Customer Reviews:
 Better than Yakima or Thule for less money! May 2, 2010
Crispy (Indianapolis)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I'll start right off by stating that the plastic/rubber straps are suspect. I haven't broken any, but I've been careful. Other than that, everything else is just as billed by Softride.
The parallelogram technology that allows raising and lowering with bikes works great. You just pull the t-bar handle and lower the whole assembly that allows me to open the rear hatch on my Saturn Outlook. I was able to raise the rack with bikes back into place by myself, but it was heavy.
Some of the complaints that I've read have to do with the hitch bolt not lining up. But if you read the instructions they tell you to stick a screwdriver in there and you can move that around to get it to line up. I was able to adjust it, slide it in to the receiver and hand thread the lockable bolt. I bought a 7/8" deep socket and 1/2" Tool Shop socket wrench to keep in the car to tighten this bolt. Works great. No rattle.
As for the plastic/rubber anti-sway cradles, I've had no problem. They're not meant to be weight bearing but they keep the bikes from rocking just fine. The including velcro straps are for tying up wheels and stuff so they don't flop around.
Mine came from Amazon packaged in perfect condition. Nothing scratched. Nothing broken. You'll need a padlock to use with the included lockable cable.
4.5 Stars. 5 Stars if they made the straps out of softer and more stretchable material.
This is the bike rack you're looking for! June 26, 2010
safadez
I've shopped for a lot of hitch bike racks. I looked at Yakima, Thule, and others, and this is the one I was looking for. If you want a rack that will give you access to the back hatch WITHOUT taking the bikes off the rack, this is the one you're looking for too. I was also looking for a rack that had a four-bike capacity.
The design has a pin release that allows the rack to angle back and down away from the car while keeping the arm holding the bikes parallel to the ground. The arm is spring loaded to resist the weight of the bikes, which makes it easier to raise and lower the arm even when loaded and heavy. Google this rack and look for a video installation review -- you'll see how smart this design is compared to other racks that rotate sideways, turn on a screw, or recommend you unload them before moving the arm. With the rack down the bikes are still a good 6-8" off the ground, and there is enough clearance behind the car that I can open the hatch and lift suitcases in and out with no problem.
Security features include a lock over the bolt that holds the rack to the hitch and a cable that extends from the center bar over the bikes to the yellow loops on the end of the bike arms. This will deter any spur-of-the-moment theif. A theif that plans ahead with the right tools ... is very unlikely. I feel pretty secure with these security features.
Other reviewers have complained about the cheap rubber straps and other plastic parts. I haven't had any straps break yet with three months of use, and to me I'd rather have a good overall mechanical design than good straps on a rack that is bulky and inconvenient. Would you seriously rather "wait for Yakima or Thule to copy this design" over a strap that IF it breaks is easily replaced with another strap or velcro? I think that criticism only goes to show that this is a superior design -- it's the design you want.
Minor issues: I would like to see the rack-to-hitch bolt go all the way through the hitch. It only goes through one side but is still secure inside the thread. Some kind of locking quick-release would have been nice too. A wrench is required to take the rack off and on the hitch. We keep the wrench in a bag with the extra straps in the car whenever we're travelling with the bike rack.
There is a little bit of wiggle and slop overall when I push on the rack, but it's solid while driving on short trips or long highway trips. These minor issues don't keep me from loving this rack.
Great rack! August 8, 2010
Andrew
This rack is outstanding. As my first bike rack, I wasn't sure what to expect. I selected this rack because of the tilting feature that still allows you to open the tailgate while the bikes are on the rack. My dad has a Thule bike rack that doesn't tilt very easily with bikes on it. The tilting feature is so useful. Plus, it's nice to have the bikes at a lower height when mounting and dismounting them. It is quite heavy with four bikes, so you will likely need another person to help you hoist it back into position.
This rack is super easy to install and feels really sturdy. The locking feature is nice when you want to grab a bite to eat after a nice mountain biking adventure. Just be sure to get a nice lock.
I would definitely recommend getting the Access Dura that includes the anti-sway mounting pieces. The anti-sway is really helpful to make sure your bikes don't smack into each other and your vehicle.
Most importantly, the rack looks really nice on my SUV! I highly recommend this rack!
 5-star design ruined by 1-star materials April 11, 2010
Amazon addict (Atlanta, GA USA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
The design of this rack is perfect. It works flawlessly on my GMC Acadia, swinging down and out of the way so the hatch can open (and you can stand in-between the bikes and the vehicle - load your luggage, grab your helmets, etc.). The removeable support arms are a great feature. I like the convoluted rubber padding in the support cradles because lots of bikes have bare cables running under the crossbars and this gives the cable a place to locate without being pinched. I like the fact that this rack comes with a 1.25" receiver adapter (I didn't need, but it looks sturdy). I like the integrated cable to lock the bikes onto the vehicle. I like the included hitch lock. These are necessary items that you don't have to buy separately.
Every part of this rack that is made of metal is sturdy and robust. Unfortunately (really really unfortunately), every plastic and rubber part is junk. On my first vacation using the rack, two rubber straps tore through. The first time I pulled on one, I had an uneasy feeling that it was stretching without much spring-back, and the feeling was confirmed a couple days later when the first strap broke. It was then that I knew why they include some velcro straps in the box (not documented anywhere, just in the box) - you are going to need them when the rubber straps break, which will be soon! The plastic anti-sway pieces - junky (uneasy feeling they will snap right off - nervously awaiting the day...). The plastic on the ends of the support bars - junky. The plastic on the sides of the top plate - ill fitting and junky.
If you can wait, postpone your purchase until Thule or Yakima copy this design, then buy from them so you know it will last and not leave you in a fix when something breaks out in the field.
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