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