Mighty Joe represents the top-of-the-line in Yakima's Joe Collection, offering the best fit and quality of any trunk-mounted bike rack on the market. The Mighty Joe provides a super solid ride for bikes with Yakima's integrated two piece Stable Cradle. Equally important is Mighty Joe's superior fit to your car along with a complete fit guide in the package. Mighty Joe also protects your car and bikes from scratches with its padded spring loaded metal buckles. Hands down, MightyJoe is the champion of stability in trunk mounted bike racks.
Submitted by
Scott
a Weekend Warrior
from Calera, AL, USA Date Reviewed: May 5, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$105.00
Purchased At:
Cahaba Cycles
Strengths:
Easy on and easy off, fits trunks OK on vehicles listed as 'no fit' in the documentation in my case, otherwise fits nice and snug on other vehicles. Keep the mounting straps tight and tighten again after loading bikes.
Weaknesses:
I've got the Super Joe 3, but it's only a two bike rack unless you want to cram a third bike on and mess your bikes up! Clearance is just too close for 3 bikes.
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Fishers and Specialized
Bottom Line:
OK trunk rack for weekend use for two bikes and if you don't have to get on the freeway. I take the backroad to our trail with two bikes loaded and feel pretty safe, but not safe enough to do over 50mph. OK rack for two bikes with this Super Joe 3.
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Submitted by
gary
a Cross Country Rider
from long beach, ca, usa Date Reviewed: November 18, 2006
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
125 Jax
Strengths:
Easy to get on and off. Hold 2 bikes securely as long as rubber frame loops are stretched tight.
Weaknesses:
No problems for me.
Similar Products Used:
Thule
Bike Setup:
Trek pilot 5.2 spa
Bottom Line:
I can mount the rack and bike in less than 3 minutes on our Prius. Have used it several dozen times with one or 2 bikes. Even at speeds over 70mph the bikes remain stable. The first time I used it one of the straps came loose but that was because I didn't have it tight enough. I don't use any other tie downs other than the 3 provided for each bike.
Obviously there is a desigh problem with the hub but I haven't seen it.
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Submitted by
Scott
a Weekend Warrior
from Bay Area, CA Date Reviewed: December 10, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Skeggs, Waterdog
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$115.00
Purchased At:
REI
Bike Setup:
2005 Fisher Ziggurat
Bottom Line:
Yea, the Mighty Joe 2 & 3 are being recalled because of a potential problem with the hubs.
http://www.yakima.com/recall/
For the price, it's a great rack. I've used it many times and never had a problem, even at 50 mph on curvy highway 35, out to skeggs. Great for local rides, just make sure it's positioned correctly and ALWAYS tighten the straps AFTER you put the bike on the rack. If you get lazy after a big ride, you bike will end up as road kill.
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Submitted by
James Yun
a Weekend Warrior
from Bay Area, CA Date Reviewed: October 24, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Skeggs
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Bottom Line:
Guys, this rack is in the process of being recalled. I don't know the specifics yet, but contact Yakima on instructions for sending it back either for a refund or another product. The Mighty Joe's are being pulled from store shelves, and its even gone from their Web site.
I own 2 of these racks and only had 1 problem, and that was the swingarm collapsing causing some damage to my car.
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Submitted by
eduardo
a Weekend Warrior
from atlanta, ga Date Reviewed: October 4, 2005
Favorite Trail:
401a CBMR
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At:
rei
Strengths:
easy on, easier off
Weaknesses:
easier off
Similar Products Used:
yakima roof rack (mighty mounts and q towers)
Bike Setup:
Kestrel Talon
Bottom Line:
This would be a great rack for my grandmother. She doesn't drive and cannot ride a bike. For the rest of us, this rack is good for driving around town and drying clothes and advertising a crappy rack from Yakima.
I would have lost my Kestrel on an exit ramp if I had not spent the time to secure my bike with a cable lock and extra bungies. Throughout this trip I was constantly tightening down the straps. I think I would have nuked the Yakima plant if I ditched my bike on that ramp since this incident happened on my way to an ironman race. I can only count my blessing cause it could have been a couple months training and a few grand down the tube.
If you value your ride... spend some flow on a sturdy roof rack. Looks like this was a $120 lesson for me. I would feel bad about placing this on ebay as anything other than crap.
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Submitted by
steve
a Cross Country Rider
from salt lake city, utah, usa Date Reviewed: September 23, 2005
Favorite Trail:
any
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
guthries (2100 south)
Strengths:
unknown
Weaknesses:
limited FS bike compatibility
Bike Setup:
klein attitude...rm slayer70...kikapu deluxe
Bottom Line:
I'm glad I bought this at Guthries since they're the best and I know they'll accept it's return tomorrow. I should have read up on this thing here before I bought it.....anyway, I'm scared as heck to trust my beloved bikes on this, much less the paint on my car. Bottom line is I can't put my Rocky Mountain on this rack since the rear shock sits under the top tube. Those with RM Elements and Slayers will have this problem. My wifes Kikapu looks like it ought to fit because the shock is down low on the seat tube. GF Cakes might fit but I'd bet most of their other FS bikes won't since you need a clean angle where the seat tube and top tube meet. BOTTOM LINE: If you want to risk your bike and your car, at least take your bike with you to the shop and see if it fits this rack before you buy it and deal with the hassle of setting it up only to find that you gotta break it down and return it!!
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Submitted by
April Kennedy
a Weekend Warrior
from Richmond, VA, USA Date Reviewed: August 15, 2005
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$80.00
Strengths:
None!
Weaknesses:
Everything!
Bottom Line:
The product broke while driving down the highway, sending my bike flying across the road. In the warranty they state that they are not responsible for any damage to products being used with the bike rack. What good is a bike rack if it breaks and ruins your bike?????? No one, not even the occasional biker should buy this rack. It is not reliable, even the shop where we bought the bike and rack looked at it and said that it had been secured properly. The piece that attaches the bike to the carrier was still firmly attached to the bike when the bike was recovered. Unless you want to risk causing a major accident, and losing you bike, don't use this product!
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Submitted by
Matt
a Weekend Warrior
from Madison, WI Date Reviewed: April 26, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Any down hill run at Devils Head
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Hand-me-down from brother-in-law
Strengths:
Good solid hold on the trunk and on the bike. Easy on, easy off at the trail head.
Weaknesses:
The cradles have no padding and they do tend to rub through the bike paint after a while. I added my own padding with fair results.
Similar Products Used:
WalMart Special
Bottom Line:
Bike appearance is not that critical to me, so I tolerate the burned paint. Same with the trunk lid. Inevitably, the trunk will get scratched. I find this rack to be quite solid and I have never had a problem with the rubber straps. If they are stretched over the frame (not just loopes over loosely) and the hole in the strap is fully seated over the horns on the cradle, then it will stay there until you remove it. There is a bit of wobble in the load arms, but I guess they are designed to fold down, so they have to be a bit loose. I prefer to have mine snug, so against recommendation of the manufacturer, I tighten up the screws around the pivots to get a much stabler rack. I never fold the arms down anyhow.
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Submitted by
Scott M
a Weekend Warrior
from Evergreen, CO, USA Date Reviewed: April 18, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Porcupine Rim
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$125.00
Purchased At:
REI
Strengths:
It looks sturdy.
Weaknesses:
Ejected a Specialized softail on I-70.
Similar Products Used:
Cheap, hand-me-down, trunk racks with bungee straps that never gave me a problem.
Bike Setup:
Don't have it anymore.
Bottom Line:
I had only one experience with this rack...HORROR.
Brand new, properly installed (would you take any chances with your bike?). Three bikes were on this thing, a K2 on the inside, my Specialized hardtail middle, and my wife's three-month-old '04 Stumpjumper softail on the outside. It only took 3.5 hours before the Stumpjumper flew off on I-70 in Utah. The rubber saddles slid toward the outside, and the bike was pushed off the arms! One of the rubber straps holding the middle bike was off. I resecured the remaining bikes and when we reached our destination, the same strap was off, and the saddles had moved towards the outside again!
What did Yakima say? No defects...you are OUT-OF-LUCK. Read some of the other reviews...same experience. In addition, the REI rep said, "Yeah, we've had problems with this rack before."
By the way, by the time we had gotten back to where it came off, it was GONE!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
kam
a Weekend Warrior
from Spokane, Wa Date Reviewed: September 30, 2004
Favorite Trail:
the bluff
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$125.00
Purchased At:
North Division Bike Shop
Strengths:
secure when properly put on back of car, fits a 75' VW Super Beetle (they won't tell you that) good price, death grip on you precious ride!
