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Submitted by
sandy
a Weekend Warrior
from San Antonio
Date Reviewed: June 2, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$400.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike World | | Strengths: | Easy to use for vertically challenged persons when it comes to loading and unloading. Strong and secure. I live in the city and leave it on my vehicle most of the time. I only ride on weekends and won't ride in traffic. This is the best bike rack I have used and have experienced no real problems with it. | | Weaknesses: | Some of the smaller working parts can rust unless treated. Storage can be difficult. | | Similar Products Used: | Yakima, rhode gear. | | Bike Setup: | I have mine on the back of a 4runner. Fits 3 bikes. | | Bottom Line: | I have had this rack for 2 years and it has seen alot of use. I have no real complaints, only that it is a bit cumbersome for storing when you take it off. Noncyclist find it a curiosity when I have no bikes on it. Many times parking lot security has tried to direct me to the handicap parking thinking it is a wheelchair ramp! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Randall Wilson
a Weekend Warrior
from Granite Bay, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: May 12, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Foresthill Loop | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$488.00 | | Purchased At: | Online | | Strengths: | None | | Weaknesses: | The rack is too unwieldly to be left on the vehicle, and too large too store off the vehicle. Compounding the problem, the rack is too heavy to remove and replace an a regular basis. Assembly is more involved than with competitive racks. Bikes are located in a vulnerable position when mounted on the rack. | | Similar Products Used: | Yakima Steelhead, Sportworks Transport | | Bike Setup: | Trek 5500, Trek Fuel 98 | | Bottom Line: | Don't even waste your time looking at a Draftmaster rack. You won't like it when your bike is mounted on it; you'll hate it when your bike isn't mounted on it; and you'll hate it even more when you need to remove and store it.
Not surprisingly, the company that manufactures this engineering failure is apprarently having financial problems. I returned mine (the shipping charges exceeded $100.00), only to learn the company couldn't refund the purchase price. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Greg
a Racer
from Lansing
Date Reviewed: May 1, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | shop liquidation sale | | Strengths: | This rack folds out so it works great on SUV type vehicles with rear doors. It will easily hold 4 bikes without fear of scratches or scrapes. It is mostly made of alloy so it will never rust. | | Weaknesses: | The front tire need to come off. Also, I have a rear mount spare tire that gets in the way, so I had to purchase a receiver extension, but now it will drag on some abrupt dips. I guess I just need bigger tires on the Jeep. | | Similar Products Used: | nothing similar | | Bottom Line: | This is a great rack! It is well worth the investment for any serious rider who is looking for a rack that will last years and is easy to use. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John O
a Weekend Warrior
from Chicago
Date Reviewed: November 3, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | web site | | Strengths: | Easy to load bikes. Easy to beak down to store. Saves a fortune on gas and no wind noise compared to roof racks, and nothing touching bike frames like other hitch racks. Also can open the rear hatch without removing bikes unlike other hitch racks. Lots of people come over and compliment it if you like that sort of thing. | | Weaknesses: | Occasionally the rear wheel trays would come loose until I really torqued then down hard. Lots of people come over and compliment it if that bothers you. | | Similar Products Used: | An old Bic roof rack which made my car feel like I was driving a sail boat down the interstate. | | Bottom Line: | Best rack on our team by far. We did an adventure race last weekend and our support crew consisted of our wives/girlfriends. With vertually no instuction these 4 petite women (one 7 months pregnant) unloaded and preped the bikes for the bike leg and broke down and loaded the bikes so we could quickly move on to "get lost" in the woods for the orienteering section. This saved us time as I know we would have had to help them with a roof rack.
Keep up the great work Draftmaster! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brian
a Cross Country Rider
from Sumter
Date Reviewed: September 9, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | K3 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | Draftmaster | | Strengths: | very durable, easy to use, looks great, never damages paint, modular, etc-- well thought out | | Weaknesses: | need to buy locking QR's seperatly. It was a bit spendy, but I don't regret it. | | Similar Products Used: | other goose neck type racks with dorky straps that look like crap when you have them loaded... | | Bike Setup: | Litespeed Hiwassee updated w/ full XT and a Duke XC fork | | Bottom Line: | I have yet to be disapointed with this rack. I have hauled bikes cross country using it without problem. Looks great and is quality! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Harry Morris
a Cross Country Rider
from Columbia, MO, USA
Date Reviewed: August 11, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$597.00 | | Purchased At: | Draftmaster website | | Strengths: | Well built and engineered. Breaks down easily for storage.
Looks cool ! | | Weaknesses: | Cumbersome to install & remove ( assembled unit is a bit heavy & awkward for one preson to handle). Cam buckles are difficult to run the securing straps through. tray mounts were very tight on tolerance and made it difficult to install. | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | Trek 7200 hybrid & Tour Easy recumbent | | Bottom Line: | I've tried several different racks & this unit without a doubt best suits my recumbent. Transported both bikes on my Ford Rander PU recently to Wisconsin from Missouri & back, and had absolutely no problems with the trip. I would not recommend this unit for short distant transport only (unless you plan to leave it on the vehicle); better suited for the long haul.
The people at Draftmaster are super to work with and made every effort to provide customer satisfaction.
Warning: be prepared to answer a lot of questions regarding the rack it's a show stopper. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Al Williamson
a Cross Country Rider
from Oden Uah USA
Date Reviewed: July 11, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Rack is easy to load,easy to load and secures bikes both to vehicle and rack, no pads, staps, bungees, rubbed spots, roof dents,broken "Lawyer Lips" no loss fuel consumption, no noise and not affected by cross winds | | Weaknesses: | Did not find it sooner | | Similar Products Used: | 4 or more rear racks and 2 or more roof racks | | Bike Setup: | remove front wheel attach fork and secure rear wheel sesigned to carry 4 fron wheels, have attached 5 wheels | | Bottom Line: | Since 1988 have used rear and roof racks, but the Draftmaste has made the process of loading the rack, loading and securing bikes, accessing the luggage much easier..through the rear window without changing the rack...rotate the rack, no change to the bikes, and you can open the door. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from SoCal
Date Reviewed: June 23, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | 450 | | Strengths: | Well built
| | Weaknesses: | Instructions are poor and difficult to understand
No easy way to lock it
Ground clearance "issues"
Rear wheel trays are set way too high to properly hold full suspension mountain bike wheels - They barely hang on the back edge | | Similar Products Used: | 1up USA hitch rack | | Bike Setup: | Very high-end full suspension mountain bikes | | Bottom Line: | A good rack, but it simply couldn't hold our full suspension mountain bikes high enough to get out of even the shallowest driveways without leaving some rear tire rubber on the paving. Ouch! The optional extension is not really a solution because the rack moves around enough as it is without having to raise and extend the weight out even further behind the vehicle.
