1UP-USA Racks - I'm a fan

[mfgrep]

I got the black as well. Seems to be holding up just fine-no fading or paint chipping. I also broke down and bought the velcro/foam fender protector last night after a few beers and reading EBR! 27 bucks I could have used for beer!

Beer is important. Always keep that in mind.

 

[Taylor57]

Beer is important. Always keep that in mind.

I keep it in mind every day. We went to Italy this summer and my new go to is Peroni. A little pricey but 5.1 ABV and the 11oz stay cold for the duration! I think most domestic beers are 12oz?

 

[mfgrep]

I keep it in mind every day. We went to Italy this summer and my new go to is Peroni. A little pricey but 5.1 ABV and the 11oz stay cold for the duration! I think most domestic beers are 12oz?

I have been to Italy with the wife a couple of times. I recall after 5 or 6 days we finally found an Irish pub.... We were so excited to get a beer. Peroni is available but there is not much beer selection throughout Italy. Thankfully they have plenty of good wine.

 

[Prairie Dog]

FWIW, 1Up also sells spacer kits to accommodate fat tire bikes up to 4.9” wide and they will also work with standard bikes. However, 1Up's new XTtreme Duty version rated for off road use can now fit tires up to 5.25”. The tires in the image are 3.8s but I run 4.5 studded versions during the winter months. NOTE: The original 1Up wheel locks are not long enough to span the full width of the spacer kit so one must either acquire the longer fat tire versions or use a standard cable lock to secure bikes to the rack.

Rival Quikrstuff rack will fit tires up to 5” without the need for spacers but costs more than the 1Up HD/SD versions. The name of the rack is a bit of a misnomer as the lead time in acquiring one is up to 8 weeks. Still, a quality product.

 

[Taylor57]

FWIW, 1Up also sells spacer kits to accommodate fat tire bikes up to 4.9” wide and they will also work with standard bikes. However, 1Up's new XTtreme Duty version rated for off road use can now fit tires up to 5.25”. The tires in the image are 3.8s but I run 4.5 studded versions during the winter months. NOTE: The original 1Up wheel locks are not long enough to span the full width of the spacer kit so one must either acquire the longer fat tire versions or use a standard cable lock to secure bikes to the rack.

View attachment 162997
Rival Quikrstuff rack will fit tires up to 5” without the need for spacers but costs more than the 1Up HD/SD versions. The name of the rack is a bit of a misnomer as the lead time in acquiring one is up to 8 weeks. Still, a quality product.

Prairie-How big of a PITA is it to change out my standard size 1.25 Quick rack and add the spacer kit for my Lectric XP (4 inch tires). I noticed the kit is only $38 US...

 

[Prairie Dog]

Prairie-How big of a PITA is it to change out my standard size 1.25 Quick rack and add the spacer kit for my Lectric XP (4 inch tires). I noticed the kit is only $38 US...

It’s not too bad. It took me about 10-15 minutes to swap out the wider spindles, guide bar spacers and end bolts. All of the hardware is included except the washers which get reused from the original bolts. I only have the one spacer kit so it might take slightly longer if you need to perform the task on two trays. You won’t need to swap back to the original spindles/bolts since the spacer kit will work with narrower bike tires. On our road bikes that are shod with 700 x 28/30c tires, we use the wheel savers which work exceptionally well.

I noticed that the current trays are likely wide enough to fit 4" tires but not sure about anything bigger than that. Guess I'll find out soon enough.

 

[Taylor57]

It’s not too bad. It took me about 10-15 minutes to swap out the wider spindles, guide bar spacers and end bolts. All of the hardware is included except the washers which get reused from the original bolts. I only have the one spacer kit so it might take slightly longer if you need to perform the task on two trays. You won’t need to swap back to the original spindles/bolts since the spacer kit will work with narrower bike tires. On our road bikes that are shod with 700 x 28/30c tires, we use the wheel savers which work exceptionally well.

I noticed that the current trays are likely wide enough to fit 4" tires but not sure about anything bigger than that. Guess I'll find out soon enough.

I guess I will throw the XP up on the current rack and see what happens! They are 4x20 inch tires...

 

[Prairie Dog]

I guess I will throw the XP up on the current rack and see what happens! They are 4x20 inch tires...

Sounds good. Let me know how they fit. With the smaller 20” wheels, you may find that you'll need to lower the spindles down a couple of notches.

 

[smorgasbord]

(5) 1UP-USA Super Duty Single:

For a single, the 1UP is probably fine, but for 2 bikes there are issues using the ramp for the second bike. Also, if your axle to axle distance is too great, you have to be sure the arms are ALL the say down, and even you've got to lift quite a bit above the tray.

