# Not thrilled with my T2. Any suggestions?



## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

I had an XPort Flatbed, and I actually liked it better, except for the hook on the top of the frame.

I basically got the T2 used for an unbeatable price. So far, its frickin' heavy and won't fit in my trunk without dropping my back seat and careful manipulation to guide it in the trunk.

I sold my XPort Flatbed since I figured I was done with it. A bud needed it, so I passed it along to him. Oddly enough, he sold his T2 for basically the same reasons.

I'm thinking I want to sell the T2 used and get another rack. I would like to get something light weight, foldable, and hopefully something that holds the bike by the wheels only.... and hopefully not too expensive. Needs to hold 2 bikes and fit a 1 1/4" receiver. Any suggestions?

XPort Flatbed Pros:

Inexpensive
Lightweight
Folds up small enough to fit in the trunk of my sedan

Cons:
Top hook contact on frame, leaving dull spot if not wrapped in a rag

Thule T2 Pros

Wheel clamp only. 
Easy and quick to load
Beefy (except for the wheel hooks)

T2 cons:

Heavy as heck
Won't fold up and fit in my trunk.
Wheel hooks are weak
Wheel hooks contact my Lefty fork right at the air filter or top of the boot. 
Sticks way out the back of my car, and with the weight it sags down in the receiver hitch quite a bit. 
Sticks out back, so rear clearance isn't great


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

So far, I guess I'm looking at a Kuat Sherpa, but good luck finding one used (and in my price range). As cheap as they seem to get online is around the $400 mark. Yikes!


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## jtmartino (Jul 31, 2008)

I have a T2 and don't like it for the same reasons you described. #1 being that it's ridiculously heavy.

Subscribed to hear some other feedback.


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## Black Bart (Apr 19, 2004)

I went with the T2 when I was rack shopping as I was going the install it and leave it route and the Kuats were just coming to market.

The other rack I was considering was the Softride Versa, since it seemed like the most compact one available when folded up. Only checked one out in person at Interbike, so no real world experience, seemed well built though. I would have bought the display from the show but it was a 2" model. (think the new ones are 2/1.25" compatible)


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

*hmmmm....*



Black Bart said:


> I went with the T2 when I was rack shopping as I was going the install it and leave it route and the Kuats were just coming to market.
> 
> The other rack I was considering was the Softride Versa, since it seemed like the most compact one available when folded up. Only checked one out in person at Interbike, so no real world experience, seemed well built though. I would have bought the display from the show but it was a 2" model. (think the new ones are 2/1.25" compatible)


Haven't seen that one before. 42 pounds isn't horrible. (*edit* I just looked up the T2, and it's 56 pounds) $330 list price, and it looks like it folds up pretty small. Holds the bike by the wheels. I wonder how much room it has for wheelbase?


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## Blatant (Apr 13, 2005)

Well, hate to sound like a broken record, but the 1Up USA rack hits all your tick marks ... except price.

It's expensive. No doubt about it. Seems money well spent to me given the thousands upon thousands of dollars worth of bikes getting strapped into it.

Light, stable, easy on/off, modular so you can take trays off when not needed, beautifully manufactured with no plastic. Once you get beyond how much it costs, it's far and away the best hitch rack on the market.

I've never regretted mine for a second. One of the best bike-related purchases I've ever made.


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

*Thanks....*



Blatant said:


> Well, hate to sound like a broken record, but the 1Up USA rack hits all your tick marks ... except price.
> 
> It's expensive. No doubt about it. Seems money well spent to me given the thousands upon thousands of dollars worth of bikes getting strapped into it.
> 
> ...


... But I'm not concerned with the safety issue. None of these racks are going to drop my bike on the freeway unless I do something horribly wrong.

OTOH, looks pretty dang simple. $300 for the base and $200 for a single tray add on is kinda pricey.

But.... maybe one will come up used.


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## cracksandracks.com (Oct 22, 2009)

softride versa is a pretty good value in a rack. not exactly as easy to use as the t2 or others, but does work well and folds up really compact.
i say "not as easy to use" because the trays are telescoping to snug up against the tires, and it's just an extra step that you have to do to load and unload the bikes.


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

*Yeah, gotta go check that out*



cracksandracks.com said:


> softride versa is a pretty good value in a rack. not exactly as easy to use as the t2 or others, but does work well and folds up really compact.
> i say "not as easy to use" because the trays are telescoping to snug up against the tires, and it's just an extra step that you have to do to load and unload the bikes.


... and you folks have a good price on it.

Thanks!


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## cracksandracks.com (Oct 22, 2009)

pimpbot said:


> ... and you folks have a good price on it.
> 
> Thanks!


and we have it in stock...


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## fawndog (Nov 19, 2007)

I would give the swagman a serious look.
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=718190


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

*Mmmmyeah... but...*



fawndog said:


> I would give the swagman a serious look.
> http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=718190


Frame hooks suck. Well, they don't suck, but I have to wrap my frame in a rag to keep it from developing a dull spot, and I have two of my 5 bikes I actually kinda care about keeping pretty. I had an X-Port Flatbed, and liked it apart from that issue.


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## QLOT9Q (Aug 24, 2007)

What about a cargo basket and attaching a fork clamp to it, like a rockymount? Only problem is it seem kinda silly to remove a wheel to use a hitch mounted rack. ... and not sure what the lateral forces would be since its horizontally mounted. (braking and accelleration forces)


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

*I need wheels on.*



QLOT9Q said:


> What about a cargo basket and attaching a fork clamp to it, like a rockymount? Only problem is it seem kinda silly to remove a wheel to use a hitch mounted rack. ... and not sure what the lateral forces would be since its horizontally mounted. (braking and accelleration forces)


Thanks for the suggestion. I have a bud with that setup. It's pretty cool. He puts his bikes on, then puts his bike gear duffel bags in the tray and straps them down.

I have a Lefty fork on one of my bikes. It's a moderate PITA to remove the front wheel, and I would need one of those $pecial Lefty fork mounts to make it work.

I dunno... I'm leaning towards the Kuat Sherpa for form and function, but they say the wheelbase limit is 45.5", which is right under where my TItus RacerX29er wheelbase measures out. I wonder what the issue is with the wheelbase? Anyway, probably not going to happen any time soon unless I find a used one.

I'm tempted to get another XPort Flatbed if I can find one used. Use it for the short term until I can save up the extra few hunnies for the Sherpa.


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## tkrowe (Jul 8, 2011)

I agree with all of your CONs as well as:

I had a T2 for a few days and just couldn't accept the fact that the trays could be removed with a simple 5mm allen wrench.

I locked the rack to my hitch with the threaded pin/lock and locked the bikes to the trays w/ included cable locks and I still had ZERO security. I was able to remove the bike/tray combo in a matter of seconds w/o even touching the locks.


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## Heavy Fluid (Mar 31, 2011)

I am in no way affiliated with this seller, but since you have an Audi, thought that this might be of interest.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260824317106

The full thing, both wheels on.


