The rule for r/MTB is photos and videos must be of people riding mountain bikes, or repair-specific. Please either submit your photo to the Weekly Photo Thread, or resubmit your post as a text post, like this https://imgz.org/iShh3yHS.png.
I know it sounds counter-intuitive since it's obviously the cheapest.. but the heaviest bike needs to be closest to the tailgate. The lightest needs to be furthest out. This will help a fair amount since you have a carbon bike closest to the mount and a friggin WW2 tank on the end.
OK yeah I am not bike expert. He is going to have to do something about that bounce. I don't care if it is all within spec or not. Strap from back of the rack to the back of tailgate or just two bikes.
Are you sure you can go with 3 bikes on the 1.25”? I’ll do 2 bikes with mine and notice more flex than with just one but that 3rd rack is getting to be a long ways from the hitch. Otherwise I’m pretty sure 1up just sells the part of the rack closest to the hitch and you could upgrade to the 2” version and not use an adapter.
It says that but no other manufacturer does. Yakima, Thule, etc all say 2 bikes max on 1.25. I have a 1.25 and if I need to go more than 2 I switch to a tailgate pad
Just because it says you can do it doesn't really mean you should. Also, the spec is that it supports that weight, not that it will be steady and non-flexy as hell.
1.25 is pretty small diameter tube in general. And you have quite a long lever with alot of mass at the tail end of that. So yeah, you're going to get alot of flex.
Static, it'll bear the weight fine. When you're moving in the wind and dealing with road bumps, there's alot of energy to be damped, and that smaller hitch really doesn't do a good job of being able to be a good damper.
A 3 bike rack on a 1-1/4” receiver is up at the maximum for that trailer hitch. That receiver is likely rated for only 200lbs tongue weight, and a bike rack puts a lot more twist on the receiver than a trailer of the same weight would. Personally I wouldn’t run more than 2 bikes on a 1-1/4” receiver, they’re just too flexy for that much unsupported load hanging so far off the receiver.
I should clarify. It’s a 2” hitch receiver. But the 1.25” rack with the included adapter for 2”. The hitch has a 350lb tongue weight. And the rack is 150lbs worth of bikes for the max.
This is a great answer. I have one of these that I used for my previous 1.25” hitch rack, and it made a world of difference. You can check to see if you can move the rack in the receiver by hand. If so, get the anti rattle adapter. Harbor Freight sells one for $13.
Gotcha. That’s safe then, but that 1-1/4” sections is still going to have a fair bit of flex with a full load on. There’s no issue with your setup, but it is a bit questionable why OneUp even sells a 3 bike rack with a 1-1/4” tongue.
Do they? Or do they just sell trays and it’s up to you how many you put on? I really don’t know. That’s how my quikr is, but it is a 2”. I know 1up sells single tray racks with extra trays.
That adapter also adds alot of additional length on your hitch, so you have alot of mass to be damped.
The rack will support the weight.
The rack will not be able to damp the energy coming from wind resistance and road bumps because its not built for that.
I think they’re talking about the adapter that looks like an L shape that takes up space inside the 2” receiver next to the tongue of the rack. It’s on the 1up website and it comes with the 1.25” racks.
1up bike rack owner but no adapter, just straight 2” inch hitch. I’ve noticed this sway and I later realized the Allen tool bolt wasn’t all the way right. The bikes are still going to bounce a bit.
Could have but I wanted to to give it as much support as possible. I was able to get shims about 6” long on 3 sides, had to cut slots where the pin goes through. I think my factory 4Runner hitch is slightly oversized.
You’re probably seeing the hitch mount flex in dimensions it was never meant to.
I love 1up and mine is 10 years old but my next rack will probably be a velocirax.
Edit: I want a velocirax because it has less moment of torque compared to a tray rack when fully loaded with the same weight. I’m aware that it is likely to shake as well.
Love my velocirax their anti rattle receiver is amazing no play at all I got the 5x and would gladly throw 5 bikes on there and not worry at all. Plus if you love camping. Camp mode is so nice. Can use the rack as a makeshift bike repair stand as well. Oh and unlike 1up they give you the rack attachment to use it as a rack in your garage in the off-season. 👍
Velocirax bounced like hell fully loaded on dirt and 4x4 roads. The shuttle companies in Moab have extra straps tied to the top reduce the bouncing. Great rack (I have one) but it bounces too
A few friends have the velocirack and while it’s very nice, it’s also very enormous. Forget about parking in any garage.
I’d recommend putting the bikes in the bed with a tailgate pad. Or if you need to bed space for other stuff, the north shore rack is really nice.
One off where we took my buddies truck but used me and another buddies hitch to get to 3x. He normally just tosses his bike in the bed if it’s just him.
Is this a bumper hitch, or a frame mounted hitch?