And the locking mechanism uses a spring loaded arm that uses grooves in an aluminum bar, and those grooves wear quickly, causing the thing to jam or at least not slide easily.

It's good that the two bikes are kept as close as possible to the vehicle (don't want to over-leverage the 2" hitch), but that does mean you have be careful about seat heights and pedal locations, and like I said, does mean you can't really use the ramp to load the second bike.

I give the 1UP Super Duty a "B" rating for 2 bike usage, but maybe an "A-" for 1 bike usage.

 

[Doggyman1202]

I have a question or three about my brand new 1Up Super Duty double rack. (I'm not sure this is the right thread but I'll ask anyway).

I have only used the rack once, and drove about 5 miles with my Evelo Omega. The bike stayed perfectly in place although I was admittedly nervous one or both of the arms would give way. I had no particular reason to worry except that it looks possible, and I'm brand new to this style of rack. I also purchased a pair of the accessory wheel locks. Are those intended to keep the arms secure, or are they simply a theft deterrent? Also, are there generic versions of this lock? I might want a second pair for another bike, but $50 a pair plus shipping seems excessive for what these are.

While I'm fairly tall and thin I still found the release handle to be a pain in the a**. Bending over is not an issue but it jams fairly easily. Is the $99 EZ handle helpful in this regard?

Thanks in advance for any guidance or suggestions using this rack.

 

[Prairie Dog]

I have a question or three about my brand new 1Up Super Duty double rack. (I'm not sure this is the right thread but I'll ask anyway).

I have only used the rack once, and drove about 5 miles with my Evelo Omega. The bike stayed perfectly in place although I was admittedly nervous one or both of the arms would give way. I had no particular reason to worry except that it looks possible, and I'm brand new to this style of rack. I also purchased a pair of the accessory wheel locks. Are those intended to keep the arms secure, or are they simply a theft deterrent? Also, are there generic versions of this lock? I might want a second pair for another bike, but $50 a pair plus shipping seems excessive for what these are.

While I'm fairly tall and thin I still found the release handle to be a pain in the a**. Bending over is not an issue but it jams fairly easily. Is the $99 EZ handle helpful in this regard?

Thanks in advance for any guidance or suggestions using this rack.

It appears that a new version of the SD will be released this month so it will be interesting to see what changes are forthcoming.

Like you, I wasn’t altogether certain about the rack when I first installed it but after two years of service with transporting a variety of bikes from road, emtb in addition to my fatbike with 4.5” studded tires, I have no doubt that this is a rack that I will retain for years to come.

As for the wheel locks, I don’t think they provide much in bolstering the rack arms but act more of a deterrent if you’re briefly away from your vehicle. I don’t use my EZ pull any longer as I found that it to be a bit difficult yanking on it as the actual release mechanism is farther away. However, since acquiring my rack, they have redesigned the handle which might help with the task but I can’t definitively say for sure. If it’s a bit sticky, try first applying a bit of grease at either end of the pull bar in between the gaps where the metal parts meet. Worked for me.

 

[rcdanner]

For a single, the 1UP is probably fine, but for 2 bikes there are issues using the ramp for the second bike. Also, if your axle to axle distance is too great, you have to be sure the arms are ALL the say down, and even you've got to lift quite a bit above the tray.

And the locking mechanism uses a spring loaded arm that uses grooves in an aluminum bar, and those grooves wear quickly, causing the thing to jam or at least not slide easily.

It's good that the two bikes are kept as close as possible to the vehicle (don't want to over-leverage the 2" hitch), but that does mean you have be careful about seat heights and pedal locations, and like I said, does mean you can't really use the ramp to load the second bike.

I give the 1UP Super Duty a "B" rating for 2 bike usage, but maybe an "A-" for 1 bike usage.

I use my ramp on the opposite side for the second bike. Bikes are faciing opposite direction. I like my Super Duty 1Up.

 

[Doggyman1202]

It appears that a new version of the SD will be released this month so it will be interesting to see what changes are forthcoming.

Like you, I wasn’t altogether certain about the rack when I first installed it but after two years of service with transporting a variety of bikes from road, emtb in addition to my fatbike with 4.5” studded tires, I have no doubt that this is a rack that I will retain for years to come.

As for the wheel locks, I don’t think they provide much in bolstering the rack arms but act more of a deterrent if you’re briefly away from your vehicle. I don’t use my EZ pull any longer as I found that it to be a bit difficult yanking on it as the actual release mechanism is farther away. However, since acquiring my rack, they have redesigned the handle which might help with the task but I can’t definitively say for sure. If it’s a bit sticky, try first applying a bit of grease at either end of the pull bar in between the gaps where the metal parts meet. Worked for me.

