Becuase nothing is better than a Rack..then why is everyone so excited?
and yes. yes you are.
Any Tuf Rack Users?
- Thread starter ianjenn
- Start date
^^^Although I'm pretty sure Ianjenn just won this thread, and I'm damn sure I don't want to feed the trolls, I sent an email to 1UP about their warranty and got the following response:
"We put a lifetime warranty against factory defects or breakage under normal use to the original purchaser."
The website also offers a money-back trial period, and says they will replace your rack if it gets stolen.
I didn't care about the warranty enough to ask when I bought mine, but it's good to know it's covered.
The only downside to a 1UP is the extra cost, especially for a black anodized one. Otherwise it's better than every other hitch rack I've tried. Easier to use, easier to configure, easier to avoid bike contact, lighter, and...they've got a great warranty!
"We put a lifetime warranty against factory defects or breakage under normal use to the original purchaser."
The website also offers a money-back trial period, and says they will replace your rack if it gets stolen.
I didn't care about the warranty enough to ask when I bought mine, but it's good to know it's covered.
The only downside to a 1UP is the extra cost, especially for a black anodized one. Otherwise it's better than every other hitch rack I've tried. Easier to use, easier to configure, easier to avoid bike contact, lighter, and...they've got a great warranty!
They should post that on their website. Very useful Info.
Another vote for Kuat here. The only downside I see to them is that they require more assembly than other racks but this is a non-issue if you get it from a bike shop or are like me and enjoy putting things together. Most of the parts are rust proof, it has built in security features, bikes do not touch, it is very adjustable to accommodate many bike sizes and wheel sizes and can expand to a four bike carrier at a reasonable price. The built in bike stand for maintenance is not as good as the Park stand in your garage but it is so much better than leaning your bike up against a tree or flipping it upside down to do maintenance at the trailhead. It also comes with a bottle opener for pre or post ride brews 
One of the things that is often overlooked is how well engineered these are. There are a lot of strong racks out there but these have quite a few break away points built into them. It is super convenient to have to replace a small part that broke from a car hit rather than an entire rack that got bent and you don't trust anymore.
The dial on the end makes it super easy to snug into the receiver w/out any play. I had it in a factory installed 2" receiver for a Nissan Pathfinder and later in an aftermarket 2" receiver for a Mazda CX-9 and it installed w/out any play in both receivers. I got into a car accident in the Pathfinder and totaled it, hence the move to the CX-9. I rolled the PF over 3 times. One front to back and 2 side to side complete rolls. Luckily no one was hurt and luckily no bikes were on the rack at the time. Several parts of the rack just snapped right off which saved the main body and prevented bending of parts. Everything that snapped off had couplers bolted on that were broke (designed to). Many of the parts that broke off were easily bolted back on once the couplers and bolts were replaced.
On top of all that, Kuat was super easy to work with. Their customer service was awesome and they got me the replacement parts right away and provided great advice on what to replace and what to keep. On another occasion they sent me out three free keys when I lost my keys to the Kuat locks. BTW, the old rack with the new replacement parts operates flawlessly on the CX-9. You would never know it went through what it did. Unfortunately I can't say the same about my left arm that smashed through the side window and needed a skin graft.
I have yet to add on the additional trays (I've only used 2 at the same time to this point) but I will be installing some later this summer when my son upgrades from his BMX bike to a mountain bike. I've had 2 DH bikes on it w/no problem so I'm curious to see if it can handle 4 DH bikes at one time.
One of the things that is often overlooked is how well engineered these are. There are a lot of strong racks out there but these have quite a few break away points built into them. It is super convenient to have to replace a small part that broke from a car hit rather than an entire rack that got bent and you don't trust anymore.
The dial on the end makes it super easy to snug into the receiver w/out any play. I had it in a factory installed 2" receiver for a Nissan Pathfinder and later in an aftermarket 2" receiver for a Mazda CX-9 and it installed w/out any play in both receivers. I got into a car accident in the Pathfinder and totaled it, hence the move to the CX-9. I rolled the PF over 3 times. One front to back and 2 side to side complete rolls. Luckily no one was hurt and luckily no bikes were on the rack at the time. Several parts of the rack just snapped right off which saved the main body and prevented bending of parts. Everything that snapped off had couplers bolted on that were broke (designed to). Many of the parts that broke off were easily bolted back on once the couplers and bolts were replaced.
On top of all that, Kuat was super easy to work with. Their customer service was awesome and they got me the replacement parts right away and provided great advice on what to replace and what to keep. On another occasion they sent me out three free keys when I lost my keys to the Kuat locks. BTW, the old rack with the new replacement parts operates flawlessly on the CX-9. You would never know it went through what it did. Unfortunately I can't say the same about my left arm that smashed through the side window and needed a skin graft.
