Yakima FullSwing vs Thule 9027 Apex Swing hitch bike rack comparison review

For families looking to use a hitch mounted bike rack with longer road trips in mind, swing-away style carriers offer high capacity and full access to the rear of the vehicle. This biggest difference between your average bike rack and these swing-away models is that you don't have to remove all of the bikes to get into the rear - you simply swing the rack off to the passenger side of the vehicle while keeping everything loaded and locked up.

The two most popular swing-away bike rack options on the market are the Thule 9027 Apex Swing and the Yakima FullSwing (redesigned in 2014 from an earlier model also called the Yakima FullSwing). In this review, I will go through some of the pros and cons of each model and some tips from my own experience selling, assembling, installing, and using them both.

Yakima FullSwing

 

Yakima FullSwing top arm and ZipStrip

The Yakima FullSwing is a four bike hanging rack that uses unique rubberized arms and ZipStrip buckle attachment system that requires very little physical hand strength to operate once the bike is hanging by the top of its frame. The rubberized arms on the FullSwing allow for bikes to be positioned in any of the grooves along their length with ease. If you have ever used a hanging style rack before, you know that it can be difficult to physically load and unload bicycles because of cramped bike frame geometry and how close the bikes need to sit together on the rack. The long, grooved top arms of the FullSwing really help alleviate this issue. Bikes can be placed wherever you need, and the ZipStrip mounting brackets can be moved into position using a track in the bottom of the arms. The ZipStrip system consists a lightweight plastic buckle that comes all of the way off using two small release cams at each bike cradle. Simply slide the buckles down over the bike frame on each arm and once around the seat post of the bike and give a slight tug on the excess to secure the bicycle. Dead simple!

The top arms of the arm fold flat against the upright mast when not in use using a red handle at the top of the rack. It's not the easiest handle like Thule has, but this is also not a frequently used feature compared to the loading and unloading of bikes.

ZipStrip system and cable lock engaged

The locking system on the FullSwing consists of a locking tension handle to tighten the rack into the hitch, and a braided steel locking cable that comes out of the back of the rack, snakes over the frames, and locks to the end of the rack. Both operate on the same key (you get two in the box), which you can always match to other Yakima locks using their Same Key System.

T-handle bolt to separate the rack from the base

The actual swing-away function on the FullSwing is a breeze. It operates using a black T-handled bolt located on the back spine of the rack, plus a small spring pin release to secure the angle of the rack. This is essentially the same as what Thule uses on the Apex Swing, except Yakima has smartly done away with the secondary hanging pin at the elbow of the rack, opting instead for an automatic spring pin that clicks into place when its fully extended, with no extra work from you. The rack locks out at the full extension point where the bikes will be sitting next to the vehicle, allowing you total access to the rear of your vehicle without having the bike rack in the way. To release the rack, simply push down on the red handle at the elbow.

In my opinion, both Thule and Yakima have really improved the functioning of their swing-away racks over the years. Whereas it used to be a common problem for customers to force the T-bolt into place and crossthread it in the process, I haven't had this issue with the current crop of swing-away racks at all.

SpeedKnob hitch attachment system close-up

One aspect of the FullSwing that I dislike is the hitch attachment mechanism. The locking SpeedKnob at the end of the rack is attached to a long bolt that tensions into a wedge nut in a corner of the bar that goes into your hitch receiver. A spring-loaded AutoPin in the base will automatically locate the bike rack in the hitch for you. Hypothetically, this means you don't need to play with the back and forth spacing of the bike rack in the hitch while looking for the hole in the bar to let you fire the pin through.

In practice, this system is an enormous headache! The wedge nut tends to catch on the end of the hitch receiver, so you almost need a third hand to press it down as you push the rack in. If it feels like your finger is going to get squeezed between the bike rack and the hitch receiver, that's because it will if you're not careful! The SpeedKnob is much nicer than doing up a bolted hitch pin with your hand, but the wedge nut is rather embarrassingly designed in such a way that if you loosen the SpeedKnob too much, it falls off the internal threaded bolt. The great thing about this system is that you rarely have to deal with it because of the swing-away nature of the rack itself. You can put this rack on your car and leave it on for the duration of your extended road trip.

