Good review. I might also mention that if you want to convert this rack to single-bike use, it's very easy. Just completely loosen and remove the outer wheel trays and one of the top hooks (the plastic tab on top of the hook rail pops off with a screwdriver and pops back in). So you can carry a single bike closer to the car and save some space, which is helpful for parallel parking. If you want to go back to dual bike carry, you can easily replace the outer wheel trays and the other top hook. Also, you should mention the wheel strap locks have a nice ratcheting tab feature to get them really tight and a red quick-release button that makes it much easier to unstrap. For some reason, the wheel trays do wiggle loose so you should get in the habit of checking them for tightness before every bike mounting.
Thank you for this video. I just picked up this rack earlier this evening from an FB marketplace post. It was only $100. This is replacing my Yakima Double Down. Your video assured me that my decision was good
Very simple and informative review. I want a frame clamp type like this one for mine and my son's vintage Italian road bikes. Tired of hanging them from frame racks and securing with bungies, etc. Love the simple ratchet-type frame clamp and how fast and easy they are. Great video. Getting one for our bikes. Thanks!
Just purchased a Holdup two , been wanting to get this for some time now, have always been a Yakima fan. Thanks for the review, will post about the rack when I get it installed
Major problem for a lot of jeep owners with larger than stock rear spare tire is it will not fold up. It requires an additional hitch extension. Just going to throw that out there as that is how I solved the issue. You will not (even with hitch extension - length depending) not be able to swing open the end gate far enough to lift the glass window. Also you may want to pick up another lock hitch pin for added piece of mind. 😁 jeep wrangler owners keep this in mind. Great rack though at a decent price.
+Manuel jiménez, Stan's gave me a crash replacement. I still had to pay but not near as much as I would for a new wheel. The two-time rack sits the bike up quite a bit higher than the performance Transit that I had ( the wheels sit on top of the trays instead of sinking down inside of them) so it should not be an issue. According to a phone call that I had with Yakima, the two timer puts the bike about 2 or 3 inches higher than the holdup rack.
Thanks for the great review. I was looking for an inexpensive rack and was looking at this and another less expensive brand (Swagman XTC 2) Very thorough and answered all my questions. I was previously using a trunk strap on rack frankly unnerved me quite a bit! I am able to get this at a good price from an online vendor. This seems a reasonable option for what seems to be a well made rack. Some of the racks out there are way out of my price range. Needed a rack to take my bike out of my busy street to a more comfortable riding area with possibly a few 2 hour long trips for vacation. This seems to fit the bill!
Excellent review Clint. My e-bikes weight in at 20kg each so right at the stated weight limit. How robust is the cross arm construction on which the wheel holders slide along?
Why not the Thule T2 Pro? You can find them as low as $438 on Amazon; more pricier but for the features it's worth it imo. More user friendly and secure. Also has the ability to lock up the bikes. It's what I use for my Camry and it is excellent.
+Lorenzo Cordero a couple of reasons. One I had a Yakima rack in college and really like that so often times when I find a brand I really like I stick with it. Also my local bike shop that I race for carries Yakima and I get pretty deep discounts.
So I decided to purchase this rack based on my experience with an older non craddle style also from Yakima. The problem I have with (my) bikes, is that the wheelbase on both my Trek Fuel EX8 27.5 plus and my Trek X-Caliber 9, are too long to fit both in the craddles. I can only fit one bike, and then my wife's bike which has a much smaller wheelbase. This is a problem if I want to take both my bikes, or take a friend along with me who also has a bike with a long wheelbase.I am living with the issue now, as I only ride one at a time. However, if I want to take both or a friend along with me, I will have to put my older style rack on my car. I did speak with Yakima, and it was enough for them to help me orientate the craddles just to fit one bike on the rack. So if you have smaller wheelbased bikes, these rack will work just fine. If you plan to carry two bikes with long wheelbases, I would suggest not considering this one.
Hey Clint. Great review. Would you recommend this for a XXL sentinel with 51” wheelbase along with 61-64cm road/tri bikes? I know a lot of the racks top out around 48” I’m leaning towards this or the performance one you reviewed. Cheers
I don't have this rack anymore so I can't take measurements but I think it will work, especially if your top tube is slanted. Yakima's customer services pretty good so I would give them a call and see if you can get it from the horse's mouth.
