Great review. Just got my 1 up bike rack. I got a double. That position between horizontal and vertical allows one to open the rear hatch for those who own more than one mount. Otherwise your rear hatch will hit the second tray as the hatch opens. This in between position lets you keep it in this position but also out of the way.
Nice review, I’m super stoked to be getting my rack this week. After reading lots of reviews and watching a few videos I’m certain I made the right choice with 1up USA. Cheers and happy trails.
Great review Jonathan, highly informative! I thought that for security that hole located above the hex bolt is designed to put a lock in to prevent access to the bolt head.
Good review. How's the rack holding up after a couple of years of use? Also curious if you mount the bike after a ride with unknowingly a slow leak. What will happen as the tire goes flat while on the rack?
Thanks! The rack is nearly perfect after 2+ years of use. Other than spraying off with a hose, no maintenance has been done. All of the mechanisms that move still do so, and with no squeaking, grinding or other issues. This is the rack to buy.
Not clear on which vertical arms you are referring to, the video ends at 20:24 with nothing in frame, so perhaps you meant another timestamp. Send me a photo and I'll be happy to respond.
1up should make a lock from preventing somebody at a stop light from un ratcheting the lever and taking off. I know you can add a chain, but would be nice to have something kinda locking mechanism.
Great review. Thank you for taking the time to do it. Can you elaborate on your decision making for choosing the aluminum (color) vs. the black versions. Thank you.
I picked silver because I thought it better matches my car’s color, plus I thought the black would be more likely to show scratches over time. I’m sure the black anodizing is hard, but still didn’t want to see a bunch of wear.
I am considering buying the 1Up rack for my bikes and wondering if you've had any long term issues with locking mechanism on the rails starting to not hold or grip due the teeth wearing down?
I love the burly build and aesthetic of this rack. Yakima and Thule racks are really expensive and poorly made. Two things that I don't like about the 1up: 1) the location of the 'pivot release' - should be a burly handle w/ release for lowering the rack for trunk access. If you have 2-3 bike on this rack, accessing that release would be downright impossible. On road trips, I'm in/out of the back of my truck many times a day and I'd need to put a minimum of three bikes on there. 2) As burly as that 'friction ball' may be, if it were to fail, not only would you destroy your bikes, but you could potentially kill someone on the highway. A standard hitch-pin is a solid, easy to deploy back-up to the friction hitch - it should be there.
Agree on the low build quality of Yakima, Thule, et al. As for the friction ball, you would be shocked how well it works. As the stem fits into the receiver about 6 or so inches, the ball doesn't receive the load, so I think a failure is quite unlikely. 3 bikes * 30 lbs plus the weight of the rack doesn't really seem to get near the amount of force required to pull the hitch out. I would say that the opportunities for some minor self-mods are ample if you wanted to create a secondary safety mechanism (like a hitch pin), but after nearly a year of use, I'm convinced it isn't necessary.
Can you secure the bike so no one will steal it when you go in to a store, let's say costco ,or walmart to do grocery? If your mountain bike worth 3,5,7 grand, are you still confident leaving it out in the rack while inside the store or building or liquor store?
72CornerSpeed yes, but you use an additional bike chain. If you want super security, use a monster chain. My $6k Santa Cruz has been safe after about 9 months of use. Obviously any lock/chain can be cut with an angle grinder, but I think this thing is plenty secure for leaving the bike in the parking lot for lunch/errands/etc. Rack damage or theft is covered by auto insurance, and homeowners covers theft/damage to the bike.
If I were a real TH-camr I might have the camera crew to follow the car and get video... I will say that this rack, even years after original purchase, is still 100% rad (and beefy). There is zero wobble in the hitch receiver, still easy to put in and take out, and looks great. I even added the optional 2nd bike rack accessory, so now I can hold my bike plus my son's 26". These guys make really good stuff, and I'm sure you would be happy with one.
Do you ever lock your bike on this rack, if so, how....that would make a great video as none of the 100 plus reviews of this rack show how to lock the bike on the rack when they go into a store or restaurant or wherever
Hi Larry. Yes, I use a long cable lock through the front triangle and around one of the thick rack cross pieces. I think 100% of locks could easily be cut, so I try to plan my trips such that I don’t have to lock up for an extended timeframe.
Zero wobble. This was one of the reasons I decided to go with this rack. If you look at the latest designs from Thule and Yakima, even on the higher end models, they still have a fair amount of wobble. The 1Up is amazingly rigid.
vivek Balasubramanian I just use a simple cable lock to keep the bike in the rack. My philosophy is that you shouldn’t leave a bike locked to the rack for any period of time as thieves can easily use an angle grinder to cut through even the strongest chains. Call your auto and homeowners insurance company and see what they can provide in case your bike is stolen off the rack.