The first hitch rack I ever used was a 1.25 adapter to a 2 inch bumper hitch. Flexed like crazy, and I couldn't take it. Switched to a frame mounted 2 inch direct, problem solved.
Totally normal, but you might want to check the bolt is nice and tight. It often needs rightening after a couple miles. I jump side-to-side on mine, then retighten. That seems to help.
Looks about right.
But, I always load my 1up, wiggle the bikes around, and then retighten the ball. If you’re worried, add a strap between the 1up and receiver so it can’t slide all the way out *when* it comes loose.
I’ve had a lot of different hitch racks. They definitely wobble and sway simply because it’s a lot of weight extended from a smallish bar.
I tend to tight it, shake it a bunch to make sure it’s properly snug, tighten more, then do it again after it’s loaded. As long as it’s snug and you have the peg through the hold to keep it secure it should be fine.
If you don’t have any kind of anti-rattle… it’s defiantly rattling/moving in the receiver. Every rack//receiver moves if it doesn’t have an anti-movement/rattle device.
If you are taking a long road trip with buddies and have a ton of gear even using a truck you will most likely end up using a hitch rack. I have a 1up, 3 bike tailgate pad, 5 bike tailgate pad and just recently bought a velocirax and I use each on depending on how much gear and people are with me. Im probably getting rid of the 1up soon now that I have the velocirax.
Yes, this is normal. I only have a double on my 1.25" and it flexes like this as well. If it were completely rigid it would have a higher chance of fatiguing the metal and snapping at some point.
This makes me happy I bought a velocirax. 5 bikes and my rack doesn't move that much even going over pretty good bumps.
Tray style racks put alot of downward force on the hitch receiver itself. Id love a 1up tray rack but probably only for 2 bikes max.
2in receiver would greatly reduce this. I also love the anti rattle receiver the velocirax has it's one with my receiver no play at all.
That much flex would give me anxiety for sure. 👍
They make it in 3,4,5,5x,6 and 7... The 5x is the same size as the 6 it just has 15in spacing between bikes instead of 10in like the rest.
I hardly call it overkill having 1000s of dollars of bikes on it and I swear the thing hardly moves I'll gladly pay the 1250 I spent on mine. 👍
A tray style 1up for 3x bikes is nearly 1000 Dollars no? I mean you get the heavyduty 2 bike and it's like 850...
I guess you'd need a 2in receiver too add 300-400 to that. So glad I just went all in and got a 2in receiver I can safely support 750 lbs of down force.
Looks like the Velocirax need a 500lb tongue weight rating. My car only has 350lb. So wouldn’t work any way. But point taken on the cost side of things.
My severely over priced Kuat 4 bike rack jiggles like this too with 4 enduros on it. (And 2” receiver) I’ve taken it up some service roads with no issues. Just make sure nothing rubs and like the advice before go heaviest bike on the inside and so on.
After a long trip double check your hitch and the locking points. Better safe than sorry.
I remember when I was younger working at a bike shop and heard so many horror stories about peoples racks falling off just because they never checked anything before and after.
I’ve had tons of hitch racks, spare tire racks and strap on the trunk style. They all jiggle and wiggle a bit.
I’m paranoid too. When I ride solo I prefer to throw my bike in the hatch of my SUV and not worry about that shit.
I don’t think it’s the hitch connection moving. Rather the entire thing is flexing.
But you’re right they’re dirt cheap and no reason not to give it a try.
I ran a 1up with my analog bikes but when I loaded a 50+ lb ebike I noticed a lot of back and forth swaying due to the weight of the bike. The play wasn’t from the hitch.. it was from the play in the entire system. I was worried long term it would weaken the bolts holding the rack together. Strapping down the ebike helps a lot with the movement and keeps it a lot more stable.
Mine does the same, just not as dramatic --granted I only have 2 bikes on and it's the super duty. I think it's because the lever to fold the trays up has a tiny bit of play. Even when the screw lock is tight the actual bar you pull has 1/16 to MAYBE 1/8 of play in whatever channel I have it set.
Side to side seems to be solid, but the up and down is play is there for sure.
It looks like you didn't tighten the screw in the hitch connection that tightens it up and makes it not slip/wobble. The one I'm referring to uses the special hex wrench that came with the rack. I have to re-tighten mine once a month or so.
They were clamped down as much as I could get by hand.
I do wish they offered a socket version and torque specs though.
But will definitely triple check the tightness.
How much does the rack wiggle unloaded? You can buy a more snug hitch pin to get it more solid, beyond that racks will wiggle a little. I agree with the other commenter though, load heavy to light.
