Curt 2 Bike Platform Rack - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount - Tilting

by: Ian 05/09/2024

Bike rack has been great. We've taken it on several road trips. It makes taking the bikes somewhere close to the house an option now. Before this we had one of the strap on racks that take 15 minutes to get the rack and bikes onto the car, the thought of going anywhere with the bikes was really annoying. This thing takes 2 minutes to get on or off, so taking the bikes somewhere is a breeze.2002955

I installed this rack onto a Curt trailer hitch which is mounted onto a 2017 Honda Fit. I have been using it intermittently for several months, probably about 5 times with one bike and twice with two bikes. I give some pros and cons below and then elaborate.

Pros: easy to assemble, easy to mount and dismount bikes, easy to lock and unlock, how to put the rack into different positions is intuitive

Cons: inconvenient to put the rack into different positions, inconvenient to mount the rack onto the hitch, rack protrudes about 15 inches from bumper when in flipped up position (seems very vulnerable to someone backing into it in a parking lot, very inelegant looking

I say the repositioning is intuitive because there is really only one way you could possibly place the pins for each position. But removing and replacing two pins is much less convenient than turning a knob or a lever, like some racks do. Also many racks fold and flip in such a way as to look very unobtrusive when in non-use mode. This one looks like kind of a monstrosity. That does not really bother me but it might bother some owners. The part that does bother me is how far it protrudes from the car. I back into parking spaces whenever possible to avoid someone bumping into the rack and damaging it (which happened to a friend).

My number one suggestion for Curt is related to mounting the rack onto the hitch. Make it easier to tell when the holes are lined up so that the bolt/pin will fit and thread. As it is now, if you insert the rack as far as it can go it is way too far in. Ideally, it would be exactly lined up. Failing that, maybe some kind of click or other feedback to know at least that you are in the neighborhood. It would also be great to have an attaching device that is easier to fasten and unfasten than is the bolt/pin.

Tip for mounting the rack onto the hitch: I assumed that it would be awkward to hold, what is it 46 pounds?, while trying to line up the rack probe with the receiver. If you have a garage with exposed collar ties, my solution could work well for you. I looped a cargo strap over a collar tie. Then I hooked both hooks of a bungie onto that loop. The idea is that you hook one of the bike frame holders of the rack onto the bungie, suspending the rack a few inches off the garage floor. This takes most of the weight of the rack so that you can just pull up or down and forward until you line up with the receiver.

Tip for mounting bikes. Don't put the little screw into the post that prevents you from completely removing the bike frame holders. Remove both holders. Position the first bike, slide the holder into place, position the second bike, slide the holder into place. I found this makes it much easier, because you avoid parts of the bike hitting the holder as you are trying to get the wheels into place. The trick is that if you are mounting only one bike, don't forget to put the second holder back on - or maybe just stick it inside the car right away.1687707

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The rack carries the bicycle safely and securely, as advertised. However if some other method had been provided instead of pins that must be removed and reinserted to tilt the rack or fold the rack, I would have given the rack a higher rating. The pins work ok, but this feature could have been more user friendly.

Also, I was concerned that I could carry my Bike Friday NWT, a bike with a very low crossbar and 20-inch wheels. I submitted the question of fit to etrailer and received a prompt assurance the the rack would work. It does, however the hoops that capture the wheels allow the wheels to settle deeper than if the bike had larger wheel (26" or more). My bike has fenders and I am planning to trim about an inch or so from the rear end of the front fender so that it doesn't hit the hoop.

The technical team at etrailer are excellent. I have especially valued their installation videos when purchasing other products. etrailer gets the full 5 stars.1124881

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Jenny N.

3/9/2022

I would like to assist you and I wanted to see if you would be willing to send a picture of how your Jeeps door opens and how the bike rack interferes with it.

After a lot of research, I purchased this for my 2018 Jeep JL. According to what I read, it would fit my vehicle. I got it assembled and on the hitch. I really liked it. Loaded bikes, perfect. Then came the bad news. I tilted out the bikes to access the back end. It doesn't work. The lower part of the rack interferes with the spare tire and you can only open it a few inches. That was the whole reason I purchased this unit. So now I am stuck with a rack that I will have to completely remove each time I need to access the back end.1267094

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Jenny N.

3/9/2022

I would like to assist you and I wanted to see if you would be willing tto send a picture of how your Jeeps door opens and how the bike rack interferes with it.

Kevin

3/9/2022

Hi Jenny. Thank you for reaching out. I have attached several pictures. You can see that while it does tilt out, the fixed piece that goes into the receiver does not move and only allows the door to open slightly. This is a 2018 Jeep Wrangler Sport JL with standard spare. I estimate that I would need to add a receiver of about 6 inches before the tire would clear that ”L” shaped piece. Let me know if you have additional questions.

Jenny N.