With only the wheels secured and nothing holding the frame there was a lot of wobbling on the bike when you jiggled it back and forth. With a second bike on the 2 bike rack I would think the frames would be bouncing off each other. Also no locking mechanism built in.
Hi Bruce. You'd be surprised how well the bikes are retained with this mount. After I made the video, I added the accessory for a 2nd bike. My 29er (2.4 and 2.5" tires) fits snugly and has a very small amount of wiggle when at freeway speed. The 2nd track was set up for my son's 24" wheels (2.6" width) which also fit nicely, and once you move the pins to the right position for the wheel size, I have zero fear that my two very expensive bikes will fail to stay in place. To your comment about the two bikes (the rack supports up to 4 total bikes) bouncing into each other, it has never happened; when you use the ratcheting arms to clamp down on the wheels, it has the effect of keeping the bike nicely upright. Regarding the locking mechanism, yes, you're right -- you have to use a separate lock to hold the rack to the car, or chains to hold the bikes to the rack. Honestly, I could cut through any chain or lock (or solid billet aluminum part for that matter), in a matter of minutes with my cheap Ryobi angle grinder (comment not sponsored by Ryobi). An exterior bike rack is inherently not a high-security solution, so it's probably best to be thoughtful about where you park your car when the bikes are attached. I chose to use a rubber-coated Kryptonite bike chain for those times when I have to park my car in front of a store or restaurant for a few minutes -- when this happens, I'm still watching out the window, making sure nobody tries anything.
I don't think you'll find this tool at a hardware store, as it is a "security allen key". You can certainly find them on Amazon or just buy from 1UP directly.
Purchased a 2" Heavy Duty a few years ago. It has not been a great investment. When things bend or break, it is nice that 1up offers replacement parts. I have had more than 1 bad experience dealing with customer service. Parts not included, nickel and dime add ons to additional repair costs. I spent over $1100 on the original rack, spent over $275 on replacement parts. I damaged part of the rack, other parts should not have bent or broken in the course of normal use. Would not buy this rack again.
Did you bend or break the rack parts during normal operation, or did you have a catastrophic event like backing your car into something? My guess is that your experience would be the same if you had a Thule or a Kuat and you ran into something.
Hitch bent due to operator error (my fault). Was happy to replace for $$. Glide bars are destroyed from normal operation. 15 degree plates have a 1/8in aluminum "stay" along the back of the plate to hold the tray at 90 degrees. After repeated folding of the rack, this 1/8 piece has peeled off of 3 15 plates. I'm pretty hard on my gear, but I maintain it and most gear I have lasts a long time. I am also honest when it is my fault, vs bad engineering or design. 1Up support was boarder line rude and condescending. I would not purchase again due to my interaction with CS.
That is a drag you had this experience. I just got mine. I was sold on all of the positive reviews. I think your's is the first negative one I've seen. One thing I can't stand is rude and condescending behavior from the people who make a living off of you. I hope I won't have to deal with them. I'm pretty old and lazy though and may not use my rack near as much as you. Only thing I am disappoint is the security. I was a bit surprised there's no hitch pin hole in addition to the ball bearing mechanism.
Never had an issue with the expanding ball to keep the hitch in. I do check / tighter it when / after road trips or off road. I use a voile strap instead of the velcro strap. Also back up the mechanism with a hitch tightener (anti-rattle, stabilizer). I also wrap a cable lock between the rack and the chain point on the hitch for security. I like the rack. I hope that they release V.2 at some point because I think it addresses some of these (and other) issues.
Ill say one thing very easy to steal that bike when your inside. Cant you lock the bike? Just pull the red handles and off you go that will take all of 2 seconds and you now have a new MTB. There is no security for that bike if left alone. Or did I miss something. Nice review but where's the security for the bike.
Hi Mark. You lock the bike to the rack with a chain(s). You can go through the frame (both triangles) and both wheels and then around any number of the solid aluminum members. This was not shown in the video, so I see how you might be confused.
Ok thank you. I like the rack for 2 of my bikes. I just didn't see any type of bike locks. Because to me it looked like easy pickings. Ive been looking for a rack for 4 months now just haven't found anything yet.
Man great rack awesome manufacturer could u guys spend like 20$ of your profit to hire someone to write instructions on how to install and set up all the odds and ends because your instructions don’t explain over half of the shit necessary to do very frustrating then to top that off every video online apparently have a different model than mine, idk I don’t understand. Mine has none of these parts at least they don’t look the same very frustrating.
