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Kuat NV Bike Rack Review

Wednesday, October 13th, 2010

The top-of-the-line rack from Kuat Innovations is the Kuat NV Bike rack. The NV is available for 2″ and 1 ¼” receiver hitch models. This platform-style rack is made of heat treated aluminum and weighs in at a modest 47 lbs, which is about 10 – 12 pounds lighter than the competing Thule T2 and the Yakima Holdup racks. The NV is packed with premium features including the Trail Doc, which is a built-in bike repair stand. Among the most striking features of the NV are the black chrome and orange anodized aluminum finishes. Without a doubt, the NV is easy on the eyes.

A cursory look over the rack shows attention to detail at every level. So enough gawking, let’s get down to using the NV and start by looking at loading and unloading bikes. The NV, like other platform-style racks, uses a hook arm that ratchets over the front wheel to secure the bike. The rear wheel is held in place with a single strap. Unlike other racks, there is no plastic rear wheel tray. Instead, the rear wheel sits in a “dished” section of the aluminum tray. This is a big benefit as other competing racks sometimes interfere with bumpers when folded into storage mode. The rear wheel strap goes over the rim of the wheel and secures into a ratchet connection – simple and easy.

The NV uses a dished section of the wheel tray and a sliding, adjustable ratchet strap to secure the rear wheel to the rack

The hook arm actuates easily with one hand. When loading the bike, the ratchet arm stays flat, and out of the way while you load the front wheel into the wheel tray. Once your front wheel is loaded, the rack;s hook arm effortlessly moves up and over the front wheel and ratchets down in place. What is noticeable are the relatively short intervals that the hook arm engages, making micro adjusting to your tire easy and secure – a nice feature that helps prevent over tightening. Big wheeled riders on 29ers will be glad to know that the hook arm leaves plenty of room to get up and over their big wheels without a struggle.

The front wheel rests neatly in the tray as you prepare to bring the ratchet arm over the top

The ratchet arm will easily fit over 29er wheels (26" wheel pictured)

When secured, the ratchet arm holds the front wheel securely

Bike removal is just as easy and could be done really quickly. Release the wheel strap and move to the hook arm and depress the release button at the top of the arm. We found that giving a slight downward on the hook arm helped release the button easier. Move the hook arm out of the way and your bike is ready for use.

The NV also stores really neatly when not in use. The oversized, aluminum lever at the base of the rack tilts the rack perpendicular to the road and an audible “click” lets you know the rack is secured in its storage mode.

The NV folds perpendicular to the ground for storage mode

The NV in its storage mode has a very small footprint

The Orange Oversized lever is spring loaded to allow you to raise the rack into storage mode, lower it for use, or tilt it away for rear-of-vehicle-access

Most impressive is the angle that the rack tilts away when bikes are loaded in order to gain access to the rear of the vehicle. Another pull on the oversized lever tilts the rack away from the car – with bikes loaded- for users to lift a hatchback or liftgate. No unloading the bikes and no interference with rear bumpers. On the Honda Element, for example, we’re able to completely fold down the tailgate with the bikes loaded.

The NV pictured here on a Honda Element

The NV tilts further than competing racks for easy rear-of-car access

The NV, when tilted down, allows total access to the clamshell opening of the Honda Element

Security is always an issue with bike racks, so the NV comes equipped with an integrated cable lock that stows inside of each of the bike trays. Kuat recommends wrapping the cable through the rear triangle of the bikes to securely lock them. We found, as others have noted, that the cables could be a little bit longer and we could foresee trouble trying to lock 2 bikes through the rear triangle.

The male end of the bike lock stores neatly inside one of the bike trays

The female end of the bike lock stores in the other bike tray, on the opposite side of the rack

The bike lock of the NV is designed to pass through the rear triangle of the bike

The integrated bike lock is great for 1 bike, but we found it a little bit tight for trying to lock 2 bikes

EDIT 10/14/2010: After speaking with Kuat about the length of the cable, Bill from Kuat points out, “If you moved it to the inside of the bike that will free up a few more inches and make locking two bikes easier. It will create the shortest route from point a to point b. You should be able to lock two bikes 99% of the time if you use the two short routes.”

Assembly of the rack, while not difficult, can be slightly time consuming for a first timer. The payoff is big, though, so don’t let this be a deterrant. Installation into the hitch, however, is really easy. Simply insert the rack into the hitch, line up the holes, insert the pin through the rack and secure the included lock on the other end. Next, tighten the installation knob on the front by hand until it’s as tight as you can get it, and then use the 8mm hex wrench that is included to finish off the installation, taking the wobble out of the rack. It’s a nice install, where most of the tightening isn’t done underneath the bumper, which we appreciated.