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

*Well, in their defense...*



SouthernVelo said:


> I agree with all of your CONs as well as:
> 
> I had a T2 for a few days and just couldn't accept the fact that the trays could be removed with a simple 5mm allen wrench.
> 
> I locked the rack to my hitch with the threaded pin/lock and locked the bikes to the trays w/ included cable locks and I still had ZERO security. I was able to remove the bike/tray combo in a matter of seconds w/o even touching the locks.


ALL racks have crappy security. I wouldn't rely on any of those cheeseball locks or cables to do anything except slow a thief down for 30 seconds. There are many more security weak points on the T2, such as exposed philips screws holding the wheel bar in place. Two screws with a cordless drill ... zip-zip, bike gone.

This is pretty much true of all racks.

For me, it's always a heavy covered chain with a good disc lock on the trailer hitch and a beefy U-Lock around the bike frame. Even then, that will only slow a thief down for a couple minutes, but will hopefully draw enough attention when they are forced to get out the DeWalt cordless angle grinder.


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

*Thanks!*



Heavy Fluid said:


> I am in no way affiliated with this seller, but since you have an Audi, thought that this might be of interest.
> 
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260824317106
> 
> The full thing, both wheels on.


But no more roof racks for me. I already ruined one car's paint with roof racks.

And besides, the other issues... fuel consumption, noise, clearance, blah blah blah. I'm done with roof racks unless necessary. I actually have a roof rail kit and trays for my wife's Avant (plus hitch) if I wanna carry 4 bikes.

Reality is, it's 60% of the time just me, and one more bike the rest of the time. I almost never have a need to haul more than myself and one friend with a bike.

On a side note, I am looking for a decent used roof box for my wife's Avant... if anybody has one they wanna part with....:thumbsup:


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## Heavy Fluid (Mar 31, 2011)

Just thought that I would throw it out there for you. Didn't know you if you had used them in the past or not. I was considering getting this, but I am glad that I opted for a hitch instead, even though I am not crazy about how the hitch looks without the rack on there.


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

Ha! Haven't seen this one before. Again, TT hooks, but looks interesting... and a good price.

https://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1107096_-1_400019_400005_400170


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## PaulRivers (Jan 2, 2009)

The Thule 9003 Raceway rack holds the bike by the wheels, but it's not a hitch rack -
http://thule.com/en-US/US/Products/Bike-Carriers/RearDoor/9003-Raceway-Platform-2-Bike#

It would certainly fit in your trunk though, that's why I mention it...


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## Heavy Fluid (Mar 31, 2011)

Even though that fits in the trunk, I would personally avoid all trunk racks like that. I had one on my Audi, and it caused damage. We also have a Saris Bones 3 on my wife's Nissan Rogue, and that has caused substantial damage to the paint on the bumper.


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

*Yep...*



Heavy Fluid said:


> Even though that fits in the trunk, I would personally avoid all trunk racks like that. I had one on my Audi, and it caused damage. We also have a Saris Bones 3 on my wife's Nissan Rogue, and that has caused substantial damage to the paint on the bumper.


I had largely the same experience. I appreciate the suggestions, tho.

One of the main reasons I went with a hitch rack was because nothing touches paint. Unfortunately, that is not entirely true of the T2. One of the wheel baskets sticks out enough to touch my bumper. I try to keep it pushed back away from the bumper, but I slam on the brakes and it moves forward again.


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## PaulRivers (Jan 2, 2009)

Well um....I owned a Saris Bones 3 myself and it never caused "damage", let alone "substantial damage" to my car. (The reason I can't say one way or another on my current car is simply because it doesn't fit or work with my hatchback unfortunately).

I don't disagree that if you're super touchy about your paint job that style of rack isn't for you. And there's always a possibility it will end up doing something to your paint even if you're not super touchy - I didn't have any problem, but possibly other people might.

For the OP - well now I'm curious, is there a reason you don't want to just leave the rack on the car all the time? That's what I do with my Saris Cycle-On rack...really after I got it I wondered if I should have gotten another "trunk rack" that fit my new vehicle because of some of the things you mentioned with it being pretty much impossible to fit into the car without folding the rear seats forward. After a while though I just left it on my car and it's been fine like that. I mean it's not ideal, don't get me wrong, but it's worked fine. I don't think I've ever heard of one of the huge hitch racks being stolen. I don't park in "super sketchy" areas, but I do park in some semi-sketchy areas and no one has messed with it in the last year (since I got it). I think it's just to big and hard to sell. I mean I'm just theorizing. But it's huge and heavy to steal, you can't really sell it on ebay (the shipping costs likely costs as much as you'd sell the rack for), and when I do see them listed on craigslist they often sell for a relatively low price and I'll see them relisted several times before selling.

Just my thoughts, curious what your reasons are.


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

PaulRivers said:


> Well um....I owned a Saris Bones 3 myself and it never caused "damage", let alone "substantial damage" to my car. (The reason I can't say one way or another on my current car is simply because it doesn't fit or work with my hatchback unfortunately).
> 
> I don't disagree that if you're super touchy about your paint job that style of rack isn't for you. And there's always a possibility it will end up doing something to your paint even if you're not super touchy - I didn't have any problem, but possibly other people might.
> 
> ...


I got pulled over once for obstructed license plate, and got a $50 fix-it ticket. Yeah, cop was a bit of a d!ck.

Plus, its this big heavy ugly thing on the back of my car that I don't need 99% of the time. I guess its no big deal, apart from the ticket issue, but I (think I) can feel it back there when hard cornering.

Also, when I load my bike on it, it leans over in the wind because of the flexy wheel hooks, not to mention it sags down from all the weight sticking out on that long a lever from teh rear axle. I don't really trust it. It sticks out past the bumper super far when it's folded down... much farther than my X-Port Flatbed ever did.


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## PaulRivers (Jan 2, 2009)

pimpbot said:


> I got pulled over once for obstructed license plate, and got a $50 fix-it ticket. Yeah, cop was a bit of a d!ck.


lol, well to be fair someone I know got a speeding ticket for going 3mph over the limit, sometimes the cops are just d!cks. 



pimpbot said:


> Plus, its this big heavy ugly thing on the back of my car that I don't need 99% of the time. I guess its no big deal, apart from the ticket issue, but I (think I) can feel it back there when hard cornering.
> 
> Also, when I load my bike on it, it leans over in the wind because of the flexy wheel hooks, not to mention it sags down from all the weight sticking out on that long a lever from teh rear axle. I don't really trust it. It sticks out past the bumper super far when it's folded down... much farther than my X-Port Flatbed ever did.


To be honest I also found my hitch rack a little disappointing vs my older trunk rack. My trunk rack didn't sway around at all, it didn't bounce around at all, once it was on it just gripped onto the back of my car like it was glued on. And it definitely fit in the trunk.

I'm actually kind of disappointed in hitch racks myself. My Saris Cycle-On is better than the other two I tried, but none of the hitch racks has been as secure as my trunk rack or as easy to get on and off the car. Of course like I said I just leave it on so it didn't end up being a huge deal. One nice thing about the rack is not having to take accessories off the bike like bike light batteries in order to get it on the rack. It's also a little easier to get my bikes on and off with my cycle-on rack, and getting my mountain bike on and off is certainly easier as I don't have an adapter.