What kind of tape do you use for the frame protection? I've been window shopping hitch racks for awhile and am always tempted to purchase one that is more expensive (like the holdup) because I don't want to trash a top tube from a rack like this one. If I had piece of mind that my bikes would be protected, it would be a no-brainer to go this route instead for me.
I could see a problem with this rack if you had 2 bikes with the same height top tubes, the fact that the hold down arms have to be adjusted differently could potentially be an issue for some combinations. I love the fact you can move your bikes horizontally though, I borrowed a 4 bike Kuat rack once and that was a problem, turned out we had to remove saddles, etc to make it work out. Not sure if you ever saw the OneUp racks, that's what I now own and I think it's a pretty good piece of gear with a few shortcomings. You mentioned the carbon rim disaster, I actually have been meaning to ask you if you have any experience with other higher end carbon rims. I have only ridden carbon wheels on my Giant Trance, the ones that came with the bike and they are light, I enjoy them but I'm not sure they're that much superior to good aluminum rims I've ridden. I know you love the Stan's carbon rims but have you ridden Enve or any other top end rims? I've decided my next bike will definitely have carbon rims even if I have an aluminum frame given all the benefits of them and I'm trying to find some honest input like you offer on all your reviews. I'm headed to FL in January btw, rented a house for 3 weeks on Lake Weir which is near Santos... can't wait! I may take a ride over to your local ride too at San Felasco. I was there a few years ago and thought it was very scenic and hilly for a FL trail short of the hog damage which I couldn't believe! I think it may have been Conquistador but one of the trails was destroyed by hogs and I guess the cycling community had put in cement bricks through the areas. Happy riding, a beautiful day in NJ I'm going out today since I have off, leaves are turning up here.
It's actually not a problem because the hook on the inside is longer than the one on the outside, so the locking mechanism slides lower. My cross and gravel bike have similar top tube heights and they fit on the rack fine.
I have one of these racks and yes, adjusting the wheel wells so the bikes don't conflict takes a lot of fussing, taking the bikes on and off, etc. However, once you have it dialed in, it's awesome. Also, the video had a good suggestion about putting the bike with the lower top tube closer to the car. It took me a few tries to comprehend that. One of the top hooks is longer than the other and that also helps.
Great review Clint! I'm currently shopping for this style rack and and the Two Timer seems like a good value. It's been several years and I'd love to know if you have any new comments. I'm also considering the Kuat Sherpa 2.0, but not certain if its worth spending another $150. Appreciate any input you can offer. By the way I only need to carry two bikes. Thanks!
I now use the Dr. Tray. I like the adjustability of it and how you can put a lot of space between the bikes. It also has an add-on for a third bike. Kuat makes the most solid racks and I can highly recommend those too. But they are heavier so take that into consideration. The Dr. Tray is fairly light.
Thank you. I have a non cradle type rack from Yakima. It's done me well for over 10 years (rarely came off my vehicle). Time to get a cradle style because my current bikes top tube shape does not fit well. I'm also older and getting tired of lifting the bike up as much (smile). Have a great weekend!
Clint...I am interested in buying your wheels set...I don't know how to message you on here but please let me know if your interested in selling the wheels
Good review. I might also mention that if you want to convert this rack to single-bike use, it's very easy. Just completely loosen and remove the outer wheel trays and one of the top hooks (the plastic tab on top of the hook rail pops off with a screwdriver and pops back in). So you can carry a single bike closer to the car and save some space, which is helpful for parallel parking. If you want to go back to dual bike carry, you can easily replace the outer wheel trays and the other top hook. Also, you should mention the wheel strap locks have a nice ratcheting tab feature to get them really tight and a red quick-release button that makes it much easier to unstrap. For some reason, the wheel trays do wiggle loose so you should get in the habit of checking them for tightness before every bike mounting.
I just got the same rack for my Trail bike. I always put a micro fiber cloth on top of my frame when putting the hooks on the frame. Works great 👍🏽
Thank you for this video. I just picked up this rack earlier this evening from an FB marketplace post. It was only $100. This is replacing my Yakima Double Down. Your video assured me that my decision was good
Very simple and informative review. I want a frame clamp type like this one for mine and my son's vintage Italian road bikes. Tired of hanging them from frame racks and securing with bungies, etc. Love the simple ratchet-type frame clamp and how fast and easy they are. Great video. Getting one for our bikes. Thanks!
Thank you very much for the review. I plan to purchase one tomorrow. Thanks again! Great Review!
Awesome review, and great video of the details. THanks !
