When I had a bike (recumbent) I really liked my 1UpUSA rack. Not cheap but built like a tank!

 

I have a Swagman XTC2 which works well. A threaded locking pin means it won't rattle around in the hitch receiver. I added some trailer lights for extra warning to other drivers.

 

I like the trailer lights. I used reflective tape but will upgrade to this. Thanks for the idea.

 

I haven’t used the 1up racks personally, but they look to be well made... I’d like to get one but it’s hard to justify replacing what I have.

Have the Kuat NV 2.0, it’s a great rack. A bit heavy, but it’s all steel. Nicely made.

 

recommend the Kuat NV as well. I have the NV Base. Heavy, solid, does not move. works well with Big 29er Enduro bikes, great warranty/customer service too. 1 UP is cool too. Aluminum. Made in USA[/QUOTE]

 

1UP USA is always mentioned and liked on the bike forums I visit. Good luck getting one though, they have weeks of shipment delays.

 

Yep 1up here as well, love it. Can get single, double, extensions, fat bike kit. Doesn't touch frame and doesn't rust.

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Kuat owner here. Exceptionally well-built rack. Buy once , cry once but they will be tears of happiness.

I use the NV 2.0.

 

I ordered a bike rack from etrailer this summer and it’s still back ordered
RKY10004 RickyMounts Monorail 2
Let us know what you get.

 

I ordered a bike rack from etrailer this summer and it’s still back ordered
RKY10004 RickyMounts Monorail 2

I'm on my second one of these. First one was totaled by a 19-year old kid not paying attention. I liked it so much I bought the exact same one. I had issues with inventory as well, but was able to purchase directly from Rocky Mounts a couple months ago. The 2" version can be upgraded to carry a third bike, if needed.

 

Another vote for the Kuat NV. I have the Base. The only difference between the Base and the 2.0 is the finish and the 2.0 has a repair stand built in. Both can accommodate add-ons to make them a 3 bike or 4 bike rack. Super solid construction, very easy to install with its hand tightener on the back of the stinger.

Things that would be must haves:

1. Pressure mechanism to tighten the rack into the receiver. These are much easier and work better than a threaded bolt.
2. No frame contact design. All those suggested here are like that.
3. Tilt down to allow access to the tailgate.
4. Integrated locks. Keeps honest people honest. The Kuat's come with them. Most brands require a separate purchase.
5. Adjustability of each bike position. Most of the racks here probably do this. On the Kuat you can adjust the front wheel scoop up or down to change the position of handlebars. This means you should be able to achieve a configuration where no handlebars touch another bike.

EDIT Be sure you get a 2" receiver. Most likely that is what you will get, but I do believe there are some 1.25" receivers for the Outback available. The 2" will give you the most options.

 

I ordered the Kuat Sherpa 2.0 from REI, it's supposed to come in this week. I did a lot of comparing and analyzing about which rack to get from a few different companies (probably too much...). The Sherpa model is less expensive than the NV and, more importantly to us, it's lighter (32 lbs vs. 52 lbs), as we will most likely be taking it on and off our Outback rather than leave it on all the time (and we're old and not as strong as we used to be...). The max weight per bike for the Sherpa is 40 lbs vs. 60 lbs for the NV, but our bikes are less than 40 anyway.

 

Be aware that some racks don’t hold step through bikes well and may require an additional bracket to load them which is an absolute pain. mine is similar to the Swagman pictured in another post. Mines a cheap Canadian tire rack. It flops quite a bit!

 

Right, good point! And I have a step through bike! The two Kuats discussed above are both "platform rack" (at least, I think that is what they are called). The bikes go on top of them. The front wheels are held down by a ratcheting arm with a hook-shaped end. The rear wheels are held down by secured straps.

 

I have been very happy with this one. Plus you have the option to ad an extension so you can carry up to 4 bikes.