But I've found the supposedly huge benefits of the wheel-holding hitch rack to be highly overblown, in my opinion...

Stability -
Trunk Rack: Very very stable, held to the car like it was glued on.
Hitch Rack: Varied from very bouncy to slightly bouncy.

"Damage to the bike" -

Trunk Track: Concern has been expressed that the paint job could be damaged - maybe. This was not a problem with my bones rack, but I'm not picky, something does touch the frame so it's possible. Concern has also been expressed that gripping the frame could somehow damage the frame - however -

Hitch Rack (hold by the wheel style): Good ones don't touch the frame so they won't damage the paint job. HOWEVER - instead they grip the bike by the wheel. Of the two - the frame or the wheel - I realized I would *much* rather have a frame fail under my while riding than the wheel. Have you ever lost control of the front wheel? I have (not rack related though) - you're going down, you don't even have a chance to react, and there's nothing you can do. If the front wheel locks up, breaks, etc etc you are totally messed up and you're crashing - that's how people break their collarbones, arm, wrist, etc. If the back wheel brakes it's possible to retain control enough to stop. If the frame breaks - that's the most likely to allow you to retain control enough to safely stop as each point of the frame is connected to the rest of the frame via 2 points, if one fails you still have the other one. And yes, actually, I did have this happen to me on an old Schwinn from the 70's or 80's where either the weld gave out or just rusted out.

Trunk access - obviously the trunk rack loses here, though with my recent car I can fold down the rear seats so it's not terrible.

Portability - obviously the trunk rack wins here, but more portable, fit in trunk, etc.

Carrying Capacity - you can't find a hitch rack that holds more than 3 bikes on a 1.25" hitch that's also a "hold by the wheel" style rack, so same carrying capacity as trunk rack.

I suppose I'm just kind of rambling on now, but overall the hitch rack style racks have not really met up to my expectations. I mean I kept it, it's worked ok. But if I needed a replacement for some reason, I might go back to a trunk rack.


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## BaeckerX1 (Oct 19, 2007)

Have you guys not read the pages and pages of positive feedback on the 1-up Quick Rack?

http://www.1upusa.com/

Pricey, but worth it. Lightweight, all-aluminum construction, no steel to rust, no plastic to break, works with 1.25 or 2 inch receiver, holds by wheels, folds up tight against the bumper, folds up small for storage, and goes on and off in seconds. Plus it's modular so you can run as many or as few trays as you want. I usually run just 1 the majority of the time and it's so low profile when folded up.

Would definitely fit in your trunk. Each tray folds up and fits back in the box with minimal effort.


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## cracksandracks.com (Oct 22, 2009)

no disrespect, but the op is working off of a budget and has already stated he considered the 1up but was out of his price range unless he can find one used.



BaeckerX1 said:


> Have you guys not read the pages and pages of positive feedback on the 1-up Quick Rack?
> 
> http://www.1upusa.com/
> 
> ...


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## eurospek (Sep 15, 2007)

BaeckerX1 said:


> *Have you guys not read the pages and pages of positive feedback on the 1-up Quick Rack?*
> 
> *Pricey, but worth it.*


This.

At first I was hesitant about dropping $500 on a rack when my budget was $300, but buying it was one of my best bike-related purchases. Ever. I would do it again in a heartbeat. Pay more up front, and be happier in the long run. :thumbsup:


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## PaulRivers (Jan 2, 2009)

lol, yes, but with so many "testimonials" personally I start to feel like it's an online marketing campaign by the makers of the 1-up rack...


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## eurospek (Sep 15, 2007)

PaulRivers said:


> lol, yes, but with so many "testimonials" personally* I start to feel like it's an online marketing campaign by the makers of the 1-up rack...*


Have you been to the 1up website? Lol, the rack sells itself, no need for any flashy website or marketing.


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## PaulRivers (Jan 2, 2009)

eurospek said:


> Have you been to the 1up website? Lol, the rack sells itself, no need for any flashy website or marketing.


1 - yes, that's the kind of stuff I'm talking about. "the rack sells itself"? Yeah, lol.

2 - Yeah I went to the website and we agree, it's definitely not a flashy website, lol...


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

*Yeah...*



eurospek said:


> Have you been to the 1up website? Lol, the rack sells itself, no need for any flashy website or marketing.


I see they found the function in MS Word where you can turn a document into html. 

Man, that is a seriously low-rent looking website.

I'm kinda leaning that way, but my dishwasher just died, and I had to drop fat cash on replacing it. I think its going to be a while before I see $500 in the same place at the same time.

Hmmmm, maybe I'll do the singe rack and buy add-ons later. I like that you can add two additional trays. It would be nice to be able to carry three bikes on a 1 1/4" hitch.


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

Hmm, I really like my T2 and don't think there are many/any negatives. I think a lot of "problems" can result from some of the poor towbars that are out there, such as the "hidden hitches", which usually are far lower and more tucked in than the normal ones, causing your rack to scrape and other wierd things like sometimes exhaust melting tires and so on. Even when normal towbars are fairly transparent some people still get these "hidden" ones and sometimes they work out, but sometimes not so much. Then it depends on the rack and how well it helps to negate this.

Yes, the T2 is heavy, I like that it's sturdy, I don't keep it far from my car due to this (but within a garage I can't really call any distance "far"). 

The supplied locks suck, and there are new locks that I've seen on the newer models that come out of the arms, but all of these are just slight stop-gaps, a crook with a decent cable cutter or saw will make quick work of your rack, and they don't care about messing up your car to get at the bikes, I could probably go out and rip bikes off most roof-rack cars with minimal if any damage to the bike, while destroying the rack/topside of the car with my hands. For more protection I use a chain lock around the bike and rack, but again, it's just a stop-gap measure.

It allows easy access to my rear hatch, I take the pin out and I can get in there easily, as well as I can almost open my rear hatch all the way without moving the rack, but it has that feature (tilt down) anyway so it's not an issue.

I can't see any hitch rack NOT sagging the rear of your car with two bikes on it, it's not so much the weight at this point (the rear beam of the T2 is a lot lighter than the part that goes in the reciever, the trays are plastic, etc), it's the distance. If you put two bikes on a hitch reciever, it's going to do this a little. Hopefully the two people in the front of the car that you'll inevitably have will help balance this out a bit (so hopefully your not basing it on what it looks like when you are not in the car). I can't imagine this being significantly different with any hitch rack though.

Are there better racks now? Yes, even the newer T2s are better than mine, but I don't see anything significantly better or even close to worth it at this point. Maybe if my T2 was destroyed, otherwise I'll be throwing away money for no real gain.