I have yet to add on the additional trays (I've only used 2 at the same time to this point) but I will be installing some later this summer when my son upgrades from his BMX bike to a mountain bike. I've had 2 DH bikes on it w/no problem so I'm curious to see if it can handle 4 DH bikes at one time.
Gnarly. Good thing you and the others came out the other side of that okay.
Kuat will be my next rack as well. They seem so much better quality than what Thule is now. Yakima seems the same and the last time I checked, none of their hitch racks are rated for much more than 100 pounds of bike? Kuat is a bit more expensive I think?
I use the POS in the picture below. I say POS, because after 3-4 years of use, it is starting to fall apart. But it has served its purpose. If you want a cheap rack that is good with one bike, this would be my suggestion. Though, it doesn't fold up against the back of the car, the padding that touches the bike WILL fall apart within a few weeks and the knobs on it will eventually break off. It is what it is.
Still waiting for pictures of the Tuf Rack on the Yaris
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I remember now what pushed me over to 1up over Kuat. It's minor, but it's what made the difference. The 1up doesn't touch the bike anywhere other than the tires. I had a thule sidearm on the roof for a while, and the arm actually rubbed the fork leg... other than that, the Kuat was a strong contender too.
i count my lucky stars every time i think about it. things really could have been bad and amazingly we were able to open two of the four doors and walk away from it. of the four in the vehicle, i was the only one that sustained any injuries. i still can't believe it ever even happened. so lucky.
yes, but well worth it. i had a sport works and it didn't take much before it started to rust and it was a P.I.T.A. to maintain once it started to rust. rust doesn't seem like it would be an issue for 1up or Tuf Rack but other "major brands" seem to suffer from it a lot. the Kuat is pricey but not as bad as others and it is loaded w/lots of nice features. it is more than a well built bike rack. and i can't emphasize enough how valuable that system is for replacing parts of the rack as opposed to the whole thing.
this is pretty common w/that type of set up. with some tires i've been able to get the bike pretty well locked in w/out the ratcheting arm touching anything but the tire. most of the time it is going to touch part of the fork but never had it touch the stanchions. i carry some soft clothe that i use as a buffer and so far i have not had any issues w/paint rub.
www.facebook.com/ReconRacks
i've been using one of these for the last month or so, same principle, doesn't touch anything but the tires!
love it so far, and i got some 20" trays too, made right here in B'ham!
i've been using one of these for the last month or so, same principle, doesn't touch anything but the tires!
love it so far, and i got some 20" trays too, made right here in B'ham!
I sold my Thule to get a 1UP rack. Best decision ever. The 1UP is the best rack for small cars, since it has a lot of ground clearance. I have the small hitch version that comes with the adapter for a 2" hitch. The rack takes seconds to install, easily converts to go back and forth between my truck and my wife's CT200h. It is seriously the best rack out there. Doesn't touch anywhere on the bike. How many times have I seen people get the **** rubbed out of their fork legs from a Thule....
The trays on the 1UP are staggered as well, so bikes fit easier together without seat posts and bars and brake levers hitting.
The trays on the 1UP are staggered as well, so bikes fit easier together without seat posts and bars and brake levers hitting.
I agree with all of this. Unlike other racks the bikes are staggered height-wise, which helps avoid ground contact. (Further away from the car, the higher the bike.) But as far as contact between the bikes, I find it even more helpful that you have a lot of flexibility to move each bike side to side because of the way the arms are designed.
And it's got a great warranty!
1up >> kuat > Thule and Yakima
Not sure why people love the Thule. After using others, it's a rickety POS. Not to mention the fact they always wobble around in the hitch. My favorite part of the 1UP is the expansion cam design that locks it into the hitch receiver...no wobble.
To this day, I remain mystified how this design provides a secure lock. the physics of it elude me. Friction is strong, but I would think a through-bolt design would be more secure. I'm worried about it wiggling free over long distances (even though my longest road trip with it has been 310 miles, without it loosening in the least).
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It doesn't rattle around, so it doesn't loosen up.
You were thinking of putting a Tuf Rak on a Toyota Yaris?
Please do this. Take pictures.
That Tuf Rack looks more like it should carry the Yaris on the Powerstroke.
I got the 1 up, burly, modular (i have the base 2, with 1 add on if I need it), only touches the tires, staggered height, tons of ground clearance, can stagger width, can carry a 16" to a 29" w/o issue, easy to put on and off quickly, folds up, gorgeous CNC'd this n that, secure, warranty if its ever stolen (1 bolt expanding hitch mount - like an old quill stem, but cooler).
Falls off or gets stolen? Warrantied. (Lifetime) never heard of it happen, & they've been around (I used to drive a shuttle van with 8 on the roof.)
Downside? Expensive - when it gets scratches, you cry.
Everyone I know who has one raves and will never go back.
EDIT: Also makes Thule, Yakima, Saris racks look like junk; can't speak on the tuf rack except to say they look clunky and seem to sit really low, need to be on a high clearance vehicle or they might scrape going up a driveway.
