Swagman XC Cross-Country 2-Bike Hitch Mount Rack (1/1/4 and 2-Inch Receiver)
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List Price: Our Price: $110.27 You Save: $67.73 (38%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Category: Sports See more product details |
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Description of Swagman XC Cross-Country 2-Bike Hitch Mount Rack (1/1/4 and 2-Inch Receiver)
Transports up to 2 bikes. Compatible with 1 1/4" and 2" receiver hitch. It has a built in anti-woble hitch device. Upright ratchedt arms easily adjust to different bike frame sizes. It will accomodatge bike framse up to 59cm. The center arm folds down to allow acccess to the rear of the vehicle without removing the rack. Fits 20: to 29" tire sizes. Locking hitch pin required by the manufacturer is item No. 64029.The XC Cross-Country 2-Bike Hitch Mount Rack from Swagman is a versatile hitch-mount rack that can easily accommodate children's and adult bikes, downhill bikes, cruiser bikes, full-suspension bikes, BMX bikes, "Y" frame designs, and much more (and without the hassle of removing wheels). The XC slides into a two-inch receiver and carries up to two bikes (with an option to carry up to four bikes with another module, available separately).
 Swagman's XC Cross-Country 2-Bike Rack easily adjusts to accommodate a wide variety of bike frames. |
Specifications:
- Capacity: Two bikes
- Mount: 2-inch hitch
- Hitch: Fits Class 3 hitch
Sports reviews of Swagman XC Cross-Country 2-Bike Hitch Mount Rack (1/1/4 and 2-Inch Receiver)
Customer Review: Great bike rack - skip the overpriced yuppie racks
Sport shop rating: 5 Stars
I just bought this bike for a bike trip I took with a friend of mine. I drive a Toyota 4runner, 4wd, with a two inch hitch receiver. I was nervous about buying a bike rack online, but the price made me take the chance.
When I got the rack and opened it up, I was immediately impressed by the welded, heavy metal construction of the rack. However, the instruction manual had me nervous: it said the rack should be used on paved or gravel roads only. Well, I was going to be driving through some pretty hairy 4-wheel drive situations and needed something with stability. I decided to go for it anyway, hooked up the rack, and was on my way.
After 3 days of two-track, dirt track, steep inclines and muddy sliding, the bike rack is in perfect condition. My bikes were protected, secure and safe. Loading and unloading was a breeze. For $129 you could not do better. I'm willing to bet you couldn't do better with the other $300 - $500 models out there anyway.
Now, a little bit about why this Swagman model is better than the $99 Allen version. The SWAGMAN you see here is equipped with a bottom carrier. In case you hadn't noticed, the bottom carrier attaches to the wheels and wheels on bikes are ALWAYS ROUND. Crazy, I know. The Allen version (with the top straps) is common amongst bike carriers (trunk mounted and hitch alike). These bikes wrap around the top frame of the bike. Here is the rub: NOT ALL BIKE FRAMES ARE THE SAME. I have a V-frame bike and those straps do not wrap around. Other bike frames are very narrow; some are very thick - the point being that those straps are not going to work for every bike. The SWAGMAN does. Its wheel base supports are adjustable. The locking center clasp simply applies pressure to the center of the frame. It can't go wrong.
In conclusion, save yourself a lot of money and buy the SWAGMAN version here. Save yourself a headache and opt for the bottom, wheel attachment carriers over the other varieties. For an extra $30 over the Allen, you'll be riding pretty - guaranteed.
**Oh yea, plus it's sold through Amazon so the shipping is free.
Customer Review: Swagman XC-2 with 2" hictch receiver- SWEET!!!
Sport shop rating: 5 Stars
After searching on the web and reading reviews I decided on this Swagman XC bike rack.
Its my first bike rack which I now use on my toyota 95 4runner to transport my Trek 7.5 FX hybrid.
It's a solid performer! It's exactly what I expected. Solid mounting of bikes- secure, wobble free, and no rattle! You can't beat its "price to performance" factor and piece of mind knowing that your bikes are securedly fastened.
Easy to assemble and mount on your vehicle.
I compared this to the Thule, Yakima, and Softride models but cost more ($200-350) and were quite heavy. The Softride was a big contender BUT could not locate a local
dealer to demo.
PROS-
1) Inexpensive when compared to other brands (Thule, Yakima, & Softride)
2) This 2" Hitch version is built very solid.
3) Holds bikes very solid, wobble free, rattle free.
4) Doesn't damage the paint-job of your bikes.
5) Easy to assemble (~10 min. for me)
6) Easy to mount and dismount bikes.
7) Very manageable mounting and dismounting rack from car.
8) Ample clearance between bike and car.
CONcerns-
1) Need a rachet in your car for mounting and
dismounting the rack. Not really a problem!
2) Does not come with a lock- for the clamp-triggers- you'll have to improvise
and search on your own.
3) Wish they had an option/add-on to make it carry 4 bikes-haven't seen one
yet.
4) Optional Hitch-pin locks are a little pricey for me. Optional
5) On some vehicles- may have to dismount bikes and/or rack to access/open
rear gate or trunk. I did not have this issue with my 95'4runner.
Got mine at Amazon... very competitive price and great service/delivery.
Hope this helps potential buyers.
Customer Review: Great value but I have a clearance issue
Sport shop rating: 5 Stars
I purchased this rack to carry two mountain bikes on my Ford minivan. As others have said on their review, this is a great value. My only issue with this rack is that once I installed the two bikes, the handlebar of the mountain bike installed closest to the car comes dangerously close to the glass (with only about 1/8" clearance of the glass on the rear trunk door. Needless to say, I'm concerned about hitting a bump on the road and shattering the glass. I don't know if the location of the hitch in my car is too far back, as I don't see others having this problem, they even mention having enough clearance installing it with a rear spare tire on their car. I could have used a longer receiver bar on mine. I'm keeping the rack because most of the time I'm going to be carrying just one bike which I will install on the outside, but when I have to carry two bikes I will have to place some kind of padding on the handle bar of the bike closest to the car, or purchase a longer receiver bar that will work.
What I really like about this rack is that I can easily remove it and store it inside my car, it isn't extremely heavy or cumbersome and it will save me having to purchase the two locking pins needed to prevent theft of the rack. If you are planning to go on a long trip and leaving your bikes unattended you will not only need to purchase two locking pins for the rack, but also a set of 2 swagman locking knobs for the wheel trays of each bike and a cable bicycle lock to secure your bikes to the hook holders, this will prevent someone from lifting your bikes off the rack. Each hook holders has a hole on the side through which one can place a cable with a lock.
Customer Review: Swagman XC 2-Bike Rack
Sport shop rating: 5 Stars
Purchased this item through Amazon and got the best deal around. Fast shipping.
The rack came packed in it's box very well; it's smaller than I expected. I was impressed with the quality of the rack and the included components. Assembly is straight-forward even without reading the instructions, although I stongly suggest doing so. This took me about 15 minutes to put together and about 5 minutes to get mounted on the hitch receiver, adjusted for my bicycle and locked-down on my van. Off I went. The ride was solid without any rattling. The screw-in type bolt firmly tightens the mount and keeps it secure. I love the ratcheting-type bike frame holder. It's very easy and secure (with the hole that allows you to install a lock) to operate.
I don't think there is a better bargain out there for a 2 bicycle hitch mounted rack. Even the more expensive Swagman 2 bike rack may be a little overkill, although it does look nicer and have straps for securing the wheels. When I am ready I will probably pick up the 4 bike XTC rack based on my experience with this one.
Please note that the description of this rack (the 2" receiver model) is incorrect. It states that you can purchase an adapter to convert this bike rack to carry 4 bicycles... this is incorrect. According to Swagman, that description is for their older model and is no longer in production. I contacted Swagman and Amazon regarding this issue and they assured me they would follow-up on this. However, do not purchase this rack with the intention of being able to carry 4 bicycles, there is no option available that would allow you to do this.
Customer Review: Definite Upgrade - Very Pleased
Sport shop rating: 5 Stars
I am very pleased thus far with my purchase. I'm relatively new into biking and initially bought 2 Bell bike racks from Wal-Mart. I was never really happy with them; they're very cheap and just made me insecure when carrying my bikes. I decided to upgrade and am very glad I did.
I'm not sure if Amazon is stocking a different part number than they're advertising, but mine clearly works with both 2" and 1 1/4" receivers. In order to use the 1 1/4" size, just remove the adapter with an allen wrench. The padded bars that do come in contact with the bike are a bit sticky, so I place a cloth between the bike and bar, as recommended by many other reviewers. Additionally, the bars are also different sizes. That way you can decide which bar is going to fit best for each bike you're carrying. I tried out both and it seems both work just fine for my bikes (Trek 4300 mountain bike and Trek 2.3 road bike). The ratcheting part that secures the bike seems very stiff and secure. I have had a bit of a difficult time removing my bikes on occasion. I may be tightening them too much, but to counter this, I put downward pressure on the frame of the bike which releases some of the retaining tension. No biggie, just watch your fingers (pinched one first time using the rack - my fault for not being aware).
The installation took me about 10 minutes and adjustments took about 5 minutes. I have very, very limited wiggle when I use the rack and now feel totally comfortable when carrying my expensive bikes. Best of all, I got this rack on Gold Box special for $109. What a deal!