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

*Well...*



Jayem said:


> Hmm, I really like my T2 and don't think there are many/any negatives. I think a lot of "problems" can result from some of the poor towbars that are out there, such as the "hidden hitches", which usually are far lower and more tucked in than the normal ones, causing your rack to scrape and other wierd things like sometimes exhaust melting tires and so on. Even when normal towbars are fairly transparent some people still get these "hidden" ones and sometimes they work out, but sometimes not so much. Then it depends on the rack and how well it helps to negate this.
> 
> Yes, the T2 is heavy, I like that it's sturdy, I don't keep it far from my car due to this (but within a garage I can't really call any distance "far").
> 
> ...


The sag issue... it doesn't help that the thing is 56 pounds and sticks out twice as far as any other hitch rack I ever owned. 56 pounds is just silly, especially considering how un-beefy the hardware and wheel hooks are. I mean, seriously. You can take the hook and bend it with your frickin' hand because they are made of mild 20ga 1/2" steel tubing. I don't know why they bothered to made the hitch receiver part out of solid steel stock, and the spine out of 12ga steel when the hardware and hooks are so flimsy.

Yes, you can't hang a hitch rack off any car without it sagging slightly.... this one sags a lot.

The weight probably wouldn't bug me so much if the goofy thing just folded down to a reasonable size and fit in my trunk without having to drop my back seat down.


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## 9GUY9 (Jul 14, 2007)

Why are you transporting the hitch in your trunk? Mine is either in the garage, or mounted on my car. I will admit it is big and bulky to store when not in use, but so are bikes. Think how easy life would be if we had all taken up trail running instead of mountain biking


I doubt any manufacture designs a bike rack to easily fit in a cars trunk.


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## jrm (Jan 12, 2004)

*The Transporter Rack*

looks promising. It almost looks like it ill fit in the trunk.


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## eurospek (Sep 15, 2007)

9GUY9 said:


> Why are you transporting the hitch in your trunk? Mine is either in the garage, or mounted on my car. I will admit it is big and bulky to store when not in use, but so are bikes. Think how easy life would be if we had all taken up trail running instead of mountain biking
> 
> I doubt any manufacture designs a bike rack to easily fit in a cars trunk.


The 1up fits quite nicely.


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## tl1 (Dec 21, 2003)

*Don't forget Raxter*

I love mine. :thumbsup:

http://www.raxterracks.com/


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

*I carry bikes to and from work.*



9GUY9 said:


> Why are you transporting the hitch in your trunk? Mine is either in the garage, or mounted on my car. I will admit it is big and bulky to store when not in use, but so are bikes. Think how easy life would be if we had all taken up trail running instead of mountain biking
> 
> I doubt any manufacture designs a bike rack to easily fit in a cars trunk.


I'll often bring my hardtail to work on Monday and get a lunchtime ride in during the week... or not... then bring it home on Friday.

My XPort Flatbed fit easily in my trunk. In fact, I could fit a bike AND the Flatbed in my trunk, but it's a total PITA to get it all in and back out. :thumbsup:


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## Heavy Fluid (Mar 31, 2011)

Why not go back to the Export then? Seems like that did the job for you.


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

*I'm seriously considering it...*



Heavy Fluid said:


> Why not go back to the Export then? Seems like that did the job for you.


... but that dang frame hook... :madman:

I might find a used on on craigslist and run that until I can save up the scratch for a better rack.

The other thing I'm running into is that nobody seems to stock this stuff locally. I kinda wanna see how they are built before I order one, but nobody will order me one unless I pay for it. :madman: I'm happy to pay a few extra bux to get it from a local dealer who is willing to give me the customer service, but dayum... everything is 'special order'.


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## JohnJ80 (Oct 10, 2008)

It's pretty simple - going half way on this already didn't work out for the you. The difference in marginal cost between what he got and what was "too expensive" isn't that much and now it's been increased by the cost of the T2.

Really, the two racks that fit the application are the 1UpUSA (1st choice - we love ours) or the Raxter two bike version. Both of these are way better, way lighter and don't grab the frame (a bad thing). The 1UpUSA is more portable and stores better than the Raxter and is more modular and will work on more cars (1.25 or 2"). 

Personally, I'd get that T2 on Craig's list ASAP and then man up and get the 1UpUSA and avoid any more mistakes. Odds are if you didn't like the T2, then going downscale from that is not going to be a winner either.

J.


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## redmr2_man (Jun 10, 2008)

leave the t2 on all the time. You won't notice the weight in your commute.


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

JohnJ80 said:


> It's pretty simple - going half way on this already didn't work out for the you. The difference in marginal cost between what he got and what was "too expensive" isn't that much and now it's been increased by the cost of the T2.
> 
> Really, the two racks that fit the application are the 1UpUSA (1st choice - we love ours) or the Raxter two bike version. Both of these are way better, way lighter and don't grab the frame (a bad thing). The 1UpUSA is more portable and stores better than the Raxter and is more modular and will work on more cars (1.25 or 2").
> 
> ...


At least I got the T2 used. I won't take much of a hit if any. Thinking the same thing with the XPort Flatbed rack.

I love used gear. Rent it for a while, sell it for what I paid. :thumbsup:


----------



## JohnJ80 (Oct 10, 2008)

That's good. Sounds like you are in a good position to fix the problem.

J.


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## Heavy Fluid (Mar 31, 2011)

pimpbot said:


> ... but that dang frame hook... :madman:
> 
> I might find a used on on craigslist and run that until I can save up the scratch for a better rack.
> 
> The other thing I'm running into is that nobody seems to stock this stuff locally. I kinda wanna see how they are built before I order one, but nobody will order me one unless I pay for it. :madman: I'm happy to pay a few extra bux to get it from a local dealer who is willing to give me the customer service, but dayum... everything is 'special order'.


I have a frame hook on mine and have noticed nothing on the bike at all. Granted I have a dark color bike, but the hook is heavily padded, and even on my wife's bike, which is a lighter color, nothing. If it is securely strapped in, there should be no rubbing from the hook.


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## BaeckerX1 (Oct 19, 2007)

PaulRivers said:


> lol, yes, but with so many "testimonials" personally I start to feel like it's an online marketing campaign by the makers of the 1-up rack...


No shill here. This was taken at the Heart of the Rockies campground before we drove up to ride Monarch Crest. I had 5 different people come up to me and ask me about this rack while I was camping that weekend. I also have 2 Yakima FrontLoaders on the roof that I like if that means anything. I obviously trust the rack. That's a Pivot Mach 5.7, a Yeti 575, and a Tomac Snyper 140 on it. :thumbsup:


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## PaulRivers (Jan 2, 2009)

That's a cool picture.


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## BaeckerX1 (Oct 19, 2007)

Thanks Paul. OP, here's another so you can see what it's like folded up with 1 tray. I never have a reason to take it off because it's so low profile. It never sagged on my Charger with a 1.25" either (though the Charger is admittedly a bit beefier than your Audi). You'll also notice that each successive tray is raised above the other. It gives it much more ground clearance when you're rolling with multiple bikes. I have no vested interest in 1up, but they really should pay me with all the business I've sent their way.


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## PaulRivers (Jan 2, 2009)

I wish I had known of a rack that could carry 3 bikes when I ordered my 2 bike Saris Cycle-On, lol. If it's really easy to take on and off additional trays or the rack that would be awesome to.