Thule T2 Pro XTR 2

Thule T2 Pro XTR 2 - The heavy-duty, award-winning Thule T2 Pro is now even easier to install, remove and store thanks to the integrated wheels.

www.thule.com

 

I have one of those Thule T2 Pro racks with the integral cable locking system. It's a great rack.

My two gripes are:
It weighs 52 pounds so it's a bit of a grunt getting it on and off the car. You don't want to lug it very far. I store mine right next to the overhead garage door so I only have to move it 10 feet.

The backup camera is completely obscured when it's folded up. I'm now so used to using the camera when I back up the car that I tend to take the rack off the car when I'm not using it (see gripe #1). If it's on the car for an extended period, I'll often drive with it extended down so I can use the backup camera.

 

Love my 1up! They are low profile and light weight. For the single bike the rack weight under 25lbs. You can also add up to 3 bikes. If you buy the model with 2 bike rack you can add an additional 2 making it 4 bikes. Every part can be replaced.

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Did a ton of research this past summer and bit the bullet on the 1UP.

 

Kuat Transfer 2 here. Works great after we added a Stowaway hitch stiffener (plate and u-bolt). Without it the hitch just seemed too loose and swayed more than I liked. Now it's solid. Very happy with it.

 

I like my Saris Superclamp bike rack. It comes in a 2 or 4 bike option. It is tray style, (optional fatbike trays), and has a built in cable lock. I would only recommend tray style bike racks. This is especially true if you have carbon bikes or bikes you don't want the paint chipped. I find bikes often get more damage being improperly transported than by riding.

 

Keep in mind when installing the rack that it will block some of your rear electronics, if so installed, ie, RAB. That's just a heads up that many may not consider. With that said, it's not about the brand but what type and size bikes are you hauling. For traditional triangular frames, a hanging style where the arms rotate up and your top tube sits atop the arms are less bulky and when you don't have bikes mounted, their low profile doesn't hinder rear view of the camera. If you carry different style frames typical with mountain bikes, I found hanging types to be a pain since the arms may not be adjustable to fit the frame. I sold my Thule Apex (maybe Camber, maybe another model, but it was a typical hanging style) and went with a Yakima Dr. Tray, a tray mounted rack. I did this because modern mountain bikes have such varied frame geometry that trying to get them to hang so they all lined up really sucked. Even with just one bike, manipulating the frame to hang just right onto the arms was always a PITA. My son has a Kuat tray and after seeing his, I'm ready to sell my Yakima in favor of this lower profile, less bulky, and really fantastic tray mounted rack. Both the Dr. Tray and his Kuat (I think it's an NV, but can't recall). Bottom line, make sure to consider the following:

• what type and style frames are you hauling. Hanging styles carry the bike by the top tube; tray style carry the bike by the tires and have a security bar for the tires.
• if you need to get into the trunk or hatch, make sure your rack pivots. Most of the better brands have this feature but watch for cheaper brands that may not.
• if using a tray style, make sure it fits your tire size. Not all trays fit tires over 2.75" so make sure to consider if you ride a fat tire (3" or better).
• weight considerations and limitations.
• try it before you buy it or talk to some local bike groups, maybe at their weekly ride, take a look at what they got. For me, I found some chatter that the older Yakima's front wheel tray would tilt too far forward, resulting in the bike slipping off the tray (but, not falling off the rack). These older racks were still on the market though sold as a discontinued product. Yakima fixed this design flaw, but still...
• where will you store the rack when not in use.
• how does the rack block your visibility when not in use and how does it affect today's high tech safety gadgets.
• can it expand? Some racks are built for two but offer an attachment to add one or two more bikes.
• can it lock and what locking mechanism is used to secure it to the hitch itself. A rack should have more than one security measure to make sure the rack doesn't slip out of the receiver. It also locks so the rack can't easily be stolen (operative word is "easily"). Yakima has a wedge style security but also provides a bolt as a back up. I wish the bolt went through both sides of the receiver as an added security measure, but it still provides a lot of confidence.