Thule 9027 Apex Swing

 

Thule Apex Swing RDT cradles and cable lock

The Apex Swing is Thule's top of the line swing-away style bike rack. It uses a slightly more traditional bike attachment system which consists of rubberized individual cradles that are positioned on a pair of curved arms, plus thick rubber straps to hold the bikes in place. A removable lower cradle attachment can also be used to grab around the seat post of the bikes to prevent swaying. The rubberized cradles are a two stage design that has some suspension built into it. Thule calls this their RDT cradle for "road-dampening technology." They developed this cradle with the intention of being able to carry carbon frames in it, but I would never recommend doing this on either the FullSwing or the Apex Swing.

Compared to the FullSwing's ZipStrip system, the rubber straps on the Thule Apex Swing are a real pain. It takes a lot of hand strength and physical effort to get the straps tight enough. The anchor points that you are pulling against are malleable plastic, and they tend to move and bend as you're doing up the straps. If you have any arthritis in your hands or you tend to get numb hands after a long day of riding, these are terrible. I also dislike how the removable lower cradle for the seat posts detaches. This component is very cheap and flimsy, and will likely need to be replaced when you lose it or another enterprising rack owner liberates it from your carrier.

The locking cable that hides away in the mast of the Apex Swing pulls out and locks to the end of one bike arm. It is about the same thickness as the Yakima FullSwing's, but its covering feels much cheaper and as you can see in the photo above, it is not finished nicely. The covering for the cable ends before the actual locking end (a C-shape that hooks into the rack). Why they didn't finish this with some kind of shrink-wrap or something else is beyond me. It makes the entire rack look and feel cheap. It also shows a potential thief just how pathetic the size of the locking cable is! Not that any other manufacturer is any better, but Thule is supposed to be the leader. Time to lead and build some real locks, guys.

One area where the Thule Apex Swing bests the Yakima FullSwing is the folding mechanism for the bike arms. Thule uses a super nice handle at the top of the rack that doesn't have any dumb, sharp edges or little holes to catch your fingers on. Take a look at the size of the guy's hand using this feature in the promotional shot below. I can assure you that man would not enjoy doing the same thing on the FullSwing with that paw.

Easy to use folding handle, with locking cable tucked away just below the thumb

The Thule Apex Swing also has a superior hitch attachment system, in my opinion. It is slightly less techy than the Yakima FullSwing, in that the hole on the bike rack bar needs to be manually lined up in position with the hole on your hitch receiver. A "stinger" hook on the side aids you in doing this, but doesn't physically do anything to keep the rack attached. All the work of keeping the rack in place in the hitch is done with an internal tensioning bar that pushes against one corner of the hitch receiver as you tighten a locking knob on the side of the rack. This system is smarter than Yakima's in two ways: you can visually see when the locking knob is all the way loose, and the knob is not the low point/end point of the rack, which is preferable in low clearance situations. Thule's locking knob is keyed alike to the bike cable lock, and you get two of their One Key system keys which can be swapped out to match other Thule locks if you have them.

Apex Swing hitch attachment system

 

Head to Head

 

Loading and unloading bikes: Advantange - Yakima FullSwing. The FullSwing's ZipStrip system (which is slowly being added to all of their bike racks) is impossible to beat. The Thule Apex Swing with its rubber pull-tight straps feels really old fashioned by comparison. Both the ZipStrips and rubber straps can be lost/stolen from each rack, but both companies are excellent at parts support across any market they service. If you have oddly framed bikes, neither rack is going to be much easier than the other, and you still might require accessory crossbar adapters like the Yakima TubeTop to get your bike on either rack.

Lockability: Draw. Both the FullSwing and Apex Swing use a combination of a hand-tensioned locking knob to secure the rack into the hitch, and a braided steel locking cable to secure bikes into the rack. Either company uses a unique key system where your locks can be swapped out to match other gear the company makes, and replacement keys are readily available from each brand. Neither steel cable lock is going to do much more than keep the honest thieves away, however. Never leave your bikes in a rack unattended!