I guess 2 concerns come to mind (haven't seen a rack that didn't raise any concerns though) -
1. Looks like it might be difficult to use this rack with bikes that have fenders, with the "hold on" thing pressing up against the tire in the back where a fender would be?
2. No way that thing would carry a Pugsley! LOL


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## BaeckerX1 (Oct 19, 2007)

PaulRivers said:


> I wish I had known of a rack that could carry 3 bikes when I ordered my 2 bike Saris Cycle-On, lol. If it's really easy to take on and off additional trays or the rack that would be awesome to.
> 
> *I can take a tray off in under 30 seconds and the rack off in less than a minute. :thumbsup:*
> 
> ...


Hopefully that helps.


----------



## PaulRivers (Jan 2, 2009)

> The fender might just go over the rack arm and you wouldn't have an issue.


The fender going "over" the rack arm?...that doesn't make the slightest bit of sense.

I think the smallest Pugsley tire is something like 3.5" across, and there are 4" tires. To be fair, I'm not saying that other "hold by the wheel" style racks could carry a pugsley without modification either, it's a really really huge tire, lol.


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## jtmartino (Jul 31, 2008)

Thanks Baecker for the pics - those racks look great. Now only if I could find a lightly used one on craigslist for 1/2 price...


PaulRivers, I've seen people modify this rack with spacers to take fat tire bikes. I also heard 1up USA is releasing a 4.5" version soon.

FWIW they also have the rack in black anodized color, which looks pretty sharp.


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## BaeckerX1 (Oct 19, 2007)

PaulRivers said:


> The fender going "over" the rack arm?...that doesn't make the slightest bit of sense.
> 
> I think the smallest Pugsley tire is something like 3.5" across, and there are 4" tires. To be fair, I'm not saying that other "hold by the wheel" style racks could carry a pugsley without modification either, it's a really really huge tire, lol.


Depends on what kind of fender you're referring to. Since I was thinking mountain bikes, I was thinking of those plastic removable ones (though I guess you'd just remove it if that was a concern). There's enough space between them and the tire for the rack arm to fit. If you're talking about those old school cruiser fenders then no. 



jtmartino said:


> FWIW they also have the rack in black anodized color, which looks pretty sharp.


Indeed they do, but for another $50 per tray. 

BTW, you won't find any on Craigslist unless it's an older model. Everyone loves theirs too much to sell it.


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## pwu_1 (Nov 19, 2007)

So I found this on fleabay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120753286800&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

From the research I did, this appears to be an old style 1UpUSA rack.(1Up made these racks for Jeep to sell under Jeep's own brand.) It was sold under the name of Jeep Overland II hitch rack and also I believe U-Haul Saferack. I believe it was made during the early to mid 2000s. Apparently Jeep ditched 1up and partnered with Thule instead so Thule now manufactures racks for Jeep.

Anyway, I currently have a Yakima stickup which also clamps down on the frame. My main gripe with the Yakima is that when the rack is either folded up or when the center clamp is up I cannot open the liftgate on my car so its a total hassle. Also kind of afraid of getting stopped by the police when the rack is folded up(for obstructing the license plate). 
I really like the 1UpUsa rack but $500 is a bit steep for me especially since I already have the Yakima.

To make a long story short, I just plunked down $187.97 for one of these racks. Since these racks haven't been made for like 5+ years there's not a whole lot of information about it.
My main concern with this rack is whether it will fit 29 inch wheels since I have a 29er. I will be really bummed if it doesn't fit.
In any case, I will report back when it arrives.


----------



## BaeckerX1 (Oct 19, 2007)

pwu_1 said:


> So I found this on fleabay.
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120753286800&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
> 
> From the research I did, this appears to be an old style 1UpUSA rack.(1Up made these racks for Jeep to sell under Jeep's own brand.) It was sold under the name of Jeep Overland II hitch rack and also I believe U-Haul Saferack. I believe it was made during the early to mid 2000s. Apparently Jeep ditched 1up and partnered with Thule instead so Thule now manufactures racks for Jeep.
> ...


The old style had much shorter arms so will not work well with 29ers (29ers hardly existed back then). Sorry buddy. The new ones work great with 29ers.


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## pwu_1 (Nov 19, 2007)

BaeckerX1 said:


> The old style had much shorter arms so will not work well with 29ers (29ers hardly existed back then). Sorry buddy. The new ones work great with 29ers.


yeah that's what I was afraid of. I found some pictures on another thread and they do look a bit short.
But then again 700c road wheels have been around for a long time right? I'm hoping that the rack was made so it would fit 700c wheels too.
Anyway, guess I'll know in a week or so. I'll report back when I know for sure...guess I probably shouldn't get my hopes up though.


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## BaeckerX1 (Oct 19, 2007)

pwu_1 said:


> yeah that's what I was afraid of. I found some pictures on another thread and they do look a bit short.
> But then again 700c road wheels have been around for a long time right? I'm hoping that the rack was made so it would fit 700c wheels too.
> Anyway, guess I'll know in a week or so. I'll report back when I know for sure...guess I probably shouldn't get my hopes up though.


Do you have small tires on your 29er? In any case, it _could_ work, but it wouldn't be very secure if the arms aren't long enough to hug the tire past at least midway.


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## PaulRivers (Jan 2, 2009)

jtmartino said:


> PaulRivers, I've seen people modify this rack with spacers to take fat tire bikes. I also heard 1up USA is releasing a 4.5" version soon.


*Friendly-Tongue-In-Cheek* - That would be pretty could - could the 1up schill in the this thread that works for the company send me PM when it gets released? Because I would be really interested in looking at it.   



On another note, what I would really *love* to see is one of these racks that can hold 4 bikes with a 1.25" hitch. I know what you're thinking - no one makes one because it's not possible within the physical limits of a 1.25" hitch.

But hear me out - my last rack strapped onto my car, right? And right now they make "hold by the wheel" style hitches that hold 3 bikes, right? Theoretically - it seems like you could combine to 2. If you're carrying 3 or less bikes keep it as normal. But the attachment for the 4th bike would have a pole (or you know, something like a pole) that goes up from the rack and has 2 straps on it that you attach to the trunk of your car just like with a trunk rack that would take some weight off the hitch and support the extra weight of the bikes.

I mean in theory at least, this would be feasible and finally let me carry 4 bikes in my car (it can carry 4 people so carrying 4 bikes as well would be really helpful...).


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## PaulRivers (Jan 2, 2009)

BaeckerX1 said:


> Depends on what kind of fender you're referring to. Since I was thinking mountain bikes, I was thinking of those plastic removable ones (though I guess you'd just remove it if that was a concern). There's enough space between them and the tire for the rack arm to fit. If you're talking about those old school cruiser fenders then no.


Oh yeah, no I have regular fenders on my winter commuting bike. I mean - "full coverage" fenders. 

Though it's not necessarily 100% impossible...my fenders on my Civia are so big I have to clamp down on top of part of the front fender right now, but it seems to work.


