Inexpensive bike racks?

[Jmfrank79]

So a couple of months ago, after a ton of research, I bought the new Izip Protour ebike and absolutely love it! I really could not be happier with this bike! I have been riding it all over town, some days exercising for 30+ miles, and others commuting to work 5 miles each way.
The bike has a very substantial feel compared to some of the others that I test rode. I am so happy that I went with a mid-drive over hub as well. It just feels more powerful and reminds me of driving a car with a stick. Not to mention the bike is fast!!! Even though motor cuts out at 28mph, I regularly get it over 30mph!

So I am getting ready to go down the shore for vacation and want to bring it with me. I have been looking at racks, and I am analyzing myself in circles! I don't have a ton of money to spend for a rack that will get used rarely...

For some reason, I am leaning heavily towards a tray style rack. In my head, they just seem to be much more sturdy? I am looking for a rack that will carry two bikes. The Protour is about 50lbs and the girlfriends mountain bike is like 35lbs or so.
The rack will be mounting on the hitch of a 2015 Ford Edge Limited AWD.

So below are a few that I am considering (In $ ascending order). Which would you recommend?
1 https://www.amazon.com/MaxxHaul-703...6381&sr=1-35&keywords=trailer+hitch+bike+rack

2 https://www.amazon.com/Masterbuilt-...6381&sr=1-41&keywords=trailer+hitch+bike+rack

3 https://www.amazon.com/Direct-After...6421&sr=1-57&keywords=trailer+hitch+bike+rack

4 https://www.amazon.com/CURT-18084-H..._SR160,160_&psc=1&refRID=BBHMSVT0MNDAQG2D2TC8

5 https://www.amazon.com/Hollywood-Ra...6462&sr=1-85&keywords=trailer+hitch+bike+rack

 

[vincent]

I think that the dirtbike carriers will be your best bet for something cheap but that will meet the weight requirements

One bike rack I think said 40 pounds per slot and the other one did not list it

My experience when shopping was that only the top end racks of each brand tend to be rated high enough to carry the electric bikes

But the dirt bike carriers are a good alternative

 

[harryS]

1) If you believe some of the 1 star reviews on the Curt, their units snapped in half. Other reviewers liked it.
2) On the dirt bike carriers, how will you carry two bikes unless you strap them together with bungee cords? Probably the best bet for low cost if you can improvise.
3) The Maxworks has some bad reviews.
4) Don't see any weight specs for the Hollywood.

A lot of users must assume a platform rack ought to be strong enough to carry heavy bikes. I did. Then I found my Swagman XTC2 is only rated for 35 lbs per bike. Without batteries, I 've got 47 and 43 pounds. I'm willing to overload on a short trip, but I'm going 600 miles round trip tomorrow., so I will try to strap the bikes to the roof rack on my wagon so they won't fall to the asphalt if one of the tire loops snaps off.

I don't want to buy the Swagman G10 or Chinook, which are $250 and $340, but I might. At 45 pounds per slot, they barely pass the spec, but the tires rest on the rack rather than in loops.
.

 

[Soarcj]

Harbor freight motorcycle rack good for one bike $125

 

[Jmfrank79]

I ended up comparing the swagman g10 and chinook bike racks. Although they are both rated at 45lbs per bike, the chinook looks like the bikes rested in the wheel cradles that hung to the side of the frame, where the G10's wheel cradles sit on top of the frame. So I ended up ordering the swagman g10 and received it today. My izip e3 protour weighs 53 poulds with the battery, so hopefully by removing the battery I will be right around the 45lb limit, give or take a few lbs.
Will try it out this weekend and report back. In two weeks, I will be hauling my izip e3 protour 75 miles down the shore.
Lets hope this is the inexpensive (relatively, compare to ebike specific racks) that I was looking for....

 

[Jmfrank79]

Just an update for anyone that is interested. I used my new Swagman G10 bike rack to take my IZip Protour down the shore last week. The shore is roughly 80 miles of highway each way. The G10 held the weight of the bike perfectly, and I had no problems, not even at highway speeds.
Glad I found it on sale and picked it up for $220 at Autoanything (free shipping too!).
Now I am confident that I can take my bike anywhere.

 

[opimax]

IMHO taking a chance with an underrated rack is not worth the potential issues at 75 mph and me being behind you. No difference between you and an overloaded tractor trails coming down the mountain....you are making a dangerous decision that I have to live with

I hate people who post their opinion in a thread it was t asked for but I feel strongly about this