The NV includes a locking hitch pin which is used to secure the rack to the vehicle hitch

The tightening knob pushes a wedge against the hitch to remove the wobble from the rack

The inlcuded 8mm Hex wrench tightens the locking knob as well

For users who want to take the rack on and off every time they use it, we find it to be easier than other competing racks. One thing that left us scratching our heads over was the locking hitch pin was keyed differently than the integrated cable lock for the bikes. While it did include a handy bottle opener and 3 keys for each lock, we couldn’t really figure out why these weren’t keyed alike.

Lastly, is the Trail Doc bike repair stand. We find this to be a well-constructed tool that makes bike cleaning and lubing really easy for most applications, and a perfect solution for cabling and derailleur adjustments that need to be done in the field.

The Kuat NV comes equipped with the Trail Doc - A built in bike repair stand

The Trail Doc raises and lowers using a quick release located at the base

One quirk we found is that you can lift the Trail Doc right out of it’s sleeve if you pull up too high. While not a big deal, it can lead to theft, and the users we have talked with pull the trail doc out of the slot and store it in their vehicle when worried about this. Overall, though, the Trail Doc is a top-shelf accessory for any bike rack, and is sold separately to adapt to the Thule T2, Kuat Sherpa, and the Yakima Holdup.

The Trail Doc can be removed from the sleeve if desired to prevent theft

The Trail-Doc has an easy-to-use lever to clamp down to a seatpost or a frame

The Trail Doc is designed to attaches securely to a bike seatpost

The Trail Doc is adjustable, so you can bring the rear of the bike up or down for derailleur adjustments

Unlike it’s cousin, the Kuat Sherpa, the Kuat NV is capable of carrying 4 bikes, with the Kuat NV 2 bike add-on, which was launched in the late summer of 2010. Turning the NV into a 4 bike rack is especially nice for growing families, since the NV works on all types of bikes, including kids bikes with the included 20” wheel adapters.

Overall, the NV from Kuat gets 4.5 out of 5 stars from the crew at Cracks & Racks. We feel it is a refreshing design with premium features and really nice, solid construction. Simplicity is better in our book, and this rack excels at making complicated features perform easily. A slightly longer cable lock would probably have given it 5 stars, though this was only a minor detail. The Kuat NV bike rack – List Price $499.00, Sold for $475.00

Tags: cool racks, kuat nv, kuat nv bike rack, kuat racks, mounain biking, new racks, nv bike rack
Posted in Kuat Bike Racks | 5 Comments »

Yakima Swingdaddy vs Thule Revolver

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010

Yakima 2422 SwingDaddy vs. Thule 964 Revolver

When it comes to the fully-featured, swing-away bike racks, both Thule and Yakima have heavy hitters. They’re both well made, feature laden, carry four bikes and look pretty good for something sticking off the back of your car or SUV. There are a few differences though so let’s take a look at them individually.

Let’s start with the most notable difference, which are cosmetics. They look different and looks matter to a lot of people. Arguably, Yakima has a cooler looking bike rack. It’s a bit sleeker, curvier and has the signature Yakima graphite and red appearance, making it stand out a bit more which can be good for other people not running into your rack or bikes.

The Thule Revolver is squarish and mechanical looking with less plastic coverings making it look tough. Its all-black finish implies rigidity and simplicity. This is all opinion so let’s move on to the more important differences: features, functions, and security.

The Yakima SwingDaddy is a re-design of an earlier model the FullSwing. One of the major upgrades is the narrower, more versatile bike arms, which will accommodate a larger variety of bikes with unique frame geometries. The next advantage the Swingdaddy has is the one of a kind Sliding Switchblade Cradles, which makes it easier to load bikes onto the Yakima. They move effortlessly along the bottom of bike arms and fold up and out of the way with no resistance making it super easy to load up multiple bikes. After loading your bikes the Cradles fold down to attach to the bike and lock into place assuring you that your bikes are completely stable.

The Swingdaddy offers great security with a fantastic locking cable that locks the bikes to the rack and a Hitchlock to lock the rack to the vehicle. The Lockdown locking cable attaches to a pin that is conveniently located on the end of the bike arms, which also contains two bottle openers for that end of the day brew. The Hitchlock attaches to the end of the hitch bolt that secures the rack to the receiver hitch, and uses the same key as the Lockdown Cable.