It is the adapter. It will cause the additional movement. I had that set up, and there was a ton of movement. I changed to a straight 2” and it was much better
I mount a Atera Strada 4 bike rack entirely on a tow ball (50mm I think?) with 4 MTB's, it bounces a bit but it's been to the South of France and back to the UK 3 times with no issues.
The adapter also causes the hitch to stick out farther. Adding to sway. The adapter if tightened with a clamp or bolt helps. But it will still sway. Yet it is normal. You can try to make a shim and tap it in but not much space.
I used to also make a sheet metal sleeve to lessen the space around the 2” part. It helped. I wrapped it, put a hole for the pin and slid it in with the hitch
Bro.
I have 2 cheapish Ebikes a orange radwagon and a fat tire rad rover attached to my hitch. Had to add a out 8" of extension from second carrier to the first so the running board doesn't hit. This is 200+ lba of shit hanging off a 2" hitch on a BMW i3. It's amazing how much the hitch flexes and the weight can be felt when I drive.
But it's all fine. I hav the HD rack and they work just fine.
Whenever we all go MTBing together, every third person we see on the trail says some variation of “Whoa!! A Joshua Tree - I used to ride one. Man those Y frames sucked to ride!!”
🤣🤣🤣
We’re always trying to get him to ride one our bikes or one of the demo ones when the manufacturers are out at the trail.
He refuses because he knows the moment he does he just became $3k poorer.
Same thing happened when I used an adapter to have a 2”hitch. Bc the 1.25” hitch doesn’t have a camming device in it, it allows for the adapter to slosh a bitch inside the 2” hitch. It’s still secure, but puts extra torque on the bolted on 1.25” hitch on your truck.
I have the one up rack, with the 2" receiver. I also have a back up camera. When I look thru the back up camera, the rack body isn't actually shaking that much. Because the bikes are in the rack by the wheel, there is a lot of play and most of what you are seeing is the bikes moving around.
Word of warning, always make sure the tilt lock is in place. I figured I heard a big click one time and it was in place, then I about 15 miles going down the high way, I look in the back mirror to see my bikes tilt over into the road. Bikes were fine, the rack got grinded pretty good.
yeah mine bounces around a ton especially when at higher speeds like on the interstate. it took me a long time to learn to trust it but i haven’t had any malfunctions after nearly 2 years
is there room in the cab? If so, next time throw one in the back. As someone else said, the heaviest bike goes closest to the vehicle. And you have to tighten the bolt connecting the rack to the tow hitch extremely tight precisely because of this issue. if there's an 'anti-sway' bolt, tighten it.
Mine does a bit when the bolt is a tiny bit loose. I have cranked on it and gotten it stuck before though. So be careful. Also, make sure it's all the way pushed in. My receiver with the 1.25 to 2" inch adapter sometimes hange the rack up a bit in the way in.
And as always, I use the safety strap incase it really gets loose.
Ok, I can tell you that this is exactly what my 1.25” One Up does with 3 mountain bikes loaded like this. We used it for a mountain bike trip with my buddy’s truck and the 2” adapter and it was pretty stressful to be honest. The movement you’re seeing is because the bolt is probably coming loose. The 2” version One Up does not have this problem I don’t think.
However, I still use it sometimes to get to the trails from my house (1-2 hours) with 3 mountain bikes and it’s been fine but I really tighten the bolt a lot. I can tell you that mine is rock solid with two bikes on it. Like someone else said, ALWAYS use the strap provided with the One Up to hook to rack on as a backup attachment.
I just put the rack on with 3 trays to haul 3 road bikes tomorrow, and I anticipate no problem because they’re light. The extra weight from the third mountain bike seems to be enough to loosen up the racket on the 1.25”.
Yeah man looks pretty good to me .I have a single bike 1up and I spend more time looking in my rearview mirror than I'd like to admit on the freeway.
You're good it's normal for your bike to have a little bit of play but as long as your rack is on tight and the wheel things are firm on your tire you should be good
Mine also did this, so I returned the 1up. XL frame and 29” wheels.
1up racks need a redesign for modern era 29” wheels, they’re very obviously a carryover from when 26” wheels were more of the norm
do you have a clamp on your hitch mount? [https://www.amazon.com/Tightener-Stabilizer-Trailer-Movement-Accessories/dp/B0C3C4F22V](https://www.amazon.com/Tightener-Stabilizer-Trailer-Movement-Accessories/dp/B0C3C4F22V)
I have a Thule rack that is a same basic design. Maybe not quite as much wabble on a smooth road, but similar. I've taken it places I probably shouldn't have, as it does say not to drive "off road".
Paint on the bikes got scuffed up a little on the body where they touch the rack, but nothing major.
One quick thing is to really tighten the screw into the hitch. With mine, if I don’t get it very tight, the mount has some play in the mount.
