Looking to get into that tray hitch rack life.
I’m thinking Kuat Transfer (1-1/4")
Anyone have strong feelings about these things?
I don’t know if it’s MUSA Stockholm Syndrome, but I know a lot of people who swear by the 1UP racks. I’ve never owned a vehicle with a hitch, so I have no extensive personal experience to offer.
I am and always have been a fan of the classic Thule T2. Doesn’t fit fat bikes though it does fit a weehoo trailer.
1Up works great and folds up nicely for storage when it’s not on the car.
That’s one thing I’m missing out on with the T2. It takes up so much real-estate on the garage floor I usually just leave it on the van 24-7 unless I’m driving to the city or something.
The 1ups look cool with like a truck or 4runner or something, but the erecter set aesthetic would look a little weird on the Fit.
i dont know anyone who uses that kuat. everyone i know has the nicer kuat.
i’ve been super happy with my yakima hold up. real easy to get bikes in and out of. folds up easily. i dont take it on and off the car though, as that requires takign out a huge long bolt and it’s not worth my time. but on my car it tilts down enough that i can open the hatch with bikes on it (while tilted), or without bikes on it by folding it down. this wouldn’t work well for someone putting like groceries in the back. i just never use my trunk space since i have no kids to put in the back seat.
A couple friends have nicer kuats and they’re great, no experience with any other hitch mount racks though.
Folding out of the way to open the hatch is essential imo
I have the kuat transfer 2. Its really nice, a better deal than the kuat sherpa or nv unless you really need the built in workstand or need to haul ebikes. I can’t compare it to other racks from Yakima, etc. Got the kuat from the shop I worked at that sold them. The foot latch to tilt the tray is a nice feature I needed since I have a wagon. Does have some play in my 1.25 hitch, I’ve heard that it has a much tighter fit using the adapter in a 2 inch hitch
How many bikes and people you planning to carry in the Fit at a time, Sneaky?
Sherpa 2.0 is legit. Lightweight, stable and fits all bikes.
T2 is heavy. Really heavy.
T2 Pro is Thule’s copy of a Kuat.
1up is rad, but not better than T2 or Sherpa/NV.
Anything that doesn’t have a locking wedge into the receiver shouldn’t be considered.
Do any of these play nicer with fender bikes than others?
I think 1-1/4" hitch will only take 2 bike tray rack. If I need more I can take another vehicle. This’ll probably be mostly for bringing a bike to work to ride after.
I didn’t know locking wedge was such a game changer- this thread is good!
I have the 1Up and a Fit, just a single tray right now. Can confirm it handles fendered bikes (you can get foam pad things if you’re concerned about scratching them), and maybe looks kinda goofy.
I don’t know the models, but the ones that hook over the frame are your best bet for fender bikes.
That said, I run my front fenders spaces really far back to give room for the hook to go over the front tire nd it kinda works for short trips.
Have you tried using one of these to remove the rattle/wobble?
https://www.amazon.com/StowAway-Tightener-Anti-Rattle-Stabilizer-Hitches/dp/B0001CMUV4
My yakima doesnt having a locking wedge, but a threaded bolt pins it through the hitch receiver and so long as that bolt is tight, it doesn’t rattle or wobble. If you grab the rack and try to move it around, it only moves at the other other pivots, or the entire car suspension moves.
No I haven’t addressed it yet. The wobble is not that bad and I’ve only used it a couple times. Thanks for the suggestion, I might try it
None of these work well with full fenders. The ones that hook on a the frame are frame killers.
1up has this https://www.1up-usa.com/product/fender-cushion/ but i cant imagine its a very secure option.
ive only owned the 1up but i like it enough to not be bothered to try something else. like most things in my life.