It's not that easy to load since the front wheels must be removed and bikes held vertical while being secured. It's no big deal with just one or two bikes, but add the third or fourth and you have to secure them while off the ground due to the height offset needed to fit the extra bikes. Also, if this rack is so stable, why the tie-down straps? They smack of afterthought. All in all, this rack just seemed sort of overly complicated. We returned it.
That said, I'd recommend anyone thinking about a hitch rack to check out 1upUSA's rack. It is the easiest to load of all because it doesn't require front wheel removal, the bikes go on horizontally and are held by the wheels only. It has great ground clearance, folds up the flattest and has a Allen-head bolt locking mechanism everyone else should be using. It is so damn simple to put together and operate and guaranteed for life! Check it out at 1upUSA.com. I don't work for 1up. I just appreciate a superior product (like their trainer, too). Like they say, spend more time riding, not loading your bikes. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tom
a
from Green Bay, WI USA
Date Reviewed: June 23, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | Draftmaster Direct Website | | Strengths: | Once set up and run through the rack is easy to insert into the hitch and remove when not using and the bikes are easy and fast to secure and remove. | | Weaknesses: | The directions for assembly are weak (mostly sketches without alot of detail - pictorial or worded) - even for mechanically inclined people like me. Directions do not include recommendation as to how to load different size bikes which I figured out by loading and reloading multiple times before fine tuning what should have been described in the directions. Front fork locks worked extremely well on my family's two canondale bikes but less than optimal on two others where I needed to use an adjustable wrench to make sure..... Forks whose channels are straight do not work as well as Forks (such as Canondales') whose channels are at a 90 degree angle. | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | Two "adult" Canondales Mountain bikes and Two "junior" Haro Mountain bikes. | | Bottom Line: | The customer service is extremely helpful and knowledgeable both about its rack and trailer hitches in general. While the price appears high I wanted this to be my first and last system. Overall, after having used it for a 5-day bike vacation where the bikes were loaded and unloaded multiple times and the distance from home was approx. 150 miles - I am very happy with the performance and would definitely recommend it. Draftmaster shipped it when they said they would and it arrived in time for my family's vacation which was also a bonus. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Barry
a Weekend Warrior
from Moore, OK, USA
Date Reviewed: February 4, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | So far, The Midwest Recumbent Rally in Wisconsin | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$320.00 | | Purchased At: | Local bicycle store | | Strengths: | ease of use, fast bike loading and unloading. | | Weaknesses: | vulnerability to rear ender and there goes $4000 in bikes, plus the rack. Stability straps tend to rub the paint on the vehicle, which can be fixed. | | Similar Products Used: | Graber hatchback model for the PT Cruiser | | Bike Setup: | used for: 1) TREK R200 recumbent, 2)Barcroft Virgina GT recumbent, and 3) Softride Roadwing Road bike. | | Bottom Line: | not easily removed from the hitch. I used to hex head cap screws to secure the rack to the hitch. I would drill out the threads, and put in a lockable pin, like some else mentioned, but I am a little fearful that the rack will start to rattle. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sam Peralta
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego, Ca
Date Reviewed: October 23, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$350.00 | | Purchased At: | Cantina Bike Shop | | Strengths: | Very sturdy and durable, accessiblity to bike is convenient, and cool looking. | | Weaknesses: | The down fall is that some idiot driver from behind can hit and damage your bikes. | | Bike Setup: | Giant XTC NRS Air, NRS XTC 1, & NRS XTC 3. | | Bottom Line: | I absolutely love this bike rack. Mounting and dismounting our mountain bikes is as easy as 1, 2, 3. I receive many compliments about how cool looking the bike rack looks especially when all our bikes are mounted. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michael
a Cross Country Rider
from Southern Appalachia, WNC
Date Reviewed: October 3, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Laurel Mountain-PNF | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$449.00 | | Purchased At: | www.draftmaster.com | | Strengths: | EASY installation. Loading and unloading a snap. Solid construction. Folds down to get into the rear of vehicle and it makes it easier to load and unload. Highway use---close your eyes and go. You do not know it is there. No need to worry about ramming into a drive through. Easy to clean bike while on the rack. The damn thing is flat out sexy! | | Weaknesses: | At this time there is no company hitch lock for the 1 1/4" receivers. They are looking in to it. They provide two nuts and bolts. Very solid. I bored out the threads and added a 1/2" hitch lock. Quite easy.
The skewers do not lock on to rack. I simply take them out and put them in the car while not in use. No big deal.
I find no other faults at all. The two that I listed I consider cosmetic in the scheme of things. | | Similar Products Used: | Yakima roof rack
Graber trunk rack | | Bike Setup: | Cannondale; Klein; Intense | | Bottom Line: | I purchased the rack to hold three bikes. I also purchased the tire carrier. Total on the two items and shippng was around $550.00. I have been using this rack for a short time but have been transporting 3 to 4 days a week now. I love it. I could not wait to right a review. I will follow up after a longer period of time to see if my opinion has changed.
The other day one of my friends drove his new Specialized into the roof of the bank drive thru. A few days later we went riding together and he saw my rack. Uggh was his response. His face said, "Why do I have a roof rack?" $600 bucks on roof racks seems like a fortune now and you will understand that you are NOT getting what you pay for. Draftmaster is worth it.
The folks at Draftmaster are excellent. That makes all the difference in the world. You got to love small companies with a great product. Very personal. CUSTOMER SERVICE is a huge A+++++
Bottom line is that it is no more expensive than roof racks. There are no horror stories about roof bashings. No back aches. Highway speeds are comfortable. The bikes are happy in the draft. So is my gas mileage. No more lifting. If you drop your bike while mounting it hits the ground and not your car. But actually to mount your bike the back tire never has to leave the ground. Too easy.
THIS RACK IS A NO BRAINER!