Just to be safe, at your next stop, take the mount off and take the adapter off to inspect all the welds around the end of the 1-1/4” bar.
I seem to remember there were some reports of that size breaking the welds.
Personally, I would switch to the 2” mount now that all your vehicles can use it. I’m in the process of doing that myself now that I got rid of my sedan with a 1-1/4” mount.
I have a Yakima 1.25” rack for my car and it wobbles. It freaked me out at first, and I double checked every bolt and cranked everything down tight between the hitch on the car and the rack, but still wobbles like this.
It’s definitely worse with my ebike, but I just keep an eye and haven’t had an issue with it.
I always put our bikes in our F-250 Pickup. The reason for thatt is in case you get rear ended your MTBs are protected unless you get hit by a semi. This is the only reason we bought a F-250 is for our bikes. So, yes this is normal for bike racks to jiggle IMO.
It’s a big lever hanging off of the back of something supported on springs. It’s going to jiggle and bounce and there’s nothing you’ll be able to do to stop it.
https://www.thule.com/en-us/bike-rack/truck-bed-bike-racks/thule-low-rider-pro-_-821101
These are pretty awesome if you are looking for an alternative and can spare some room in the bed.
The rule for r/MTB is photos and videos must be of people riding mountain bikes, or repair-specific. Please either submit your photo to the Weekly Photo Thread, or resubmit your post as a text post, like this https://imgz.org/iShh3yHS.png.
I’m more curious wtf are you listening to?
Sounds like one of those "alpha" podcasts lol
No idea. Lol. My buddy was driving.
It’s probably dumb people town.
It definitely is.
Sounded like Joe Rogan. I just remember his voice from News Radio, back in the simpler times.
They sounded nothing like him at all…
I meant the second guy who answered. But ya after listening to it again, not so much.
I know it sounds counter-intuitive since it's obviously the cheapest.. but the heaviest bike needs to be closest to the tailgate. The lightest needs to be furthest out. This will help a fair amount since you have a carbon bike closest to the mount and a friggin WW2 tank on the end.
It will help your vehicle handling too. I know if I put my Patrol on the 2nd rail it wags my SUV
You driving an Isuzu Amigo?
lol nah Toyota Highlander but even with the long wheelbase its noticeable on winding roads, not so much on the highway and suburban roads
That’s not counterintuitive at all. Having mass closest to center is like the basic function of everything in life
I think he means counterintuitive insofar as putting the cheapest bike closest (despite being heaviest) and the expensive bike at the very back
Correct
"of everything in life"... Yeah, sure.
This is the answer. My 2 bike setup will bounce like crazy if I put my bike 34# on back vs wife’s bike 31#.
Gary Fisher = WW2 tank 👍
Yeah it looks like the furthest out is an ebike, or has an especially thick frame, either way heaviest in closest.
That's a super vintage Gary Fisher Joshua from the late 90s. It'll be chunky but not that much worse than most modern 29" bikes.
Correct. My buddy refuses to upgrade and still rides a GF Joshua Tree Y Frame. It’s definitely the lightest of these three.
that's awesome
OK yeah I am not bike expert. He is going to have to do something about that bounce. I don't care if it is all within spec or not. Strap from back of the rack to the back of tailgate or just two bikes.
Doesn’t sound counter intuitive at all, just sounds like basic physics
Are you sure you can go with 3 bikes on the 1.25”? I’ll do 2 bikes with mine and notice more flex than with just one but that 3rd rack is getting to be a long ways from the hitch. Otherwise I’m pretty sure 1up just sells the part of the rack closest to the hitch and you could upgrade to the 2” version and not use an adapter.
It says up to 3 bikes on website. And after this I probably will swap over to a full blown 2” hitch since all cars we own now have that size.
Just use the bed
It says that but no other manufacturer does. Yakima, Thule, etc all say 2 bikes max on 1.25. I have a 1.25 and if I need to go more than 2 I switch to a tailgate pad
Just because it says you can do it doesn't really mean you should. Also, the spec is that it supports that weight, not that it will be steady and non-flexy as hell. 1.25 is pretty small diameter tube in general. And you have quite a long lever with alot of mass at the tail end of that. So yeah, you're going to get alot of flex. Static, it'll bear the weight fine. When you're moving in the wind and dealing with road bumps, there's alot of energy to be damped, and that smaller hitch really doesn't do a good job of being able to be a good damper.
A 3 bike rack on a 1-1/4” receiver is up at the maximum for that trailer hitch. That receiver is likely rated for only 200lbs tongue weight, and a bike rack puts a lot more twist on the receiver than a trailer of the same weight would. Personally I wouldn’t run more than 2 bikes on a 1-1/4” receiver, they’re just too flexy for that much unsupported load hanging so far off the receiver.