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## tl1 (Dec 21, 2003)

*Nevermind*

The Raxter doesn't fold up to fit it your trunk.

In general this is one reason bicycles suck though. They're bulky, unless you have a 20" wheeled folder, and you have to have all this bulky gear including a car to get them around. We wouldn't have this problem if we had the hover boards promised in Back to the Future.


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

*That...*



BaeckerX1 said:


> Thanks Paul. OP, here's another so you can see what it's like folded up with 1 tray. I never have a reason to take it off because it's so low profile. It never sagged on my Charger with a 1.25" either (though the Charger is admittedly a bit beefier than your Audi). You'll also notice that each successive tray is raised above the other. It gives it much more ground clearance when you're rolling with multiple bikes. I have no vested interest in 1up, but they really should pay me with all the business I've sent their way.


... is pretty dang cool.


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

*I tell you what, tho...*



tl1 said:


> The Raxter doesn't fold up to fit it your trunk.
> 
> In general this is one reason bicycles suck though. They're bulky, unless you have a 20" wheeled folder, and you have to have all this bulky gear including a car to get them around. We wouldn't have this problem if we had the hover boards promised in Back to the Future.


... switching all my bikes over to 29ers has not helped matters. I used to be able to take both wheels off and stick it in the trunk of my Jetta. I used to just leave it in there with all my bike gear, and keep it with me at all times. If I found myself in a place where I could just suit up and ride, I would be ready to go.

Now, my trunk is narrower and my bike frames are bigger. I can still wedge my bike in my trunk, but it's a trick... and a total PITA. I can get my bike in the trunk, but now I have to remove my bars too.

Now that my suspension bike has a Lefty, I wonder how the trunk fit is would be.....


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## JohnJ80 (Oct 10, 2008)

Rack time.

J.


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## tl1 (Dec 21, 2003)

*Agree about 29ers*



pimpbot said:


> ... switching all my bikes over to 29ers has not helped matters. I used to be able to take both wheels off and stick it in the trunk of my Jetta. I used to just leave it in there with all my bike gear, and keep it with me at all times. If I found myself in a place where I could just suit up and ride, I would be ready to go.
> 
> Now, my trunk is narrower and my bike frames are bigger. I can still wedge my bike in my trunk, but it's a trick... and a total PITA. I can get my bike in the trunk, but now I have to remove my bars too.
> 
> Now that my suspension bike has a Lefty, I wonder how the trunk fit is would be.....


...being more of a hassle to transport. I do live close enough to a good trail to ride out my door and thus do about 80% of my riding there but that can make a good trail tiresome very quickly. Someone needs to invent some good folding 29 incher wheels i think and I'm thinking about going all S & S Machine on my next 29er frame. 

I also have a Sportworks T2 rack (Thule bought Sportwork's consumer rack division) new and sitting in a box that is way too heavy for my Prius' hitch. I bought it for another larger car but a week after I got it my son wrecked that car. At the time I bought the Prius there was only one hitch I could find and no way is that hitch is burly enough to carry that Sportworks rack plus bikes. I happily use a lightweight single bike Raxter though and have one of those old racks that hold the bikes by the top tube for when I need to carry 2 bikes. With the latter though the front wheel must be removed from a 29er and stowed in the car as the sloping top tube on the bikes put the front tire within a couple inches of the ground.


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## PaulRivers (Jan 2, 2009)

tl1 said:


> I also have a Sportworks T2 rack (Thule bought Sportwork's consumer rack division) new and sitting in a box that is way too heavy for my Prius' hitch. I bought it for another larger car but a week after I got it my son wrecked that car. At the time I bought the Prius there was only one hitch I could find and no way is that hitch is burly enough to carry that Sportworks rack plus bikes. I happily use a lightweight single bike Raxter though and have one of those old racks that hold the bikes by the top tube for when I need to carry 2 bikes. With the latter though the front wheel must be removed from a 29er and stowed in the car as the sloping top tube on the bikes put the front tire within a couple inches of the ground.


I have Prius and a Saris Cycle-On rack which weighs pretty much the same as the t2.

Do you have the Coastal or Curt hitch for the Prius? I do know the Coastal hitch developed a reputation for...well, being a piece of crap. People had to weld on extensions and stuff or it would permanently bend down after a while.

I got the Curt hitch installed by uhaul, and it's been rock solid even with my fairly heavy cycle-on 2 bike rack. I was even thinking of ordering the 1-bike extension, and while it's not recommended by saris whatsoever, putting it on so I could carry 3 bikes on the rack. (Again they tell you you're not supposed to do that, I'm just saying the hitch has been so solid I've been giving it some thought).


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## tl1 (Dec 21, 2003)

*The Coastal hitch*



PaulRivers said:


> I have Prius and a Saris Cycle-On rack which weighs pretty much the same as the t2.
> 
> Do you have the Coastal or Curt hitch for the Prius? I do know the Coastal hitch developed a reputation for...well, being a piece of crap. People had to weld on extensions and stuff or it would permanently bend down after a while.
> 
> I got the Curt hitch installed by uhaul, and it's been rock solid even with my fairly heavy cycle-on 2 bike rack. I was even thinking of ordering the 1-bike extension, and while it's not recommended by saris whatsoever, putting it on so I could carry 3 bikes on the rack. (Again they tell you you're not supposed to do that, I'm just saying the hitch has been so solid I've been giving it some thought).


It is pretty flimsy and flexible. It has one advantage the others don't have though, the plastic under-body piece that provides some aerodynamic benefit near the bumper didn't need to be cut to make it fit. There are a bunch of more sturdy hitches available now, thanks for the tip on the Curt. One of these days, I'll upgrade to a better hitch and a 2" one at that but so far things are still working fairly well so haven't done it yet.


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## PaulRivers (Jan 2, 2009)

tl1 said:


> It is pretty flimsy and flexible. It has one advantage the others don't have though, the plastic under-body piece that provides some aerodynamic benefit near the bumper didn't need to be cut to make it fit. There are a bunch of more sturdy hitches available now, thanks for the tip on the Curt. One of these days, I'll upgrade to a better hitch and a 2" one at that but so far things are still working fairly well so haven't done it yet.


Yeah, I don't know that there's any good 2" hitch options for the Prius.

2" hitch options usually only exist for vehicles specifically designed for towing. Like any small or medium sized car - the Prius was definitely not designed for that, lol. Part of the appeal of a 2" hitch is that they are usually only available for cars that can handle with beefier weight limits.

I did find one 2" hitch for the Prius in my search, but - it was the Coastal version, which as we've mentioned isn't even really tough enough for 1.25" hitch weight limits.

However, if you find something else cool or you know of another manufacturer that makes one - *please* write back.  Based on some of the mods I saw, it seems like a specially designed hitch (mainly with a longer arm going towards the engine, there appears to be some sort of mount for that on the Prius body farther back) would be capable of support more weight - aka, strong enough to carry 4 bikes (not trying to tow a boat, lol).

So just saying in my search I couldn't find a reliable 2" hitch for the Prius (or just to be fair - for any other small cars, sedans, or actually any SUV's that didn't come with a towing package). If you know of something better please write back I'd love to hear about it, lol...


