I really like the Saris T-rax pro but those straps seem like they will not hold up to the weather or abuse of the bikes bouncing around on the rack. Hard plastic tends to wear to quickly in my experience the idea is on the right track but I think it needs more work. I did some checking and Yakima a few years ago used a similar type strap that are like what is on the Saris and Yakima seemed to get away from them and went to the soft rubber type. Also the more I look at the Saris the way the pins hold the rack up is not really thrilling me either. The feature I really liked the most about the Saris rack was the knob that you use to tighten the rack down once you place the pin in and lock itto the hitch.

I looked at the softride racks and they just didn't interest me at all can't really tell you why.

Yakima seems like a nice rack but I don't need the features they offer for their rack such as tilt away left or right for one or the swing away they offer on another. I have a friend at work that has a Yakima rack says it is really heavy but he loves it. I showed him the Thule Ridgeline and he was in awe of the rack and said that if he was in the market for a new rack that was one he would consider.

As far as a hitch rack that does not damage the paint on the frame of the bikes or keeping them from bumping together I don't think that has been made yet. All racks are going to allow bikes to swing some and at some point they will touch and scratches will happen but hey its a bike and you have to deal with it and find ways to help limit it.

I looked at the system that the Hollywood racks uses on it roadrunner and thought about how I could use a U bolt and some square extrude alluminum and make my own stablizer (sway) bar for at the bottom of the rack instead of the tie down strap that comes with the Thule rack. By using aluminum for this process it i will add little weight to the rack but hold the bikes more steady on the rack. I figure that the strap method that Thule wants you to use will cause all bikes to sway together and cut down on scratching but still making to much sway. Then I read on another forum where a guy was using the Ridgeline and travelling at 80mph from GA to I think NY and had not problem with bikes or racks.

As stated above I will get the Ridgeline and if I don't like it I will get another rack in the future. But the biggest thing I think about in all of this is that Grandma always said "you only get what you pay for" I think this time she may be correct.