Weaknesses:
cumbersome setup, even more cumbersome installation (get a friend to help, makes it so much easier, but it is possible alone)
Similar Products Used:
UH?
Bike Setup:
Giant hardtail
Bottom Line:
it actually fits an old beetle, buy this rack if you have one, one needs to be careful about mounting the rack or straps will slide down beetle's deck lid. and the installation easily takes more than 3 minutes but once you get the hang of it its fine, and fit is secure, the rack holds the bike with a death grip!
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Submitted by
Brett
a Weekend Warrior
from Brightwaters, NY USA Date Reviewed: August 22, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Cathedral Pines
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$70.00
Purchased At:
Glacier Bay Sports
Strengths:
Price, I got it whole sale from a buddy that runs a Kayak shop.
Weaknesses:
Everything else
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
GF Tasajara
Bottom Line:
I had two incidences with this rack. Carrying 1 bike (my GF) one of the sides gave way and my bike was waving in the breeze with one side and the wheel strap the only thing keeping the bike from certain disaster (on a major highway). Second time lost a Kona Lana'i as it was the second bike on the rack. The bike just popped straight up and off also on a major highway where it was mercilously destroyed by a Lincoln Navigator. Only use this product if you really don't want your bike anymore. (Watermark the company that owns Yakima is not very helpful. You need to send the rack to the for them to consider a claim.)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brian
a Weekend Warrior
from Redford, Michigan Date Reviewed: February 3, 2004
Favorite Trail:
stoney creek
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$130.00
Purchased At:
REI
Strengths:
sturdy rack, I normally put one bike on it, but just in case 2 other people ride with me I've got the spots
Weaknesses:
I have an escort, and with more then one bike, the rack tends to "sag" pretty low, whereas on my buddies escape it works great because the rack is already at a higer angle...maybe I'm just perinoid
Bike Setup:
GF tassajara
Bottom Line:
Nice rack, I feel safe with my bike on the back (was late to the trailhead and found that the bike didn't move much at all at 80mph, not that I recomend seeing how fast you can go) Good cheaper alternative to a roof rack
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Submitted by
Michael
a Cross Country Rider
from Encino ,California Date Reviewed: October 18, 2003
Favorite Trail:
T2/ reseda
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At:
Cycle World
Strengths:
Very simple to put on, holds 3 bikes, no hitch needed, does its job with no problems.
Great bike rack. Very inexpensive, and incredibly easy to use. VEry easy to put on the car and very easy to put the bike on the rack. Fits3 of our 5 cars, midsize sedans. With a top tube just about anybike can fit on it. I recommend this bike to all those who ride!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott Hallock
a Cross Country Rider
from Irvine Date Reviewed: October 2, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Aliso Woods
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
Super Go
Strengths:
Beefy frame,straps and clamps. Nice big spongy pads.
Weaknesses:
Not enough special rubber bands for 3 bikes.
Similar Products Used:
First rack. I went TOL.
Bike Setup:
Ironhorse Hollowpoint Team
Bottom Line:
You must use the seatpost clamp ('L' shaped bracket) with 3 bands.One around the post tube, the other 2 over top tube. (or what ever that tube is called that whacks my balls on the down hill bump-de-doodles). I degress, use 5 rubber band tie downs for each bike and you are good to go 80+ mph. I've never gone over 80 mph so give me an e-mail if it works.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris Gould
a Cross Country Rider
from Winnipeg Date Reviewed: August 26, 2003
Favorite Trail:
La Barriere Park
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$55.00
Purchased At:
E-bay
Strengths:
Great rack in genral easy to install and set up or take down .This rack is great for any one who owns a honda civic or any small hatchback or trunk mount car.Easy to put bikes on and off ,great at high speed's even on highways no shaking or vibrations.All in all a great rack
Weaknesses:
Well if there was one would be the rubber straps ,but can easily fixed with a cheap velcro strap or old toeclip strap for extra support
Bike Setup:
97 KONA KOA,Manitou black elite,Dore XT
Bottom Line:
It's a great rack don't listen to those poeple who say it flew off there car and killed there bike or scrached the paint.I have not had any of these things happen to me and i ride daily. I guess they don't know how to install it properly or just don't take the time to make sure that it is all tight and ready to go. Just make sure you have the extra starps and nothing will go wrong if you install it right.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Anthony
a Weekend Warrior
from Orange County Date Reviewed: June 28, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Modleska Canyon
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$110.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Easy to starp the bike in
Weaknesses:
Scratches the paint on my car and the straps always come off
Similar Products Used:
Hollywood rack I got at a garage sale for $ 5 is 5 x better than this piece of S**T
Bike Setup:
GT I drive team bike w/ Marzocci Z1s and Bontrager race lite rims, all XTR
Bottom Line:
Do not buy this rack !!! Whoever designed this obviously did not think about how the trunk strap hooks would fit in between then the trunk and fender without chipping all the paint off of the car !! It has chipped the paint off my car about 2" X 1/2 " .