Thanks Prairie Dog! I thought about using a little WD40 on the metal gap slots, but I was a little concerned that might loosen the grip too much. Then again, the adjustment knob should keep it tight...I hope!

I'm encouraged to hear you've been using yours successfully for a couple of years. Do you secure your bikes with anything besides the support arms (straps, bungee cord, etc)?

The QuickRstuff rack would have been my first choice, but not for nearly twice the price. I did not know 1UP had a new version in the works.

 

[Neverlost]

So I needed a rack this year and had some experience(s) with a few of the usual suspects....some I bought....some I borrowed....some were owned by friends:
(1) I borrowed a cheap hitch mount hanging (non platform) style rack from a friend for awhile....it magnified my insecurities.....highway driving fuhgetaboutit....ditched this idea fast. Given a few more days with this rack I would have scratched and marred my bike a lot....not to mention the back of my car.....and that is only if the bike remained on the car/rack at all.
(2) I used my friend's Thule XTR T2 platform style rack. I liked this rack overall BUT: It is big and heavy...difficult to store it away....takes muscle to move it around and install. The biggest problem is that this style of rack does NOT work well if you have fenders or a bike with a headlamp mounted on the fork. Also....to really ensure that your bike is secure....you must place the arm directly adjacent and touching your fork. Not ideal. I'm surprised this one is so darn popular for that reason. If you want to leave this on your car for the summer months....it will wear and weather and look worse for it. For the right bicycles....I can see the virtues of this rack.
(3) Thule EasyFold....this solves the problem for those with fenders or lights mounted near your fork. Compared to the XTR T2 this rack feels cheap and plastic. I wanted to love this rack on paper....but it is a royal pain in the ass to load and unload bikes. You must remember precisely how to configure the clamps and direction(s) for each bike. This rack might work better with lightweight non ebikes.....but I can't imagine trying to get TWO ebikes on this rack together at the same time....one bike is difficult enough! Between the tightening (and un-tightening of the claws.....the tight fit (both front to back and wheel-base).....and the construction quality....very disappointing altogether. This rack might make sense for some with fender cladded ebikes....but it is a royal pain in the butt to use. The amount of time required to load/unload is insane. There is no way that this expensive rack could survive being left on a car for a couple of summers. No way.
(4) Thule T1: I found an old Thule T1 used but new/never used. This is a discontinued rack. It reminds me of a lightweight version of the XTR T2 but for a single bike carrier. It has all of the issues of the XTR T2 and its clamp/arm is not quite as sophisticated as the XTR T2....BUT it is lightweight and easy to install/uninstall. It isn't as big/deep as the XTR T2 obviously given that it is a single bike carrier.....but it is just as wide....and requires storage space when not in use too. I liked this rack overall for what it is.....I was feeling fairly safe/secure using this rack with my non fender cladded bicycle. I gave this T1 to my dad for his birthday and he likes it too. Solid bike carrier if you have an appropriate bike.
(5) 1UP-USA Super Duty Single: I freaking love this rack. All aluminum....no plastic....no rust. Utilitarian. It folds into a small box for easy storage in my garage. Easy to leave on the car when not carrying a bike and takes up very little space. SOLID as a rock when installed on the car. Easy-peasy security allen wrench hitch attachment and virtually no 'play' when tightened down. Comes with a hitch lock. My bike is SUPER stable on this rack and for the first time I actually forget that I am carrying a bicycle on my car. Lightweight and compact. NOTHING touches my bike frame when using this rack. Mounting and un-mounting could not be easier (despite the video of the idiot on YouTube stupidly demonstrating otherwise). This rack will not work if your bike has fenders that FULLY cover the tires, however, if the fenders are 'partial' this rack should work well. There are occasions (rare) that I need to carry 2 bikes and the "add on" is available for this rack should I decide to buy it in the future. The rack isn't cheap....but compared to the other racks it is not expensive.....and after using it I feel like it is a bargain. It took me at least 4 other racks to finally land on the 1UP. I shouldn't be surprised that I see so few of these on the road given the cumulative brain-power that I am seeing around me lately.....but THIS RACK is completely awesome. The ONLY gripe that I have about this rack is the spring loaded handle that allows the rack to drop into place or fold away can be difficult to depress and may require some jiggling to engage. Some may feel that the 1UP's lack of ability to lock the bike to the rack via OEM means is a deal-breaker.....but this is not an issue for me....and the Thule/Yakima or other OEM bike "locks" are near worthless in real world use(s) imo.

I don’t ever see anyone mentoring KCA. I AM VERY IMPRESSED FOR ITS ABILITY TO CARRY TO FAT BIKES.