Good luck and happy trails.

 

Allen racks are easy to use and a great value and Made in America.

 

you'll see more kuats and 1ups than anything else at the trailheads around here in northern ca. we have a kuat sherpa on our smaller car, and a 1up heavy duty single with add-ons on our OB (they say you can add two, but we know many who add three to this rack with no problems). we like that the sherpa is a little kinder on the fenders on our commuter bikes, but leave this on the car that also has roof trays, because there are pairs of bikes that won't mount without adjusting handlebars and/or saddles. the 1up is particularly nice for many (4) bikes, because the mechanism allows for left/right adjustment which means any four bikes can be easily fitted, and the trays are closer together resulting in a shorter lever arm off the trailer hitch - less bouncy on the highway and less tailswing.

 

I have the Kuat NV 2.0 and love it -- you can read my review here, if you like, I'm an editor at an outdoor publication: This Is Our Editor’s Favorite Hitch Bike Rack By Far

One thing, however, to mention, when compared with the 1Up, is the Kuat is a long rack, sticking out fairly far from the hitch receiver. I've dragged it a few times when coming up out of steep stream crossings while off-roading.

But I've also gone off-roading with a friend with a 1Up who had to continually stop and adjust his rack -- it kept shaking loose from his hitch somehow. I don't know if that's common -- I doubt it -- but I've never, ever had my Kuat rattle loose.

It doesn't rattle at all, in fact. Thing is a tank. I've had my 67 pound e-cargo bike and a mountain bike on the rack and it doesn't blink. It's super duper easy to put in and take out, I don't leave it attached when I'm not using it. Takes maybe two minutes to remove and/or install.

I use the repair stand less than I thought I would, but it's a nice addition. Don't trust the lock cables it comes with, however, someone snipped one and made off with my bike once.

Oh, one other thing, the 1Up, I believe, has a fixed width for the tires it will handle. The Kuat's ratcheting strap system can handle fat tire bikes.

Can't go wrong with either. I'd stay away from Yakima racks -- they're fine, but it's worth the extra $$ for the Kuat or 1Up. Good luck.

 

I've dragged it a few times when coming up out of steep stream crossings while off-roading.

I have a back-ordered 1Up arriving who knows when but I'd curious to know what hitch receiver you went with for your OB. I added an Eco-hitch specifically to try & preserve the ground clearance on my 2020 OB Premium.

 

I am on my second 1Up rack and am very pleased with it. With a single tray in place, the rack doesn't obscure my license plate when I don't have a bike on the rack. I have also had a Thule T2. The T2 is very heavy and awkward, and made from steel which has a tendency to corrode/rust vs the aluminum of the 1Up. I have also received a ticket while driving with the T2 in it's stowed position for blocking my license plate.

For a hitch, I have tried the ones from U-Haul. The U-Haul recievers are setback from the rear bumper. I have now gone to a Curt hitch which positions the receiver flush with the rear bumper.

 

Oops! Originally misread your request. I have a Yakima Double Down 5 that I've had for many years now. It works well--no complaints. If I was going to replace it I'd replace it with a 4 bike rack--it will accomodate 5 bikes but with 5 it's something of a game of tetris to get them to fit properly. Besides my days of thinking that I needed to accommodate a bike for each person in the car are done--wouldn't want to ask a 5th person to ride in the middle of the backseat for long!

 

I realize this is an older post...
I looked at the racks mentioned in this post, but ultimately purchased the Thule EasyFold XT. It wasn't the cheapest, but I wanted something that was easy for me to install, use, remove and store in our shed. Simplicity was key, or I probably wouldn't use it. No e-bikes, just standard mountain/hybrid bikes for State parks and limited trails. Time will tell if it was a good purchase or not.
I installed a 2" Curt class 2 receiver hitch. I installed it on another SUV, as it was much simpler than on the Subie.