I am very very happy, thrilled, and love this rack.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Robert
a Cross Country Rider
from Floyd, VA
Date Reviewed: August 27, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$400.00 | | Purchased At: | Website | | Strengths: | Excellent construction and ease of use | | Weaknesses: | Bikes are way in the back asking to get squashed by an idiot parking (either the driver or another person) although this has never happened yet and may never. | | Bottom Line: | A great hauler for either long distance transport or for a dirty bike. Most excellent construction. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
CRAIG GODMAN
a Weekend Warrior
from GRAY, TN
Date Reviewed: April 5, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Warriors Park | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$400.00 | | Purchased At: | FACTORY | | Strengths: | Excellent construction, versatile, durable, fast, easy loading and unloading, very high quality, attractive
The hitch rack is great for my wife. DEFINITELY A SOLID RACK! DrafterMaster people are very easy and willing to talk too, A+. | | Weaknesses: | None really, but I would like it if the skewers for the fork mounts were lockable. | | Bike Setup: | Giant NRS-1, Jamis Expert, both 2001 models. | | Bottom Line: | Draft Master is the Cadallac of hitch racks, Very versatile and easy. Great for the ladies, makes it so much easier than a roof rack. Excellent construction, engineering and precise fit. Its sharp looks make other riders envious. The Rack is a little more expensive, but why put your $1500 to $2200 bike on a cheep, rack. You get what you pay for. DEFINITELY the rack of choice. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
joanna chodorowska
a Racer
from chicago
Date Reviewed: November 7, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | N/A | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$350.00 | | Purchased At: | draftmaster direct | | Strengths: | carries 4 bikes securely without any problems. bikes are securely fastened with fork-mount and it is a easy as 10 seconds to mount. love the front wheel attachment gizmos (but lost one already). easy access to trunk, etc without getting in the way of bikes. i have a sedan, and trunk mount racks were a pain as was the thought of a roof rack. | | Weaknesses: | the cloth straps do not grip as well as they could so the straps need to be tightened every so oten to keep the sway to a minimum. the sway of the rack is a little disconcerting at first, but no problems on highway (even at 80 mph) | | Similar Products Used: | only have trunk-mount racs. first of this kind. | | Bike Setup: | SEVEN Axiom - steel. and friends bikes (SEVEN, LeMond, etc) | | Bottom Line: | after a rocky start with ordering, i was thrilled to finally get it all and working right. customer service is exceptional so the minor misundertanding we had at the beginning was taken care of quickly. LOVE the rack. and it not only looks cool, but really holds up. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Max Breuer
a Cross Country Rider
from Portage MI USA
Date Reviewed: September 10, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | direct from Draftmaster | | Strengths: | The unit can transport 3 long wheel base recumbents. The unit is easy to assemble, dissamble and store. | | Bike Setup: | Easy to mount bike on "tray" and easy to mount on vehicle. | | Bottom Line: | We have used the Draftmaster to transport 3 long wheel base recumbent bicycles (Rans Stratus). The unit is easy to assemble and disassemble. Three recumbents can be mounted by only removing the front wheels (seats remain on the bikes). Mounting the bicycles is easy by fastening the bicycles on a "tray" while on the ground. The tray can then be easily mounted on the main rack. The rack can also hold up to three tandems. This unit is by far the easiest to use of any rack we have seen; particularly for tandems and long wheel base recumbents. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jose Cortez
a Racer
from Pasadena, CA USA
Date Reviewed: August 22, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$550.00 | | Purchased At: | Online | | Strengths: | Easy to load and unload equipment, easy to set-up. Great looking addition to my SUV. | | Similar Products Used: | A roof rack, but there is no comparison. | | Bike Setup: | Very easy!! | | Bottom Line: | A great product! I am always receiving compliments and answering questions about the way the rack looks and how easy it looks to load and unload the bikes. Like my nephew puts it "AWRIGHT! COOL!" | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Carl Egetter
a Cross Country Rider
from Marietta, GA, USA
Date Reviewed: August 17, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Silver Comet Rail-to-Trail | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$970.00 | | Purchased At: | Draftmaser | | Strengths: | This is a solid, stable assembly on which you can attach your cycling equipment with complete confidence | | Weaknesses: | With special configurations, there is not much flexibility on different bike sizes. And of course it's quite expensive. | | Bottom Line: | This is the most solid, stable, safe and dependable bike rack I've ever seen. I hesitate to even call it a "rack" ... When assembled, it's more like a part of the car. If you're taking your equipment out on the interstates, or in heavy city traffic, you don't want to have to worry about something falling off ... damaging it or your car or someone behind you. With the Draftmaster, you leave any worries behind you. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff Quam
a Weekend Warrior
from Huron, SD 57350
Date Reviewed: August 6, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Mikkelson Trail Black Hills, SD | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$550.00 | | Purchased At: | Mail Order | | Strengths: | Ease of installation, ease of mounting bikes. | | Bike Setup: | Very accomodating | | Bottom Line: | We are very happy with the four-bike hitch mounted bike rack. It is light-weight and durable. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David Guenther
a Cross Country Rider
from Los Alamos, NM USA
Date Reviewed: August 2, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Upper Pipeline down Guaje Ridge | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | DraftMaster | | Strengths: | The ability to load up two MTBs and a Tandem and never having to hoist them on top of a SUV roof rack. The flexibilty to load up three different bikes including bents, tandems, mountain, road, and my three year olds 12" is great. I will never outgrow the rack. | | Weaknesses: | The strap ends that loop through the rack should use hardware to avoid the nylon from abrading (hooks, well rounded slots...). | | Similar Products Used: | Have a Yakima on my truck and both skewers have fatigued to breaking over the years. BEEFY SKEWERS ARE A GOOD THING! | | Bike Setup: | 1 Tandem, 3 Mountain, 1 Road and 1 childs Mountain Bike | | Bottom Line: | The DraftMaster rack is the best I've seen. Solid construction, good design, well made and a nice finish. Loading up your bikes is pretty effortless so you can save your energy for the ride. The rack rides well when loaded and is very paint job friendly to the car and bikes.The staff at DraftMaster is great. They take care of business with PLEASURE! The bottomline: The rack and Draftmaster are SWEEEET! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Edward Schenck
a Weekend Warrior
from Ponca,NE,USA
Date Reviewed: July 30, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Bizz-Johnson | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | direct from Draftmaster | | Strengths: | Ease of loading both our ATB's and our bents. Especially the drop down feature when loading and unloading our recumbents. | | Weaknesses: | We have no complaints and the people at Draftmaster are the best. | | Bottom Line: | My wife and I really like the way our bikes are secured to the rack and the ease of loading and unloading. Last month we took a 4700 mile trip with our bikes mounted on the Draftmaster and rode several bike trails in western USA and received a lot of interest from other riders as to how easy it was to load and securely they are held in less than 30 seconds for each bike. We love this rack. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Doug Richards
a Cross Country Rider
from Alexandria, VA
Date Reviewed: July 29, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Phil's Loop, Bend OR | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | from manufacturer | | Strengths: | The Draftmaster 4 bike rack is: easy to use,easy on the vehicle, strong&durable, simple to set up, helps avoid roof wipeouts with garage enterances & low ATM drive throughs. Anyone can load this rack at ground level(even my 13 yr.old). No better way to get 4 buds (or the family)& their bikes + gear into one vehicle to the trail. | | Weaknesses: | Some small loose parts that can get lost if you're forgetful (like me). Company should design in attachments for these in future. | | Similar Products Used: | N/A | | Bike Setup: | Specialized FSR XC | | Bottom Line: | The Draftmaster 4 bike rack is a great product at a good price. It is suitable for use by serious XC addicts to the weekend family rider. I highly recommend it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gary Herman
a Weekend Warrior
from Los Altos, CA
Date Reviewed: July 22, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$549.00 | | Purchased At: | Sports Rack | | Strengths: | Beefy, quality construction; modular components lock together with quick releases, which simplifies assembly and disassembly for storage. Spring loaded carrier descends to simplify loading/unloading and provide access to tailgate.