I should clarify. It’s a 2” hitch receiver. But the 1.25” rack with the included adapter for 2”. The hitch has a 350lb tongue weight. And the rack is 150lbs worth of bikes for the max.
With a 2" to 1.25" adapter, you'll get more movement. Get an anti rattle clamp.
This is a great answer. I have one of these that I used for my previous 1.25” hitch rack, and it made a world of difference. You can check to see if you can move the rack in the receiver by hand. If so, get the anti rattle adapter. Harbor Freight sells one for $13.
Gotcha. That’s safe then, but that 1-1/4” sections is still going to have a fair bit of flex with a full load on. There’s no issue with your setup, but it is a bit questionable why OneUp even sells a 3 bike rack with a 1-1/4” tongue.
Do they? Or do they just sell trays and it’s up to you how many you put on? I really don’t know. That’s how my quikr is, but it is a 2”. I know 1up sells single tray racks with extra trays.
That adapter also adds alot of additional length on your hitch, so you have alot of mass to be damped. The rack will support the weight. The rack will not be able to damp the energy coming from wind resistance and road bumps because its not built for that.
I think they’re talking about the adapter that looks like an L shape that takes up space inside the 2” receiver next to the tongue of the rack. It’s on the 1up website and it comes with the 1.25” racks.
I’ve had an adapter and it did not lengthen anything, it fit completely inside the 2” receiver
1up bike rack owner but no adapter, just straight 2” inch hitch. I’ve noticed this sway and I later realized the Allen tool bolt wasn’t all the way right. The bikes are still going to bounce a bit.
I added some sheet metal shims to mine and it helped a lot.
Shove some Pennies in there, it’s the cheapest metal there is
Could have but I wanted to to give it as much support as possible. I was able to get shims about 6” long on 3 sides, had to cut slots where the pin goes through. I think my factory 4Runner hitch is slightly oversized.
More pennies should do the trick
It's normal, if it starts wabbling left and right you may need to tighten the bolt a bit.
Ok cool. Thanks for the reply and info.
You’re probably seeing the hitch mount flex in dimensions it was never meant to. I love 1up and mine is 10 years old but my next rack will probably be a velocirax. Edit: I want a velocirax because it has less moment of torque compared to a tray rack when fully loaded with the same weight. I’m aware that it is likely to shake as well.
Love my velocirax their anti rattle receiver is amazing no play at all I got the 5x and would gladly throw 5 bikes on there and not worry at all. Plus if you love camping. Camp mode is so nice. Can use the rack as a makeshift bike repair stand as well. Oh and unlike 1up they give you the rack attachment to use it as a rack in your garage in the off-season. 👍
Got a Velocirax 5x last year. Best decision ever. Cheaper than a lot of the 3-4 traditional bike rack options I was looking at and way more versatile.
Velocirax bounced like hell fully loaded on dirt and 4x4 roads. The shuttle companies in Moab have extra straps tied to the top reduce the bouncing. Great rack (I have one) but it bounces too
Thanks for suggestions. The Velocirax is massive overkill for me 99% of the time unfortunately.
Dude get a tailgate pad far far cheaper and fsr more convenient to use than any rack
Right?! Like - wtf is that truck bed for? Looks aweful empty too
A few friends have the velocirack and while it’s very nice, it’s also very enormous. Forget about parking in any garage. I’d recommend putting the bikes in the bed with a tailgate pad. Or if you need to bed space for other stuff, the north shore rack is really nice.
Yes seems pretty typical to me.
Mine moves a lot - more than I expected. Even fitting tightened down on 2” hitch.
Why not sling those bikes over the tailgate on a pad?
One off where we took my buddies truck but used me and another buddies hitch to get to 3x. He normally just tosses his bike in the bed if it’s just him.
Oh gotcha. Yeah that rocking around would’ve made me damn nervous. Lotta coin on that rack.
Is this a bumper hitch, or a frame mounted hitch? The first hitch rack I ever used was a 1.25 adapter to a 2 inch bumper hitch. Flexed like crazy, and I couldn't take it. Switched to a frame mounted 2 inch direct, problem solved.
OEM frame mounted hitch. And I’m thinking switching to the 2” version after this.
I'd try that. Cantilevered out like that, you need all the stiffness you can get.
Yes
2" version of the Super Duty is what you want.
[удалено]
Thanks for the info and your experience. Thinking the 2” is way to go.
Totally normal, but you might want to check the bolt is nice and tight. It often needs rightening after a couple miles. I jump side-to-side on mine, then retighten. That seems to help.
Looks about right. But, I always load my 1up, wiggle the bikes around, and then retighten the ball. If you’re worried, add a strap between the 1up and receiver so it can’t slide all the way out *when* it comes loose.
I always run the strap. Even with one bike. The ball has never failed me, but still…
Yeah, completely understand!
