1. Key considerations

Without question, the most important aspect of a fold down bike rack is its tilting mechanism.  The goal here is convenience.  The rack should be easily changed from its upright riding position to its lowered position for access to the rear of your vehicle.  Keep in mind, the rack should also be easy to maneuver both directions: from up position to down, and down position to up. 

Ideally, you should not have to sacrifice sturdy construction for ease of use.  Just like any hitch-mounted product, it is very important that your hitch bike rack is solidly constructed and rides securely in your vehicle’s hitch; it’s important not just for the safety of your bikes and vehicle but also your fellow travelers as well.

2. Compare and contrast features

Let’s face it: there are a lot of tilt down hitch bike racks on the market.  At FastTrackRacks.com, we carry nearly 20 quality fold down hitch bike racks and most have similar features and price points.  The goal of this section is to highlight some of the stand-out design features that are available in our catalogue.

Cradles

One of the major ways to differentiate between various bike racks is their cradle mechanism.  There are a few styles:

1. Clamp down attachments: Clamp down cradles are perhaps the crudest style of cradles.  Generally, they are operated by a screw mechanism that is tightened down around your bike’s frame to secure it to the rack.  The big advantage of this style is that they provide the necessary security without breaking the bank.  However, if you are concerned about paint chipping on your bike’s frame or side to side contact between your bikes as you drive down the road, this cradle style is probably not for you.
2. Circular Cradles:  The most common style of cradle, circular cradles allow you to set your bike inside a protected, rubberized semi-circle.  This design is great for the security and stability of your bikes while you are driving, as each bike is kept more or less vertical thanks to the support of the cradle’s base.  Also, adjustable rubber straps will allow you to tighten your bikes to the racks as much as necessary.
3. Rubber Cradles with Anti-Sway Stabilizers:  On higher-end bike racks, this style of cradle has become the norm.  These cradles are very similar to the circular rubber cradles described above with one key addition: a second strap that extends beneath the cradle, securing the bike’s frame to the rack.  These stabilizers provide even more vertical stability, making for a smoother ride and less side-to-side sway.   This is particularly important if you are traveling with 4 or 5 bikes, as they will be in close proximity to each other.
4. Wheel Mounted attachments:  This last style is up-and-coming in popularity, as it offers a cost-effective alternative to the traditional hanging bike rack cradle.  As mentioned above, side-to-side sway is a concern when using a hang-down style bike rack.  The reason is simple: the bikes are supported only at the attachment point (at the top).  While anti-sway stabilizers are very effective in eliminating this sway, if you have a higher-end bike or simply do not want to risk any sway at all, a rack with wheel mount attachments is for you.  Wheel mount attachments move the attachment point to the bottom of the bike, eliminating the tendency for sway.  In general, they will clamp around the bike tires to secure the bike vertically, thus eliminating any contact with the bike frame and any chance for frame scratching.

Locks and Cables

1. Hitch Locks: It is absolutely essential that your bike rack has a hitch locking mechanism.  Hitch locks come in many shapes and sizes but they perform the same task: to key-lock your bike rack’s frame to your vehicle’s hitch.  Most bike racks will include a hitch lock, however some lower-end racks will offer this piece as an additional accessory.  Always use a hitch lock when using your hitch bike rack to avoid theft of your bikes, rack or both.  
2. Hitch-Tighteners/ Anti-wobble Locks: Another common bike rack accessory is a tightening device, which works to eliminate any wobble that the rack might have when inserted into a trailer hitch.  This is particularly important as the weight that you put on the rack increases: the more bikes you have attached to your rack, the greater the chance for wobble.  Some hitch locks are also anti-wobble locks, as they screw to tighten the rack into the hitch.  Other racks offer a supporting plate, like the Hitch-Coupling Tightener, to reduce wobble.
3. Security Cables:  More and more higher-end bike racks are now included an integrated security cable into their design.  We always recommend using a security cable—whether it is included with the rack or not—to protect your bikes from theft.  Integrated security cables are nice because they can retract when not in use and are always with the rack. 

Hitch Attachment

1. Most bike racks are designed to work with a single size hitch: either a standard 2” hitch or the lighter-duty 1.25” hitch.  To determine the size of your vehicle’s hitch, simply measure the diameter of the face of your hitch receiver.  If you have multiple vehicles with different hitch sizes, you might consider a bike rack that is compatible with both a 2” hitch and a 1.25” hitch.  Generally, this involves putting a sleeve over the end of the rack when inserting the rack into the larger 2” hitch.  Many hitch bike rack owners find that a rack that can accommodate both hitch sizes offers much-needed flexibility that they didn’t anticipate when they first ordered the rack.