Great customer service from Draftmaster! | | Weaknesses: | Very minor - cloth straps are a bit tricky to thread through clamps on wheel trays. | | Similar Products Used: | Yakima tandem rack; Yakima and Thule roof racks; Bauer hitch rack | | Bike Setup: | Co-Motion SkyCapp tandem; Seven Odonata single; Habanero mtb | | Bottom Line: | The engineering and quality of the Draftmaster gave me a huge grin when I assembled it! Took our tandem and two singles up to Tahoe last weekend at 75-80 mph on I80 and up and down the twisties on Highways 89 and 88 with no sway and no noticeable effect on our MDX's handling. Easy no-lift mount and dismount of the bikes.
Great rack! Great service! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Carrie
a Weekend Warrior
from Cedar City UT USA
Date Reviewed: July 19, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | The bike rack speaks for itself, it's great! But, the customer support and sales staff only amplifies the quality of this product. Great all the way around!!! | | Weaknesses: | None | | Bike Setup: | Extremely easy! | | Bottom Line: | We just started riding and the draftmaster bike rack has made it even more enjoyable. It is so easy to "throw" the bikes onto this rack and just go. Even for the short rides. The convenience and unique way the bikes mount on the rack takes the inconvenience out of the quick trips. Yet the safety and security has allowed us to travel long distances knowing that the bikes are on the back of our travel trailer and secure. We wouldn't be biking and exploring as much without this bike rack. It's too easy to go!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joshua Laverdiere
a Cross Country Rider
from Breckenridge,CO
Date Reviewed: July 16, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | CT | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$480.00 | | Purchased At: | Draftmaster | | Strengths: | -craftmaship
-customer service
-ease of loading and unloading bikes
-stability
-convience
-looks
-not too big
-did I say the girls at draftmaster. | | Weaknesses: | maybe the price,
this is just a few alterations I would make:
make a locable skewer,not having to buy one extra
have rachet straps instead of the cloth type | | Similar Products Used: | Thule | | Bike Setup: | Car setup is 2001 Durango, bike is 2001 Truth with Disk brakes(the rack fits) | | Bottom Line: | It is all simple to say, You get what you pay for!
This rack works beautifully, except for those few weakness, but that is really nothing to complain about. I went and bought 2 locking skewers from Yackima and it works fine.
If your bike has disk brakes it will fit without an adaptor. Oh the last thing is the wheel tray the rear tire it needs to be alittle longer. I might need to put something on correctly it might be me. But everything else is A OK. BUY THIS HITCH MOUNT RACK THE BEST>>>>> | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tony
a Weekend Warrior
from Minneapolis, MN
Date Reviewed: July 16, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Easy to mount rack on vehicle and bikes on rack
Provides a stable platform even at highway speeds
Can be easily adapted for future needs
Great customer service
| | Weaknesses: | Assembly instructions could be better but once you begin assembly it all falls in place | | Bottom Line: | This rack meets all my expectations, easy to assemble, easy to mount and very stable. I carry a three wheel recumbent and a semi-recumbent two wheel bike. The pivot feature is especially helpful since one person can load the bikes easily. It also allows access to the back of the SUV for easy access to coolers, camping equipment, etc. This company is also BIG on customer service. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark Hallett
a Weekend Warrior
from Spencer, Iowa Clay County
Date Reviewed: July 16, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | anywhere my bike will take me | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$425.00 | | Purchased At: | Company | | Strengths: | I just bought my second rack from Draftmaster I have been using product for over four years it is a great product, allows me to rack four bikes to five behind SUV and keeps them from touching one another. Upgraded to new rack because it has an easy release feature that allows the bikes to stay racked and allows me to lower the bikes to ground so that I can get into the back of the SUV. The new lowering feature is spring loaded and and takes weight of bikes from user. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Yakima, good rack not as easy to use | | Bike Setup: | road and mountain | | Bottom Line: | Good rack easy to use, has fexibility. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bob Neidinger
a Cross Country Rider
from St. Joseph, MO, USA
Date Reviewed: July 12, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Open Road | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | TailWind Cycling and Fitness | | Strengths: | * One person can put a tandem on the van.
* I didn't feel any wind drag, even in the flats of Kansas.
* The bikes rode well, no bounce, no shifting; I had to keep looking to see they were still there.
* Doesn't block view like other racks, I could still use my back window.