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## JohnJ80 (Oct 10, 2008)

If you put a 2" hitch on a Prius and then added the max tongue weight, I bet they front wheels would come off of the ground.

J.


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## PaulRivers (Jan 2, 2009)

JohnJ80 said:


> If you put a 2" hitch on a Prius and then added the max tongue weight, I bet they front wheels would come off of the ground.
> 
> J.


I don't think you understand physics. 300 pounds of tongue weight aren't going to lift a 3,000 pound automobile. If anything, with the extra battery weight and electric motor weight a Prius would be better suited for it than other small cars.


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## BaeckerX1 (Oct 19, 2007)

PaulRivers said:


> I don't think you understand physics. 300 pounds of tongue weight aren't going to lift a 3,000 pound automobile. If anything, with the extra battery weight and electric motor weight a Prius would be better suited for it than other small cars.


I'm assuming he was being funny/sarcastic. :lol:


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## Bad Idea (Jun 14, 2009)

PaulRivers said:


> I don't think you understand physics. 300 pounds of tongue weight aren't going to lift a 3,000 pound automobile. If anything, with the extra battery weight and electric motor weight a Prius would be better suited for it than other small cars.


Sure it will... just has to be on a lever that's long enough.


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## tl1 (Dec 21, 2003)

*I've seen a few*



PaulRivers said:


> Yeah, I don't know that there's any good 2" hitch options for the Prius.
> 
> 2" hitch options usually only exist for vehicles specifically designed for towing. Like any small or medium sized car - the Prius was definitely not designed for that, lol. Part of the appeal of a 2" hitch is that they are usually only available for cars that can handle with beefier weight limits.
> 
> ...


It is kind of surprising that they exist for a car with no official rating for towing but they're out there now and mainly used for bike racks I'd bet. Here's one for example.


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## JohnJ80 (Oct 10, 2008)

BaeckerX1 said:


> I'm assuming he was being funny/sarcastic. :lol:




Yes I was. Again we need a sarcasm font.

J.


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## Black Bart (Apr 19, 2004)

JohnJ80 said:


> Yes I was. Again we need a sarcasm font.
> 
> J.


:skep:



:smilewinkgrin:


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## Blatant (Apr 13, 2005)

Paul Rivers is too busy trying to find the 1Up USA "schills" in this thread to notice sarcasm. Wait, he must be a mechanical engineer 

I paid full retail for my 1Up maybe a year or 18 months ago. Still one of the better mountain bike purchases I've made.


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

*Yeah, I'm leaning that way....*



Blatant said:


> Paul Rivers is too busy trying to find the 1Up USA "schills" in this thread to notice sarcasm. Wait, he must be a mechanical engineer
> 
> I paid full retail for my 1Up maybe a year or 18 months ago. Still one of the better mountain bike purchases I've made.


... but it might be beyond my budget for two trays. Maybe I do the 1 tray for now, and add the second tray later. Problem is, I often ride with a bud, and not the trails out my door.

Meh... I can suffer with stuffing the second bike in the back seat for the short term, maybe.


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## JohnJ80 (Oct 10, 2008)

Blatant said:


> Paul Rivers is too busy trying to find the 1Up USA "schills" in this thread to notice sarcasm. Wait, he must be a mechanical engineer
> 
> I paid full retail for my 1Up maybe a year or 18 months ago. Still one of the better mountain bike purchases I've made.


Does being an electrical engineer count (me)?

I can buy most rack stuff at pro-form prices but I bought a 1UpUSA at full retail. Glad I did.

J.


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

Yeah, I like the Kuat Sherpa too, but I'm concerned with how it fits 29ers, and if the 'tray length' is adjustable side to side. I find my bikes tend to stick out one way or the other really far. If the rack has no way to adjust where the center is, then it will stick out past the bumper (and in traffic or passenger side... just a bit) one way more than the other. 

Then again, in this day and age, they probably figured that one out already. I mean, it's not like 29ers are that new a thing on the market. 

I really wish I could see one locally.


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## BaeckerX1 (Oct 19, 2007)

Heh I'll take a pic of the 1-up with my 29er if you'd like. There's plenty of options for moving it left and right however you want it to make another bike fit. Had a 29er and a 26er on it today.


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

*I'm sure the 1up would work....*



BaeckerX1 said:


> Heh I'll take a pic of the 1-up with my 29er if you'd like. There's plenty of options for moving it left and right however you want it to make another bike fit. Had a 29er and a 26er on it today.


I's like to know about the Kuat Shperpa.


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## BaeckerX1 (Oct 19, 2007)

pimpbot said:


> I's like to know about the Kuat Shperpa.


Yep. My bad. Reading comprehension fail. The Kuats do look nice. I almost ended up with one before I discovered the 1-up. If they were modular I'd be more tempted. Since 90% of the time I just ride by myself, finding a rack that I could use with only 1 tray that folds up tight against the bumper when not in use was a godsend for me. It doesn't interfere with opening of my trunk at all. I like the repair stand and bottle opener on the one Kuat.


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

Thanks to everybody for helping me shake this out.

I think I'm settling on the 1Up... single tray for now (in a few weeks or a month, actually), second tray down the road (and maybe a third). Maybe it's the armchair engineer in me, but I like the way it looks like it came from a defense contractor who makes CNC'ed parts for fighter jets. :thumbsup:

I would still like to see a Softride Versa rack IRL as a possible budget alternative. Two trays for $300 is pretty sweet. Kinda heavy (42 pounds) compared to the Kuat and 1Up (both sub-28 pounds).

I really like the Sherpa, but after watching some Youtube vids on it, it looks like it doesn't actually fold down that much. The base section is nearly as wide as the tailgate of the Subaru Forrester (or Outback?) this guy demos it with. It doesn't look like it goes that much smaller than my T2. Man, I wish I could see one in real life.

Oh, and did I mention that the other issue I have with the T2 is that the wheel hook lands right on my Lefty where the accordion boot and air filter sit on my fork? I actually tore my boot one with the wheel hook.


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## racerwad (Sep 17, 2005)

Congrats. I think you'll be surprised about how impressed you'll be. I think the "shills" here have undersold the product. It really is the best thing I've bought in a long time; perhaps ever.


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## BaeckerX1 (Oct 19, 2007)

pimpbot said:


> Thanks to everybody for helping me shake this out.
> 
> I think I'm settling on the 1Up... single tray for now (in a few weeks or a month, actually), second tray down the road (and maybe a third). Maybe it's the armchair engineer in me, but I like the way it looks like it came from a defense contractor who makes CNC'ed parts for fighter jets. :thumbsup:
> 
> ...


Awesome. Now where's my rep?


----------



## JohnJ80 (Oct 10, 2008)

pimpbot said:


> Thanks to everybody for helping me shake this out.
> 
> *I think I'm settling on the 1Up*... single tray for now (in a few weeks or a month, actually), second tray down the road (and maybe a third). Maybe it's the armchair engineer in me, but I like the way it looks like it came from a defense contractor who makes CNC'ed parts for fighter jets. :thumbsup:
> 
> ...