Falls off or gets stolen? Warrantied. (Lifetime) never heard of it happen, & they've been around (I used to drive a shuttle van with 8 on the roof.)
Downside? Expensive - when it gets scratches, you cry.
Everyone I know who has one raves and will never go back.
EDIT: Also makes Thule, Yakima, Saris racks look like junk; can't speak on the tuf rack except to say they look clunky and seem to sit really low, need to be on a high clearance vehicle or they might scrape going up a driveway.
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So I checked out 1up, good grief! Why are bike racks so damned expensive?
My buddy made this rack out of scrap metal. I added 2 rubber bungee cords and 2 straps. Been using it for about 2 years without a single incident.
My buddy made this rack out of scrap metal. I added 2 rubber bungee cords and 2 straps. Been using it for about 2 years without a single incident.
I think the 1up racks are cheap for what they are. All aluminum instead of plastic. All machined and anodized. Oh yea, then there's making a profit. The question should be, why are the Thule racks so expensive. The 1up rack is not unreasonable by any means for what you get.
I generally agree but the anodized versions are significantly more expensive, to the point where it's hard to call them cheap. I'm guessing because they don't do it in house but I don't really know.
I just meant the little red and blue tabs. The black rack is definitely more expensive.
I had a buddy with one of those... it was excruciating riding with him caus' it would take like 20 minutes to load/unload the bikes. If he arrived late, he'd be an other 20 minutes just trying to get the damn bikes off the rack. Same issue cropped up if for whatever reason he needed to access his trunk. Sure, there were never any bike loss incidents, but there were tons of "ride faster and catch up with us on the trail" incidents...So I checked out 1up, good grief! Why are bike racks so damned expensive?
My buddy made this rack out of scrap metal. I added 2 rubber bungee cords and 2 straps. Been using it for about 2 years without a single incident.
Sounds like he has other issues if he can't remove 2 straps and 2 bungee cords in less than 20 minutes.
But maybe it proves a point... Nothing money can't solve. If you really want F1 pit stop unloading capabilities you need to shell out $600 on a bike rack. What kind of unload times you talking about? 15 seconds out the door and on the trail? You show up with your helmet on too. No need to waste precious shred time putting that on in the parking lot.
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spd gas pedal.
That might be mankind's biggest question, that and why the hell are MTB tires so expensive compared to moto tires?
Dude $99 for a new Maxxis is a great deal! I mean it is 2.3" across and sticky to boot!
Something something economies of scale
fast and cheap. One self contained bungee ball, front just drops in.
dont get the tuf rack.
its flimsy.... a guy I know lost a rear windshield to a handlebar, because the tuf rack flexed a lot.
its flimsy.... a guy I know lost a rear windshield to a handlebar, because the tuf rack flexed a lot.
yup.
it did not slide forwad. the tuf rack base did not move an inch; but bent/swayed/flexed.
stationary; the handlebar end was at least 1 ft away from the windshield; but he hit a pothole kinda fast and the whole thing flexed so bad, the handlebar went right thru the windshield.
You really don't know the answer to this yet?
and to add a new twist to this tale...
why are maxxis tires so cheap in Peru???
I can get 42a supertacky 2.5 minions or highrollers for $20. 3C minions for $30, and 2.35 kevlar minions/high rollers for $25. Kendas (excavator, sb8, etc) are even cheaper.
schwalbes/continental/panaracers are expensive. about the same msrp as in the US, though.
why are maxxis so expensive in the US?
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No, that does not even come close to explaining it. No way SLIGHTLY larger production volumes can make my 2ply, 4 pound maxxis tires 60% more expensive than my 12 pound, 6 ply moto tire
No one does, it's the most ancient, burning questions facing human philosophizers.
sure, "slightly" larger production volumes wouldn't make a difference, but we're not talking about "slightly" larger production volumes.
I ordered direct from 1up. I got the raw colour. The exchange rate was better back then, and the UPS shipping definitely upped the price, but after going through a couple other racks, I thought I'd invest for the long term. One option you could consider is having it shipped to a UPS store close to the border and going to pick it up there?
They sell a lock you can install, but I use a cable and u-lock. Their lock fits in between the arms, and imo look kinda flimsy. IMO locks are more of a deterrant than failsafes. If a theif sees something that looks flimsy, they'll have a go at it, possibly messing all sorts of things up in the process, even if they dont get the bike off. If a theif sees something that looks burly (even if its easier to break), they'll move on to the next car with bikes on it... that's my theory anyways.
I wholeheartedly recommend the 1up. 3 seasons in, and still amazed at how quickly it goes on the car, how quickly I can put the bike on and off, how easy it is to access my hatch with bikes on or off, and how easy it is to take off the car and hang on the hooks in my storage locker...
I always thought the best theft deterrent on the 1up rack was the fact that it takes anyone that's never seen one 20 minutes of staring at it to figure out how to get the bikes off.