Vertical Carry Racks - Advice sought

[grskier]

We have 2 kids (4 and 7 now) and do 3-4 family trips/year, plus I usually do a boys trip every year. So, 4 bikes minimum, plus, if we were to grab a kids friend for the trip, I'm guessing the 5 or 6 carry options are looking tempting and if we're dropping this type of coin, might as well go big.

Northshore-
Pros:
Relatively easy to load
Cons:
I see rusty ones on the road near here all the time
I may want to haul a road/gravel bike

Lolo-
Pros:
I like the tires out for some reason
easier to load
Fits Kids bikes
Can dip bikes back to get into back of SUV.

Cons:
Looks like people are worried about hanging their bikes from carbon bars... Any thoughts on this?

Recon Racks or Alta Racks
http://recon-racks.com/
https://www.altaracks.com/
https://www.velocirax.com/shop

Pros:
Handles almost all the types of bikes

Cons:
Not 100% on hanging bikes by tires/wheels... Thoughts?
Can't dip bikes all the way to fully open tailgate on SUV.

[adrenalated]

I have a Northshore. It just works.

I may want to haul a road/gravel bike

No you don't

[evasive_MT]

I was starting to get interested in the VelociRAX but it won’t carry fat bikes.

I know someone who put Lolo hangers on a NSR, and swears it’s the best answer. I’ll be in the same boat soon, and will probably just buy a NSR-6. If I need to haul our gravel/cross bikes, I can either put them in the bed (long distance) or hang them by the handlebar (short distance).

[grskier]

I was starting to get interested in the VelociRAX but it won’t carry fat bikes.

I know someone who put Lolo hangers on a NSR, and swears it’s the best answer. I’ll be in the same boat soon, and will probably just buy a NSR-6. If I need to haul our gravel/cross bikes, I can either put them in the bed (long distance) or hang them by the handlebar (short distance).

Not too worried about fatbikes.

The velocirax is actually my front runner now.. those struts look to solve the really effing heavy when loaded and trying to get into the back of the car and tilting bikes issue.

[GeorgiaSnow]

I think there is a discount code to get 5 or 10% off through the hardtail party dude but don’t know the code off the tip of my head. His review probably has that. Looking at that rack as well with a large family and potential for friends.


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[smmokan]

I've seen the Lolo rack "in action", and I'd never personally touch one. Hanging the bikes by the bars allows them to flop all over on dirt roads, and there's way too much bike-to-bike contact as a result. That, and why on earth would you want to hang a bike by the handlebar?

I've got a Recon Rack for my Chasing Epic demo fleet, and the thing is rock solid. That said, it's pretty damn heavy and is fairly expensive... so maybe the Velocirax is a lighter, cheaper option? Looks very similar design-wise.

Oh, and I wouldn't deal with a NS rack either, I've heard a lot of horror stories about their top mount rubbing paint off the crown of the fork. I'm not sure I would want my bikes mounted that way when there are other, better options.

[mntlion]

Using lolo holders on a custom rack for my camper. So far (2 trips, 10,000 km) and very happy. fits anything, minimal sway (no worse then friends NS) and holds my cheaper parts if it does wear thru anything.

[XXX-er]

cut up sections of pool noodle are yer friend

[jm2e]

I’d personally go with something that has a wheel tray. Lifting your bike over your head is a pain in the ass. At least the Recon/Veloci style would be waaaay easier to get it in than that fucking NS hook, or the handlebar thing.


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[smmokan]

I’d personally go with something that has a wheel tray. Lifting your bike over your head is a pain in the ass. At least the Recon/Veloci style would be waaaay easier to get it in than that fucking NS hook, or the handlebar thing.


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No tray racks can carry 5-6 bikes, at least that I know of.

[grskier]

No tray racks can carry 5-6 bikes, at least that I know of.

I think he may be saying vertical with a wheel basket...

Smmokan, thanks for the recs.

[Sandbox]

I have a Yakima Hangover 4 I scored for a wicked deal at an REI garage sale and overall it’s been good but I do find the bikes really twist and it scares the hell out of me.... I’ve pulled over multiple times to check everything. I now bungee cord my bike around the main mast to stop the twisting.... I think I’m attaching the bikes properly and maybe it’s a design flaw.


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[jm2e]

I think he may be saying vertical with a wheel basket...

Smmokan, thanks for the recs.

Yea, sorry. That's what I meant. Lifting the bike up and dropping the wheel in a tray has got to be waaaaay easier than fucking around with the fork thing or the handlebar thing.

[zlatham]

Heres my experiences fwiw-
Lolo:
Took 8 hr trip at freeway speeds and front wheels spun so fast while on the rack that it caused the rack to start to move forward and back to the point where it could constantly be felt in a highlander. Its really heavy (6 piece) and hard to load due to the load method.

NS- works great once you figure out how to load it and stack bikes w/o rubbing, wheel size doesn’t matter, which is nice for kids who are growing and constantly changing wheel sizes on bikes. It folds down. I have seen them rub paint off fork crowns though in as little as a week. Position adjustment is a finger breaker.

Recon- I settled on the four Place rack and it is super solid and easy to load. The release mechanism to lower the rack is awesome. Bikes tires are only part that touch. Does not allow for smaller wheel sizes without changing the basket for the particular wheel when less than 26”. Not a big deal if you are always carrying kid bikes, but pain in the ass if you need to use all baskets for different wheel sizes during lets say 1 weeks time. Can also carry bikes over the tailgate, nested between vertical bikes on this rack. So, depending on number of rack baskets, shuttling eight or more as possible in a truck.

No perfect solution. I really like the recon but I have a truck w a tailgate to throw the kids bikes over. If I did not have one and I had kids I would probably go to the North Shore route.

[XXX-er]

2900 kms to & from Vegas with 2 enduro bikes a run bike and a 16" on a north shore 6 bike rack, seemed pretty versitile

[SB]

NS owner for 9+ years.

Rust is a PITA but there is POR

It will out last me.

[El Chupacabra]

I've had a North Shore 4-bike rack since around 2012. On replacement rope, and it's about ready for a complete repaint. I leave it on the truck outside except for winter.

Never any issues with rubbing through paint on a fork crown. Wipe off the crown before loading bike.

I use old socks for protecting brake lever rub against the neighboring bike. Other than being a bit fiddly to load, it's been great.

[gramboh]

The newest NS racks use a different paint coating that is supposed to deal with rust better, only had mine since last summer so can't comment. The prongs do rub paint on fork crown/bottom of head tube. It's so minor on my current bike I haven't bothered to put foam or anything there to deal with it... mostly driving on highways, if I was shuttling/driving on forest roads more often I'd be worried about the rub. You can drop the bikes back to open the tailgate of an SUV but someone has to be holding the bikes (or they will end up on the ground) which can be heavy/awkward with 4 bikes loaded on.

I like the NS because I take it on and off constantly (tight street parking) and it's light enough to carry to the shed.

[shirk]

11 years with a NS rack and it's been great. First time a noob goes to load it they have trouble but after that it's a no brainer.

[evasive_MT]

Not too worried about fatbikes.

The velocirax is actually my front runner now.. those struts look to solve the really effing heavy when loaded and trying to get into the back of the car and tilting bikes issue.

We bought a truck sooner than I thought we might, so we’re in the market now.

In discussing pros/cons we figured that we don’t often do fatbike rides with large groups, so the 1-Up double rack I already have will continue to work for hauling our 2 fatbikes. And then I saw in their FAQs that VelociRAX is working on a fatbike wheel basket, so that comprise will go away. That’s the way we’ll go- probably the 6 bike rack.

[muted]

That, and why on earth would you want to hang a bike by the handlebar?

I've got a Recon Rack for my Chasing Epic demo fleet, and the thing is rock solid. That said, it's pretty damn heavy and is fairly expensive... so maybe the Velocirax is a lighter, cheaper option? Looks very similar design-wise.

Oh, and I wouldn't deal with a NS rack either, I've heard a lot of horror stories about their top mount rubbing paint off the crown of the fork. I'm not sure I would want my bikes mounted that way when there are other, better options.

beyond a 1st impression, why is hanging a bike by it's handlebars a bad thing? Is your bike going to get a bigger impact than a day of DH biking?

Recons look sweet, but I don't think it takes small kids wheels.

What horror stories have you heard about rubbing paint? My NS has rubbed paint off my bike too, no biggie.

[evasive_MT]

My biggest issue with a NSR is that carrying by the fork mount rather than the front tire results in the bike hanging lower. With longer and longer wheelbases, that becomes an issue. Even in 2012 my Banshee Prime was too long for some roads in Moab and I had to pull it off my friend’s rack here and there. That wheelbase was short by today’s standards.

My bikes have logged lots of miles on friends’ NSR racks. They might show a little rubbing, but it never rose to a level that bothered me or even caused me to remember it. I can see how some people might find that unacceptable, though.

[Kootenai]

Is there any beta on the Alta rack. They are having a sale and I am tempted to pull the trigger. https://www.altaracks.com/alta-racks...and-team-sale/

[bagtagley]

A good friend has an Alta. He's got four kids that all ride, so it's always full. No problems so far, but he's only had it a couple of years. I like that it holds the wheel and it's easy to load/unload.

[chaka]

beyond a 1st impression, why is hanging a bike by it's handlebars a bad thing? Is your bike going to get a bigger impact than a day of DH biking?

Recons look sweet, but I don't think it takes small kids wheels.

What horror stories have you heard about rubbing paint? My NS has rubbed paint off my bike too, no biggie.

I like our Recon 4 seater. what size kid bikes do you need to accommodate? I've fit both of our boy's 24in bikes with our 29ers regularly. Worst fit up adjustment is compressing one of the brake levers with a thicc rubber band, and I have some foam pool noodle 4 in sections on the basket arms where the kid bikes forks come close. the rack is built like a brick shit house. burl.