This bike rack was purchased for a 2020 Subaru Forester Sport. We wanted something that would carry two adult sized mountain bikes via the car's tow hitch and we wanted something that tilted for easy access to the vehicles hatch. Please note that BV does make bike carriers for more than two bikes.
We did quite a bit of research on hitch style bike racks before purchasing this rack. One of our considerations was price; we wanted to buy something that was under $300.00. This rack is going to be mainly used by our college age son, so we wanted something that was reasonably priced but durable enough to withstand at least moderate use. That being said, the anticipated use for this rack is short, frequent trips and the occasional longer trip or move.
The box arrived looking a bit mishandled by the delivery service and the top was loose (fortunately, nothing was missing). None of this appeared to be the fault of the manufacturer, but rather the delivery.
It was a heavy box (39 pounds), but was compact in size and neatly packaged. Each of the pieces was wrapped in plastic or other wrapping and the nuts, bolts etc. were in a small plastic bag. The instructions were printed on large sheets and included pictures which was very much appreciated.
All in all, it took about 30 minutes or so to install and assemble the rack. The directions were helpful, but the assembly was very intuitive. The only trouble we had was with the tools provided to tighten the bolts (see above). After the first use, they were visibly worn and we ended up using our own tools to finish the job.
As you can see above, we have a 2" hitch receiver.
Following the directions, we slide the hitch tube into the receiver and secured it with the bolt from the right side. We then inserted the R-pin.
We then connected the base to the hitch.
Next came the lateral tubes and the wheel holders.
It was at this point we realized the lateral tubes were upside down, but it did not appear to make much of a difference.
Finally we attached the frame hooks which are padded so that they do not scratch the frame of your bike. The end result looks like this:
The bike rack can be tilted forward to allow the rear door of the car to open, without having to detach the bike or the bike carrier as shown below.
We purchased this bike rack for $209.99 from amazon. The shipping was a little dicey, but we believe that is due to the holidays and COVID. As is with most items purchased from amazon, the process was easy and delivery was to our front door. This product came neatly packaged with clear and easy-to-follow instructions. Assembly was about as easy as possible. Two people are definitely not required, but it did make the process faster for us.
The rack has been used a few times at this point and so far we have no complaints. The reviews that we read mentioned that in a 2" receiver, the rack felt "loose." We have not had this issue so far. As far as security, I would not leave my bike unattended with this rack. The wheels are held in place by velcro straps, which does keep the bike very secure for travel, but certainly does not protect it from theft. We use our bike locks to provide added security, nonetheless, I still would not leave the bike unattended; his rack is built for travel, not security.
Was it worth it? Yes, we do like this bike rack. For the price, it feel sturdy and well-built. The parts fit seamlessly together and the bike is secure while the car is moving. There are more expensive alternatives on the market, but for the amount we wanted to spend and the anticipated use, this rack appears to be perfect.
As we use the BV rack more, we will update our review as necessary. Happy biking!
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