Thule’s Revolver still uses the more traditional individual T3 cradles with the No-Sway Cage, anti-swing cradle attachment that attach around the traditional tube-style bike rack arms. While this is a traditional style, it still works well with most bikes, but does involve quite a bit more work, needing to re-position them when loading and unloading bikes from the rack. The Revolver’s security goes hand in hand with the Swingdaddy, offering a cable lock for bikes to rack security and a hitch lock for rack to vehicle security both utilizing the same key. The only difference being that the Revolver’s cable lock stores in the bike racks’ arms instead of the bike rack mast. Thule’s cable lock being built into the arm of the rack has been an issue in the past for many people though. In fairness to Thule, this is really an operator error issue, but one that a lot of people mistakenly do. The lock cable has a rubber strap that secures it into place, inside the arm. What happens is when the rack is not in use and the arms are folded down, people forget to secure the lock cable end with the attached rubber grommet, and it ends up dragging on the ground for miles, wearing it down, rendering it useless. While this is primarily the users fault, it is something that could use a little redesigning on Thule’s behalf and looks to be a near future change.

Both bike racks swing-away ability are exceptional and have equal quality of operation. They both utilize a pull-pin style release with a back-up security bolt that needs to be unscrewed before the rack will swing away from the vehicle. It is important to remember to use and tighten this bolt again before driving to ensure the rack doesn’t swing out as you are cruising down the highway, and this goes for both the Thule and the Yakima. Both racks offer a safety pin that secures the rack when fully extended to prevent it from swinging back into the vehicle. Both racks offer a lever-style switch to fold the bike rack arms down when not in use and they perform flawlessly every time.

When it comes down to the brass tacks, the Swingdaddy is easier to load, will fit more bikes, looks nicer, and will open your beer at the end of the day. Yes this may sound similar to your dream girl, but it is actually your dream bike rack and it’s sold everyday at 10% below retail at Cracks & Racks.

Tags: 110%, 30day price guarantee, best bike racks, hitch bike racks, lowest price, mounain biking, suv bike racks, swingaway bike racks, thule 964, thule bike racks, thule revolver, winter biking, yakima 2422, yakima bike racks, yakima swingdaddy
Posted in Cracks & Racks, thule, yakima | No Comments »

Thule 916 T2 vs. Yakima 2433 Holdup Hitch Bike Racks

Friday, November 13th, 2009

lately we’ve been having lots of discussion about the differences between the thule t2 bike rack and the yakima 2433 holdup bike rack. both of these racks are tray-style, hitch-mounted bike racks that carry the bikes by hooking around the front wheel.

in the past year or two, we’ve really noticed a growing trend in the popularity of these types of bike racks. with more and more people riding full-suspension mountain bikes, “standard” hitch mounted bike racks, like the thule 914 roadway, or the yakima 2424 doubledown 4 racks don’t work very well without the use of a frame adapter.

additionally, there has been a resurgence of popularity with upright bike carriers for the roof – the kind where you keep both wheels on the bike. this is largely due to mountain bike forks being equipped with thru axles and the cannondale lefty forks. with both of these styles, you have to use an adapter to make your fork fit into a fork-mounted bike rack.

back to the hotly debated topic of which bike rack is better. there is no short answer to this question, it depends on what is most important to you…so let’s break down some of the design and functionality of both so you can make an educated decision.

first, both racks come in a 2″ receiver hitch option and a 1 1/4″ receiver option. only the 2″ receiver option can utilize the 2 bike addon. if you have a 1 1/4″ receiver hitch, and want a 4 bike rack, you may need to rethink the rack you purchase, because your capacity with these 2 racks is 2 bikes. the yakima holdup retails for $415.00 and the thule t2 retails for $399.85, but is sold on our website for an everyday low price of $359.95. The yakima 2435 2 bike addon retails for $285, and the thule 918 t2 add on retails for $289.95 and is sold on our website for an everyday low price of $260.95

both racks have many of the same features that, in the end, work exactly the same. for example, both racks will fold up vertically when not in use, minimizing their footprint behind the vehicle. yakima intentionally uses red butons at the touchpoints and on the holdup this is done by pulling out a small, spring-loaded knob to release the rack. the thule t2 achieves this foldup by pulling down on a gray lever and folding the rack up. from experience, the yakima rack pivots a little easier, while the thule has some resistance. folding the rack up in storage mode is easier on the yakima, but the weight of the rack could get away from you easier on the way down. you would also find that each of the racks folds down, about 20 degrees, away from the vehicle, so that you can access the rear liftback of your suv, truck or car.

