# bike rack for two 45# E-bikes using( 1.25) hitch. Need a safe way to make it work?



## sandiTIRES (Jun 20, 2021)

Hi. My SUV has a 1.25 trailer hitch. All the recommended rack for 100 pound load says we must have a 2
inch trailer hitch. IS there anyway possible to make this 1-25" trailer hitch safe to use for two 50 pound e bikes? I simply can not afford to buy a new trailer hitch, But, i dont want to worry about hauling 2 bikes to florida if the trailer hitch will fall off, or hurt the tires, etc. My son like to drive 70 mph all the way down there. 

Any suggestions of any way to make this safe, is appreciated. I would have never purchased these bikes knowing I cant tow them on my regular bike rack. What a mess Im in now. Thanks


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## huckleberry hound (Feb 27, 2015)

Can you take the battery packs off and put them in the vehicle to lighten the load?


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## NS-NV (Aug 15, 2006)

I‘d go to a hitch shop and see if they can replace it with a 2” hitch. Most SUV’s can handle one.


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## Squirrel in the Spokes (Apr 9, 2021)

You can afford two eBikes and a new bike rack but the new hitch is too much?


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## Glide the Clyde (Nov 12, 2009)

NS-NV said:


> I'd go to a hitch shop and see if they can replace it with a 2" hitch. Most SUV's can handle one.


Let me Google that for you.

"I simply can not afford to buy a new trailer hitch,"


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## Glide the Clyde (Nov 12, 2009)

Squirrel in the Spokes said:


> You can afford two eBikes and a new bike rack but the new hitch is too much?


That's why she can't afford a new hitch, duh.


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## Glide the Clyde (Nov 12, 2009)

huckleberry hound said:


> Can you take the battery packs off and put them in the vehicle to lighten the load?


This. Lighten the load by almost 20 lbs. The 1.25" should be safe for 80-85lbs.


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## spaightlabs (Dec 3, 2011)

“Should be…”

yikes.

what suv comes with a mini hitch?


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## rangeriderdave (Aug 29, 2008)

Depending on the type of rack ,you could lighten the bike even more by taking off the wheels.


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## Jack7782 (Jan 1, 2009)

Thule Easy Fold has solid steel 1.25 inch steel receiver bar and is rated at 130 lbs. Yes it is expensive, but it gets the job done.





Thule EasyFold XT 2


Thule EasyFold XT 2 - The fully foldable, compact, and easy-to-use hitch-mounted bike rack for all types of bikes.




www.thule.com


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## Arm&Hammer (Dec 19, 2020)

You can sell the ebikes and buy some nice real bikes then you do not need to worry about the weight.


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## rob214 (Apr 18, 2019)

check your hitch and see what the tongue weight can max out at.
I don't think you have anything worry about


Hitch
ClassRepresentative ImageCommon ApplicationsReceiver
SizeGTW Capacity
(lbs.)TW Capacity
(lbs.)WD Capacity
(lbs.)WDTW Capacity (lbs.)Class 1







Cars and crossovers1-1/4-inchUp to 2,000Up to 200--


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## Fairbanks007 (Sep 5, 2009)

Arm&Hammer said:


> You can sell the ebikes and buy some nice real bikes then you do not need to worry about the weight.


I only read this thread to see how long it would take before someone said that. Not in the first 10 replies, but oh so close...


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## Tickle (Dec 11, 2013)

In the ebike forum no less!  What are we talking an extra 40lbs total probably, like that is gonna destroy the hitch


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## Gutch (Dec 17, 2010)

I haul 2 ebikes on my kuat rack with the small hitch all the time. No worries.


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## rob214 (Apr 18, 2019)

The two bikes plus rack do not weigh more than 200 pounds your good to carry the bikes


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## quadzilla411 (Feb 25, 2015)

sandiTIRES said:


> Hi. My SUV has a 1.25 trailer hitch. All the recommended rack for 100 pound load says we must have a 2
> inch trailer hitch. IS there anyway possible to make this 1-25" trailer hitch safe to use for two 50 pound e bikes? I simply can not afford to buy a new trailer hitch, But, i dont want to worry about hauling 2 bikes to florida if the trailer hitch will fall off, or hurt the tires, etc. My son like to drive 70 mph all the way down there.
> 
> Any suggestions of any way to make this safe, is appreciated. I would have never purchased these bikes knowing I cant tow them on my regular bike rack. What a mess Im in now. Thanks


Simple way is to buy a 1.25 to 2.0 extension from Amazon or wherever and then use a dedicated 2.0 bike rack that is rated for the weight. For me hands down the best bike/Ebike rack I have is a Rocky Mounts rack. Carries two Ebikes with big wheels or my pedal bikes with a big margin of safety. Price point less than other quality racks too......


