Features:

  • 3-bike rack fits vehicles with either a 1.25 or 2-inch trailer hitch
  • 16-inch long carry arms individually secure bicycles with Allen's patented tie-down system
  • Folding carry arms quickly drop out of the way when rack is not in use
  • Rack sets up and installs in less than 5 minutes
  • Sturdy steel construction with black powder coat finish; Lifetime warranty
Expected better service from the product

Very well engineered the bad is: the bands that secure the bikes in the cracles started breaking after my second use of the rack. The cradels also are showing extreme wear the ridges are almost worn smooth. I would hope that the company would stand behind their product and replace these defective parts. I have contacted customer service awaiting a response. WOW! Shortly I mean shortly after contacting customer service and Allen Co. and providing proof of purchase and explanation, they stood by their product and are replacing the bands. I am very appreciative of their service and understanding.

I had it for several years and it worked like a champ

This is actually the second Allen 3 bike tow hitch carrier I have had, I left the first one at an RV park by accident. The first one was the cheaper version of this one, I had it for several years and it worked like a champ. Some of these bike racks are stupid expensive, so I figured I would upgrade to the nicer version of my old one because of the rubber stretch straps instead of the nylon ones that were on my cheaper version. Even with the upgrade the Allen one is much cheaper than most. Just like the first one I love it, this one has easier folding mechanisms than the hand pin ones in the other and the holding cups are nicer as well. A lot of people complain about how bad it wobbles, but that is the nature of pretty much all tow hitch bike racks. It is pretty easy to fix you can do it in one of two ways or both, which I would recommend. First I'm guessing most people who use a tow hitch bike carrier have a truck like myself. The pin hole in all the trucks I have owned is 5/8" and not 1/2", so the hole for the bike carrier is smaller than the one in your truck tow hitch, thus creating the bad wobble. Don't even mess with the anti-wobble pin it will not work as it again is the wrong size for most. Simply go get a 5/8" drill bit specifically for drilling through metal $15-$20 at Home Depot. Drill the largest hole on the bike carrier to this size. While you are at Home Depot you can also get a 5/8" locking pin (again I would recommend so someone doesn't steal your bike and rack). This will take out a lot of the wobble. If you are still not satisfied purchase a Hitch Tightener there are a couple good ones here on Amazon, and they are less than $20. For short trips I just use my simple fix above for long trips I use the Hitch Tightener. Problem solved :-)

Just what I wanted.

At 20 pounds this is still heavy for me, but it's just over half the weight of the Thule that a friend loaned me. I like the quick release feature (use the key and turn the knob) because I'm free to run the compact SUV through the car wash if I can easily get the bike rack off. I was able to assemble it from the flat box in less than half an hour, even with an injured shoulder, and getting it on and off the vehicle should get easier with practice. Overall, a home run.

Great rack, expecially for the price. I addressed the 1 star reviews below.

I read all the one star reviews before buying this item. Almost didn't buy it, but I am glad I did. It's a great rack for the price! I am a girl and I put it all together myself and attached it myself. 1. The bikes do not sway or move at all. 2. Three bikes clearly fit on it. I did have to positione the pedals so they weren't hitting the other tires, but it was easy. 3. The pin coomes out and the rack can move at an angle so i can open the trunk of the expedition no problem. 4. The hitch adapter that others said was loose in their hitch is also loose in mine, but once I put the no rattle bolt and screw, it does not move at all.

Great value. Hard to complain.I bought the “three bike” option, and it fits three bikes no problem.

I was debating between a four star and a five star review, and I decided to settle on five, if purely just for the value of this. Other reviews mentioned a slight wobble, and there is a little bit, but it’s not where it attaches to the receiver. It’s on the joint where one can move it lower to get access to a tailgate. The wobble is very slight, unless you are at highway speeds. And even then, it’s an easy fix with a small shim of some sort. Here’s the deal. It’s a third of the price of comparable items, so I can deal with a tiny bit of play. It’s not much, and it’s not dangerous, so don’t let that worry you. Otherwise, the quality is remarkable for this price, I love the fact that I can lock it into my receiver. I bought the “three bike” option, and it fits three bikes no problem.

I ordered this based on reviews and I wasn't disappointed. It was super easy to assemble (took me ...

We are weekend riders so I didn't want to spend a ton of money on a bike rack. We were headed out of town for the 4th of July to Park City, UT (11 hour drive) so I needed a rack for my and my son's bikes. I ordered this based on reviews and I wasn't disappointed. It was super easy to assemble (took me about 10 mins), the 2" hitch fit snug and the no wobble bolt was easy to install (once I found our socket wrench). This rack withstood the drive like a dream; we had no rocking with the bikes, there was nothing that felt less than sturdy. We didn't even have to tighten up the bolt at all during the trip (22 hours plus 4 days driving around Park City with the rack on). All-in-all I recommend this rack for anyone in need of a rack who doesn't want to spend the $400 on the name brands.