Swing-away and rear access: Advantage - Yakima FullSwing. By creating a spring loaded pin at the elbow of the rack, Yakima ensures you need one less free hand to operate their swing-away mechanism. Both racks give equally good rear access when the rack is extended and locked out against the passenger side of the vehicle. Both have excellent T-handles to reconnect the racks to the bases.

Installation and removal of rack: Advantage: Thule Apex Swing. The automatically locating AutoPin and SpeedKnob on the FullSwing are pretty half-baked ideas. The Thule might make you push and pull a little bit to get the rack lined up properly while you're installing it, but at least you won't be cursing the stupid wedge nut in the hitch bar as you work. Either rack comes off nicely, but you are definitely more likely to lose the wedge nut from the Yakima FullSwing than anything from the Apex Swing. Note that in general, swing-away racks can be comfortably left on the vehicle for extended periods because of how easy the rear hatch access is.

My favorite 

Both the Yakima FullSwing and Thule 9027 Apex Swing are excellent, full-featured racks for use on class 3 or greater 2" hitch receivers. I would happily buy and use either one. That being said, the Yakima FullSwing is my favorite. The simple reason is the ZipStrip attachment system. The most frequent action you do with a bike rack is loading or unloading bikes, and I find the FullSwing much simpler in this regard than the Apex Swing.

The Yakima FullSwing and Thule 9027 Apex Swing can be purchased from fine bike rack retailers across North America. Please leave me a comment to let me know your favorite rack, or if you have a question about either rack that I can answer.

Thule 9034 T2 Pro hitch bike rack review

If you have used a hanging style bike rack before, chances are you know the pain of trying to wiggle and jiggle your bike's frame into place. Add a few more bikes are things become hairy quickly. Platform style bike racks solve this problem by holding bicycles up by the wheels, and then hanging on by the top of the front wheel or by the frame. For years, the popular Thule 916XTR T2 was the bike rack of choice for this reason.

For 2016, Thule has updated the T2 as the 9034 T2 Pro. This rack is loaded with features that best nearly every competing rack out there, at a similar or better price point.

The new T2 Pro comes in a few different varieties. The 9034 fits 2" class 3 and larger hitch receivers, and can be used with the 9036 T2 Pro Add-On extension to carry up to 4 bicycles. The 9035 fits 1.25" hitch receivers, but it is probably heavy enough that you would not want to use it on a smaller capacity class 1 hitch. A class 2 hitch will let you carry 2 bikes. The 9036 Add-On extension won't work on the 9035 1.25" T2 Pro.

One of the biggest upgrades from previous versions is that the T2 Pro can carry up to a 5" wide fat bike wheel right out of the box with no adapters. Right now in summer 2016, this is the only full featured rack on the market that is capable of this feat. The competing Kuat NV can carry up to a 4" wide fat bike wheel when using a strap extender, but the rack wasn't designed from the ground up for fat bikes the way the T2 Pro was. Yakima's HoldUp design is really showing its age now, as it can't accept fat bikes at all. Road bikes and everything in between fit just as well as ever, as the proprietary front wheel baskets on the T2 Pro have grooves to accommodate thin wheels without any extra play or wiggle. The front wheel hooks on the T2 Pro are huge and feel very positive against front wheels of all kinds (front fenders need to be removed though).

Folded down, hatch open

When Thule was designing the T2 Pro, they had the Kuat NV with its lightweight aluminum bike arms as the main competitor in mind. Through multiple iterations, Thule decided they couldn't make the bike rack they wanted by going with lighter weight aluminum. The T2 Pro uses heavy duty steel construction throughout, and this gives the end user several big advantages after the rack is installed. The T2 Pro has a huge lower hitch bar that places the bike rack farther away from the vehicles than all the competitors. This means the best clearance for SUVs with the hitch tucked up underneath the bumper, which is unfortunately common now. The T2 Pro has its fold down handle located at the end of the rack for easy access - no more jamming your body in between your bikes and the car to try to reach the folding handle. With the rack folded down, rear hatch access is easy and bikes sit far away. Note that this fold down mechanism won't work nicely with four bicycles, as the rack simply becomes too heavy to drop and lift nicely.