:thumbsup:


----------



## pwu_1 (Nov 19, 2007)

pwu_1 said:


> So I found this on fleabay.
> Double Bike, 2" Hitch Rack - eBay (item 120753286800 end time Aug-21-11 15:19:56 PDT)
> 
> From the research I did, this appears to be an old style 1UpUSA rack.(1Up made these racks for Jeep to sell under Jeep's own brand.) It was sold under the name of Jeep Overland II hitch rack and also I believe U-Haul Saferack. I believe it was made during the early to mid 2000s. Apparently Jeep ditched 1up and partnered with Thule instead so Thule now manufactures racks for Jeep.
> ...


Ok so I got the ebay rack today. 
I can't tell if it is a knock-off or licensed product but it is "Jeep" branded and the instructions calls it the 1up bike rack. The box shows that it is made in Taiwan(imported by a company called Cycle Source Group, LLC)
The rack appears to be pretty well made but the 2 bike model is made so that you cannot detach 1 tray like you can with the real 1up.

But just as I suspected, my 29er does not fit on the rack. I think part of the problem is that the tray is a bit too short so that the arms cannot be raised high enough. I think if the tray or the arm were 2 inches longer then my 29er would have fit with no issues.
Now I get to deal with the hassle of returning the thing.
Oh well never know till you try I guess. 
In any case I'm going to be saving up for the 1upUsa rack.


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## pwu_1 (Nov 19, 2007)

BaeckerX1 said:


> Heh I'll take a pic of the 1-up with my 29er if you'd like. There's plenty of options for moving it left and right however you want it to make another bike fit. Had a 29er and a 26er on it today.


Next time you have 2 bikes on the rack would you mind taking a picture from the side so that it shows how much room there is between the 2 bikes? Looking at the pictures it looks like might be kind of tight(Will the bikes touch each other)?


----------



## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

*That looks pretty sweet*



pwu_1 said:


> Ok so I got the ebay rack today.
> I can't tell if it is a knock-off or licensed product but it is "Jeep" branded and the instructions calls it the 1up bike rack. The box shows that it is made in Taiwan(imported by a company called Cycle Source Group, LLC)
> The rack appears to be pretty well made but the 2 bike model is made so that you cannot detach 1 tray like you can with the real 1up.
> 
> ...


... but yeah, if it doesn't fit wagon wheel bikes, and no 1 1/4" hitch, it won't work for me. Two strikes right there.


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## JohnJ80 (Oct 10, 2008)

pwu_1 said:


> Next time you have 2 bikes on the rack would you mind taking a picture from the side so that it shows how much room there is between the 2 bikes? Looking at the pictures it looks like might be kind of tight(Will the bikes touch each other)?


The pitch on the 1UpUSA is tight (a good thing). The tight pitch keeps the whole package from getting too long.

You do have the ability to adjust the bikes side to side quite a bit to keep handlebars from interfering with seats etc.. You kind of stagger them. I can't imagine that is any different for 29ers than standard bikes.

J.


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## tracerprix (Dec 26, 2009)

I've been himming and hawing on which hitch rack to get, seeing I bought a new SUV and now it is too tall for me to reach my roof rack with the Thule Side arms. I was never thrilled with how close and sometimes touching the brakes on my road bike. After reading this thread I think I decided on the 1upUSA as well. I like how small it folds up and how it holds both wheels. I like how the black looks, but damn $100 extra for a 2 bike setup!!!

Thanks!


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## JohnJ80 (Oct 10, 2008)

You'll forget all about the extra cost the first time you put it away in your garage and when you easily put the rack on the car without having to heft a 50lb or heavier rack around. The marginal cost for the benefit is a good deal.

J.


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## tracerprix (Dec 26, 2009)

Look like there is a NEW 2" 4-Bike Ready Heavy Duty Model according to the website for the 1up. I emailed about it, because I would like to have the 2" only receiver but I don't think I want all the 4 mounts. I might need 3, so depending on costs, I might buy the 4. I plan on calling tomorrow as well.

Mike


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## pwu_1 (Nov 19, 2007)

JohnJ80 said:


> The pitch on the 1UpUSA is tight (a good thing). The tight pitch keeps the whole package from getting too long.
> 
> You do have the ability to adjust the bikes side to side quite a bit to keep handlebars from interfering with seats etc.. You kind of stagger them. I can't imagine that is any different for 29ers than standard bikes.
> 
> J.


Can someone measure the distance between the 2 trays? I know it is staggered where one tray is higher than the other tray but I'm worried about the distance being too close between 2 trays and getting a situation where the seat stay or chain stay(or brake caliper) of 1 bike rubs against the fork of the other bike.
Just wanted to check and make sure there is enough room between the 2 trays so that 2 bikes won't touch

EDIT- NVM I saw some pictures in the other thread. Looks like there is plenty of space.
Really sold on the 1up now. Just have to save up for it


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## BaeckerX1 (Oct 19, 2007)

The awesome thing for me was I convinced a local friend in my riding group to buy one and he loves his. I only have 2 trays, but when we went to Monarch Crest, I borrowed his 2nd tray to run 3 trays and 5 bikes for our shuttle. So awesome to be able to just take a tray off his and put it on mine. No hassle. The one thing that does get a little old is everyone coming up and asking about the rack lol. I seriously get people asking about it everywhere I go. Even the guys at PUSH were talking about it when I got fork work done there (it's local to me). I had some random person playing with it on the back of my truck at the campground. He was admiring it, but I was like WTF? Don't mess with another man's rack bro.  But seriously, 1-up should pay me.


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## JohnJ80 (Oct 10, 2008)

pwu_1 said:


> Can someone measure the distance between the 2 trays? I know it is staggered where one tray is higher than the other tray but I'm worried about the distance being too close between 2 trays and getting a situation where the seat stay or chain stay(or brake caliper) of 1 bike rubs against the fork of the other bike.
> Just wanted to check and make sure there is enough room between the 2 trays so that 2 bikes won't touch
> 
> EDIT- NVM I saw some pictures in the other thread. Looks like there is plenty of space.
> Really sold on the 1up now. Just have to save up for it


That shouldn't be a problem. You alternate the front wheel from side to side as you add bikes. You can then move the bikes side to side in the tray like 12" or so to make sure that there aren't conflicts.

Just eyeballing it with the help of a ruler for two pieces of my rack hanging on the wall - it looks like between 8-11" or so. I didn't have time to put it on the car (or the energy....).

J.


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

Trigger pulled.... 1Up rack on the way. 1 week of stuffing my bike in the back seat, hoping not to jack up the interior. Moving blankets, etc... I'll live. 

Riding buddy offered to drive until second tray is purchased. 

Can't wait to see this thing.


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## JohnJ80 (Oct 10, 2008)

Let us know how it works for you.

J.


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## jtmartino (Jul 31, 2008)

Yeah pimpbot, great thread - let us know how it goes. I may have to sacrifice the T2 as well...


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