 

[Prairie Dog]

Thanks Prairie Dog! I thought about using a little WD40 on the metal gap slots, but I was a little concerned that might loosen the grip too much. Then again, the adjustment knob should keep it tight...I hope!

I'm encouraged to hear you've been using yours successfully for a couple of years. Do you secure your bikes with anything besides the support arms (straps, bungee cord, etc)?

The QuickRstuff rack would have been my first choice, but not for nearly twice the price. I did not know 1UP had a new version in the works.

I find that a bit of grease/lube prevents the metal ends of the bar from rubbing against each other and creates an overall smoother release. Over time, the amount of metal-on-metal friction along with trapped dust/dirt is what causes the bar to become more tenacious, sometimes on one side more than the other.

The only time that I used a tie down strap was when I placed transport covers over each of the fatbike’s wheels. Even though the rack arms and spools were still secured firmly down against each tire cover I did so just for my own peace of mind.

What’s nice about these types of tray style racks (unlike versions with fixed wheel holders) is that if you are transporting multiple rides, you can roll each bike along the trays to get the perfect fit and avoid having them touch each other.

 

[smorgasbord]

I use my ramp on the opposite side for the second bike. Bikes are faciing opposite direction. I like my Super Duty 1Up.

Yeah, that helps --- if you have the room on both sides of the vehicle to have the ramp and space to roll the bike to it.
EDIT: Also that means one of the bikes has to be rolled on backwards. Not that big a deal, but can be a bit awkward.

I also replaced the pins that come with the ramp kit since if they rotate they can actually fall out. I got these locking ones instead:

Amazon.com

 

[Doggyman1202]

What’s nice about these types of tray style racks (unlike versions with fixed wheel holders) is that if you are transporting multiple rides, you can roll each bike along the trays to get the perfect fit and avoid having them touch each other.

One selling feature for me was the staggered height of each tray. It should make loading similar sized bikes easier than it was with my previous rack.

What created my initial concern was the amount of sway visible in this Youtube video. I did not see this until after I installed the rack on my car.

Of course, it's hard to tell if the guy installed the rack properly to begin with. I did not notice this much sway on my first and only "maiden voyage" but I was only carrying one bike, not two.

 

[Prairie Dog]

One selling feature for me was the staggered height of each tray. It should make loading similar sized bikes easier than it was with my previous rack.

What created my initial concern was the amount of sway visible in this Youtube video. I did not see this until after I installed the rack on my car.

Of course, it's hard to tell if the guy installed the rack properly to begin with. I did not notice this much sway on my first and only "maiden voyage" but I was only carrying one bike, not two.

No doubt that there are likely more 1Up videos floating around out there that have something negative to gripe about. I’ve never experienced the wobble that was depicted in his video but then again, the most that I’ve carried were two emtbs weighing under 60lbs apiece. No rack is perfect and I think that the premium price might put a lot of people off. With that said, my neighbor has a Thule X2 Easyfold and it cost almost as much in Cdn $$ as my 1Up SD double. I’ll be curious to know if 1Up has addressed any of the issues that he brought up in the next iteration.



In his video, he also refers to a link to a budget hitch rack from Home Depot which he recommends. I’m no fan of having a rack that extends that far out from the hitch receiver. A bike rack acts like a lever arm and places more force on the hitch the farther out it is. The wobble was so extreme that one of the bikes broke loose from its clamping arm but he still endorsed it because of the low price point. Not sure how confidence inspiring that is. I’m not sure what make/model his vehicle was but tongue weight capacity could influence how a rack reacts under load. It’s easy to exceed that capacity even before the car hits the road.

I also think if you’re going to leave a rack on a vehicle all year round without any sort of follow up care or maintenance, you might be asking for problems later on. Even a well-built rack from 1Up, QuikrStuff or Kuat might be prone to hardware issues if neglected over the long term which is why I remove mine as soon as I’m home from a trip.

 

[smorgasbord]

Of course, it's hard to tell if the guy installed the rack properly to begin with.

No, it's pretty easy to tell that he did:
1) He tightened the allen wrench tightly.
2) You can see that the bike platform doesn't sway, but the bikes on it do.

He's totally right about unloading. You need three hands - I use my head to hold the bike.

I don't get as much sway as he does, but maybe I'm pushing the bars in harder, or maybe's not set to the right position for his tires.

 

[Prairie Dog]

One of the issues I can see with 1Up might be with the length of the arms and so it may not be a rack that fits all bikes. For a bike with an xtra long wheel base and 29ers, I wonder if the arms may not extend far up enough up the wheel/tire so that the spindles are able to clamp down adequately. I think that if 1Up were to implement slightly longer arms to accommodate bikes with easy to adjust spindles, the wobble could be greatly negated.