Ratcheting wheel arm and locking cable

Steel locking cables hide away in the bike arms of the T2 Pro. These are keyed alike to the lock on the tension handle at the bottom of the rack (which is nicely protected by a forward steel shield). It's unfortunately that Thule is still using these puny steel cables. No thief worth their salt is going to have a problem steeling bikes from this rack with anything more than a pair of scissors. This problem is by no means unique to Thule - thin, braided steel cables are the defacto standard of the rack business. The Kuat NV's hidden away steel cables feel much more substantial than Thule's tiny wires, however. Yakima's HoldUp is about on par with the T2 Pro for locks.

Pros

• Fits fat bikes right out of the box.
• Beefy steel construction places bikes far away from the vehicle and gives heaps of room between bikes.
• Super easy to load and unload bikes with ratcheting front wheel arms.
• Best folding handle access on the market.

Cons

• Very heavy. It's a shame Thule doesn't have a lightweight platform option, because that would be the no-brainer rack for most cyclists out there who don't need to haul four huge downhill bikes.
• Locking cables leave a lot to be desired. These are not stopping any motivated thief or passing ne'erdowell.
• Boring silver on grey/black finish will leave you feeling Kuat NV-ous.

I expect this rack will become the best selling bike rack across North America because of a combination of the strong Thule name and the fact that it will fit essentially every bicycle out there. It is probably overkill for a lot of people, who might be better served by the lightweight Kuat Sherpa 2.0, arriving soon. I would definitely purchase this rack myself if I needed a fat bike rack or a nice downhill hauler.

Yakima FrontLoader upright bike rack review

Yakima's new FrontLoader bike rack is the perfect roof rack for people with factory crossbars. It combines the best elements of the popular HighRoller premium upright rack and the awesome factory-fitting, fork-grasping ForkLift.

The FrontLoader uses a universal front claw design that fits around almost any factory bar without modification (also seen on Yakima's awesome new EvenKeel kayak rack). The back clamp has three heights with a wingnut for fine tuning (borrowed from the excellent ForkLift). Even tough vehicles with super wide fixed-mount crossbars are no problem. This is a million times faster than Yakima snap-around mounts, and doesn't have the same tendency to pull a carriage bolt right through the metal tray that past racks like the King Cobra suffered from (thank god for Yakima's lifetime warranty).

Tension handle close-up

The front wheel clamp can be adjusted for bike wheels up to 29" in diameter, and it is wide enough to fit a huge 3" wide downhill tire without issue. The back part of the V-shaped clamp tightens with a large red adjustment knob, which doesn't have the HighRoller's quick-release function, and actually works a bit better as a result (the tension is totally adjustable). The back wheel tightens down with a ratcheting wheel strap (again, borrowed from the ForkLift).

The lock system on the FrontLoader is a little different than past upright, wheel-grasping designs. The cable on the wheel clamp is thinner, and makes a complete loop around the frame, instead of being anchored into the clamp and locking back on to a sliding peg. On the older King Cobra and HighRoller designs, you used to have to use the locking cable to lock the rack back down to the crossbars when not in use. On the FrontLoader, the slick front mounting hardware T-handle locks down with its own lock core.

I've put this rack on many customer's vehicles already. No more having to buy the HighRoller or King Cobra along with the Universal Mighty Mounts (or worse, the awkward Thule 594XT Sidearm). This rack goes on in less than a minute in most cases. The only downside of the FrontLoader is that it doesn't have the big, bulky, robust construction of the HighRoller. The rack weighs only 12.5 lbs, and it only has a 30-40 lb weight limit per bike as a result (see the PDF instructions for more information). By comparison the High Roller can take a 50 lb bike, so it is still probably the natural choice for people with hardcore downhill bikes on aftermarket bar systems.

If you have a Yakima or Thule rack, the HighRoller is still the most solid choice. But for anyone with a factory rack who doesn't feel like spending big money on a superior aftermarket crossbar rack, the FrontLoader offers the best of both worlds. I will be buying this rack for myself this summer (on Thule bars no less!).