that brings up the next point - both of the racks are heavy. not including the 2 bike-addon’s that are available for both racks, the yakima holdup weighs 49lbs, and the thule t2 weighs in at 56lbs. you won’t find those numbers on the manufacturer’s sites because they’re kind of daunting. when you put on the 2 bike add-on, each of these racks weighs upwards of 80 lbs. so if taking the rack on and off the car regularly is important, we might suggest a different rack.

from our experience , we haven’t noticed any instability carrying bikes, or any instability of the rack itself. they are both well-made, solid racks and we would be comfortable mounting a $4000.00 mountain bike on either rack.

so what’s the difference? surely it’s gotta be more than just a coke vs pepsi dilemma…and it is. the biggest differences -from a functional standpoint- are the adjustability and security.

the yakima holdup, while easier to assemble and install, does not offer the same adjustability as the t2. the bike trays that are assembled to the horizontal mast on the holdup are pre drilled and threaded, making the spacing between the bikes, and the front-to-back adjustability fixed. on the t2, the installer has some flexibility to adjust the “recommended” spacing between the bikes, as well as the front-to-back distance of the bike tray. why is this important? as an example, one of our customers who loves his t2 came in to have us adjust the spacing of the bike trays because some of his bikes (he has 4 downhill racing bikes) are larger than others and the handlebars and seats would interfere without moving them slightly farther apart and forward.

from a security standpoint, we feel that yakima has identified the fact that locking the hookarm over the front wheel alone won’t prevent some dirtbag from stealing your bike by just removing the front wheel and taking off with your bike. that’s why the yakima holdup comes with a cable lock that can go through the frames and attach all the way at the hitch bolt. we feel this is a really smart design. and i reiterate that this is included in the cost.

the t2 does not come with any locking mechanism, but can accept thule lock cores to lock down the hookarm and a stl2 to lock the rack to the hitch. so after you tack on $35 for the 2 pack of locks, and $49 for the stl2 lock, you’ve got a $485 rack that isn’t really any more secure than it was without those items. Granted the cable lock included with the yakima rack isn’t made of kevlar and impenetrable, but it is an effective theft deterrent and will help keep honest people honest.

another feature that should be noted is the rear wheel strap on the t2 has a tendency – a strong tendency – to detach itself when not engaged by the ratcheting buckle. in fact, we have replaced this strap for more people than any other strap on any other bike rack, cause it’s so easily lost. the yakima holdup, on the other hand, has a really nice ratcheting strap that is consistent with the rear wheel strap we’ve seen on the sprocket rocket, and the forklift.

so at the end of the day, others might point out other differences or even other racks that work the same way. take this information and use it however you see fit.

The Yakima Hodup shown with bikes loaded is a pretty sweet tray-style bike rack

The Thule T2 is a premium hitch mount bike rack

Tags: best bike rack, cool racks, discount racks, hitch bike rack, holdup rack, mounain biking, price match, t2 rack, thule, thule 916, tray bike racks, yakima, yakima 2433, yakima holdup
Posted in Cracks & Racks, thule, yakima | 2 Comments »

October Snow

Thursday, October 29th, 2009

there’s a bittersweet feeling in the air for me today with the arrival of the first snow that has the potential to stay here until spring.
it’s never easy to put the mountain bike away this time of year. but with 8 new inches of snow on the ground, it looks like the season has ended in the upper valley. as i write this, my bike is sitting warm and dry in my office still with red dirt in the drivetrain from last sunday’s ride on mushroom rock. sure, you can venture to fruita or moab for a weekend, which is awesome, but there’s something about riding from the house that i’ll miss until next spring.
then there’s my neighbor, beige, who probably rode his bike to work today, regardless of the 1″ of ice on the road, and blowing snow. he leaves every morning while i’m walking the dogs drinking coffee all winter long. studded tires only go so far…motivation and desire go much further.
i’ll hang on for a little longer, hoping to sneak in another cold ride on mushroom rock before racking the bike for the winter.
i’ll admit it – walking outside this morning, early morning sun peeking through some light snow, watching the clouds lift away from red mountain, breathing in the crisp, cold air – i’m getting pretty psyched for ski season!!!

Tags: mounain biking, mushroom rock, ski season, snow storm, winter biking
Posted in Cracks & Racks | No Comments »

Posts Tagged ‘mounain biking’

Kuat NV Bike Rack Review

Yakima Swingdaddy vs Thule Revolver

Thule 916 T2 vs. Yakima 2433 Holdup Hitch Bike Racks

October Snow

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