3/9/2022

With how the back door swings open on the Jeep I know of a few options on a rack that would allow it to open. You can add a part like part # Y02483 that would allow the rack to swing to the side. It is a pricier option. You could switch out to a different rack like part # HRSR1 that mounts around the tire.

I had a 1 1/4" hitch installed on my 2016 toyota camry (the only size offered on the camry). I was very pleased with the ride. I expected to hear alot of noise like experienced when towing a trailer, but I heard almost nothing accept when going over speed bumps. I had to extend the tire supports to their widest position because having mountain bikes with a step through angled bar, they were more secure the closer i could get the upper and lower support arms to the seat post. The bikes were mounted in opposite directions and only stuck out maybe 6 inches or so. One locking barrel on the lower support arm was malfunctioning and gave me trouble but i called etrailer and they sent a replacement as soon as they were in stock. It comes with a anti rattle hitch pin but I highly recommend purchasing an anti rattle hitch pin with a lock on the end instead of just a clip for more security when unattended. After a few times mounting the bikes and figuring out the best way they should be positioned (pedals positions, direction of bike, and that my wife's smaller bike fit better going on first with my larger bike on the outside) I can mount the rack and bikes and be ready to go in just 5 minutes. (70 pounds on a torque wrench recommended for the hitch pin) I am overall pleased with my purchase i would recommend this product.1717935

The rack worked well on a recent 300 mile round trip. It is not a 700 dollar rack, so you'll have to deal with the various clips and pins to make the adjustments and tilt it down for access to your hatch. I used it with the recommended strap and that really seemed to help stabilize it.

I mounted this on a Golf GTI; there were plenty of photos of GTIs here on etrailer with hitches and bike racks, so I knew this would work. What I didn't expect is that when I put the car in reverse, the parking assist thinks you are about to back over something. On my model (2018 GTI Autobahn), you can't just ignore the warning beep -- it will lock down the brakes! I spent some time messing the settings for lane assist before realizing it was actually the parking assist feature, not lane assist. For me, as soon as I put the car in reverse and hear the alarm, I have to press the button to turn off parking assist. That's the only way to get it to work.1549140

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Finally have a carrier i can carry both of my bikes on it's well built & seems secure. It fits my new mtb bike,they have increased the wheelbase on new mtb bikes considerably so potential buyers take note of that. Thanks etrailer!!!1564897

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Pro: Good sturdy rack suitable to transport one or two mountain bikes. Well-made and does not rattle or shake while driving. Good value with good ground clearance on sloping driveway. Adjustable trays for bikes with different wheelbases. Easy to load and lock bikes securely. Also easy to add more security such as cable locks or chain and padlock. Trays fold up when not in use.
Con: The bike rack uses a threaded “anti-rattle” bolt to secure it to the hitch , not the usual receiver pin lock and some form of rattle/shake prevention.. According to installation instructions, this bolt needs 75 ft lbs of torque to secure against rattle and shaking. Once it is on, the rack is not easily removable between rides. So one point deducted for inconvenience.1513406

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by: Richard 10/28/2022

Works well, nice and solid. Easy to load and secure the bikes. Way better than a hanging style rack!1458667

Richard

10/29/2023

Still happy with this product, working just great!

I installed this rack on a 2015 BMW X3 with a Curt 2" receiver. The installation went OK except that the spring retaining clips in several cases need to opened with a screwdriver vs by hand. Here are some of my comments. First is the retaining bolt was very difficult to install with the wrench provided (see Photo) you can not turn the bolt very far with any wrench. I used a driver and a 19mm socket. I then bought one to have in the car. Second, our bikes have different cross bar heights, so it was not possible to put the larger bike on the inside closest to the vehicle (see Photo). The clip the holds the bikes in place could not go down enough with the larger bike on the inside so switching them solved that issue. Third the draw bar portion does not have a stop to help line up the holes for the retaining bolt. This was solved by putting orange tape on the bar to help with alignment.
A good feature is that with the bike retaining clips all the way down the back hatch can be opened without any adjustment to the rack. Also the rack did not impact the foot opening switch for the back hatch. The rack did very well in our first test drive. 544441

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Steve T.

7/22/2019

It is working great! We took it on a week long trip and it performed great. The 2 reciever keeps the rack a lot more stable than the 1-1/4

This bike rack is perfect for carrying my bikes to the bike trail it's very easy to put the bike on and off and very sturdy it doesn't rattle or shake much on bumpy road. and thanks to Etrailer quick shipping I got the bike rack within 3 days of purchased and it's free shipping I love this bike rack great product.633993

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Sonny C.

4/26/2020

after using it for a year still like the first day I got it. didnt have any issue, used twice every week.

by: Terry 01/30/2024

Great rack for road bikes and very light weight e-bikes.1716373

Not perfect, but still the pick of the litter among affordable platform racks.

