Hitch mount racks: trays vs vertical carry.

[TahoeJ]

I've been running a 4 bike nv 2.0 attached to the pivot, and yeah, that setup is awesome, especially for the camper rig.

And I'm planning on shimming mine to make it a little more stable, although it's not too bad without it. With 4 bikes, it gets a bit bouncy, but that's mostly just flex from the whole system.

Good to know... I've got the NV 2.0 with all 4 and didn't even think that was an option. Hmm...

[toast2266]

Good to know... I've got the NV 2.0 with all 4 and didn't even think that was an option. Hmm...

Yeah. Kuat just says it has a 250lb limit. Which shouldn't be a issue unless you're rocking 4 ebikes.

[ticketchecker]

Question for you kuat pivot guys. Did this piece come with nuts above and below the ‘axle’?

Mine didn’t

[Name Redacted]

Question for you kuat pivot guys. Did this piece come with nuts above and below the ‘axle’?

Mine didn’t

Yeah, and it was silver. I doubt it is that big of a deal.

[toast2266]

Question for you kuat pivot guys. Did this piece come with nuts above and below the ‘axle’?

Mine didn’t

Yeah, nuts above and below. I found that if all 4 nuts weren't tightened, they'd tend to loosen a bit over time.

[ticketchecker]

Thought so, bought some at a marine store but the threads are different. Thx

[ticketchecker]

Just emailed Kuat, in case anyone else gets a pivot mine is the new version of the toggle.

"Thanks for reaching out to Kuat and sorry for the confusion. The black handle you have on your Pivot is a recent change due to the old handle interfering with mounted spare tires. You don't need the bottom bolts on this version, so you'll just need to tighten the top bolts until snug.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks
Gary"

[Name Redacted]

Just emailed Kuat, in case anyone else gets a pivot mine is the new version of the toggle.

"Thanks for reaching out to Kuat and sorry for the confusion. The black handle you have on your Pivot is a recent change due to the old handle interfering with mounted spare tires. You don't need the bottom bolts on this version, so you'll just need to tighten the top bolts until snug.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks
Gary"

Figured it was something like that. Kuat is pretty good at communicating with customers.

Only think that I haven't liked on my Kuat is the lock design. Too short to go through anything but the rear triangle. Fiddly to lock it, and one time I thought that I locked it but it didn't. Apparently it dragged on the road for about 60 miles before a guy pulled up next to me and told me. Lock was ruined, but Kuat sent me a new one. They were super helpful, but I still think the lock design is bad.

On the lock topic, I wish these companies would give up on the fancy built in cable lock BS. Those things are basically worthless anyway. Just put a big loop or hole that we can hook a U-lock or chain to. My current setup is a chain and U-lock around the main post of the Kuat. Seems to be pretty secure, and the U-Lock is probably the weakest link. If I could, I'd like to figure out a burlier lock for the hitch pin that I could connect a chain to or lock the chain to the safety chain connection on the hitch itself.

[mtngirl79]

Figured it was something like that. Kuat is pretty good at communicating with customers.

Only think that I haven't liked on my Kuat is the lock design. Too short to go through anything but the rear triangle. Fiddly to lock it, and one time I thought that I locked it but it didn't. Apparently it dragged on the road for about 60 miles before a guy pulled up next to me and told me. Lock was ruined, but Kuat sent me a new one. They were super helpful, but I still think the lock design is bad.

On the lock topic, I wish these companies would give up on the fancy built in cable lock BS. Those things are basically worthless anyway. Just put a big loop or hole that we can hook a U-lock or chain to. My current setup is a chain and U-lock around the main post of the Kuat. Seems to be pretty secure, and the U-Lock is probably the weakest link. If I could, I'd like to figure out a burlier lock for the hitch pin that I could connect a chain to or lock the chain to the safety chain connection on the hitch itself.

Recon has a big loop for a chain.

[TahoeJ]

The built in cable lock isn't going to stop a serious thief, but it will prevent a casual opportunist. Having a loop for a real lock too would be nice, though.

[californiagrown]

On the lock topic, I wish these companies would give up on the fancy built in cable lock BS. Those things are basically worthless anyway. Just put a big loop or hole that we can hook a U-lock or chain to. My current setup is a chain and U-lock around the main post of the Kuat. Seems to be pretty secure, and the U-Lock is probably the weakest link. If I could, I'd like to figure out a burlier lock for the hitch pin that I could connect a chain to or lock the chain to the safety chain connection on the hitch itself.

