems at all and we were constantly in and out of the back of our Ford Explorer. Get this rack, especially if you have a 2 inch receiving hitch, it will only work with a 2 inch, keep this in mind. Even without the rack extended we were able to access the back of the vehicle (through the top window half of the door). I have no hesitation in recommending this product. As for locking the rack to your hitch you can thread a small cable lock through the hole in your hitch and the rack (you only bolt it on one side of this hole) and use a regular pad lock to secure it, work for us.
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Submitted by
John Whitish
a Weekend Warrior
from San Diego, CA Date Reviewed: April 9, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Beach
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
REI
Strengths:
Ease of assembly and use. It is strong and very durable.
Weaknesses:
Can't find any...
Similar Products Used:
Nothing that I have found or used...
Bike Setup:
Casual rider and some off-road, single track...
Bottom Line:
This is the best thing I have found to carry my bikes and skis to wherever I will use them. A very cool product...
Serioulsy, for anyone thinking about hauling their bikes or skis to anywhere they go, this rack does it. I use it on my Suburban and it clears the doors and wraps the bikes around and out of the way. This company is not well know but they make the best products, by far.
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