Nash Metro I would say that most bike racks on the market require the user to lift the bike onto the rack. That said, the 1Up might be low enough for you to lift one wheel at a time onto the tray. In this way, you wouldn’t have to deadlift all of the bike weight at once.
Great review. Just got my 1 up bike rack. I got a double. That position between horizontal and vertical allows one to open the rear hatch for those who own more than one mount. Otherwise your rear hatch will hit the second tray as the hatch opens. This in between position lets you keep it in this position but also out of the way.
Very detailed review. Great job!
Ditto on thanks for the comprehensive review. After watching several other reviews, you convinced me! Thanks for taking the time to help us out.
Randy Karpinen I’m hoping to do more MTB equipment reviews like this one, so be sure to like and subscribe!
This really helped me out. Thanks!
Buy Cool Shirts thanks, make sure to subscribe and like the video so I can keep doing reviews!
Nice review, I’m super stoked to be getting my rack this week. After reading lots of reviews and watching a few videos I’m certain I made the right choice with 1up USA. Cheers and happy trails.
Thanks Mike. Wait until you see this thing installed on my Tesla...
Very detailed great job!
This review made my decision to buy this bike rack. Thanks for sharing!
Awesome Paolo, glad to hear it. Would love to have you subscribe to my channel!
Jon Marshall subscribed!
best investment you will ever made
I like that the single allows the camera not to be blocked but putting a second one on is easy
Is there still a secondary secure way to secure the rack to the hitch if there are not secondary holes to keep it in place?
Great review Jonathan, highly informative! I thought that for security that hole located above the hex bolt is designed to put a lock in to prevent access to the bolt head.
Exactly right on the security hole, but good luck finding a long, skinny lock which fits. You can of course buy from them, but the cost is inflated.
Reese Towpower 7042100 Adjustable Coupler Latch Lock may work. I have one somewhere that I'll try. Let you know.
I used a trailer hitch coupler lock. $11 or less. Works perfect
I used a handcuffs from Master Lock to secure the rack to my Jeep
Marked the square that goes into hitch and drill out on bike hitch and install hitch lock for better security
Good review. How's the rack holding up after a couple of years of use? Also curious if you mount the bike after a ride with unknowingly a slow leak. What will happen as the tire goes flat while on the rack?
Thanks! The rack is nearly perfect after 2+ years of use. Other than spraying off with a hose, no maintenance has been done. All of the mechanisms that move still do so, and with no squeaking, grinding or other issues. This is the rack to buy.
Evidently they've improved it because my rack I got yesterday has a locking pin to secure the hitch to the vehicle.
You probably got the 2" version, right? They DO support locking pin. The 1.25" version does not.
At 20:24, do the vertical arms fold down completely ? The support straps that attach to the vertical arms would be in the way lifting a heavy ebike.
Not clear on which vertical arms you are referring to, the video ends at 20:24 with nothing in frame, so perhaps you meant another timestamp. Send me a photo and I'll be happy to respond.
1up should make a lock from preventing somebody at a stop light from un ratcheting the lever and taking off. I know you can add a chain, but would be nice to have something kinda locking mechanism.
There are locks that goes in between the tires.
Great review. Thank you for taking the time to do it. Can you elaborate on your decision making for choosing the aluminum (color) vs. the black versions. Thank you.
I picked silver because I thought it better matches my car’s color, plus I thought the black would be more likely to show scratches over time. I’m sure the black anodizing is hard, but still didn’t want to see a bunch of wear.
@@Anewtube4you Thank you.
Black anodization scratches over time:-(
@@donyvette3496 Yet it can be painted over with the appropriate paint.
@@usergvhhyu1223 There is always that option :-)
I am considering buying the 1Up rack for my bikes and wondering if you've had any long term issues with locking mechanism on the rails starting to not hold or grip due the teeth wearing down?
No problems 4 years in, teeth work great without wear.
I love the burly build and aesthetic of this rack. Yakima and Thule racks are really expensive and poorly made. Two things that I don't like about the 1up: 1) the location of the 'pivot release' - should be a burly handle w/ release for lowering the rack for trunk access. If you have 2-3 bike on this rack, accessing that release would be downright impossible. On road trips, I'm in/out of the back of my truck many times a day and I'd need to put a minimum of three bikes on there. 2) As burly as that 'friction ball' may be, if it were to fail, not only would you destroy your bikes, but you could potentially kill someone on the highway. A standard hitch-pin is a solid, easy to deploy back-up to the friction hitch - it should be there.