Just purchased a Holdup two , been wanting to get this for some time now, have always been a Yakima fan. Thanks for the review, will post about the rack when I get it installed
+gar far 👍
Thank you for an experienced cyclist review on this product.
Major problem for a lot of jeep owners with larger than stock rear spare tire is it will not fold up. It requires an additional hitch extension. Just going to throw that out there as that is how I solved the issue. You will not (even with hitch extension - length depending) not be able to swing open the end gate far enough to lift the glass window. Also you may want to pick up another lock hitch pin for added piece of mind. 😁 jeep wrangler owners keep this in mind. Great rack though at a decent price.
The racks I see here locally "sit" on a tow ball.
This one connects to a hitch which makes much more sense.
Thanks for the great review.
+Manuel jiménez, Stan's gave me a crash replacement. I still had to pay but not near as much as I would for a new wheel. The two-time rack sits the bike up quite a bit higher than the performance Transit that I had ( the wheels sit on top of the trays instead of sinking down inside of them) so it should not be an issue. According to a phone call that I had with Yakima, the two timer puts the bike about 2 or 3 inches higher than the holdup rack.
Thanks for the great review. I was looking for an inexpensive rack and was looking at this and another less expensive brand (Swagman XTC 2) Very thorough and answered all my questions. I was previously using a trunk strap on rack frankly unnerved me quite a bit! I am able to get this at a good price from an online vendor. This seems a reasonable option for what seems to be a well made rack. Some of the racks out there are way out of my price range. Needed a rack to take my bike out of my busy street to a more comfortable riding area with possibly a few 2 hour long trips for vacation. This seems to fit the bill!
+Nancy Rider 👍
I got this rack over the Holdup because of it's ability to carry fat tire bikes. It's a winner!
It does the job. Excellent product.
Hi Clint, can you put an e-bike on the carrier? Thanks
Which hitch receiver are you using on your Accord? Was it easy to install?
Excellent review Clint. My e-bikes weight in at 20kg each so right at the stated weight limit. How robust is the cross arm construction on which the wheel holders slide along?
+Des Ryan that may be pushing it for this rack. I would give Yakima a call and get their advice.
what hitch did you get for your accord? Assuming it's after market.
Why not the Thule T2 Pro? You can find them as low as $438 on Amazon; more pricier but for the features it's worth it imo. More user friendly and secure. Also has the ability to lock up the bikes. It's what I use for my Camry and it is excellent.
+Lorenzo Cordero a couple of reasons. One I had a Yakima rack in college and really like that so often times when I find a brand I really like I stick with it. Also my local bike shop that I race for carries Yakima and I get pretty deep discounts.
So I decided to purchase this rack based on my experience with an older non craddle style also from Yakima. The problem I have with (my) bikes, is that the wheelbase on both my Trek Fuel EX8 27.5 plus and my Trek X-Caliber 9, are too long to fit both in the craddles. I can only fit one bike, and then my wife's bike which has a much smaller wheelbase. This is a problem if I want to take both my bikes, or take a friend along with me who also has a bike with a long wheelbase.I am living with the issue now, as I only ride one at a time. However, if I want to take both or a friend along with me, I will have to put my older style rack on my car. I did speak with Yakima, and it was enough for them to help me orientate the craddles just to fit one bike on the rack. So if you have smaller wheelbased bikes, these rack will work just fine. If you plan to carry two bikes with long wheelbases, I would suggest not considering this one.
Saw one on FB market place what is the lb per bike? Thanks
Hey Clint. Great review. Would you recommend this for a XXL sentinel with 51” wheelbase along with 61-64cm road/tri bikes? I know a lot of the racks top out around 48”
I’m leaning towards this or the performance one you reviewed.
Cheers
I don't have this rack anymore so I can't take measurements but I think it will work, especially if your top tube is slanted. Yakima's customer services pretty good so I would give them a call and see if you can get it from the horse's mouth.
Appreciate the response!
drill a hole in the center vertical stack and insert a pin lock/ Drill the hole just above your highest hook.
I was thinking of doing this. Have you done it? How did it work out?
@@msjohncox I have. Works well
What kind of tape do you use for the frame protection? I've been window shopping hitch racks for awhile and am always tempted to purchase one that is more expensive (like the holdup) because I don't want to trash a top tube from a rack like this one. If I had piece of mind that my bikes would be protected, it would be a no-brainer to go this route instead for me.
