Comments on: Help identify cool mystery bike rack?

Question: Help identify cool mystery bike rack?

de void — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 07:53:18 -0800

Help me identify/locate the manufacturer of a cool hitch-mounted bike rack I saw last summer. I want one. The google goggles, they do nothing.

Saw a really cool bicycle rack at a mountain bike trail parking lot last summer. Wanted it then, want it now, but can't find it.

As stated, the bike rack is a hitch mount (plugs into a square trailer receiver). The rack I saw carried 2 bikes. I suspect there may be other longer models that carry 3 or 4 bikes.

It had a center frame/bar that had a "stretched/flattened Z" profile when viewed from the side; the end that connects to the hitch mount is lower than the bike carrying end.

It carried the bikes in "V" channels that were mounted perpendicular to the center frame. The bikes were secured to the rack by ratcheting straps that locked the wheels down into the V channels. I seem to remember that there were no attachment points or risers for the bike frames and that all the securing was done at the wheels, but that doesn't seem feasible. Perhaps there were folding fork braces that I missed.

The whole rack had a dull silver color that suggested it was made of aluminum alloy.

It had a plate riveted to one of the channels with the manufacturer's name and the web site. It was not one that I had heard of before (Thule/Yakima etc.). I remember thinking that it sounded like a small shop, and that I should write the web site down because I would forget it. I didn't, and I did.

By: iconomy

iconomy — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 08:05:55 -0800

I don't know which companies you've heard of and which you haven't, but could it be one from Saris? Their racks are beautiful.

By: de void

de void — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 08:21:23 -0800

Nope, definitely wasn't Saris, although I agree those are some nice racks.

By: eaglehound

eaglehound — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 08:27:58 -0800

It kind of sounds like a Swagman. www.swagman.net will take you there.

By: de void

de void — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 08:34:16 -0800

Definitely not a swagman, but thanks.

By: iconomy

iconomy — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 08:52:24 -0800

Here are a few other brand names (that I had never heard of) that I came across in my search, in case you'd like to research them further....maybe one will ring a bell?

Draw-tite, Reese, Rola, Tow Ready, Surco, Rhode Gear, Blue Ox

By: de void

de void — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 09:06:25 -0800

Thanks iconomy, none of those names rings the bell but I'll take a look.

I think the real key identifier here is the fact that the rack looked like it was completely aluminum.

By: flug

flug — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 12:53:31 -0800

Hmm . . . on re-reading perhaps you're thinking of Draftmaster. (On re-re-reading, maybe not, though.)

Based on the description of "aluminum" maybe it is a Rackster.

Thule and Yakima make something similar but probably not the exact one you saw.

By: de void

de void — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 13:27:06 -0800

Raxter is the closest yet, but nope, that not it.

I remember looking at the riveted name plate and thinking "never heard of it, must be a small company or a couple of guys building them in their garage."