Agree on the low build quality of Yakima, Thule, et al. As for the friction ball, you would be shocked how well it works. As the stem fits into the receiver about 6 or so inches, the ball doesn't receive the load, so I think a failure is quite unlikely. 3 bikes * 30 lbs plus the weight of the rack doesn't really seem to get near the amount of force required to pull the hitch out.
I would say that the opportunities for some minor self-mods are ample if you wanted to create a secondary safety mechanism (like a hitch pin), but after nearly a year of use, I'm convinced it isn't necessary.
Awesome - good to know. Given the location of the 'pivot release' I think the best way to mount this rack is using the Yakima Backswing.
Can you secure the bike so no one will steal it when you go in to a store, let's say costco ,or walmart to do grocery? If your mountain bike worth 3,5,7 grand, are you still confident leaving it out in the rack while inside the store or building or liquor store?
72CornerSpeed yes, but you use an additional bike chain. If you want super security, use a monster chain. My $6k Santa Cruz has been safe after about 9 months of use. Obviously any lock/chain can be cut with an angle grinder, but I think this thing is plenty secure for leaving the bike in the parking lot for lunch/errands/etc. Rack damage or theft is covered by auto insurance, and homeowners covers theft/damage to the bike.
They have slots for a hitch pin now?
Yes, on the 2" version. No on the 1.25".
Pretty good review. I wanna see one while they're driving though (too much?)😆
If I were a real TH-camr I might have the camera crew to follow the car and get video... I will say that this rack, even years after original purchase, is still 100% rad (and beefy). There is zero wobble in the hitch receiver, still easy to put in and take out, and looks great. I even added the optional 2nd bike rack accessory, so now I can hold my bike plus my son's 26". These guys make really good stuff, and I'm sure you would be happy with one.
Do you ever lock your bike on this rack, if so, how....that would make a great video as none of the 100 plus reviews of this rack show how to lock the bike on the rack when they go into a store or restaurant or wherever
Hi Larry. Yes, I use a long cable lock through the front triangle and around one of the thick rack cross pieces. I think 100% of locks could easily be cut, so I try to plan my trips such that I don’t have to lock up for an extended timeframe.
j'ai des pneu 4 po ça vas-tu entrer dans les rail.
I just can't understand how if people are doing TH-cam videos regularly, why they don't get tripods to help them with their videos!
How stable is the rack ? Whats the wobble like ?
Zero wobble. This was one of the reasons I decided to go with this rack. If you look at the latest designs from Thule and Yakima, even on the higher end models, they still have a fair amount of wobble. The 1Up is amazingly rigid.
Thanks for the response Jonathan. Definitely considering the rack for my VW GTI.
I got the rack and love it.I also got the locks through 1UP. I was wondering if you used any locking setup to secure the bike in the rack ?
vivek Balasubramanian I just use a simple cable lock to keep the bike in the rack. My philosophy is that you shouldn’t leave a bike locked to the rack for any period of time as thieves can easily use an angle grinder to cut through even the strongest chains. Call your auto and homeowners insurance company and see what they can provide in case your bike is stolen off the rack.
With only the wheels secured and nothing holding the frame there was a lot of wobbling on the bike when you jiggled it back and forth. With a second bike on the 2 bike rack I would think the frames would be bouncing off each other. Also no locking mechanism built in.
Hi Bruce. You'd be surprised how well the bikes are retained with this mount. After I made the video, I added the accessory for a 2nd bike. My 29er (2.4 and 2.5" tires) fits snugly and has a very small amount of wiggle when at freeway speed. The 2nd track was set up for my son's 24" wheels (2.6" width) which also fit nicely, and once you move the pins to the right position for the wheel size, I have zero fear that my two very expensive bikes will fail to stay in place. To your comment about the two bikes (the rack supports up to 4 total bikes) bouncing into each other, it has never happened; when you use the ratcheting arms to clamp down on the wheels, it has the effect of keeping the bike nicely upright. Regarding the locking mechanism, yes, you're right -- you have to use a separate lock to hold the rack to the car, or chains to hold the bikes to the rack. Honestly, I could cut through any chain or lock (or solid billet aluminum part for that matter), in a matter of minutes with my cheap Ryobi angle grinder (comment not sponsored by Ryobi). An exterior bike rack is inherently not a high-security solution, so it's probably best to be thoughtful about where you park your car when the bikes are attached. I chose to use a rubber-coated Kryptonite bike chain for those times when I have to park my car in front of a store or restaurant for a few minutes -- when this happens, I'm still watching out the window, making sure nobody tries anything.
can't you just put a padlock through the hole above the hex fitting to prevent someone from undoing it?