+christopher.unruh I get the frame saver tape from The Colorado Cyclist.
Try vet wrap.
I could see a problem with this rack if you had 2 bikes with the same height top tubes, the fact that the hold down arms have to be adjusted differently could potentially be an issue for some combinations. I love the fact you can move your bikes horizontally though, I borrowed a 4 bike Kuat rack once and that was a problem, turned out we had to remove saddles, etc to make it work out. Not sure if you ever saw the OneUp racks, that's what I now own and I think it's a pretty good piece of gear with a few shortcomings. You mentioned the carbon rim disaster, I actually have been meaning to ask you if you have any experience with other higher end carbon rims. I have only ridden carbon wheels on my Giant Trance, the ones that came with the bike and they are light, I enjoy them but I'm not sure they're that much superior to good aluminum rims I've ridden. I know you love the Stan's carbon rims but have you ridden Enve or any other top end rims? I've decided my next bike will definitely have carbon rims even if I have an aluminum frame given all the benefits of them and I'm trying to find some honest input like you offer on all your reviews. I'm headed to FL in January btw, rented a house for 3 weeks on Lake Weir which is near Santos... can't wait! I may take a ride over to your local ride too at San Felasco. I was there a few years ago and thought it was very scenic and hilly for a FL trail short of the hog damage which I couldn't believe! I think it may have been Conquistador but one of the trails was destroyed by hogs and I guess the cycling community had put in cement bricks through the areas. Happy riding, a beautiful day in NJ I'm going out today since I have off, leaves are turning up here.
It's actually not a problem because the hook on the inside is longer than the one on the outside, so the locking mechanism slides lower. My cross and gravel bike have similar top tube heights and they fit on the rack fine.
I have one of these racks and yes, adjusting the wheel wells so the bikes don't conflict takes a lot of fussing, taking the bikes on and off, etc. However, once you have it dialed in, it's awesome. Also, the video had a good suggestion about putting the bike with the lower top tube closer to the car. It took me a few tries to comprehend that. One of the top hooks is longer than the other and that also helps.
The perfect bike rack for an alcoholic 🤣 that’s a funny feature
Great review Clint! I'm currently shopping for this style rack and and the Two Timer seems like a good value. It's been several years and I'd love to know if you have any new comments. I'm also considering the Kuat Sherpa 2.0, but not certain if its worth spending another $150. Appreciate any input you can offer. By the way I only need to carry two bikes. Thanks!
I now use the Dr. Tray. I like the adjustability of it and how you can put a lot of space between the bikes. It also has an add-on for a third bike. Kuat makes the most solid racks and I can highly recommend those too. But they are heavier so take that into consideration. The Dr. Tray is fairly light.
@@ClintGibbs Thanks Clint, the Dr Tray looks like a winner. :)
@@Richard-dh8ny it's not quite as sturdy as the Kuat but it's a great rack.
is it ok to use this style of rack with a carbon frame ?
+G man88 yes. My cross and mtb are carbon.
Hi Clint. Are you still happy with this rack - has it held up well? I am just about to pull the trigger on one. Thank you in advanced.
+Jack Stevenson yep, no complaints at all. Holding up well. Yakima products are made really well.
Thank you. I have a non cradle type rack from Yakima. It's done me well for over 10 years (rarely came off my vehicle). Time to get a cradle style because my current bikes top tube shape does not fit well. I'm also older and getting tired of lifting the bike up as much (smile).
Have a great weekend!
D
6yrs later got a used one can I get a anti wobble hitch for it? It moves alot?
Did you make sure you move the rack up and down as you tighten the bolt?
@@ClintGibbs guy the lost the key that converted it to a 2" hitch but I found a antiwoble lockdown it should hlp alot
What's with the tiny hitch tube?
1.25 receiver. You cannot put a 2 inch receiver on a car this size.
Can this rack carry 4 bikes at any time? Is there an attachment?
No, you cannot adapt this one to carry for bikes. You have to buy the Yakima Four timer.
how would you put a women cruiser on this type of rack?
I will check with your local bike shop but I don't think it would fit. I think you would need one that goes over the front tire like the Dr tray
Can you add on to this rack?
Don't think you can add to this on since it's on a 1.25 inch receiver. They do make a 4 Timer.
Clint...I am interested in buying your wheels set...I don't know how to message you on here but please let me know if your interested in selling the wheels
+Marc P thanks for the interest. I ended up selling those a while ago.