* The rack easily lowers to make it more accessable. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Tandem Rides, this is the rack for you .... | | Bike Setup: | The front wheel bar is Great! We used to put the front wheels it the van with the kids, now the wheels are on the bar; the kids loved the extra space this summer. | | Bottom Line: | We ride a recumbent tandem, recently we went on a tandem rally in Dorango, CO. We saw many roof top racks and helped a few riders get their bikes off their racks, why? Because our bike was so simple to get off the rack we had time to help. We have ridden tandems for 3 years and tried a variety of racks, but by far the Draft Master is hands down the best rack. It is so simple to use, the bikes go on and come off our van very easy. We can travel across country, stop take our bikes off, go for a ride, put them back on and continue our trip, it's that easy. Our Draft Master rack was a hit at the rally, espically with all the roof top rack oweners. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Garrett Velasquez
a Weekend Warrior
from Boulder
Date Reviewed: July 11, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Slick Rock Moab, UT | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$483.00 | | Purchased At: | Direct via 1-800 | | Strengths: | Solid construction
Does a great job of clearing the rear entryway
Great customer service | | Weaknesses: | Cost could be prohibitive (but you get what you pay for) | | Similar Products Used: | Thule | | Bike Setup: | 3 Bike rack with security bolt and 4 wheel carrier | | Bottom Line: | This rack kicks ass. It's very solid, fits perfectly behind my truck, and does a spectacular job of clearing my tailgate for easy entry. (I have a topper with a single piece tailgate and built in rear glass door... this rack clears both the door and the whole tailgate!) Stylish and functional... I love this thing. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Peter Pop
a Racer
from Malibu
Date Reviewed: July 10, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$299.00 | | Purchased At: | Draftmaster | | Strengths: | Carries up to 5 bikes. Easy access to all bikes, regardless of height of the person.Easy access to the rear of the vehicle. No wind drag. Bikes stay clean. Sturdy construction. Easy (dis)assembly. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Various bike racks, including Yakima | | Bottom Line: | Best bike rack on the market for the cyclist with more than one bike. In longdistance racing such as RAAM (Race Across America) it is indispensable for allowing rapid bike changes and easy access to all the bikes even for the shortest people. Saves gas by not increasing wind resistance.Bikes stay clean. I have raced RAAM succesfully three times and each time this rack has performed flawlessly. In addition it allows storage of 4 wheels. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a Cross Country Rider
from Colorado Springs, Colorado
Date Reviewed: June 29, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Jones Park | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$425.00 | | Purchased At: | Draftmaster.com | | Strengths: | ** Solid Construction
** Easy to mount bikes
** Awesome Customer Service
** You can take off any bike at any time, don't have to take them off in the opposite order you loaded them. As is the case with most hitch racks.
** Cool Looks...you'll turn heads. | | Weaknesses: | Heavy, Very Heavy, but that could also be a strength. | | Similar Products Used: | I researched racks for 6 months before purchasing the DRAFTMASTER, I like to buy things once! I know I made the right decision. I also have the DRAFTMASTER Truck Rack that fits in the bed of the truck. Nice when only need to carry two bikes. | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Stump...only original equipment is the seat post collar. | | Bottom Line: | If you are like me and research products before you buy, (which I gather is why you are reading this) then you don't have to waste your time looking further. You will pay a little more, but you will only pay once. The initial set-up is real easy. My order came a little late because of a back order issue, but customer service (Sheila) was outstanding! I keep brochures in my glove box because I get a lot of questions about the rack.
I have a Toyota Tundra that I mount it to, and with the rack down you can easily get in the back of the truck. I bought the four-bike rack and with that thing loaded its pretty awesome. Drove up to Vail around all the turns through the mountains and the rack holds solid.
The front tire holder is a great idea and makes for a nice storage for them while transporting.
I would suggest you buy the hitch lock right away, because the rack is threaded and you cannot use a standard pin. Plus, the lock holds the rack snug to your hitch receiver.
Also, make sure you tighten the quick release VERY TIGHT when loading the bikes. DRAFTMASTER is working on a locking quick release and I will get those as soon as they are available.
Look no further....DRAFTMASTER is GREAT 800-659-5569
Check out their website for pictures and more info.
No, I'm not a sales rep...I just love this rack!
Good luck!
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Don Frazier
a
from St. Charles
Date Reviewed: June 20, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Castlewood | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$450.00 | | Purchased At: | Draftmaster.com | | Strengths: | Ease of loading/unloading bikes
Sturdy and steady
Great customer service | | Similar Products Used: | 3 different Yakima racks | | Bike Setup: | 3 mountain bikes | | Bottom Line: | Best rack I have ever owned. Carry three bikes everywhere, rack never leaves the Jimmy. Easy to get in to the back of the SUV. Took a trip to Utah and the bikes rode great. I get better gas mileage with the rack on. My brother uses a Sportflite on his Mazda, works great. Draftmaster racks are a good investment for any biker. Haul your bikes with Sraftmaster | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
tom collopy
a Weekend Warrior
from homer,alaska,usa
Date Reviewed: June 20, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | frollopy@pclink.com | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | very secure but still easy to move out of the way of the rear doors | | Similar Products Used: | thule roofrack...the draftmaster is far superior | | Bike Setup: | 1 tandem mountainbike, 2 single mountainbikes | | Bottom Line: | i use the draftmaster hiychrack for my tandem and 2 singles. it allows me to open the rear doors on my suburban but still is very secure at highways speeds and on rough roads. it saves me carrying a ladder to use a roof rack. because it is behind the car it causes no additional noise in the vehicle | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tim Musselman
a Weekend Warrior
from Plano, TX
Date Reviewed: June 20, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | Direct Purchase | | Strengths: | Built like a tank. Being a person who has had their bike *nearly* fall of a traditional hitch-mount rack, I drive with utter confidence with this rack. The rack is very well designed, allowing quick mounting/unmounting of the bike, as well as a great pivot system that allows you to open your hatchback (if you have one), even with the bikes installed!
Multiple Bike usage is flawless. I've mounted three mountain bikes on it without a problem.
The customer service is also top-notch. They replaced the mounting tube free of charge after I inadvertantly threaded the retaining bolt in improperly, destroying the threads.
| | Weaknesses: | The only thing I would wish for is the ability to store it better, as it is large and does take up space in the garage. My model is a few years old, and it has had a facelift. Mine is heavy, but I'll look past the weight in favor of the security of my bikes anyday. | | Similar Products Used: | Rhode Gear Hitch Mount Rack | | Bottom Line: | Great design and extremely functional. Great customer service. Worth every penney. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Webb Anderson
a Cross Country Rider
from Chelsea, AL, USA
Date Reviewed: June 19, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Oak Mtn State Park, AL | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$450.00 | | Purchased At: | Direct | | Strengths: | Strong construction, fits to any vehicle with a hitch. Great attachment to the bike | | Weaknesses: | A little heavy to move as compaired to other rack systems. | | Similar Products Used: | Yak, Tule | | Bike Setup: | Easy. Just remove the front wheel. | | Bottom Line: | After doing extensive research, I kept coming back to this rack for purchase. After purchasing, what a suprise, it was even better that I thought. Easy to assemble, easy to transfer between vehicles. Also, the customer support is great! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Terry Shiels
a Racer
from Charlotte, NC USA
Date Reviewed: April 26, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$450.00 | | Purchased At: | Direct manafacturer | | Strengths: | The well thought out design and ease of use is the best feature of this product. It looks great and works great. This is a great product for triathletes.
