Car Rack for Aurora Ltd

[Tupac]

Looking for advice on what folks are using well for hauling the new Aurora Limited, with its weight, step-through, and fenders.

Searching for a 2" car hitch rack that could hold one bike (or two at most).

I've looked at Hollywood, Saris, Thule, and Kuat, and even some dirt bike carriers with ramps.

It's just hard to get details on whether they are compatible with fenders and step-through (and it would need to hold 63 - 75# weight)

 

[Al P]

I would recommend a platform type rack with ramps. The Aurora is very heavy and you will break your back lifting it, even without the battery. My Saris Freedom Super Clamp 2 is an excellent rack with wheel straps for bikes with fenders, but without ramps it is hard to get the 56 lb. Aurora up and onto the platform. If lifting the bike is not a problem for you then I would recommend the Saris.

 

[vincent]

1up with a ramp
And I have not used one yet but they have a new adapter to put on for bikes with fenders called the wheel stop
They also sell fender cushions, I would get both

 

[smorgasbord]

I've had a 1Up Super-Duty with ramp and all the bells/whistles.

If it got stolen, I would NOT automatically re-buy it, especially at the total price point I paid. I'd look at the Saris MTB, especially since the ramps don't need kludgy taking the arms apart to work. Loading bikes is literally a 3-hand job (so I use my shoulder). You need 2 hands to open up the 1Up's arms and you need a third hand/shoulder to hold the bike in place until you do. And while pushing the arms into place is a 1 hand job, with the ramp you have to re-assemble the arm after the bike is up, so you need to be sure the other arm was positioned exactly right when you rolled the bike up in the first place. Ugh. The ramp is exactly 3" wide, so 3" wide tires are a tight fit. When you roll the second bike in, the handlebars hit the handlebars of the first bike, so you're tiling the bike and the front tire isn't held in-line when it's on the platform. Ugh. The release mechanism to pivot the rack for storage or rear car access is in a hard to reach place, and if you spend money for the extension handle it doesn't operate smoothly. The whole thing feels like some backyard mechanic designed and built it - a really good backyard mechanic, mind you, but the whole thing just doesn't work for e-bikes that well.

The Saris MTB's arms are one-hand operated in or out. They swing all the way down so you can put the ramp on without disassembling anything. That said, I do feel the way the 1Up attaches to the hitch is really really good - solid and adjustable. I haven't actually tried the MTB out in person, so maybe I'd be disappointed in it as well.

My old Saris Cycle-On Pro is a great rack - just that with two Boost-spaced bikes the hold down arm of the first bike would hit the rear frame of the second bike. Had I known the 1Up wasn't going to be a great solution, I probably would have saved the money and just kept using the foam pads and bungie cords to protect the frame. I do have it for sale - it holds one Aurora LTD just fine and a second bike that isn't Boost should also be fine.

 

[Arinax]

Thule EasyFold XT 2 Hitch Bike Rack...if you can find one. Most places are out of stock, as it is a very popular item. I lucked out...there was one left on Amazon. It arrives tomorrow. Check out the many youtube vids, if you've never heard of it.

 

[Feelgoodranch]

Check out the MoTow lift and rack at motow usa.com.
You will not be disappointed.

 

[leehuggy]

Thule EasyFold XT 2 Hitch Bike Rack...if you can find one. Most places are out of stock, as it is a very popular item. I lucked out...there was one left on Amazon. It arrives tomorrow. Check out the many youtube vids, if you've never heard of it.

Super Duty

www.1up-usa.com

 

[Woodie582]

I put my wifes aurora on a rocky mounts backstage. As others have said its a hunk of weight to lift and we run an after market fender

 

[Feelgoodranch]

I submitted wrong link in prior post. Should be:
motowus.com.

Hitch lift plus rack is awesome. Hitch lift can use any 2in. receiver. All stainless steel and made in USA.
CHECK IT OUT.

 

[Man Without Shadow]

I bought this rack. Holds two bikes, 200 lbs, two inch hitch:

Robot or human?

 

[Mikelu]

I've had a 1Up Super-Duty with ramp and all the bells/whistles.

If it got stolen, I would NOT automatically re-buy it, especially at the total price point I paid. I'd look at the Saris MTB, especially since the ramps don't need kludgy taking the arms apart to work. Loading bikes is literally a 3-hand job (so I use my shoulder). You need 2 hands to open up the 1Up's arms and you need a third hand/shoulder to hold the bike in place until you do. And while pushing the arms into place is a 1 hand job, with the ramp you have to re-assemble the arm after the bike is up, so you need to be sure the other arm was positioned exactly right when you rolled the bike up in the first place. Ugh. The ramp is exactly 3" wide, so 3" wide tires are a tight fit. When you roll the second bike in, the handlebars hit the handlebars of the first bike, so you're tiling the bike and the front tire isn't held in-line when it's on the platform. Ugh. The release mechanism to pivot the rack for storage or rear car access is in a hard to reach place, and if you spend money for the extension handle it doesn't operate smoothly. The whole thing feels like some backyard mechanic designed and built it - a really good backyard mechanic, mind you, but the whole thing just doesn't work for e-bikes that well.