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Spencer
a Weekend Warrior
from Sunnyvale, CA Date Reviewed: June 9, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Price Paid:
$125.00
Purchased At:
Chain Reaction
Strengths:
Light. Solid mounting.
Weaknesses:
Very awkward to mount on some cars. Does not fit some bikes
Bottom Line:
Bought this rack and tried it out, and had to return it. It could not be set up to fit one of our two cars, even according to Yakima (a '97 Honda Odyssey, not exactly rare). The support tubes were 1/2" too far apart to fit one of our bikes (a Lemonde Alpe d'Huez, not exactly rare). And mounting it on our other car required holding the hatchback partway open to attach the clips; when the hatch accidentally slammed shut, my wife was seriously and very painfully pinched.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve
a Weekend Warrior
from Eugene, OR Date Reviewed: June 8, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$85.00
Strengths:
Easy to use and durable Support straps make setup easy
Weaknesses:
Rack does not accomodate GT's triangle on the seat post very well
Bike Setup:
GT Avalanche 1.0
Bottom Line:
Great rack for the money. Very easy to use and very stable. Mounts can be moved to keep bikes farther apart if only accomodating two bikes. Highway speeds of 70mph were not a problem and bikes remained secure and did not even shift. The strap setup is easy and the bars are sturdy so you don't have to worry about losing your bike. Great bike for the money. This is the first bike rack I have owned and it was very easy to use. I put the rack on without using the measurements and just going by looks and it works perfectly. The rack seemed to work best with only 2 bikes. I tried getting a 3rd bike on but it was difficult to keep the other bikes pedals out of the spokes and make the handlebars fit. The stabilizer bar that runs along the seatpost is great for keeping the bike away from the cars bumper and at an angle.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
JQ
a Weekend Warrior
from Folsom Date Reviewed: February 2, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Brown's Ravine
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$130.00
Purchased At:
REI
Strengths:
None.
Weaknesses:
This is a completely weak product. The arms that hold the bike are not stable and the unit seems not to have a solid base. I would not EVER put more than one bike on this.
Similar Products Used:
Thule Roof Racks
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz SL
Bottom Line:
This rack was recommended OVER a roof rack I was about to buy from an REI employee. Listening to this person was a huge mistake. This rack CANNOT carry two bikes in any safe mode and trying to get a Full Suspension bike on is a pain in the rear. Today, I damaged a nice wheel as part of my bike sliped off while driving. Tomorrow, I am talking to REI management and getting a roof rack. If you value your bike, NEVER buy this rack...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bill
a Weekend Warrior
from Holmdel, NJ, USA Date Reviewed: September 30, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Hartshorne
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$125.00
Purchased At:
Peddler in Long Branch, NJ
Strengths:
Sturdy; Big Pads; Easy to get bike on/off; Handled 3 bikes easily at speeds in excess of 75 MPH
Weaknesses:
Small scratches in paint result in rusting
Similar Products Used:
None
Bottom Line:
I use this rack on my 1995 Nissan Maxima that has a spoiler. I use it mainly for one bike and I travel with it on highways, sometimes in excess of 75 MPH. The big 'test' involved a 4+ hour drive (each way) to Vermont with friends: we put 3 Cannondale F600s on the bike rack and drove at various speeds (80 MPH for long stretches). The rack had no problems with stability. A friend bought the same rack (for his Escort station wagon) and has had no problems as well. Whenever I drive with the bike on the rack, I literally never think about it -- I have this strong feeling that I have a good product. It has very thick rubber pads and strong rubber straps that support this perception. I asked my bike retailer about whether I should get the Yakima or the Thule and he said that he's not going to order any more Thules because of customer complaints (I don't know the issues of their complaints and I don't know the models they're talking about so ... take this with a grain of salt ;) ). Another important aspect: I can add/remove my bike to the rack in less than 30 seconds -- this is VERY important to me.
