Looking for a recommendation on some of the best hitch racks. I want zero contact against my car and ideally no frame contact on the bike
Thanks!
Thule T2 Pro XTR model
Kuat NV 2.0 or Kuat Sherpa
Yakima Hold up EVO
At least those are the top ones I’ve seen working in the industry. Although I currently use roof racks, I’d definitely prefer to have a hitch rack.
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I have the Kuat NV 2.0 and it’s a great rack BUT if there were any 1Up USA racks available when I needed one (during the pandemic) I would have gotten one.
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Couldn’t be happier with this rack: https://mammothmounts.com/
Good price, good weight, made in Canada.
Holds by the handlebars, and I have never noticed any wear.
I went with the Kuat transfer 3. One of the cheaper options and hasn’t let me down yet.
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+1 for the Kuat Transfer. Quality is excellent and a few hundred $ cheaper than the others.
Got mine from Rack Attack which ships from Canada, so no duty.
Kuat customer service is excellent too. Had to replace a bolt that stripped, they sent the bolt along with all the other connecting pieces for my four year old rack. No hassles.
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+1 for the Kuat Transfer
Also have a Mammouth. It’s a beast of a rack that should tick all the boxes you need. Good luck!
+1 Kuat transfer rack. Purchased after a recommendation from @Rolls and haven’t been disappointed yet.
I have had both the Kuatt and Thule.
Recommend the Thule.
Unfortunately mine was stolen off my car, but what I like about it over the Kuatt is the wheel trays. Kuatts are sleek and clean looking but you are putting a-lot of faith into a plastic strap.
Also, wasn’t super impressed with Kuatts warranty. People claim ifs amazing but they basically gave me a very band aid solution to an issue regarding their locking system. (It did come with a hemp bag and a key chain though)
CN
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Not sure what rack you have @CN8, but I have a big sturdy hook that pins your front tire in. The back wheel has a little plastic strap but that’s just to keep your tire in the tray as the front does all the work.
Don’t be putting out bad info. Should give all the info if you’re gonna bash it.
Sorry about your warranty issues but I’ve had no problems at all.
Currently running the Kuatt NV 2.0.
The rack that was stolen off my car was a Thule T2 Pro XTR.
Current rack has a front tray yes, but the back wheel just sits on a platform held in by a plastic strap, where the T2 is held in by a smaller tray.
Beyond the warranty issue which i can get over due to the fact anyone who doesn’t realize these bolt on locking systems are very soft measures for the modern crack head, I was more displeased by being told to “add some chain lube” to it by their service dept.
My point was geared more towards the Kuatt isnt as durable due to its sleek design. If that strap fails on the rear you are hooped.
Therefore, I would recommend the Thule over the Kuatt.
I hope that clears it up, I would really like to avoid being labelled a rack hater.
CN
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We’ve had a few seasons on a Kuat NV Base 4 bike rack and really like it so far. Prior to that we had a yakima hitch rack that rusted out surprisingly quick after it was exposed to some shoulder season road salt. Have been careful to take our current rack off before salting season begins.
We have some add-ons to accommodate different tire sizes from 20 inch wheels to fat bikes. I also like how you can drop the front wheel trays if needed to avoid handlebars getting in the way of one another.
I too wonder about the rear wheel strap but so far it hasn’t been an issue. The rack is super easy to fold down with a foot lever, but a little awkward to bring back up (at least in the heavier 4 bike config.)
The integrated cable lock is a little finicky, especially with cold wet hands after a long ride, but not a big deal. I don’t trust any security features on any racks against thieves and bring some extra bike locks if the car is parked out of sight at all. I personally like the low key look of the “Base” version over the regular-although there are times where the integrated work stand would have been a nice feature.
I don’t have any experience with the Thule other than loading/unloading bikes once on someone else’s car. It seemed well built/thought out.
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Another vote for the Thule T2 Pro XTR. Very solid and secure. The hitch attachment / locking mechanism is really smart. My only complaint is that I can hear the rack clunking over bumps when it’s not in use, but I’m pretty sensitive to that kind of thing, so disregard if your car rattles already.
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Never called you a hater. And if that plastic strap lets go. I’ll simply remedy that with a bungee. Real easy fix. 
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Assuming it doesn’t fail after a large bump or something and leave the rear wheel dragging for a few kms before anybody notices. However, the strap should be more than sturdy enough unless it’s being cranked down too hard or gets broken/snagged on something hard enough to tear it off. If I was worried about it I’d throw a toe-clip strap or something around the rear wheel to hold it down as a backup.
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Another vote for the Thule T2 Pro XTR. I have had mine for 5 years and not a single issue with it. It does rattle a bit when empty and folded up but I can live with that.
Definitely recommend the Thule T2 Pro that I have been using. No complaints at all. i’ve had cheaper racks and a Yakima Hold Up in the past. Hold Up was also great. I tried to get a 1Up, but it was going to cost significantly more after shipping, duty and such.
1up USA!
I’ve had mine for going on 7 years now, used both in the winter and summer. ZERO issues.
1Up makes the best that I am aware of. More expensive, but they last longer than Kuat, or Thule (my Kuat NV was pretty haggard after five years). Over the years most of my friends have switched to them. 1Up also has better ground clearance than most. It is also convenient being able to share add on trays for trips / shuttling.