Best 2 bike rack with a receiver pin that works?

l00semarble

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Sep 12, 2024
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Annapolis and Costa Rica
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I've been reading all this crazy stuff about the hitch pin and needs to be long or etc.

I have not shopped hitch racks for......forever. I'm not familar with brands etc.

I am overwhelmed with taking a look at options. Any recommendations for best 2-bike rack that is just plug and play? I'm not price senstiive for quality.
 
I have the 1up "equip'd" and absolutely love it. Can expand it to 4 bikes when I want. Its a very solid build - made in Wisconsin- and the receiver tightening feature makes it very secure (read, minimal/no wobble). Their hitch pens are the exact same design as their wheel locks, but the wheel lock is a half inch or longer (or more if you get the xl one) so I have been using that with zero issues.
 
Planning on getting a 1up the other option I'd suggest would be Kuat. I currently have a Hollywood but it's bulky and puts pressure on my bike frame vs the other 2 that put all the pressure on tires and wheels. Plus they include a long hitch pin with your vehicle, either in the glove box or the storage in back. I purchased a locking one years ago that is long enough.
 
I have a 1up sperduty and I like it. Tell them you have a 2024 toyota and they will send a different locking pin.

The 1up system doesn't use the same style pin you might be used to
 
I also have the Hollywood. It weighs as much as a motorcycle but at least it wasn’t $1000.
 
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1up heavy duty here, it's great. I upgraded from the Thule T2 Pro XTR when i needed to go beyond 2 bikes (kids). The Thule was fantastic as well, but I never did put it on the Cruiser before selling it.

For the hitch pin, you need to order one extra wheel lock, that will function as the hitch pin. Because of the anti-wobble on these racks, the hitch pins are really just for security, they are not under any normal load.

IMG_9687.jpeg
 
I like my Kuat. It’s great but probably worth waiting for a sale or REI points.
 
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Planning on getting a 1up the other option I'd suggest would be Kuat. I currently have a Hollywood but it's bulky and puts pressure on my bike frame vs the other 2 that put all the pressure on tires and wheels. Plus they include a long hitch pin with your vehicle, either in the glove box or the storage in back. I purchased a locking one years ago that is long enough.
Kuat racks are great.
 
I had a Yakima rack but sold it for a kuat and love it. Super solid. Bike doesn’t move around at all and easy to load/unload.
 
I've been reading all this crazy stuff about the hitch pin and needs to be long or etc.

I have not shopped hitch racks for......forever. I'm not familar with brands etc.

I am overwhelmed with taking a look at options. Any recommendations for best 2-bike rack that is just plug and play? I'm not price senstiive for quality.
I’ve owned many many racks and while I’m not sure 1-up addresses your issues I’ll say this about them they are by far the best I’ve ever used and I wonder why it took me so long to get one. Not great with fenders though at least mine.
 
Not great with fenders though
I have their fender adapters - which are just a roll of foam that goes over piece that pinches down on your tires. I have used it once when my wife had a flat on her commuter and it worked well for that use case (short distance, in town). I do think it might be a little awkward on a long trip at freeway speeds or on bumpy terrain, but I haven't had the chance to find that out yet.
 
I have the hollywood racks sport rider. Have a fat tire e-bike so needed something to handle the weight (70 pounds without the battery).

Doesn't look like some of the fancier racks, but seems very solid and the pin it comes with is long enough.

PXL_20240831_220149133.PORTRAIT.ORIGINAL (1).jpg
 
I just bought a Rocky Mount backstage with their XL hitch bolt. Its really nice (upgraded from an old Yakima) but admittedly havent had a chance to actually use it yet.
 
Can't recommend the 1Up enough. Get the add-on kit for however many bikes you need to haul. Super sturdy and fits big bikes with long wheelbases (like an XL Raaw).

1000012304.jpg
 
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