With my car, one of the 3 bikes had its tire in the vicinity of the exhaust pipe -- we felt the tire and it wasn't hot but it was warm. My friend just made sure to adjust the bars of the rack to tilt them up more -- we did this and the 'problem' was resolved (I had experienced this problem when carrying my bike solo but I just switched the bike around on the rack).
One annoying thing is that I've slightly scraped the paint of the rack in various places (while taking the bike on and off) and those parts have some rust. My friend's rack has the same thing.
Note: You MUSTread and follow the directions EXACTLY. While I was at my bike shop getting something fixed, a customer came in with a broken bike rim. He had just bought the Yakima Mighty Jo' rack and his bike fell off. Although I hadn't experienced anything like that, I wondered if I had bought something that wasn't good. After a mechanic/salesperson helped him, I asked the mechanic/salesperson what was the cause and he told me that the rack was put on completely incorrectly -- the distance between the 2 bars was completely wrong. I went very slowly with the directions to make sure that I had things correct.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Peter
a Weekend Warrior
from Newhall Date Reviewed: September 8, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
REI
Strengths:
Fits cars with spoilers.
Weaknesses:
Rubber straps do not hold bike in place at any speed over 50 MPH.
Similar Products Used:
Hollywood cheap-o bike trunk mount bike rack.
Bike Setup:
Releigh M80
Bottom Line:
This Yakima Mighty Joe is responsible for loosing my bike on the highway today. Today was the third time I used this product. The two prior times I used this product, I noticed my bike swung around a bit at speeds apporaching 50 MPH. Today, I was on the highway and wen about 55 to 60 MPH. When I looked in my rear view mirror, my bike was gone. I turned back around and could not find the bike. Thanks to this bike rack, someone who drove on the same road after me now has a new mountain bike. I followed the Yakima owner's manual exactly, but this product failed to keep my bike safe. I will ask Yakima to compensate my bike, but doubt they will. Do not buy this product if you plan to drive over 40 MPH and still plan to find your bike attached. Althugh the hardware is excellent quality and fits my car better than any other rack i have used, especially considering I have a spoiler on my car, the fact that this rack cannot secure the bike at highway speeds is its only, and biggest, shortcoming. Do not buy!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
blake
a Weekend Warrior
from Nashville, TN Date Reviewed: September 6, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Lock 4
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$125.00
Purchased At:
REI
Strengths:
Ease of assembly and all the extra padding protect the car well. Significantly lower cost over a bike rack. Extra padding is worth it. Even the buckles are covered in plastic.
Weaknesses:
Not designed for high way speeds. Bike tends to move around a lot at 50+ mph. Make sure you tie the bike down. The rubber straps have a tendency to come undone when you hit high speeds. I also wouldn't recommend putting 3 bikes on it.
Similar Products Used:
Yakima MoJoe
Bike Setup:
Mongoose Iboc Pro, XT and LX comps, Rock Shox front susp. (the frame is old (10 yrs) but its gotten better with age
Bottom Line:
This is the best trunk rack out there. If you dont want to invest a lot of money on a roof rack then go with this rack. For $125 it will get your bike anywhere. Plus Yak's customer service and warranty service is great. If something goes wrong with it, bring it to any dealer and they will replace it no questions asked!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Moe
a Weekend Warrior
from Weston, FL, U.S.A Date Reviewed: September 16, 2001
Favorite Trail:
markham park
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$85.00
Purchased At:
cycle world
Strengths:
Fits any car comfortably. bike sits nicely and does'nt move much during acceleration or braking.
Weaknesses:
I drive an Acura tl. I seriously doubt that I'll ever be able to fit 3 bikes on that rack. 2 bikes is pushing it. Rack was a little difficult to set up by myself out of the box.
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
Trek fuel 90 2002-stock
Bottom Line:
Great rack to carry 3 bikes if you got the proper vehicle. If you can get a little help from a friend adjusting it to fit, it's no problem. The bottom line is that its a Yakima, you get everything you pay for. but for $80, it's definetly a steal. No complaints so far. Geat for short to medium range trips.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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