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## watermonkey (Jun 21, 2011)

quadzilla411 said:


> Simple way is to buy a 1.25 to 2.0 extension from Amazon or wherever and then use a dedicated 2.0 bike rack that is rated for the weight. For me hands down the best bike/Ebike rack I have is a Rocky Mounts rack. Carries two Ebikes with big wheels or my pedal bikes with a big margin of safety. Price point less than other quality racks too......


Yes, do this. In exactly the same way that ebikes don't have motors, leverage doesn't apply to an overloaded bike rack compromised by a hitch extension/converter. Ah, ebikes, blissfully floating above the laws of physics (and common sense).

In case you couldn't read through the sarcasm, adding a hitch extender/converter will do one thing and one thing only.....DECREASE the load capacity of the existing 1.25" hitch.


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## rob214 (Apr 18, 2019)

what quadzilla is saying is not problem, look at the specks the adaptor is 7 pounds the two bikes are 90 the rack can't weight 100 pounds, still under the gross tongue weight of the 1 1/4" hitch. ironically on competitive cyclist webpage for bike racks they also sell an adaptor for this conversion so this is not an uncommon problem. this is a cheap one I found on amazon and its still rated at 350 lbs
to the O.P. are you saying you need to purchase a bike rack still? some of the racks I just looked at come with an adaptor with the rack to work with either size hitch.
*MaxxHaul 70032 1-1/4 inches to 2 inches Hitch Adaptor*
Amazon's Choicefor "trailer hitch converter from 1 1/4


BrandMAXXHAULItem Weight6.75 PoundsVehicle Service TypeTrailerFinish TypePowder Coated
*About this item*

Receiver size: 1-1/4 inch to 2 inch
Maximum tongue weight capacity: 350 pounds
Durable powder coat finish to resist rust and corrosion
Distance from center of pin hole to pin hole: 6-1/2"
Not to be used for towing
ONLY fits Class II receiver hitch
› See more product details


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## Moosedriver (Jan 19, 2021)

You aren’t looking at the acronyms correctly. GTW is Gross Trailer Weight.
TW is Tongue Weight.

A class 1 hitch can pull a trailer that weighs up to 2000 lbs (GTW), with 200 lbs (TW) pressing down on the hitch. Most of the weight is being carried by the axle/wheels of the trailer. Since a bike rack isn’t supported by an axle/wheel system, the only weight to look at is the 200 lb tongue weight. Any weight above that puts too much torque on the hitch and can cause a failure. 

All hitch extenders decrease TW by 50%, with some companies stating “at least 50%.” If you have a class 1 hitch, your maximum allowable TW is 100 lbs when using a hitch extender. 2 ebikes along with the rack can easily exceed 100 lbs.

That hitch extender that you linked to that lists a 350 TW is to let you know that it’s rated to work on a class 2 hitch (3500 lb GTW & 350 lb TW). It still cuts the TW by 50%.


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## quadzilla411 (Feb 25, 2015)

The weak link is the class one 1.25 hitch, so it would be smart to find out the capacity of the particular class one hitch you have and want to use. It looks like the heavier duty class ones with a 2.0 extension would put the TW near capacity with two Ebikes. If it were me I would unbolt the class one and bolt up a 2.0 hitch. Sell the class one on Craig's and save some money as you would not need a extension too. WTBS, I have a couple of friends who use a 1.25 hitch and lighter duty bike rack. Smart? I don't think so, however they usually only haul one bike.


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## Jack7782 (Jan 1, 2009)

quadzilla411 said:


> The weak link is the class one 1.25 hitch, so it would be smart to find out the capacity of the particular class one hitch you have and want to use.


For the 1.25 vs 2.0 hitch debate - another factor are the mounting points to your specific make/model of car. The more "triangulated" the better, so your bikes on rack don't sway up and down like a pendulum, which is unnerving to see etc. 
For example, my 2007 Honda Element with 1.25 was spaghetti  my 2007 Yaris with 1.25 was rock solid


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## fos'l (May 27, 2009)

The 1-UP 1&1/4" rack will accommodate up to three 50 pound bikes. For extra security (as stated above), remove the batteries (if feasible).


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## quadzilla411 (Feb 25, 2015)

Jack7782 said:


> For the 1.25 vs 2.0 hitch debate - another factor are the mounting points to your specific make/model of car. The more "triangulated" the better, so your bikes on rack don't sway up and down like a pendulum, which is unnerving to see etc.
> For example, my 2007 Honda Element with 1.25 was spaghetti  my 2007 Yaris with 1.25 was rock solid


I have a 2008 Element with a 2.0 Uhaul Hitch and it is triangulated quite well with many miles of hauling Pedal and Ebikes. Took about 15 minutes to bolt it on.


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## SkiTalk'er (Jun 26, 2021)

If you are limited to a 1.25 don't fret. I have been using a Yakima Holdup with 1.25 with 2 Cannondale Habit Neo's on it and no issues, even on the roughest of terrain.


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