jefnvk

Anyone have a good recommendation on a tray rack for a 1-1/4" receiver, that can work with everything from 25mm to 5" fat tires? I used roof racks in the past, which I prefer, but the current car really isn't setup for that and it recently got a class I to pull a trailer, so I figure this is the better way forward. Willing to spend some cash, not looking for the cheapest thing out there, but also not really willing to go up to the $500 Kuats and such.

Elvo

1upusa

Altair 4

While not exactly a tray rack, the Kuat Transfer line might work for you. I think it can be adapted to handle fat bikes with the phat bike kit. I've got a Transfer 2 that I got at the end of last season that I've just built. Once the weather cooperates, I'm going to install the new hitch receiver I bought at the same time. I'm looking forward to getting out of the house and on the bike again.

Koyote

Here’s another option - highly rated:

https://www.thule.com/en-us/bike-rac...-125-_-1691491

Edited to add: this rack takes tires up to 5" as-is. I believe some (perhaps all?) of the other racks that have been recommended actually require the purchase of adaptors...Basically, wider buckets/holders for the tires.

Trevtassie

I got one of these https://www.ikuram.com/store/products/137984 Not sure how it'd got with 5" fats, maybe they'd sit on top of the wheel holders, but the straps would work to hold them anyway. Quality was way better than I expected it to be for the money (was about A$139 US$100 on ebay with free shipping) good solid steel, you can stand on it! Also folds flat so you can open your trunk, hatchback etc.

jefnvk

I was hoping someone would mention this. It says that it will handle up to 4.6" tires, which should cover me. How does the adjustable for differing wheelbases actually work, do those trays just rotate around the arms? Looks to be in that sweet spot of price to quality for me.

jefnvk

Although now I am seeing most of the tray ones cant work with bike fenders. Drats. Maybe I just need to stick with a roof rack.

Doug64

Jeff,
I have a Thule Double Track 990 XT that works well with fenders. That is the reason I got it. It worked great during our round trip from Oregon to Michigan. Unfortunately, the widest tire it will take is 2.5". There is another Thule rack that is similar, Double Trak Pro 2, and it takes 5" tires.

Check this site out. It has a large inventory of hitch mounted tray racks. https://www.etrailer.com/Bike-Rack . They also have good prices, free shipping, and great service.

This was the maiden voyage for the hitch rack, 5,000 miles, so I left the roof racks on the car. It was also my first experience with Thule so I was a little cautious. There was no need for the caution, the racks worked as advertised.

I do think the bikes inerfered with the visibikity of our rear lights, but this is not the rack's fault.

Koyote

Jeff, I have the Thule rack that I linked to a few posts above, and have used it with a fendered bike. The only issue is the arm/bracket that fits over the front wheel, but I just clamped it down next to the fork crown, right against the fender; it held steady with no damage to the fender. I suspect the same would be true of any rack of that design.

Choosing that rack, even though I always have at least one or two fendered bikes, was a compromise. The other type of hitch rack, which has the clamp that comes down on the bike's top tube, seems to likely to eventually damage the frame's paint job.

By the way, Thule makes a couple less-expensive racks, of the same design, than the one I cited. Though I don't know whether they accept fat tires.

jefnvk

Thats the lead I'm looking for! Looks like the Double Track Pro 2 is very similar and takes up to 5" natively.

jefnvk

My roof rack I used with the fat bike and fender bikes was a Thule tube clamp one, that is what I am used to. Never had much of an issue, the jaws were padded.

Koyote

if you’re OK with that, then you can get a hitch mounted rack for a lot less money. Score!

I was leery of those frame clamps since I have recently bought a very expensive custom bike with a nice paint job. And it took the builder several tries to get the paint job right, so I didn’t want to have to ever go back.

jefnvk

Ah yeah, that makes sense. My two main nice bikes are both matte finish with enough "character" at this point its not a huge concern. The rest are all CL bargains, so I really don't care. Of course it all depends on what the clamps look like too.

Now that I am thinking about it though, I am wondering if I couldn't just weld up a rack to put my old roof trays on, since I still have them...

jefnvk

Thanks all, ended up going for a Thule Double Track Pro (9054) from the LBS, as the wife is off for a few days and really wants to go riding this weekend. My road bike is stuck on the wall behind the Corvette and the motorcycle right now, so I couldn't try the 25mm tires, but it fits 37mm-4.6" just fine without any sort of adapter kits!

jefnvk

Not a fan of the pin that came with the kit thought, its some sort of weird screw in thing, so I probably will replace that with a regular locking pin. Needed one for the trailer anyhow.

Doug64

I had the same thought when I first looked at the pin. It is actually an "anti-rattle pin, and works well. Mine might be a little different though, because I use the 2" adaptor.

jefnvk

Yeah I had mine on all weekend. Still rattles around in there, and with the Focus ST having the center exhaust and needing the 19mm wrench to get the pin in and out, kinda a PITA to attach and remove. I ended up just leaving it attached to the car, which I don't want to do long term.