Swagman Locking Upright Bike Rack
5
Well, I'd been hunting for deals to replace my Thule 599XTR setup that my dad took and put on their Volvo. Used 599XTR's run about $70-$100 per tray on ebay, normally without locks. Plus they're used, and those little plastic wheel straps get pretty worn out over time and exposure to the sun, etc..
So, I happened upon several listings for Swagman racks. Uber cheap, and appeared to be of fairly decent quality, albeit made of powdercoated steel instead of aluminum. Found a set of 2 new 'upright locking' racks similar to the Thule's for $70 shipped. Decided to take the plunge and see what they were like. :shrug:
After four days shipping from British Columbia, they arrived yesterday. Box was MUCH smaller than I expected, I almost thought to ask if the driver had left one on the truck, but didn't. The trays are segmented, and bolt together for smaller packaging purposes, and all was there.
Opening the box, things were well packed, and none of the hardware was loose. Assembling the racks took two adjustable wrenches (because I was cold and didn't want to walk out the shop and get real sizes), and is pretty foolproof, even with the semi-cryptic instructions (which did have helpful pictures). No hardware was missing, and there was some extra! Apparently they include extra so that you can mount it differently if you need to, depending on your crossbars.
Installed this morning, and took some pics. Test fitted my bike (pardon how old it is... lol) and I have to say that I'm surprised at how well it holds it up! Just as tight as the Thule rack. My one concern is the nylon webbing wheel straps, which I took a close up of. Not sure how long they will last in the weather, but they must surely be cheaper to replace than those Thule plastic ratchet straps. Another thing that may be of concern to some... the trays are secured by twist knobs, nothing fancy. I guess if someone really wanted to steal my el-cheapo bike rack, they could. Doesn't really bother me that much though.
I'll try to remember to update this after a year or so.
Anywho, on to the pics. :biggrin:
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So, I happened upon several listings for Swagman racks. Uber cheap, and appeared to be of fairly decent quality, albeit made of powdercoated steel instead of aluminum. Found a set of 2 new 'upright locking' racks similar to the Thule's for $70 shipped. Decided to take the plunge and see what they were like. :shrug:
After four days shipping from British Columbia, they arrived yesterday. Box was MUCH smaller than I expected, I almost thought to ask if the driver had left one on the truck, but didn't. The trays are segmented, and bolt together for smaller packaging purposes, and all was there.
Opening the box, things were well packed, and none of the hardware was loose. Assembling the racks took two adjustable wrenches (because I was cold and didn't want to walk out the shop and get real sizes), and is pretty foolproof, even with the semi-cryptic instructions (which did have helpful pictures). No hardware was missing, and there was some extra! Apparently they include extra so that you can mount it differently if you need to, depending on your crossbars.
Installed this morning, and took some pics. Test fitted my bike (pardon how old it is... lol) and I have to say that I'm surprised at how well it holds it up! Just as tight as the Thule rack. My one concern is the nylon webbing wheel straps, which I took a close up of. Not sure how long they will last in the weather, but they must surely be cheaper to replace than those Thule plastic ratchet straps. Another thing that may be of concern to some... the trays are secured by twist knobs, nothing fancy. I guess if someone really wanted to steal my el-cheapo bike rack, they could. Doesn't really bother me that much though.
I'll try to remember to update this after a year or so.
Anywho, on to the pics. :biggrin:
