Submitted by
TCW
a Cross Country Rider
from Sooner Country, OK Date Reviewed: July 3, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Womble's pretty good
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Looks great and performs well. Adjust quickly and can be used as a load stabalizer for other items (intended use modified for bikes - see Save-A-Load website)
Weaknesses:
Pump may fail after a few years of heavy use.
Similar Products Used:
Hitch rack, roof rack, nothing else used like this bar.
Bike Setup:
Full-sus X-country/all mountain-ish
Bottom Line:
I really like this product and it worked great for two years. After a long trip I noticed the hydraulic pump was beginning to fail. I sent an email to th manufacturer, saveaload, who promptly called me that same day. They sent a new pump to replace the old one, free of charge. The replacement arrived 2 days later and was simple to install. I have since used the rack many times over. The rack is about 4 years old and still going strong. I highly recommend this product, a lock is available, btw.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joel S.
a Cross Country Rider
from Dallas, Texas Date Reviewed: September 25, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
Richardson Bike Mart
Strengths:
Easy to use, secure, light weight. Seems pretty secure after purchasing lock kit.
Weaknesses:
Hydrolic pump seems to lose pressure when temperature slightly drops. I'll sometimes go to my truck in the morning after a slightly cold night, and the rack would have completely fallen. Not sure if this is common or if I need to replace (and by the way....mine has a lifetime warrantly...not sure why other reviews says no warranty)
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
07 Specialized Stumpjumper with discs
Bottom Line:
Overall I think a good product as long as you dont plan to leave bikes overnight in the back of your truck. Hydrolic pump losing pressure could just be a fluke remedied by getting a new rack via warranty....I was extremely close to returning the rack and getting a different kind....but thought I would stick it out a little longer to see how it works out for me.
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Submitted by
Jamie
a Cross Country Rider
from Columbia, SC, USA Date Reviewed: January 20, 2006
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$145.00
Strengths:
Tight fit/aluminum makes for no rusty/can place below the bed rails.
Weaknesses:
No locking mechanism makes it easy to swip. After time, water links in and gets into the hydraulic in which makes the rack useless. Not made by Saris, only sold by them/NO warrenty. Actual manufactures are almost near impossible to get a hold of and they are no help at all.
Similar Products Used:
After paying 145$ for a rack I thought would last a longtime, but didn't. I paid 59$ for a XPORT rack that is made of steal and is actually easier to take out and put back in easier than the Kool rack. It also has a locking mechanism that uses a key to unlock, so no worries about it being stolen. It is so easy to use, that I take it in and out when I bring by bike in, so rusting is limited.
Bottom Line:
Overall, this product did not live up to my expectations. Started out awesome, but went to crap after a few years. For the money, thought it would last longer. Should make better seals for it, so water does not get in.
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Submitted by
Rich
a
from Frederick, MD Date Reviewed: July 1, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$145.00
Purchased At:
AirBomb.com
Strengths:
Very quick setup and removal. Versatile, adjusts to about any size you need and can be mounted just about anywhere in the bed. Also good for securing cargo.
Weaknesses:
Does not come with a locking mechanism for the rack and the lock kit (sold separately) is fairly expensive for what you you get.
Similar Products Used:
None.
Bottom Line:
This is a great product for anyone who has a truck. The hydraulic pump makes this rack highly adjustable and very secure. The high friction foot pads hold fast to both sheet metal and bedliner surfaces. To protect your vehicle, the pump also has a pressure sensitive valve. One really nice feature is that you can stagger the fork mounts to keep the handle bars from interfering with each other when hauling multiple bikes. Overall, this a excellent product.
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Submitted by
Stan
a Cross Country Rider
from New York Date Reviewed: July 26, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Rocks
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Cycletech
Strengths:
Convenient, Great Fit for the truck bed, quick to set up and take down, easy storage, bikes fit great.
Weaknesses:
no locking mechanisms
Similar Products Used:
Rhode Gear
Bike Setup:
Adjust to box size and pump to tighten. Then Front wheel of bike is removed and goes in skewers.
Bottom Line:
This kool rack works excellent, is can adjust to fit any size pickup bed and even the inside of a van. The quality is very top notch. I highly recommend the product.
$
Overall Rating:
