good
product appears well made and carries 2 bikes well.
some mounting suggestions for various bikes would be helpful.

Good rack
I returned saris 2 bones bike rack and purchased this one. Bones rack did not fit properly on my Honda Accord. No problem with this rack.

should've told me up front....
The bike rack seems nice, but who can tell since nowhere does it say that you MUST buy a beam for an additional to use this rack for a women's bike. Returned to Amazon... because for + the additional for the bike beam, I can get something much nicer from my local bike shop.

Saris Guardian 2
This is a pretty nice bike rack. It's sturdy enough to hold your bikes without worrying about them moving around and dislodging. The product manual is really difficult to understand, but the rack itself is simple enough that the manual isn't really needed. