I'm so happy with the new rack it deserves a thread. Hollywood Rack purchased through etrailer. Assembly was less than 30 minute. Piece of cake. The rack is well built and attaches to the vehicle in a very secure way. The rack has zero play it in any where. It is solid. The rack locks onto the vehicle and the bikes lock onto the rack. Folds up to be very compact. Just a really nice quality rack. I love traveling with the bike. It opens up the world to your starting point and that is priceless to me.

A different perspective:

"Really nice quality racks" secure the bike via the wheels, not the frame.

I've had that same Hollywood Racks model with the extension for 4 years. Definitely one of the best bike-related investments I've ever made along with clipless pedals and cleats. Going from a traditional-style hanging rack to a platform rack is a major upgrade, IMO.

I was thinking about investing in a bike rack as well. My bike fits in the back of my CR-V, but it's not optimal by any means.

[MENTION=498764]BikerGuy92[/MENTION] Kuat and One-up won't mar your finish.

That's sort of like saying Carbon bikes are weak. My bikes in the Hollywood rack are going no where other than where I go. That center post that comes down snuggly against the top tube secures everything. And it locks. Metro Buses in many cities carry bikes with the same system. I love the rack and the rack loves me. That's all that matters, right.?? Right. Post up a better rack and someone will poop on it.....

Which don't work at all if you have fenders. Horses for courses.

Congrats! That's a really horrible analogy.

There are plenty of high quality platform racks available Thule, Kuat, One up, etc.that don't suffer from the shortcomings of the Hollywood.

Not true. I've put my daughter's fendered cruiser bike on a Kuat platform rack.

Dude, you've got the best of everything. How do I know.?? I just feel it.

I never claimed that nor do I believe that.

That nonsense is just you being defensive. About a mediocre bike rack that you bought. Wow.

BirdsBikesBinocs, congratulations on a rack that you like and works to fit your needs.

And yes, there were always be "that guy" on the internet forums. It just comes with the territory. My ignore list grows daily on this site.

I also agree once you have a rack, it certainly opens up the possibility of where you can bring your bike. Enjoy your new purchase!

It may be an acceptable trade-off for you but a bike rack that touches the frame will, given enough miles, cause abrasion signs on the frame's paint / clear-coat / whatever.

When it is fender season, my bikes don't go on racks, or I remove the fenders, or I use QR fork racks.

That rack looks pretty convenient, but for people who don't want the rack coming in contact with painted surfaces or carbon tubes it isn't going to work. Congrats on finding something you like for your purposes, though. Everyone has different needs. For my popup trailer I have four of the cheapest fork-mount racks I could find. There's nothing nice about them except that they just work, and don't touch the paint job. For car-top I have a FrontLoader. I do have a hitch-mount rack that the bikes hang on by their top tubes. I never use it for my bikes. It's great for the kids' bikes that they outgrow every couple of years anyway.

I'm not concerned. Not at all. Fantastic bike rack. Nay sayers can go pound sand. There is less than a quarter of an inch of rack "material" touching the frame of the bikes. Oh my, what a mistake I have made. Oh God, what do I do now.?? I just shake my head.... Some people have all the fun and I never do. Oh God, my Specialized is going to be nuked by that stupid bike rack I bought.

I pay very little attention to blemishes. Scratches. Dents. Heck, I even drape a leather strap over my acoustic guitar. It's made of wood. Oh God, my guitar is getting nuked by a leather strap. Oh God..... Heaven Help The Fool....

That's weird, your photo only shows a beater Schwinn "mountain bike."

Regardless, maybe you've learned why many riders don't consider your new pride and joy (that Hollywood thing) to be a "really nice quality rack." Probably not though.

Just be sure there is no dirt, or cables on the top tube, it will scratch through the paint in no time. Ask how I know.
But otherwise it's a good rack for the money.

You made an excellent choice with Hollywood Racks. The only advantage of 1up and Kuat is the weight. Hollywood Racks are heavy... but it don't bother me. I couldn't justify the extra $500 for the 1up or Kuat.

And the padding on the masts will not harm a carbon fiber tube. I know, because I've taken my '17 Domane on several 500+ mile round trips with the HR rack and it still looks brand new.

Wrong. The only shortcoming of the rack is that it touches the frame. So what. You've been mouthing off from the beginning of the thread only saying it has shortcomings.

2 questions.... What exactly are these shortcomings.?? And 2, post a link to 3 racks that are the best and show the price. I mean, after all, we are obligated here to help out fellow cyclists. I'd hate to have someone make the same mistakes I've made. Man, my Specialized frame is going to rot away and become unsafe to ride. Answer the questions. We need to know the answers. Photo's are welcomed of these bikes that have made it to the junk pile. No pictures.??.... It didn't happen. Back up your claims buddy.

And now you're crapping on my Schwinn. Incredible where that bike takes me. Fantastic bike that I would recommend to anyone. Well, most anyone. It doesn't cost enough money for you to be satisfied. But rest assured, you're not the only one that has that type of mind-set.

New Bike Day

Doesn't secure the bike via the wheels (do you struggle with reading comprehension? I noted this in my very first post here), craptastic lock cyclinder, non expandable.

By definition, there is only one best rack. Racks that I am familiar with that are better than your precious Hollywood would be platform racks from Kuat, OneUp, Thule, or Yakima. If you're interested in their prices, you should be able to find someone that can help you find them.

Nah, I wouldn't be satisfied with your beater Schwinn because it wouldn't be as fun as my bikes. And it's too small. And it's got a rack. And it's got a friggin kickstand (hilarious).

Kuat will certainly mar your wallet! With care, few racks will mar your finish. Problem is, some racks require more care than others. Thule, Yakima, Kuat have some nice products but after using them and many other brands over the years, my experience is that attention to detail in employing makes the difference in how each brand and model of rack treats your bike. Actually, it's not how the rack treats your bike, it's how you treat your bike.

These days, due to the type of bikes I transport most often (recumbents and tandems) I prefer Saris and Draftmaster racks. For bikes on a trunk / hatch, I believe the Saris Bones to be one of the best and most versatile. For hitch mount, we use the Saris Freedom with the longer tandem / recumbent bar. We also use the Draftmaster 3 bike rack. Hollywood makes some decent functional racks at reasonable prices but since the early 2000s, they moved production from USA to Taiwan (ok) and China (not so ok). While others may not care and, given how our economy acts, most do not care where their purchases are manufactured, I do believe it makes a difference to buy products made in USA or from countries that treat their workers somewhat fairly.

What is the need for cables.?? The rack is no where near needing cables. The bikes are locked onto the rack and the rack is locked to the vehicle. Stock out of the box.

Some people will steal your joy if you let them. If you like the rack and it works for you then use it.

I have a similar rack, though i cant lock it. I have always used a bandana wrapped around the top tube so that the arm doesn't "marr" my bike finish. (It worked even with a cyclocross bike with cables on top).
I liked it because I have one bike with fenders and I had a limited budget. would i upgrade sure but for my budget right now it works and it helps me ride more places.

Enjoy it and go exploring!

If you're concerned about the frame clamp marring the finish, get a 4" square of 3M paint film and put it on the top tube where the clamp touches it. When/if that looks bad, it's done it's job. Just peel it off and put another one in it's place. Easy enough and with this type of rack fenders are not a problem at all.

Some bikes have the brake and shifter cables routed on the top of the top tube. The hook that goes over the top of the top tube will cause the cables to rub, and scratch the paint and\or the metal of the frame. That is why I no longer use this type of rack.

BTW, no matter what you post, someone will find fault with it. Ignore the children.

I like seeing pictures of a nice rack.