HandcuffCharlie yes, but you need a special narrow and long lock. Not sure it would actually be much more secure. Insurance is the best solution here.
they sell the lock for that in their accessories webpage
Hello, I bought a hitch like this on offer up but it didn't come with the Allen wrench. Can I just buy one from a hardware store?
I don't think you'll find this tool at a hardware store, as it is a "security allen key". You can certainly find them on Amazon or just buy from 1UP directly.
Wasn't able to find at the 1 up site
You got a really really nice MTB and the rack, maybe you trade in the KiA for Tacoma or Jeep lol.
FYI - this company ONLY gives discounts to ACTIVE military - NOT Veterans.
Can you demonstrate this with a bike with fenders 😂
Purchased a 2" Heavy Duty a few years ago. It has not been a great investment. When things bend or break, it is nice that 1up offers replacement parts. I have had more than 1 bad experience dealing with customer service. Parts not included, nickel and dime add ons to additional repair costs. I spent over $1100 on the original rack, spent over $275 on replacement parts. I damaged part of the rack, other parts should not have bent or broken in the course of normal use. Would not buy this rack again.
Did you bend or break the rack parts during normal operation, or did you have a catastrophic event like backing your car into something? My guess is that your experience would be the same if you had a Thule or a Kuat and you ran into something.
Hitch bent due to operator error (my fault). Was happy to replace for $$. Glide bars are destroyed from normal operation. 15 degree plates have a 1/8in aluminum "stay" along the back of the plate to hold the tray at 90 degrees. After repeated folding of the rack, this 1/8 piece has peeled off of 3 15 plates. I'm pretty hard on my gear, but I maintain it and most gear I have lasts a long time. I am also honest when it is my fault, vs bad engineering or design. 1Up support was boarder line rude and condescending. I would not purchase again due to my interaction with CS.
That is a drag you had this experience. I just got mine. I was sold on all of the positive reviews. I think your's is the first negative one I've seen. One thing I can't stand is rude and condescending behavior from the people who make a living off of you. I hope I won't have to deal with them. I'm pretty old and lazy though and may not use my rack near as much as you. Only thing I am disappoint is the security. I was a bit surprised there's no hitch pin hole in addition to the ball bearing mechanism.
Gregory Meyer I have to say the ball mech is surprisingly strong. And, the Velcro safety strap actually works.
Never had an issue with the expanding ball to keep the hitch in. I do check / tighter it when / after road trips or off road. I use a voile strap instead of the velcro strap. Also back up the mechanism with a hitch tightener (anti-rattle, stabilizer). I also wrap a cable lock between the rack and the chain point on the hitch for security. I like the rack. I hope that they release V.2 at some point because I think it addresses some of these (and other) issues.
Ill say one thing very easy to steal that bike when your inside. Cant you lock the bike? Just pull the red handles and off you go that will take all of 2 seconds and you now have a new MTB. There is no security for that bike if left alone. Or did I miss something. Nice review but where's the security for the bike.
Hi Mark. You lock the bike to the rack with a chain(s). You can go through the frame (both triangles) and both wheels and then around any number of the solid aluminum members. This was not shown in the video, so I see how you might be confused.
Ok thank you. I like the rack for 2 of my bikes. I just didn't see any type of bike locks. Because to me it looked like easy pickings. Ive been looking for a rack for 4 months now just haven't found anything yet.
MarkTheLostTraveler this brand should be on your short list. Lifetime warranty. Such a solid feel, no rattle. And good looking!
Thank you.
@@Anewtube4you Lifetime warranty does not mean shit when the company people are so mean and condescending.
Man great rack awesome manufacturer could u guys spend like 20$ of your profit to hire someone to write instructions on how to install and set up all the odds and ends because your instructions don’t explain over half of the shit necessary to do very frustrating then to top that off every video online apparently have a different model than mine, idk I don’t understand. Mine has none of these parts at least they don’t look the same very frustrating.
Made in USA. Sold.
And how do you get a bike too heavy to lift on to this system? I guess you don't. Definitely a "guy" bike rack.
Nash Metro I would say that most bike racks on the market require the user to lift the bike onto the rack. That said, the 1Up might be low enough for you to lift one wheel at a time onto the tray. In this way, you wouldn’t have to deadlift all of the bike weight at once.
People just find fault in any and everything!
if you can't carry your own bike maybe biking isn't for you...