Great value ( Premier Locking version)

i would definitely pay the extra cash for the nicer version. The locking quick release clamp for hitch receiver makes taking on/off car fast and simple with no tools. quick fold latches for getting into trunk also works smoothly. It isn't perfect. There is some wobble (not at hitch, that is solid tight) in 2-piece bolted stem. I'm going to mod it with some shims or by pinching the larger outer tube and report back. Also the top bike mounts can rotate more than I like which I may attempt to correct as well. However, compared to designs from thule/yakima costing 2-3 times as much, the small compromises are are well worth the $250+ cost savings. Also the 3 bike size is ideal for Class 1 hitch where a 4 bike from thule/yakima would likely exceed 200lb class 1 weight limit.

Fit my existing trailer hitch portal, held 3 bikes securely. Hatch can open. Affordable. What's not to like?

We are a weekend-biking-outings-for-fun family and needed a managable way to get to the biking paths and trails within an hour's drive of home. I assembled the rack in about 10 minutes. It fit my already-installed 1 1/4" hitch on my 2010 Kia Soul just fine. I used a bolt with cotter pin that came with a prior-purchase cargo carrier (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001G4S8C6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) because using the "no wobble" bolt would make taking the rack off the car at the end of a trek a bigger ordeal than in needs to be. The physics of the design pretty much guarantees wobble anyway, but it didn't bother me -- maybe because the bikes didn't move that much, and I am used to it from the cargo carrier. The bikes stay secure and don't bang into the car, which is my main concern. The bikes are seated in little bar "holsters", which hold them steady. Some people complained about the straps to secure the bikes, but they were fine. I was also a little skeptical about the "lift gate access," but my hatch had plenty of clearance when I had the rack tilted out (without bikes on it. Don't think tilting it with the bikes on it would be a wise thing to do.) One of the three bikes I put on the carrier has a cross bar that isn't completely horizontal, more like 20 degrees, and it worked. Bikes do definitely need some sort of cross bar. All in all, it was better than I expected given some of the reviews, and completely exceeded my expectations.

Solid construction, easy to work with

Assembly was fairly straightforward. If you are installing on a 1.25” like I did you’ll need an Allen wrench to remove the screw holding the adapter plate in place. Guessing the size of this wrench was the hardest job. Easy to install and remove from the hitch receiver. Easy to put the bikes on and take them off and the instructions on doing this are much more helpful than the instructions on removing the adapter plate. Easy to tighten it up in the receiver and lock in place with the key. Feels solid and holds the bikes reliably. Quite pleased with this rack for the price.

Perfect AFTER the following 3 issues were resolved - very simple - see how

I love it but ONLY AFTER the following 3 problems were resolved. I can now drive with 2 bicycles mounted without wobbling, with the bicycle's front wheel in place and more importantly, I can remove the post and its arms in 10 seconds when is not needed. The three issues and the solutions I have used... 1. When I don't carry bikes, the post and the carry arms obstruct the license plate. It is apparently illegal in my state to drive with the rack and no bikes around from what I hear. Obstructing the license plate is illegal. They also obstruct the backup camera as well. So, I replaced the single 3/8 bolt that connects the elbow to the post with the following 3/8 hitch, pin locked and handle. DOUBLE HH 103 The Original Hitch Pin, 3/8 x 4" Cost - about $8.40. It is takes me now 15 seconds to remove the bike, pull out the pin from the replaced bolt and remove the post with its arms from the car. BTW: The police may not give you a ticket, but they have a reason to stop and lecture you if you drive with an obstructed license place. You may ask, what happens why you carry the bikes? I don't know. However, I drive 90% of time without the bikes... 2. I have a class 1 hitch - so I used the 1 1/4" elbow. With the correct bolt provided, there is still some wobbling.. So, I used the following Hitch Tightener - as recommended by others. I used the provided bolts face up - otherwise they stick down too much in my sedan. Hitch Tightener for 1.25" and 2" Hitches - Heavy-Duty, Easy-Install, No-Rust - Made in the USA Cost about $20 3. There is a need to stabilize the front wheel from turning. I use heavy duty bangee cords with Carabiner Hooks. Unfortunately, I found those in a set and they are very expensive. Heavy Duty 3/8 Bungee Cord Assortment Set with Steel Zinc Coated Machine Carabiner Hooks Proudly Made in the USA By Super Smithee.. Cost about $48! I should have tried the single 24" long similar product for $8. Keeper 06152 24" Super Duty Bungee Cord with Carabiner Hook I find those three items necessary for everyone who is using this Hitch Mounted Bike Carrier... I am surprised the company does not provide all three items above with the product.... I am now very happy with this Bike Carrier.

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