Pros: sturdy, easy to assemble and use, two storage modes, mostly thick steel with minimal plastic, good depth (works well with my '05 Buick Lacrosse, with 1-1/4" hitch recessed about 6" behind bumper face), built in keyed locks. Quite solid

Cons: barely fits tall bike, sloppy fabrication, cheap hardware; should reverse direction of short and long locking arms so taller, heavier bike goes inboard, anti-rattle hitch pin does not have a lock, so you have to buy one for $XX more.

My story: assembly failed at the first step because the 1/2-20 shank bolt was mis-threaded such that it would not accept the nut. I was able to make it work by running a rethreading die over the bolt, removing a fair amount of metal. The good folks at etrailer sent me a replacement bolt, but I had to invest $3 in a new Nyloc nut. The black finish on the hardware (nuts, bolts, pins) is so thin it might as well have been applied with a Sharpie. The rack itself is nicely powder-coated.

The bends and hole punching in the metal are sloppy. The rack lists to starboard, and the wheel support arms/hoops droop on the right side. It's just a cosmetic issue, but Curt should be embarrassed.

I have a very tall bike (27" frame),and it barely fits. That said, it does fit, at the highest stop. If the mast were a few inches taller, it would be great. As it is, I have to finagle and slightly force the bike into place. I will probably remove the stop screw for the locking arm and just remove it entirely to load the bike.

Finally, when you unpin the mast to move it into operational position from storage position, it will fall hard onto the trunk deck if you don't hold it. There needs to be a stop so the mast cannot rotate past vertical and damage the car.

Overall, good solid rack, but not all it should be in design or execution.1380865

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by: Richard04/27/2024

Lasted about a year. Destroyed both of my brand new Specialized mountain bikes as the foam wore off on the hold down rods and the cheap plastic broke. Ended up replacing with the Thule.1774873

by: Edwin 07/20/2023

Rack going strong. No hay problema. Cannot leave rack on my SUV because i get stopped and ask where I by this item here in Puerto Rico. I say not here, go to etrailer. They do not believe price including shipping. They buy here in PR and they say it's like paying for a month's worth of a new car monthly payment. My Daughter brought one here do not know brand and ask for mine and she starting talking chinese to me because I did not tell her that I brought from your store. I told her you bought your before I bought mine. I win battle. She surrender. Gracias/Thank You etrailer. Will see you soon...1627675

by: Edith05/27/2022

this has been a good product. I am 68 years old, able to lift and attach to the trailer hitch. I often put two bikes on it and so far so good. There is some bounce but I know it is safely on there.1306033

Edith

5/29/2023

Great

by: Lynn07/08/2023

Hi, i have had many hitches for boat and horse trailers. i did not realize that bike hitches have a threaded pin rather than just a slide through. it is way too awkward for me to take weight off the hitch so the pin does not bind and then turn the pin with a wrench all the while sitting on the ground or a small stool. it is a very nice hitch however i do NOT use it, as i have to take it on and off a lot. i have been told, and i understand, that without the threaded pin the hitch is not stable1617610

Good rack. Went together well but would not slide into 1 1/4 inch receiver. Took some minor grinding.
Etrailer support accelerated shipping to meet my vacation date.
Better than average support.1300464

Mark

5/21/2023

Not a good review this time. Lost bikes off this rack twice. The locking sliders are poor quality and come loose during travel. Had to drill through the upright and use a pin to keep things tight. Found we could not keep the tires in the hoops supplied without buying and using extra straps.

Received the rack and installed on the”06”CRV and loaded the bikes all good.
Afterwards tried it out on our “01” Super Crew with same result. Having the option using either vehicle “nice”.
Thanks again,
Ron W675399

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Ron W.

7/27/2020

Still working fine when needed, thanks

great quality design and build. secure and convenient bicycle rack.1350163

Patrick

8/13/2023

it is an excellent two bicycle rack!

by: Kelly08/01/2023

I use this rack for long distance travel. I pull on & off everytime I use. For the price it works very well,bikes on rack are very secure, it does loosen up after a road trip so make sure you tighten down at receiver.1636644

In stock AND on time! Winning! Great customer service..even though I didn't have to use customer service. Streamlined ordering and we love our new hitch and bike rack!1638491

I made two different purchases from etrailer and George J. I am extremely pleased with my trailer hitch receiver. It is exactly what I need to transport our bikes from point A to B. I also bought a bike rack that I am extremely happy with. It is sturdy and easy to use. The etrailer website is very user friendly and I appreciate the videos that help me get a clear picture of various products. The company communicates clearly and keeps me updated on shipping and delivery and they follow through on their timelines. I will definitely use them again!549522

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Heavy - well built. Instructions a little hard to follow, but not all that hard to put together.1698896

Easy to put together, instructions were very clear. I have not yet loaded my bikes and taken a drive but I don’t see any issues. When folded up it sticks out farther then I expected. It also sets off my backup alarm when I put the car in reverse.1363373

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