Update May 19, 2016:

I'm still using and loving my own Yakima FrontLoaders, and they are still head and shoulders better than the Thule 594XT Sidearm, which badly needs a redesign. The only other rack I would personally consider for people looking for upright bike racks on factory bars would be the RockyMounts BrassKnuckles, which also works for fat bikes and has a super low profile look when sitting flat.

Thule Excellence ultra-premium roof box

Thule recently announced the release of a new 18 cubic foot large roof box called the Thule Excellence. The box is a two-tone black and silver and includes design features like improved ABS plastic thickness, extra lid stiffeners/straighteners, an easy pull down handle, and a storage bag to keep the top looking nice.

Designed for sleekness, lightness, and aerodynamic superiority, the box will sell at $799.95 US (price circa 2009). SUVs, crossovers, and mid-size luxury vehicles are the main target for the Thule Excellence box, which debuts in March 2009.

Update May 19, 2016:

The Thule Excellence is still going strong. It is available in many markets worldwide under several different names and color schemes. In North America, it is possible to find the Thule 611 Boxter and 6119B Excellence, both of which are made in Thule's German box factory and imported. The 611 Boxter/Excellence series is very highly reviewed and is known for it's incredible stiffness and quality.

Compared to the 611, the upgraded 6119B has an internal shock cord netting system, an anti-slip surface in the base, an internal front shield to protect the front spring hinge, and a rear spring hinge-mounted LED light (which is a nice bonus but NOT sufficient to light the box in the dark). If you grab either box, expect to pay a big premium compared to Thule's top of the line North American boxes like the 612 Hyper XL (a poor imitation of the Boxter) or the spiritual successor the 606 Flow (currently made in Germany with amazing quality).

One very good reason to splurge on the Boxter/Excellence - it will carry skis up to 205cm+ while sitting far forward off of your rear hatch for full access. No need to scratch up your nice new SUV's rear door against an inferior box!

Spare Tire Bike Rack: Thule 963 Spare Me

Looking to carry bikes off the rear of your vehicle, but don’t have a hitch? The easiest way for many people with a rear-mounted spare tire to haul bikes is with a rack mounted through or around the spare tire. The Thule 963 Spare Me is one such 2-bike rack. The Spare Me is designed to fit over an included threaded mounting plate that sits behind the spare tire, over the bolts the tire mounts on to. A locking knob with an attached bolt lets you secure the rack (though not your bikes) through the hole in the center of the tire.

From there, the power-coated frame of the rack sits against the spare tire with four adjustable rubber stoppers to ensure a snug fit. A U-shaped dual arm (that pivots to shrink the rack down for easy storage when not in use) holds the bikes from the cross tube (or equivalent bar adaptor, if necessary). Each bike sits in a pair of rubber cradles, with rubber chain-style straps used to secure the bike down in place.

If you have an offset spare tire, the rack can be adjusted slightly (3-4 inches) left or right by using one of the two extra side holes for the locking knob bolt to travel through. It’s not an enormous difference, but it may mean a bike tire that is tucked behind the side mirror instead of sticking out into traffic for some folks.

 

Pros:

• Easy to mount if you leave the mounting plate on behind your spare tire – just slide the rack on and crank the knob until it’s tight.
• Dual arm design allows for the widest range of bike frames to fit on. This is more likely to fit a child’s or woman’s bike with a non-standard frame than a single arm rack would.
• Thule lifetime warranty, plus a very nice look, finish, and quality evident on every part of the rack.

Cons:

• Bikes remain unlocked. You can solve this with a cable lock going through your rim in most cases.
• Rubber chain-style straps hold the bikes down adequately, but don’t offer the peace of mind of a bolt-and-wingnut style cradle.
• Not compatible with all spare tires. Check your vehicle on the Thule website or ask your dealer if you’ll have any problems.
• Often pricier than comparable Swagman models that have full locking out of the box.

Personally, I would go with this rack if you’re at all concerned about how your unique bike frame will fit into a single arm rack. If you plan to do any off-roading, you might want to go with a bolt-and-wingnut cradle single arm rack that will hold the bike down more firmly with a metal grip instead of a rubber one.

