Best 4 Bike Rack

[deepakti]

Hello
I see few bike rack threads but not sure they talk about the 4-Bike Racks. I have 4 bikes and just bought the Model Y and want to see which one best suites for the "Y". I see tesla one but i read some reviews here that they might not be the good ones. Can someone please advise which are the few bike racks i can buy for the car, some are out of stock . Allen 4 bike rack? How is Thule Apex XT Swing 4?

 

[yourhero]

I like my Thule Apex XT 4 (no swing).

Previously I tried a Yakima FullSwing but it didn’t fit very well on the Y and I very quickly decided that the swinging feature was more trouble than it was worth to me. Think about how often you’d use it, i.e., how often it will matter to you that you can access the hatch without removing the bikes, because in exchange for that convenience it adds about 30 lbs to the weight of the rack and it is a much more complicated multi-step process to operate the swing feature whereas it is a quick and easy one-step process to operate the tilt-away feature on the regular rack.

 

[deepakti]

I like my Thule Apex XT 4 (no swing).

Previously I tried a Yakima FullSwing but it didn’t fit very well on the Y and I very quickly decided that the swinging feature was more trouble than it was worth to me. Think about how often you’d use it, i.e., how often it will matter to you that you can access the hatch without removing the bikes, because in exchange for that convenience it adds about 30 lbs to the weight of the rack and it is a much more complicated multi-step process to operate the swing feature whereas it is a quick and easy one-step process to operate the tilt-away feature on the regular rack.

hello
thanks for quick response. As we all know Thule is out of stock. How about Allen 5 Bike rack for 4 bikes? That is out of stock but letting me order with 1-1.5 month delivery.

 

[reardencode]

Just wrote up my experience with another option: Alternative Model Y Bike Rack: Tow Tuff Aluminum Cargo Carrier

 

[SDM44]

I had the Thule Apex XT 4 as well before, and mostly used it on our Honda Pilot (sold it before getting our Model Y).

It's a decent rack when you only want to carry 1-3 bikes at max, if they're not too heavy. I've loaded 4 bikes on there and you really need to strap everything down so they don't move or wobble while driving, or start swaying back & forth when you're accelerating & braking. Also, I could see the rack flexing quite a bit on the freeway if I went over a bump. IMO, it's a good rack if you want something smaller and compact, and if you aren't carrying a lot of heavier bikes on it. Also, if your top tube isn't high enough to mount onto the rack, then you will need to by an extension piece that goes from the stem to the seat post, and we had to do that with a few of our bikes. Not the most secure method but the only way to fit the bike on the Apex XT.

I've since switched to a platform rack and ease-of-use with it makes it so much nicer & better to use than the Apex XT. The main thing is I can quickly load up each bike and they will not touch either, nor will they move or sway while I'm driving. And the best part, takes me literally 20 seconds per bike with the platform rack, where it took me a few minutes to mount & hang each bike and secure them with some towels in between the bikes so they don't rub (which happened on the very first trip and sure enough my frame had a big nick in it ever since). The bad part about a platform rack is the weight and they stick out further from the car, so the weight distribution with 4 bikes loaded up may seem a bit daunting, so you'll want to make sure you invest in a good quality brand & rack. I'm using a 1UP Super Duty double rack and have 2 extension add-ons for it. It's really heavy with all 4 racks connected (approx 110 lbs), but man is it rock solid on the car. I haven't put the 1UP rack onto my Model Y yet, but I probably will this holiday weekend when we go out riding.

 

[reardencode]

It's really heavy with all 4 racks connected (approx 110 lbs), but man is it rock solid on the car. I haven't put the 1UP rack onto my Model Y yet, but I probably will this holiday weekend when we go out riding.

The model y hitch is only rated to 160lbs accessory weight. 4 bikes on a 110 lb rack will far exceed that. Are you comfortable with that? (I have approximately zero overall tow hitch experience, so don't feel comfortable exceeding the rating by much if at all)

 

[SDM44]

The model y hitch is only rated to 160lbs accessory weight. 4 bikes on a 110 lb rack will far exceed that. Are you comfortable with that? (I have approximately zero overall tow hitch experience, so don't feel comfortable exceeding the rating by much if at all)

If I'm going to carry 4 bikes on my 1UP rack, then I'm not using my Model Y and will use our other SUV since the tow hitch on that extends further along the frame of the car to distribute the weight better (and has a 350lb accessory weight). On the Model Y, the hitch just bolts to the sub-frame right at the rear, so if you put too much weight too far out behind you, it's not going to be strong enough to support it (maybe it can, but I don't want to chance it).

My Super Duty double rack weighs 46 lbs by itself. After adding on some locks & such, it's closer to 50 lbs and my carbon MTB weighs 24 lbs, so I can carry another bike on my Model Y without any issues. When I have everything put together for the 4-bike setup (add-ons, locks, ez-pull lever), then it weighs exactly 108 lbs but I just round it up to 110.

 

[someTimesJoe]

4 bike rack with mountain bikes is too much for the factory tow hitch. I had the same problem with my Model X and ended up changing out the factory hitch to a after market, Draw-Tite hitch that bumped up the tongue weight capacity to 750lbs. I use the Kuat NV 2.0 4 bike on my Model X and when I’m just carrying 2 bikes, I take off the extension and use it on the Model Y. The Kuat is heavy but it’s solid on carrying my bikes.

 

[Billmister]

Resurrecting this post rather than creating a new one. I’m in the same boat as the OP. I ordered my MY with hitch. Currently my wife and I bike once a month maybe twice in the summer. My kids a are getting bigger where we would love to take them on the light trails. I need something lighter weight that can carry 4 bikes. Although I would love the ones that don’t make contact it’s too heavy to carry 4 plus the weight of the rack. My bike is a little under 30lb, my wife’s I will say may be 40lb. My daughter is a small bike and my son is a small bike as well. Wanted to pick up the Tesla bike rack (Yakima). Frame issues aren’t really a concern as my drive to the trail is maybe 15 minutes away and I will visit it maybe twice a month. Do you guys think the Yakima would be a good choice?

 

[thebarold]

Resurrecting this post rather than creating a new one. I’m in the same boat as the OP. I ordered my MY with hitch. Currently my wife and I bike once a month maybe twice in the summer. My kids a are getting bigger where we would love to take them on the light trails. I need something lighter weight that can carry 4 bikes. Although I would love the ones that don’t make contact it’s too heavy to carry 4 plus the weight of the rack. My bike is a little under 30lb, my wife’s I will say may be 40lb. My daughter is a small bike and my son is a small bike as well. Wanted to pick up the Tesla bike rack (Yakima). Frame issues aren’t really a concern as my drive to the trail is maybe 15 minutes away and I will visit it maybe twice a month. Do you guys think the Yakima would be a good choice?

Did you ever find a solution? We need three bikes capacity and four if the kid brings a friend. I've looked at the 1up online and the Saris Superclamp in person (the Saris may be over weight with 4 bikes). Thule makes a helium two bike option which is light, and they have a 2+2 setup that might be good (so you don't have to always have the full rack on, but again concerned about the accessory weight limit.

 

[Billmister]

Did you ever find a solution? We need three bikes capacity and four if the kid brings a friend. I've looked at the 1up online and the Saris Superclamp in person (the Saris may be over weight with 4 bikes). Thule makes a helium two bike option which is light, and they have a 2+2 setup that might be good (so you don't have to always have the full rack on, but again concerned about the accessory weight limit.

Hi! I went with the Yakima brand bike rack (full tilt 4). As it turns out; if I load 4 30lb bikes plus the weight of the rack, that is exactly max capacity.

Regarding the possible bike frame damage, I purchased 3 Yakima frame bars.

Stop to child for biking but probably next month weather should be good enough for us to take the bike out.

I got my rack from etrailer and will plan to load three bikes and my youngest bike in the trunk.

 

[b622r]

I have the 1up standard with 2 racks and 2 add-ons...the base 2 rack weights 46lbs and each addon weights 18. So we are at 82lbs when all 4 racks are on plus each MTB bike is 30lbs. We are at 202 lbs. So now confusion. Tongue Weight vs Vertical Weight Limit.

From a tongue weight perspective we appear fine...even though we should consider that the force on the hitch is compounded by the relative distribution of the weight of the bikes....so the 30 lbs bike on the last rack is exerting more force as it bounces up and down than the bike on the first rack because of the lever. With a tongue weight limit of 350 - it would seem you have some cushion. Can't seem to find a usable definition of how the vertical weight limit of 160 is different. The best I have found is that the vertical weight limit is a measure of torque or force. A trailer exerts less leverage on the hitch when properly balanced over the trailer axle. A bike rack is different in that all the weight is transferred to hitch and any increase from leverage is also directly transferred to the hitch. I would seem like the 160lbs limit is based on some assumption of a typical bike rack distribution including the effective length of the lever.

For right now I don't feel I am within the limit carrying 4 bikes.

 

[atomic_snowman]

I have the 1up standard with 2 racks and 2 add-ons...the base 2 rack weights 46lbs and each addon weights 18. So we are at 82lbs when all 4 racks are on plus each MTB bike is 30lbs. We are at 202 lbs. So now confusion. Tongue Weight vs Vertical Weight Limit.

From a tongue weight perspective we appear fine...even though we should consider that the force on the hitch is compounded by the relative distribution of the weight of the bikes....so the 30 lbs bike on the last rack is exerting more force as it bounces up and down than the bike on the first rack because of the lever. With a tongue weight limit of 350 - it would seem you have some cushion. Can't seem to find a usable definition of how the vertical weight limit of 160 is different. The best I have found is that the vertical weight limit is a measure of torque or force. A trailer exerts less leverage on the hitch when properly balanced over the trailer axle. A bike rack is different in that all the weight is transferred to hitch and any increase from leverage is also directly transferred to the hitch. I would seem like the 160lbs limit is based on some assumption of a typical bike rack distribution including the effective length of the lever.

For right now I don't feel I am within the limit carrying 4 bikes.

You're basically right, but I want to emphasize a few things to save you money and headache.

Tongue vs vertical weight limit are because the force is distributed in very different ways. If you're over 160lbs with a hanging carrier, you're putting far too much stress on the hitch. You should be trying your best to keep under 160lbs at all costs.

The vertical (hanging) weight is distributed all in the back, so it's essentially a lever that's trying to pry your hitch mount off the frame with the fulcrum as far forward as there is contact with the vehicle. The physics are difficult to fully explain. Check out this wiki for better understanding. The 160lb limit is accounting for where the center of mass will likely exist behind the vehicle.

Tongue weight is different and is distributed more evenly throughout the mount/contact points and acts less like a lever, which is why the 350lb limit exists.

That 160lbs accounts for bumps and dips throughout the road so that you don't warp or tear metal during normal operation of the vehicle. There are things you can (and absolutely should!) do to keep stress on the hitch receiver, such as keeping the heaviest items as close to the receiver as possible (heavy bike first, lightest bike last), and ensuring that the items you load can't rock or bounce. If you load up 200lbs on that hitch it might be okay, but I've seen people go over the rated weight plenty of times and strip bolts on rough terrain. (neighbor owned a uhaul rental place)