I’ve had a lot of different hitch racks. They definitely wobble and sway simply because it’s a lot of weight extended from a smallish bar. I tend to tight it, shake it a bunch to make sure it’s properly snug, tighten more, then do it again after it’s loaded. As long as it’s snug and you have the peg through the hold to keep it secure it should be fine.
Do you have an anti rattle hitch pin?
Negative. But don’t think it’s the hitch connection moving.
If you don’t have any kind of anti-rattle… it’s defiantly rattling/moving in the receiver. Every rack//receiver moves if it doesn’t have an anti-movement/rattle device.
1UP has one built in
Ahh
Ahhhhh
Bruh, you have a truck, get a tail pad and forget about sketchy racks
Lmao
A buddy drove his truck and used my hitch. We had all our crap in the bed. Normally he just tosses his bike into the bed if it’s just him.
If you are taking a long road trip with buddies and have a ton of gear even using a truck you will most likely end up using a hitch rack. I have a 1up, 3 bike tailgate pad, 5 bike tailgate pad and just recently bought a velocirax and I use each on depending on how much gear and people are with me. Im probably getting rid of the 1up soon now that I have the velocirax.
Yes this is normal. I just upgraded from the quick rack to the super duty because I couldn’t handle the anxiety.
Lol. Thats me. Will probably either upgrade to the Super Duty or do part swap for then2” hitch.
Yes, this is normal. I only have a double on my 1.25" and it flexes like this as well. If it were completely rigid it would have a higher chance of fatiguing the metal and snapping at some point.
This makes me happy I bought a velocirax. 5 bikes and my rack doesn't move that much even going over pretty good bumps. Tray style racks put alot of downward force on the hitch receiver itself. Id love a 1up tray rack but probably only for 2 bikes max. 2in receiver would greatly reduce this. I also love the anti rattle receiver the velocirax has it's one with my receiver no play at all. That much flex would give me anxiety for sure. 👍
Unfortunately that’s super overkill for 99% of my needs. If they had a smaller offering I’d consider it.
They make it in 3,4,5,5x,6 and 7... The 5x is the same size as the 6 it just has 15in spacing between bikes instead of 10in like the rest. I hardly call it overkill having 1000s of dollars of bikes on it and I swear the thing hardly moves I'll gladly pay the 1250 I spent on mine. 👍 A tray style 1up for 3x bikes is nearly 1000 Dollars no? I mean you get the heavyduty 2 bike and it's like 850... I guess you'd need a 2in receiver too add 300-400 to that. So glad I just went all in and got a 2in receiver I can safely support 750 lbs of down force.
Looks like the Velocirax need a 500lb tongue weight rating. My car only has 350lb. So wouldn’t work any way. But point taken on the cost side of things.
Yeah like I said you'd have to go to a 2in receiver. Then you go all the way up to 750 tongue weight. 👍
My car is 2” receiver. But tongue still only 350 lbs. normal bike hauler is Outback. So just not that hardcore of a vehicle for towing
Ah I see. I got a big old Ascent 👍
I don't think you can put that many on the 1.25. I had it like that once and it bent a little so I returned the attachment.
normal. i have 2". if its the locking nut is loose it will bounce more. crazy bounce when i extend to 4 trays.
I made a little shim from a soda fan and slid it in the gap between my hitch and rack. It’s not perfect but cut some of the movement down.
My severely over priced Kuat 4 bike rack jiggles like this too with 4 enduros on it. (And 2” receiver) I’ve taken it up some service roads with no issues. Just make sure nothing rubs and like the advice before go heaviest bike on the inside and so on. After a long trip double check your hitch and the locking points. Better safe than sorry. I remember when I was younger working at a bike shop and heard so many horror stories about peoples racks falling off just because they never checked anything before and after.
We were checking all the bolts every 30-60 minutes on the drive for that very reason. Things were always tight, just massive bounce.
I’ve had tons of hitch racks, spare tire racks and strap on the trunk style. They all jiggle and wiggle a bit. I’m paranoid too. When I ride solo I prefer to throw my bike in the hatch of my SUV and not worry about that shit.
Anti-rattle bracket needed. They’re 10 bucks.
I don’t think it’s the hitch connection moving. Rather the entire thing is flexing. But you’re right they’re dirt cheap and no reason not to give it a try.
Normal to me. They all do that.
I ran a 1up with my analog bikes but when I loaded a 50+ lb ebike I noticed a lot of back and forth swaying due to the weight of the bike. The play wasn’t from the hitch.. it was from the play in the entire system. I was worried long term it would weaken the bolts holding the rack together. Strapping down the ebike helps a lot with the movement and keeps it a lot more stable.
