Recommended Platform Bike Rack That Is Low Enough To Allow For Easy Loading

Question:

Which would be the best platform bike rack for my Subaru Outback wagon as far as ease of putting the bike on the rack. Unable to lift a bike to shoulder height. Liked the Hollywood because I can easily take it on and off the hitch but it seemed a little fussy to mount and fussy to mount a bike. Need something a 70 year old woman can manage! Thanks.

asked by: Susan

Expert Reply:

I think the Swagman XTC2 Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches # S64670 would be a great option for you. This only weighs 29.7lbs which is very light for a platform rack. It only has a 3" shank rise which means the rack will only sit about 3" above your trailer hitch receiver; some racks have shank rise of 5"-10" so 3" is not a lot of rise.

A really nice feature is that the center arm can fold down to allow for easy loading, whereas some bike racks require you to lift the bike all the way over or around the upright arm. This upright arm has padded hooks that attach to the bike frame, making this carrier compatible with fenders and baskets.

This carrier fits both the 1-1/4" and 2" trailer hitch receiver. If you don't have one on your 2014 Subaru Outback yet then I would go with the etrailer Trailer Hitch Receiver Class III - 2" # e98847. This is 2" which fits a larger variety of accessories than a typical 1-1/4" receiver. I attached a couple demonstration videos for you to check out.

expert reply by: Andrew N