The bikes are out of the wind so it is silent.
You still have easy access to the back of your SUV because of the pedal release that gets the bikes out of the way easily allowing access to rear hatch. Check their website for good pictures of how that works.
It is a great looking rack made of solid materials.
The front wheel mount nicely holds 4 wheels out of the way.
| | Weaknesses: | I wish the rack had an integrated fork locking device for security of bikes.
Assembly instructions left something to be desired. | | Bike Setup: | 4 triathlon bikes transport to races. | | Bottom Line: | The people at Draftmaster, "it's a mom and pop op," are cordial and easy to deal with.
I am mechanically "challenged." They actually talked me through the assembly on the phone. You don't get that kind of service from a big company.
The quality of this rack is superb.
I am completely satisfied with this rack and this company.
This was an expensive purchase, about $500.00 with accessories. It was worth it. Quality is everythin with me. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Craig Goodman
a Weekend Warrior
from Gray, Tn.
Date Reviewed: March 7, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$400.00 | | Purchased At: | Factory direct,(no dealer near me) | | Strengths: | Excellent construction, versatile, durable, fast, easy loading ans unloading, very high quality, attractive
DEFINITELY A SOLID RACK! DrafterMaster people are very easy and willing to talk too, A+. | | Weaknesses: | none found | | Bike Setup: | Giant NRS-1, Jamis Expert, both 2001 models. | | Bottom Line: | Draft Master is the Cadallac of hitch racks, Very versatile and easy. Excellent construction. The Rack is a little more expensive but why put your &1500 to $2200 bike on a cheep, rack. You get what you pay for. DEFINITELY the rack of choice. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Derek Moffett
a Racer
from Albuquerque, NM, USA
Date Reviewed: February 5, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$450.00 | | Purchased At: | Direct from Draft Master | | Strengths: | Excellent construction, engineering and precise fit. | | Similar Products Used: | Yakima roof-tops for years and an earlier version of the hitch rack-4. | | Bottom Line: | Draft Master is the Cadallac of hitch mounted racks. If you want a first rate rack that attaches to a hitch and you have a few extra bucks this is the rack for you. You definately get what you pay for.
This is my second Draft Master rack and it is 100% improved over my first one. If you are serious about the bike you are carrying, get this rack.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rick
a Cross Country Rider
from Tampa, FL
Date Reviewed: August 29, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Razorback | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | -Excellent construction
-Easy to use
-Fits all bikes
-Very sturdy | | Weaknesses: | Clearance. The four bike version holds the bikes in an alternating up-down mounting position so that their handlebars will clear each other. The lower bikes were too low for my comfort. I called draftmaster to ask them about this and they were very helpful. What I ended up doing is flipping two of the bikes upside down so that their back wheel mounts on the top of the rack. This worked great and made for plenty of clearance. | | Similar Products Used: | Top tube hanger racks, roof racks | | Bike Setup: | '00 Spec FSR Pro | | Bottom Line: | This rack is the most durable, versatile rack I have found. I had used many different racks before purchasing this one and none compare. I needed a new rack that would fit my bike (full suspension), and after shopping around I ordered this one. The rack is mainly used on my sport utility, but I ordered an adapter that steps down the receiver size so that it can be used on my car with a 1-1/4" hitch. I have not had problems with the rack swaying due to the straps provided. The rack is very impressive- I have been stopped by many people asking where to get it etc. Bottom line: if you need a rack to fit non-conventional bikes, look no further. Besides, why put your $2000 ride on a chinsy rack? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark Lindros
a Racer
from Edison, NJ
Date Reviewed: January 20, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Strong and attractive. Good company service. | | Bottom Line: | I want to make some additional comments to my previous review, now that I have had more time with the rack. Along the way I lost some of the spacer clips for the front tires, and forgot to tighten fork skewers on empty mounts, and lost the skewers. Then one day I accidentally backed up into a parked Corvette, hitting it with the rack. The rack had some slightly bent metal that bent back easily, and one of the rear tire mounts was jacked up pretty badly. The Corvette was in a little worse shape. I emailed Draftmaster about parts, and they were very responsive. In the end, the Corvette had $2,400 damage. And the rack replacement parts for the accident were only $15 to make it like new. This rack is SOLID! ATTRACTIVE! SUPPORTED! PRACTICAL! WORTH THE INVESTMENT! The Draftmaster earns another 5 flaming chiuauas! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Shawn
a Cross-Country Rider
from Atlanta, GA
Date Reviewed: November 5, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Accessibility, can hold bikes with unique frame design, ease of installation | | Weaknesses: |
Fork mounts must be tight!!!, minor sway | | Bottom Line: | The overall quality and product design are excellent. It does a very good job of keeping the frames scratch-free when carrying multiple bikes. The customer service at DraftMaster is also very good. I have two complaints: 1) the fork mounts must be secured very tightly. One time had the front end of my mountain bike come off and I drug it down the Highway for about 100 yards. 2) There is some sway, especially when the road gets rough. I believe this may have contributed to the fork coming out of the mount. I would recommend this rack to anyone with a hitch, but remember to keep lots of torque on the fork mount. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gary & Terry Magill
a Weekend Warrior
from Terre Haute, Indiana
Date Reviewed: October 2, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Fast, easy mounting. Great price. High quality. | | Weaknesses: |
Sport model won't mount on our Jeep Wrangler but the hitch rack will. | | Similar Products Used: |
Rear mounted conventional racks. | | Bike Setup: |
Short wheel base recumbents. | | Bottom Line: | My wife and I were in search of a rack to easily transport our recumbents to join in on club rides, etc. The main problem with canventional racks was that we had to remove at least one of the seats in order for them to fit. This also took quite a bit of extra time to load and unload. We considered a roof rack but with a van it's not an easy job to mount the bikes. With the Sport Rack model, I can easily mount the rack and both bikes single-handedly in less than two minutes without removing the seats! It also holds the bikes more securely and keeps them from being damaged from swaying. Also the rack is small enough to fit in any vehicle so it can be locked up while we're out riding and we don't have to worry about it being stolen while we're gone. When I called Draftmaster and ordered the rack, price wasn't a factor but the less than a hundred dollar price tag was the icing on the cake! I would highly recommend this and any of their racks. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill McKenzie