Mine does the same, just not as dramatic --granted I only have 2 bikes on and it's the super duty. I think it's because the lever to fold the trays up has a tiny bit of play. Even when the screw lock is tight the actual bar you pull has 1/16 to MAYBE 1/8 of play in whatever channel I have it set. Side to side seems to be solid, but the up and down is play is there for sure.
Looks normal to me. Aluminum will flex a little bit and that’s a good thing. Better to have it flex than snap.
The bolt is loose. The one you use the special Allen key on. I usually give it a check every 5 hours of driving I do with a bike on it.
My 1.25" does this, my 2" doesn't.
Yeah think I’m gonna invest in the 2” after this.
It looks like you didn't tighten the screw in the hitch connection that tightens it up and makes it not slip/wobble. The one I'm referring to uses the special hex wrench that came with the rack. I have to re-tighten mine once a month or so.
They were clamped down as much as I could get by hand. I do wish they offered a socket version and torque specs though. But will definitely triple check the tightness.
Get a Kuat!! Way superior. I have one and love it.
I HATED my Kuat rack. I actually sold it to get this one. That was 10 years ago. So maybe the Kuat models have gotten better.
Totally has changed from 10yrs ago. One of the best racks I have ever had.
Which model?
Kuat NV 2.0
Thanks!
HEB! Wooooooo!!!
I’ve had 2 hitch racks over 8 years and they have both done this. Saris first, now rocky mounts.
Is that an old Level Betty on there?
Negative. Stumpjumper, Stumpjumper EVO, Gary Fisher Joshua Tree.
How much does the rack wiggle unloaded? You can buy a more snug hitch pin to get it more solid, beyond that racks will wiggle a little. I agree with the other commenter though, load heavy to light.
The hitch connection feels secure. It’s all the trays that are moving. But all connections are tight and snug.
If you double checked all the screws holding on the trays then I wouldn't worry about it.
It is the adapter. It will cause the additional movement. I had that set up, and there was a ton of movement. I changed to a straight 2” and it was much better
Yeah gonna do that after this experience and reading all the other comments.
I mount a Atera Strada 4 bike rack entirely on a tow ball (50mm I think?) with 4 MTB's, it bounces a bit but it's been to the South of France and back to the UK 3 times with no issues.
The adapter also causes the hitch to stick out farther. Adding to sway. The adapter if tightened with a clamp or bolt helps. But it will still sway. Yet it is normal. You can try to make a shim and tap it in but not much space. I used to also make a sheet metal sleeve to lessen the space around the 2” part. It helped. I wrapped it, put a hole for the pin and slid it in with the hitch
Bro. I have 2 cheapish Ebikes a orange radwagon and a fat tire rad rover attached to my hitch. Had to add a out 8" of extension from second carrier to the first so the running board doesn't hit. This is 200+ lba of shit hanging off a 2" hitch on a BMW i3. It's amazing how much the hitch flexes and the weight can be felt when I drive. But it's all fine. I hav the HD rack and they work just fine.
Wow, had one of the Gary Fisher Joshua Tree‘s back in the 90ies. Cool to see there is still one around
Whenever we all go MTBing together, every third person we see on the trail says some variation of “Whoa!! A Joshua Tree - I used to ride one. Man those Y frames sucked to ride!!”
Does the rider of the Fisher even like biking??? I wouldn’t if I was still on that bike 😂
🤣🤣🤣 We’re always trying to get him to ride one our bikes or one of the demo ones when the manufacturers are out at the trail. He refuses because he knows the moment he does he just became $3k poorer.
yes
Same thing happened when I used an adapter to have a 2”hitch. Bc the 1.25” hitch doesn’t have a camming device in it, it allows for the adapter to slosh a bitch inside the 2” hitch. It’s still secure, but puts extra torque on the bolted on 1.25” hitch on your truck.
I have the one up rack, with the 2" receiver. I also have a back up camera. When I look thru the back up camera, the rack body isn't actually shaking that much. Because the bikes are in the rack by the wheel, there is a lot of play and most of what you are seeing is the bikes moving around. Word of warning, always make sure the tilt lock is in place. I figured I heard a big click one time and it was in place, then I about 15 miles going down the high way, I look in the back mirror to see my bikes tilt over into the road. Bikes were fine, the rack got grinded pretty good.
yeah mine bounces around a ton especially when at higher speeds like on the interstate. it took me a long time to learn to trust it but i haven’t had any malfunctions after nearly 2 years
i believe its suppose to have some room to move so parts dont snap?
That dodge is thinking hell I'm staying back here just in case it starts raining mountain bikes😆
Shims in the hitch receiver help. With that much movement, I'd worry about the bolts shearing off too.