Here’s a table that compares FastTrackRacks.com’s Fold Down Hitch Bike Racks on the features listed above.

Fold Down Hitch Bike Racks – Under $200

	Cradle Style	Locks/Cables	Hitch Compatibility
Hollywood Traveler	Cradles with anti-sway stabilizers.	Threaded hitch pin, Safety strap.	Fits 2” hitch or 1.25” hitch.
Thule Parkway	Cradles.	Cable lock and anti-wobble accessories not included.	Fits 2” hitch or 1.25” hitch.
Lund Fold Down	Clamp attachments.	Includes anti-wobble system.	Fits 2” hitch.
Highland Drop Drop	Clamp attachments.	Not included.	Fits 2” hitch.
Yakima BigHorn4	Cradles with anti-sway stabilizers.	Not included.	Fits 2” hitch or 1.25” hitch.
Surco Fold Down	Clamp attachments.	Not included.	Fits 2” hitch, 1.25” hitch or ball mount hitch.
Rola 2	Cradles with anti-sway stabilizers.	Includes integrated, retractable cable.	Fits 2” hitch.
Hollywood Sport Rider	Wheel mount attachments.	Threaded hitch pin included, optional locking pin available as an accessory.	2 bike model fits both 2” hitch and 1.25” hitch! 3 bike model fits either 2” hitch or 1.25” hitch. 4 bike model fits 2” hitch.
Yakima KingPin	Cradles with anti-sway stabilizers.	Not included.	2 bike and 4 bike models fits both 2” hitch and 1.25” hitch! 5 bike model fits 2” hitch.
Thule Roadway	Cradles with anti-sway stabilizers.	Not included. Hitch lock and security cable sold separately.	2 bike and 4 bike models fits both 2” hitch and 1.25” hitch! 5 bike model fits 2” hitch.
Hollywood Road Runner	Cradles with anti-sway stabilizers.	Includes no-wobble hitch pin and security tie down bar.	3 bike and 4 bike models fits either 2” hitch or 1.25” hitch. 5 bike model fits 2” hitch.

Fold Down Hitch Bike Racks – $200+

	Cradle Style	Locks/Cables	Hitch Compatibility
Rola 4	Cradles with anti-sway stabilizers.	Includes integrated, retractable cable.	Fits 2” hitch.
Softride Access Dura	Cradles with anti-sway stabilizers.	Includes integrated, retractable cable and tightening hitch lock.	Fits 2” hitch or 1.25” hitch.
Softride Access Versa	Wheel mount attachments.	Includes hitch lock.	Fits 2” hitch or 1.25” hitch.
Thule Ridgeline	Cradles with anti-sway stabilizers.	Includes integrated cable lock and hitch lock.	Fits both 2” hitch and 1.25” hitch!
Yakima SlickRoc	Cradles with anti-sway stabilizers.	Not included.	Fits 2” hitch.
Thule T2	Wheel mount attachments.	Not included. Rack can be locked with optional lock cylinders.	2 Bike model fits 2” hitch or 1.25” hitch. Add-on models fit 2” hitch.
Yakima HookUp	Wheel mount attachments.	Not included. Rack can be locked with optional lock cylinders.	2 Bike model fits 2” hitch or 1.25” hitch. Add-on models fit 2” hitch.

3. FastTrackRacks.com Staff Selections

In choosing our favorite fold down hitch bike racks, our staff has spoken with manufacturers, fellow retailers and, most importantly, our customers.  We’ve narrowed our list of best tilt down bike racks to six.  Here they are:

Hollywood Traveler  --  Combines entry-level pricing with great features.

Thule Parkway  -- Most affordable rack from premier brand Thule.

Hollywood Sport Rider  -- Most affordable wheel mounted rack.

Softride Access Dura – Brand new in 2007, great looking design and amazingly easy-to-use.

Softride Access Versa – Also brand new in 2007, great aesthetics: the premier wheel mounted hitch bike rack.

Thule Ridgeline -- Includes everything (locks, cables, etc.) you need. Top of the line.

Have a favorite rack that’s not listed?  Let us know by emailing info@fasttrackracks.com!