Box Review: Thule 686 Atlantis 1600 cargo box

Update May 19, 2016:

The Thule 686B Atlantis 1600 mold is still being used to make the current Thule 628 Force Large box. This box is a very popular size for modern SUVs with racks near the rear of the roof. It allows you to carry a ski up to 180cm+ while still avoiding the hatch on the vast majority of vehicles.


The Thule 686 Atlantis 1600 cargo box is a popular discontinued Thule rooftop carrier. The shortest, stubbiest box in the Atlantis series, the 1600 is perfect for wagon, minivan and SUV owners who need cargo capacity without interfering with the vehicle's rear hatch.

A common problem with long cargo boxes on modern vehicles is that vehicle manufacturers want to mount roof racks to the back of the roof to minimize the wind noise heard in the cabin. This makes it nearly impossible to center the cargo box between a vehicle's axles. On vehicles with hatches that open up, this tends to result in paint meeting box and scratch meeting paint. By going with a short style box, you minimize this effect or avoid the problem entirely. The downside is anything longer than a 180cm ski is going to have to stay home for this trip.

The Atlantis series of boxes are dual-side opening, which is ideal for loading and unloading the boxes, and makes installation a breeze. The QuickGrip mounting hardware consists of four knobs inside the box, each controlling a set of rubber-coated steel jaws below the box. A few cranks of each knob and the box is installed. This is by far my favorite cargo box to install because of the QuickGrip and dual-side opening. It's literally a 2 minute job, if that.

The Atlantis 1600 is available in 2 standard colors, a smooth silver and black. For summer '07, some shops have a few boxes with a limited edition carbon fiber or brushed steel look. While the box has a steep MSRP of $875 CDN, I feel the ease of install and ideal size and shape for vehicles with rear hatches makes the Atlantis 1600 one of the best cargo boxes going. Plus it has the Thule lifetime warranty. You can't go wrong. Strongly recommended.

Rack Review: Yakima FullSwing 4 hitch rack

Update May 19, 2016: 

Please note that this review refers to a previous generation of the FullSwing than the 2014 generation FullSwing that shares the same name. Please check out my new Yakima FullSwing vs Thule 9027 Apex Swing comparison review for features on the current version.

The Yakima FullSwing 4 is a hitch-mounted bike rack designed for use on vehicles with a Class 3, 2" hitch receiver. It's unique because of its fully extendable arm, which allows the user to leave the bikes mounted while swinging the rack away from the vehicle to open the rear hatch.

The FullSwing 4 comes with Yakima's Deadlock combo locking kit out of the box, giving you a lock for the bolted hitch pin and a cable lock extending out of one arm of the rack, allowing for the end bike to be locked up (securing all bikes in the rack).

A cam lever on top of the main mast of the rack allows users to easily swing the dual arms of the rack down when no bikes are being carried. The switch-blade style cradles on the FullSwing 4 (standard across the dual-arm Yakima bike rack line) help secure your bikes by grabbing on to not only the top tube of the bike frame, but the seat post as well. This helps prevent bikes from swaying back and forth while you accelerate or brake.

One feature of the rack I prefer compared to similar swing-away hitch mounts is the large t-bolt mounted backwards on the rack. This bolt is standard on most swing-away racks, as it connects the two arms of the rack securely when in transit. However, unlike the Thule Revolver or similar products, Yakima mounts their T-bolt on the back side of the rack, facing away from the vehicle. I personally find this bolt easy to kick at from the side of the rack when it is full of bikes, which I find preferable to trying to reach past the mess of bikes with my entire torso to start turning the handle by hand.

A complaint I have about the FullSwing 4 is the short distance between the hole for the receiver mounting bolt and the main mast of the bike rack. This doesn't allow for much distance between the bikes and the vehicle's paint, and makes it almost impossible to use on a vehicle with a rear-mounted spare tire, like a Honda CRV. This problem is common across most hitch-mounted bike racks, as manufacturers don't want to have the weight of the bikes sticking out too far past the rear of the vehicle.

Compared to the Thule Revolver, the Yakima FullSwing 4 is priced at a lower MSRP ($600 CDN vs. $640 CDN), and offers many nearly identical features. Both companies offer a life-time warranty on their racks in North America.