a Weekend Warrior
from FLW MO
Date Reviewed: September 29, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Middle East Desert | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Easy access! | | Weaknesses: |
Distance from vehicle, Depature Angle | | Bike Setup: |
2 Bike set-up, Trek 7000 Aluminum w/Answer Manitou Cartride Fork and other bike has a Rock Shock | | Bottom Line: | I found that I had to grind some of the fork mounting plate because it was binding on the bottom adjuster on my Manitou, and making it leak oil. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ron
a Cross-Country Rider
from Missouri
Date Reviewed: July 4, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
St.Joe State park | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Good Quality... I feel this rack has Many Good Things to be noted. The Bikes Are ACCESSABLE!! my 12 yr old loads his OWN Bike! The Truck (S-10) Can be accessed with or without bikes loaded with minimal effort. the skewers are ok. I Have the 4 bike version. Overall pleased But Like All things Used Very much I've found flaws....Minore I Mite add. The Bottom bar mount for the rear wheels had play.... This I Shimmed up end of prob. The Receiver itself needed Both Lock washers and loctite. My next incident was a STEEP Driveway. The Staggered Up and Down loading caused a rear blowout. I then Altered to a 30 degree tilt of the fork mounts. cost bout 10 dollars at a local welding shop for 4 bolts 4-- 3 inch by 1/8 by 1 inch plates and 4-- 2 1/2 inch pieces of square tubing. ALL Bikes Now ride high and I Added Approx 8 of rear ground clearance. I Have the older model without the spring assist. I've had no need for it. Of course you cant miss what you've never had.It DOES sway a Bit On Exterme rough roads or firetrails. But after reading these posts I WILL Be adding a Couple Of Sway straps! With 2 Bikes Its a Dream On rough or Paved Roads....With 3 or 4 I Feel it does Sway with the added Weight. I've shown it no mercy ant its still going. I've been out about $12 a Rear tube and a Retrue. not bad for a year of riding. Much better than my previous rack a Simple graber hanger. | | Weaknesses: |
Minor mods required LBS Was Most helpful. The Draftmaster Folks Were as well. Minor sway With a Full load. | | Similar Products Used: |
Graber cheepie-- NONE are like this. | | Bike Setup: |
Ride hardtails. Have hauled road, and Full Susp With no probs | | Bottom Line: | I've been mostly pleased. My LBS was more upset about the rear bottom out banging Than I was. Then It Was a STEEP Driveway I Went Up Onto. All Things have brought Me to a Still Functional Rack With a Positive attitude toward Draftmaster. Heck I would Have Killed Off most racks Looking at the places I've Been. This One Keeps On Going. Do get ready to show folks Your rack though. Its Definitly an attention getter. Hard to unload without Someone noticing. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark Lindros
a Racer
from Edison ,NJ
Date Reviewed: June 11, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
Solid, sharp rack. Holds four bikes. Easy to use, and easy to put together. Lock bolt to secure rack to your truck. | | Weaknesses: |
None really, but I would like it if the skewers for the fork mounts were lockable. Then I could be sure that my bike couldn't be stolen without needing to try wrapping a cable around all the bikes. It's also a little pricey. After I paid extra for the locking bolt, and the front wheel attachment, it ran me around $540. | | Similar Products Used: |
Inside fork mounts screwed onto a 2x4. | | Bike Setup: |
StumpJumper M2 Pro | | Bottom Line: | I wanted a rack that carried 4 bikes, tilted away so I could get in the back of the truck, attached using my hitch, was easy to use, and protected my bikes. This rack does it all. When it tilts away, it's very smooth and spring loaded. I was concerned that my Ford Expedition's back door would hit it, but it clears easily. I don't have to climb up on the truck (it already doesn't fit in some parking garages). It's very solid and sharp looking. My first day owning it and I've already been stopped at the cash machine to look at it. When the rack tilts, it moves along an arc like a fulcrum, it doesn't just pivot. If you go to their web site to check it out, they have a gif pic that shows what the tilt action is like. It's sweet. You can't go wrong. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve S
a Weekend Warrior
from SO. California
Date Reviewed: June 9, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Marshall Canyon | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
High Quality construction
Very easy to load bikes
Easy to put on your vehicle
Hold bikes very well & stable | | Weaknesses: |
Assembly instructions but I called them and they helped me out. | | Similar Products Used: |
All types of roof racks. | | Bike Setup: |
Cannodale Super V 900 | | Bottom Line: | This rack is the best out there. It can hold any type of bike in any type of conditions. Installing it on your vehicle takes just minutes and it is as stable as can be.This rack is more expensive than most others but worth every penny. Why would you put your $1000+ bike on a cheap rack? The instructions do need some help but after the first week of using the rack you will forget about them. All the folks at Draftmaster were always very friendly and helpfull. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark Eichenberger
a Weekend Warrior
from Richardson, Texas
Date Reviewed: May 28, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
Very usable design
Nice finish | | Weaknesses: |
Very difficult to assemble
Inadequate instructions | | Bottom Line: | This rack is especially well suited for traveling with a family that wants to get into
the back of a minivan. Unfortunately, assembling it requires filing metal and using
a hand maul and wooden drive blocks to get it together. These operations
are not mentioned in the instructions. I would like to give it 5 stars for excllence of
design and finish, but the assembly problems drop it to 3. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John Tucker
a Weekend Warrior
from Atlanta, GA
Date Reviewed: May 3, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Bull Mountain | | Duration Product Used: |
tested or demo'ed only | | Strengths: |
Quality and Design | | Weaknesses: |
Sharp edges and the pin on old model. | | Similar Products Used: |
Yakima, multiple generic top tube hangers. | | Bike Setup: |
Cannondale R800 Road Bike and F5000 MTB.
Trek Y11 | | Bottom Line: | I used this rack for three weeks in South Africa on some of the worst roads immaginable. There was no sway as with the other racks or branches trying to rip bikes off the roof. The Draftmaster is solid, secures the bikes effectively and allows you to concentrate on the road ahead not the rear-view-mirror to see if your bike is still on the back or on the roof. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Seth
a Weekend Warrior
from Flagstaff, AZ.
Date Reviewed: April 14, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Schultz Pass (Flagstaff, AZ) | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
*High quality construction
*Ease of loading/unloading bikes
*Also carries skis/snowboards (additional cost)
*Durability
*Its sharp looks make other riders envious | | Weaknesses: |
*Assembly instructions
*Could use a better hitch attachment device for more stability | | Similar Products Used: |
Yakima racks | | Bike Setup: |
3-bike carrier | | Bottom Line: | The bottom line is this is the highest quality bike rack I have seen on the market to date. It's stability compared to 'cheaper' bike racks is amazing. I purchased mine directly from the manufacturer for $299 for the 3-bike carrier. At the time I wasn't sure if the slightly extra cost compared to some of the other racks was worth it because I hadn't ever actually seen this rack in person, only on DraftMaster's web page. The minute I opened the box and saw how much more quality the materials were than the other racks I had looked at I knew I had made the right choice. I feel completely comfortable zipping down any pot-hole filled road on the way to the trails with this rack holding my full-suspension bike in place. The drop-down feature is ideal for my 4Runner and alows me to fully drop down my tail gate and have access to the rear of my truck. The only problems I had with the rack were that when I bought it over a year ago the assembly directions that came with it were somewhat vauge, but a call to the manufacturer was quickly and happily answered, and the tech I spoke with helped me through my problem and let me know if I ever had a future problem they'd be happy to help. I believe the assembly instructions may have been updated by now because the tech said that they were working on a new version when I spoke to him. Another small problem was that when I inserted the rack into my hitch there was a small amount of 'leeway' that led to a bit of rack movement, but I simply installed some thin washers between the rack and the hitch where the bolts fasten and now the rack is completely secured. If you're looking for a hitch rack, this is the one to buy! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike the Strike
a weekend warrior
from Phoenix, AZ
Date Reviewed: January 29, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
Needing to transport full-suspension aluminum frame bikes, I switched from a Yakima Treadhead to the Draftmaster. I bought the Draftmaster three-bike rack direct from the factory as it wasn't stocked in my area - $225 plus shipping - a good deal. The fit and finish are good and it works as advertised. A couple of minor niggles. There isn't quite enough clearance with the swing-door of my 98 Trooper to open it completely, but I can open it enough for access. This was not unexpected - it's a big ugly door! The rack is also a bit snug up behind the spare tire - another 1/4 to 1/2 inch would have been nice. I was also unable to asemble it as received as the factory had included three 2-1/2 inch bolts instead of 2-3/4 inch - a trip to my local hardware store and $3 extra were needed. Also one of the three skewers provided was defective, but they are cheerfully sending me a replacement.Five chillies for the rack and design - downgrading them one for carelessness with the bolts. It's still a great deal and works well. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a cross-country rider
from Utah
Date Reviewed: November 28, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I purchased the 5-bike Draftmaster hitch rack in April 1998. I've been very pleased with its performance. The design and construction are excellent. With bikes loaded I have easy access in the back of my SUV and the fork mounts secure the bikes very well. With the 5-bike unit the rack accommodates 4 front wheels. So when carrying 5 bikes the fifth's front wheel must be carried elsewhere, e.g., in the vehicle. Also the 5-bike unit comes with stabilizing straps that hook to the carrier and under the vehicle to ensure stability. The straps are convenient and easy to use, but it's an extra step in setting up the carrier.I'd highly recommend Draftmaster carriers. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Van G.
a cross-country rider
from St. Louis
Date Reviewed: August 28, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I purchased a four-bike Draftmaster a few months ago to replace my Yakima Supreme Getway plus two and could not be happier. The Yakima does not accomodate full suspension bikes nor is it recommended for carbon frame road bikes. The Draftmaster works perfectly with both. The draftmaster also is quicker to load and unload. Among the advantages of the Draftmaster over the Yakima, the Draftmaster folds down far enough to fully open the back gate of my ute. While the Yakima does fold down, it does not fold down far enough to fully open the back gate. This presented an aggravating problem.The only problem I have had with the Draftmaster is that it moved a bit within the hitch when it was first installed. This problem easily was remedied by putting small shims in the space between the post and the hitch.Overall, I think the Draftmaster is by far the best bike rack on the market and would recommend it highly. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brad Trent
a cross-country rider
from NYC, LA & NW Connecticut
Date Reviewed: July 13, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Let me tell y'all a little story...I just put my DraftMaster® Rack together this weekend, and I went for a ride. At the parking lot at the trail the rack was the center of attention. I had 4 different guys pump me for info on this thing. Everyone was REALLY impressed with how this thing is put together! Compared to every other rack (both roof racks and hitch racks) this thing is SO much better in construction & design that it leaves the others in the dust! I then went to my LBS to pick up something I ordered, and I ran into a guy in the parking lot who had just picked up his Rhode Gear receiver rack...You should have his face! I'm sure all he wanted to do was turn around and return the damn thing! He immediately noticed the much better materials used in my rack, and the fact that my rack swings out of the way of the liftgate of my Grand Cherokee (something his rack doesn't do unless you buy the more expensive version). Next, the owner of my LBS checks the thing out and INSTANTLY decides to carry the rack!End of story...this is the best damn rack made!BT (e-mail me if you want a more personal rant) | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a weekend warrior
from South Carolina
Date Reviewed: January 26, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Draftmaster hitch rack is a great alternative to a roof rack. It costs less, is easier to install and remove
rack, easier to install and remove bikes, holds up to 5 bikes (mine holds 3), and just plain looks cool too!
I've had mine for @ 6 months, and I've had no problems at all. I've got a Yakama roof rack on my car,
but didn't wanna invest the $$$ for my wifes Jeep Cherokee. Plus I didn't wanna have to carry a step
ladder around to get the bikes on and off the roof.
I previously had another hitch rack that secured the bikes across the top tube, but when I got my
Specialized AIM comp. (also 5 chilis!!!) I knew I needed a new rack. Saw the Ad for the Draftmaster
and my problems were solved. the price is $299 for the 3 bike version which also holds skis! and $100
more for each additional bike. Not bad compaired to my Yak!!! anyway, love it! check out their page
www.draftmaster.com
| | Overall Rating: |
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