The Saris MTB's arms are one-hand operated in or out. They swing all the way down so you can put the ramp on without disassembling anything. That said, I do feel the way the 1Up attaches to the hitch is really really good - solid and adjustable. I haven't actually tried the MTB out in person, so maybe I'd be disappointed in it as well.

My old Saris Cycle-On Pro is a great rack - just that with two Boost-spaced bikes the hold down arm of the first bike would hit the rear frame of the second bike. Had I known the 1Up wasn't going to be a great solution, I probably would have saved the money and just kept using the foam pads and bungie cords to protect the frame. I do have it for sale - it holds one Aurora LTD just fine and a second bike that isn't Boost should also be fine.

I just got the Saris MTR-1 and it is well made and easy to use, including the ramp, but I have the Aurora and the integrated rear rack limits the overlap of the Saris rack arm on the rear wheel to about 2 inches, as the top of the Saris arm is too long to go under the rack.I would be more comfortable with more overlap. I used it and it seemed secure, but I do wonder how secure it really is.
Update: I have used it three times now and it works fine. The 2 in overlap is quite secure.

 

[Aurora Maven]

I've had a 1Up Super-Duty with ramp and all the bells/whistles.

If it got stolen, I would NOT automatically re-buy it, especially at the total price point I paid. I'd look at the Saris MTB, especially since the ramps don't need kludgy taking the arms apart to work. Loading bikes is literally a 3-hand job (so I use my shoulder). You need 2 hands to open up the 1Up's arms and you need a third hand/shoulder to hold the bike in place until you do. And while pushing the arms into place is a 1 hand job, with the ramp you have to re-assemble the arm after the bike is up, so you need to be sure the other arm was positioned exactly right when you rolled the bike up in the first place. Ugh. The ramp is exactly 3" wide, so 3" wide tires are a tight fit. When you roll the second bike in, the handlebars hit the handlebars of the first bike, so you're tiling the bike and the front tire isn't held in-line when it's on the platform. Ugh. The release mechanism to pivot the rack for storage or rear car access is in a hard to reach place, and if you spend money for the extension handle it doesn't operate smoothly. The whole thing feels like some backyard mechanic designed and built it - a really good backyard mechanic, mind you, but the whole thing just doesn't work for e-bikes that well.

The Saris MTB's arms are one-hand operated in or out. They swing all the way down so you can put the ramp on without disassembling anything. That said, I do feel the way the 1Up attaches to the hitch is really really good - solid and adjustable. I haven't actually tried the MTB out in person, so maybe I'd be disappointed in it as well.

My old Saris Cycle-On Pro is a great rack - just that with two Boost-spaced bikes the hold down arm of the first bike would hit the rear frame of the second bike. Had I known the 1Up wasn't going to be a great solution, I probably would have saved the money and just kept using the foam pads and bungie cords to protect the frame. I do have it for sale - it holds one Aurora LTD just fine and a second bike that isn't Boost should also be fine.

The 1UP Super-Duty worked great with my 2015 Aurora, which had no fenders and was lighter than the ALE but there was no way I could or would lift the ALE without the ramp accessory after I had back surgery. I agree with Smorgasbord that the whole ramp/wheel stop accessory was a design after-thought by 1UP. And if you don't mind spending 15 minutes loading and unloading your bike using the ramp, the 1UP will work but I'd keep my eyes open for alternative carriers.

 

[KnobbyGuy]

This thread is pretty old, but seems to be the best place to update everyone on the Thule EasyFold XT (which I just "discovered" in the parking lot of our local bike trail). Just received mine via Amazon, but they're also available from etrailer.com for the same $800. Obviously not a cheap rack, but I've tried several generic brands and a few Saris models, and they've all been a bit lacking. I've been using the Saris Freedom II which is a compact and lightweight rack that's rated for 60 lb ebikes. But mounting the inside bike is very difficult due to the center post and wheel pocket design. I also purchased the Saris Superclamp EX 2 (last year) but sent it back because the tire clamp system could not accommodate fenders and rear racks.
The wife and I had Aurora's but now I've 'traded' for the Atlas. I just mounted both of them on the Thule EasyFold and it went well, but when I put my Atlas in the outer position, the longer clamp arm was angled which 'pulled' the Atlas too close to the Aurora. It could have worked in that orientation but I would need some serious padding between the bikes. When I put my Atlas on the inside position everything looks good. The rack design puts the 2 bikes 9" apart which is pretty tight. Here's the pics: