Allen Sports Deluxe 4-Bike Hitch Mount Rack (2-Inch Receiver) , Black

This rack has been awesome. I have used it every week for the last 7 years. I've taken countless trips across the Southwest in my 4Runner with it loaded four bikes deep. Sometimes you have to get creative but this bike rack has done its job, not to mention protecting my bumper being rear-ended three times.

Great purchase. We often will add bungee cords to keep the front wheel from moving or a single bike from swinging, but for the cost, really awesome bike rack.

I took some time to use this product before I wrote my review because I wanted to be able to help people decide if this was right or wrong for them before spending their hard earned money on this. So for starters, here is how I am using the bike rack. I have it attached to the hitch of my pickup truck and we usually only travel about 10 miles to where we ride.The pros are as follows.I bought the 4-bike deluxe rack really cheap. I paid $68.00 when I bought it and have seen it double in price. my suggestion don't pay more than $68.00 for it as it will come down again. I have seen this happen recently.It is fairly solidly well built and I only put it on the truck when I need it so I cannot say how it would hold up long term in the weather. this is definitely made from heavy steel and it is not light weight so that should be a plus as far as durability is concerned.the padded cradles that the frame of the bike rests in swivels 360 degrees so it accommodates odd shaped frames and girls frames without having to buy the extra support bar to mount on a girls frame style bike in order to use the bike rack.Instead of a locking pin to attach it to the receiver, it uses a tension bolt (bolt and nut) to remove the rattle. This mounting system is both a pro and a con. The pro is that it does a great job of stopping the bike rack from rattling inside of the hitch.The bike frame support arms fold down to give somewhat of a lower profile to store it away when removed or so that it takes up less space if you keep it mounted to the vehicle.So far the straps and buckles have been adequate to keep the bikes secured. I am unsure of how they would hold up if left in the sun and weather everyday.It also swivels down at the lower joint in addition to the bike support arms folding down. This is in case you would need to open a hatchback type SUV rear door.ConsAs I list the cons, keep in mind I don't think this particular rack is terrible, I just think you can only design any hitch mount bike rack to do so much. I don't think some of the cons I list can really be much improved upon with this design.1st. The bikes mount close together. This means that every bike you add after the first you have to manipulate pedals and handle bars etc..etc..as they do hit each other as you stack the bikes together.you will need extra bungee cords to secure spinning wheels and handlebars turning from side to side. Not because the bikes will come loose, but to prevent everything from constantly hitting together and scratching all of your bikes up. also the bottoms of the bikes swing front to back when starting and stopping if not bungee strapped.you will get some scratches no matter how carefully you mount things because they are close together and pedals and handle bars stick out. No way to avoid that.The pivot feature in my opinion is useless when bikes are mounted. It is far too heavy to lower the rack down with 4 bikes mounted if you would need to open a hatchback on an SUV type vehicle. (but then maybe its not supposed to be lowered with bikes mounted). I haven't tried this, but it would have to be extremely heavy and I'm not sure it would even lower down enough with bikes mounted to clear an suv door. I have it on a pickup, so no concern of mine.The con side of the tension bolt is that it isn't quick to remove like a hitch lock. You need 2 tools to loosen it from both sides as it is an aircraft style locking nut. Also I guess if someone wanted to take the time they could unbolt your rack and steal it. I already tried mounting it with a hitch lock, and it allows far too much play in the bike rack swinging and rattling all over the place. So the tension bolt will have to do for now.lastly, there is a bit of side to side play where the bike support arms mount to the upright. I think they could have designed this area to be a bit more solid and have less play to it, but I don't think it would be an issue with breaking.So those are the main points I've noticed form using mine. As far as this style rack is concerned, I could see some minor improvements but I'm not sure how you could vastly improve this type of rack. read the review and decide if it's right for you.

Okay, so I wanted a Thule or Yakima carrier, but as I'm only a casual biker and a college student, I really couldn't justify the expense. After a lot of research on different carriers, I opted to get this one. I use this carrier to take 3 (and sometimes 4) bikes from Maryland up to Connecticut and back. The rack is surprisingly sturdy and doesn't budge. I also bought a 10ft cable to wrap my bikes and help prevent sway or theft.After reading some other reviewers' comments, I fully understand what some of those cons are with this rack. I have a 2-inch receiver with 5/8" holes for my pins. This rack has 3/8" holes. If you use your own locking pins (as I do to prevent theft of the rack), you're required to use a 3/8" pin in a 5/8" hole which means that whatever's attached to that hitch is going to rock because of that gap. The pin that comes with this hitch does not have a locking mechanism. Instead it's a 3/8" screw/pin with an upper part that's 5/8". When you attach the pin and tighten it to your 2-inch receiver using a wrench, you're pressing that 5/8" segment firmly against that 3/8" hole in the rack preventing it from moving a millimeter. The downside is that as it does not have a locking mechanism, it's entirely possible that any individual with a couple wrenches can come along and steal your entire bike rack. In addition, connecting and disconnecting your rack with a couple of wrenches is inconvenient in the extreme.So my solution was to use a 3/8" locking pin. Without any modification, the rack will shake and be completely unstable. However, I purchased a 5/8" washer (a pack of 3 cost me 68 cents at Home Depot) and inserted in the tiny gap between my receiver and the insertion rod of the carrier (not along the sides, but at the top where there was more space). I used a small hammer to gently lodge it in there, just allowing a tiny sliver of the washer hole to be visible. I immediately tested it out and the rock was minimal, and certainly dramatically less pronounced. I placed three bikes on my carrier and drove a couple hours into West Virginia at a variety of speeds and could not see a single shake or tremor. This carrier was rock solid. Then to remove the carrier and the washer, I just used a regular key or handy flat head screw driver and inserted the business end into that tiny sliver of space visible on the washer and gently tugged. It came out without any fuss. It can be the slightest bit inconvenient if I'm nitpicking, but for the price, I'm more than happy with my decision and what little effort at modification is required of me.If you have the tools, you could drill a 5/8" hole through the 3/8" hole on the rack, and then just use a 5/8" locking pin. But if you don't know how to do that, or can't be bothered, my above suggestion is a really quick and cheap fix.Regarding the horizontal support beams of the bike, they seem to be perfectly strong enough to handle the task. I've only carried adult hybrid bikes (17-19"), but I've had no problem doing so. I am very happy with my purchase, and even though I really love the look and functionality of a Thule, I just can't afford that right now. Thule's are much better designed with swing arms that allow you to easily shift your bikes down, or out and around to the side of the vehicle allowing you access to the rear gate of your vehicle. But if you don't want to spend that kind of money, this is a solid no frills rack that gives great performance and feels surprisingly durable, given its low price tag. I would strongly recommend this to a casual or occasional cycler. For a road warrior, or someone who needs more convenience and bells and whistles, don't be cheap. Remember that you get what you pay for! Cheers!

Great purchase! Super excited about this rack! Absolutely worth the purchase.

Works as intended, money well spent.