Gear

Yakima Hookup 2 Hitch Mount Bike Rack - Gear Review

May 30, 2007

Hitch rack, or roof rack... Hitch rack or roof rack... Hitch rack, of course! When it comes to hauling your beefy DH rig, or even your svelte roadie, I much prefer using hitch-mounted bike racks. They aren't perfect, but they are much better than putting your rig on the roof of your SUV. The Yakima Hookup was introduced in 2005 and represents some of the best in bike rack technology. Using a similar design to the beloved Sportworks Bob Ratchet (now Thule), the Yakima Hookup is so easy to use that a caveman could do it (sorry GEICO)... literally. Once the rack is secured to your vehicle with the locking bolt, all you do is move the large wheel arms all the way to the front, lift up the copper-colored tire guide, open the rear wheel strap and plop the bike on the rack. With larger tires (2.2+), the bike stays put on its own, thus freeing both hands to clamp the front wheel down tight and ratchet down the rear wheel. The bike trays are a uniquely-molded cast design that gives it a fresh look compared to the standard bike trays that were introduced back in the 1980's. On a long roadtrip from AZ to UT, I loaded up my Giant Reign 1 and Norco Fluid 1.0. They loaded up quickly and didn't budge one bit once locked down. I found that if you clamp the front wheel, then give it one more hefty push, that extra "click" secures it perfectly. The rear wheel strap comes standard with a road wheel clip to work with skinny or fat tires. I had zero worries as I pulled out and didn't notice even the slightest wobble--even on rough roads. The Good News About the Yakima Hookup: Monster front wheel clamps keep your bikes stable, no matter what Sturdy as all get-out Holds any bike size and frame design (20-29" wheels) Nice looking rack design Can buy the add-on to carry up to two more bikes -- sweet! Nothing touches your nice powder-coat finish on your new Intense 6.6 Better gas mileage than carrying your bikes on your roof Folds up and out of the way (mostly) when not in use... just watch your shins in the dark Can buy the optional hitch lock to secure the rack to your hitch Reasonably-priced at $369 The Bad News: No tilt feature to get the bikes out of the way of the rear hatch... you have to take the bikes off to access the rear of your vehicle No built-in locking feature The Bottom Line: The Yakima Hookup is tops on the list of hitch-mount bike racks. It's easy to use and will hold any bike with vice-grip tenacity. Just load, lock and go. BUY NOW: Get the Yakima Hookup hitch rack from Moosejaw.com Search Moosejaw.com for other Yakima bike racks and accessories.

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