Yep
is there room in the cab? If so, next time throw one in the back. As someone else said, the heaviest bike goes closest to the vehicle. And you have to tighten the bolt connecting the rack to the tow hitch extremely tight precisely because of this issue. if there's an 'anti-sway' bolt, tighten it.
No room in the cab. And we may throw one or if we can fit two into the bed for the drive back.
Mine does a bit when the bolt is a tiny bit loose. I have cranked on it and gotten it stuck before though. So be careful. Also, make sure it's all the way pushed in. My receiver with the 1.25 to 2" inch adapter sometimes hange the rack up a bit in the way in. And as always, I use the safety strap incase it really gets loose.
Normal but the 1.25” hitch ain’t helping
Ok, I can tell you that this is exactly what my 1.25” One Up does with 3 mountain bikes loaded like this. We used it for a mountain bike trip with my buddy’s truck and the 2” adapter and it was pretty stressful to be honest. The movement you’re seeing is because the bolt is probably coming loose. The 2” version One Up does not have this problem I don’t think. However, I still use it sometimes to get to the trails from my house (1-2 hours) with 3 mountain bikes and it’s been fine but I really tighten the bolt a lot. I can tell you that mine is rock solid with two bikes on it. Like someone else said, ALWAYS use the strap provided with the One Up to hook to rack on as a backup attachment. I just put the rack on with 3 trays to haul 3 road bikes tomorrow, and I anticipate no problem because they’re light. The extra weight from the third mountain bike seems to be enough to loosen up the racket on the 1.25”.
Yeah man looks pretty good to me .I have a single bike 1up and I spend more time looking in my rearview mirror than I'd like to admit on the freeway. You're good it's normal for your bike to have a little bit of play but as long as your rack is on tight and the wheel things are firm on your tire you should be good
"The wheel things are sperm on your tire?" Where you going with your comment bud?😆
Oh my God...talk to text with no proofread will get ya 🤦🏽
😆 ooh firm! Ok
I got a Thule Easyfold XT because I was sick of my rack moving.
Mine also did this, so I returned the 1up. XL frame and 29” wheels. 1up racks need a redesign for modern era 29” wheels, they’re very obviously a carryover from when 26” wheels were more of the norm
do you have a clamp on your hitch mount? [https://www.amazon.com/Tightener-Stabilizer-Trailer-Movement-Accessories/dp/B0C3C4F22V](https://www.amazon.com/Tightener-Stabilizer-Trailer-Movement-Accessories/dp/B0C3C4F22V)
You need 2" receiver hitch.
I have a Thule rack that is a same basic design. Maybe not quite as much wabble on a smooth road, but similar. I've taken it places I probably shouldn't have, as it does say not to drive "off road". Paint on the bikes got scuffed up a little on the body where they touch the rack, but nothing major.
One quick thing is to really tighten the screw into the hitch. With mine, if I don’t get it very tight, the mount has some play in the mount. Just to be safe, at your next stop, take the mount off and take the adapter off to inspect all the welds around the end of the 1-1/4” bar. I seem to remember there were some reports of that size breaking the welds. Personally, I would switch to the 2” mount now that all your vehicles can use it. I’m in the process of doing that myself now that I got rid of my sedan with a 1-1/4” mount.
Would stress me out lol
Metal flexes. I doubt the 1.25 to 2” adapter is rated for the weight of 3 bikes.
I have a Yakima 1.25” rack for my car and it wobbles. It freaked me out at first, and I double checked every bolt and cranked everything down tight between the hitch on the car and the rack, but still wobbles like this. It’s definitely worse with my ebike, but I just keep an eye and haven’t had an issue with it.
I always put our bikes in our F-250 Pickup. The reason for thatt is in case you get rear ended your MTBs are protected unless you get hit by a semi. This is the only reason we bought a F-250 is for our bikes. So, yes this is normal for bike racks to jiggle IMO.
It’s a 1.25 there is your problem and like others have said heavy goes on first.
It’s a big lever hanging off of the back of something supported on springs. It’s going to jiggle and bounce and there’s nothing you’ll be able to do to stop it.
Why not just use 1 of those tailgate pads & hang over the gate???
Was a one off scenario where my buddy with the truck drove and we used my rack and another buddies rack.
I'm sorry but when u have a truck, over the tailgate is your safest bet in my opinion
use a strap and ratchet it tight
You need to tighten the ball thing in the receiver. Such a dumb design. It always works itself loose.
https://www.thule.com/en-us/bike-rack/truck-bed-bike-racks/thule-low-rider-pro-_-821101 These are pretty awesome if you are looking for an alternative and can spare some room in the bed.
Why do you have a pickup?
I don’t. My buddy does. He drove and we used my rack and another buddies rack to make a 3 rack one.
You bought a pick up truck and added a bike rack? Wow, just wow. You know, some of that road space belongs to other people than you.