I use a U-lock on my kuat to lock my rear tire to the rack. One of the design flaws of my RM Slayer is that unless you tighten certain bolts constantly you actually need two allen wrenches pulled in the same direction first, before you can undo the bolt on wheel... caused a whole bunch of people to break their axles trying to get the same axle bolt out haha. Makes it so a theif would need two allen wrenches and the knowledge to be able to steal my bike off the rack haha.

But when i have two or more bikes on the rack, i just use a plastic coated chain and padlock... $30 from Home Depot. quick and easy and just as secure as any kind of built in locking thing they could come up with. Which is to say, good enough for a passerby, but only an idiot would think it safe to leave that setup on the street overnight in an area prone to bike theft.

[zion zig zag]

The built in cable lock isn't going to stop a serious thief, but it will prevent a casual opportunist. Having a loop for a real lock too would be nice, though.

The lock cable on my Kuat NV was backed by brittle plastic at the stop. I actually pulled my cable right out of the rack trying to pull it snug around two bikes. In other words, that lock is visual deterrent only.

[jm2e]

Thule is coming out with a 1up knock off. No idea if it'll be an improvement, but seems likely that it'll be made out of cheap painted steel that'll rust in a year or two and a bunch of slick looking plastic parts that'll sun rot or just snap off one day.

Fixed

[jm2e]

I did see a rig from MA a few weeks ago that had an ad on light mounted on the rack with brake and turn lights plugged into the trailer light socket. This guy gets it.

Pretty standard in Europe. I assume there are so many more people with bikes that they've had a better time of regulating bike racks. Seems like everyone's got a rack that includes a license plate and lights. Or some vans/RVs have the rack mounted so high that it doesn't obstruct lights and tags.

[toast2266]

Fixed

I don't know many details about it, but I do know that it's aluminum. I'll get pics at interbike.

[muted]

I don't know many details about it, but I do know that it's aluminum. I'll get pics at interbike.

Thanks but theres plenty of better stuff to take pics of there, I’m sure. Fuck Thule.

[toast2266]

Thanks but theres plenty of better stuff to take pics of there, I’m sure. Fuck Thule.

Like ebikes!

[Eluder]

I have a kuat on my truck that was nice till I backed into a tree(first weekend I had it and honeymoon haha) that still works fine for one bike and have a roof mounted rack for wifes 4runner(front runner rack with bike mount) that is solid enough for some semi-serious wheeling down in moab, but doesn't fly on certain tight fs roads here in montana. She also has a swing out rear so I think I'm gonna weld a hitch reciever up higher on swing out with a 1up for good departure angle and multiple bike capabilities.

I did this to my NV 2.0. Kuat sells all the parts individually if you can figure out what you broke, it took some doing but I got mine back to 100% functional.

For anti rattle just get one of these from amazon. works great on the north shore

[Ritalin Kid]

No complaints about my old Thule T2, worked great for everything from my DH bikes to my wife’s triathlon bikes, but we needed more capacity so we upgraded to an Alta Rack, worked great in the first two trips.


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[dcpnz]

Been super stoked on my 1upusa rack for a few years now. Thing is rock solid with two bikes and i’ve never had any issues with it loosening up.
Used it for first time with two extensions and 4 bikes this weekend. Fark me, scared the sh!t out of me when i hit a speed bump a little quick. Pretty alarming how much flex there was in whole system with the extra leverage. Got to drive a bit more conservatively with a huge heavy rack hanging out back I guess.

[El Chupacabra]

For anti rattle just get one of these from amazon. works great on the north shore

I need to get one of those for my North Shore rack. My anti rattle hitch pin stripped out some threads, so am using a non threaded locking pin currently, and there's too much bouncing.

[Dantheman]

No complaints about my old Thule T2

Well, that makes one of you

I mean, they were great when first released compared to the other options available, but they've always had issues.

Used it for first time with two extensions and 4 bikes this weekend. Fark me, scared the sh!t out of me when i hit a speed bump a little quick. Pretty alarming how much flex there was in whole system with the extra leverage. Got to drive a bit more conservatively with a huge heavy rack hanging out back I guess.

Dirt roads get real interesting with 4 bikes on a tray rack, especially if departure angles start becoming a factor.

[beaterdit]

My Thule T2+2 is ten years old now and going strong. Heavy year round use, rough roads fully loaded etc. Would like a nee 1Up but this thing won’t die.

[muted]

Our Thule T2+2 could barely fold vertical after 6 years thanks to how much it flexed.

[Name Redacted]

Liked my T2, but the lever always stuck, as well as the button to release the arm that goes over the front wheel. I did like the locking mechanism on my though.

Kuat is much smoother operation for sure and I feel like it is a lot more solid and trustworthy.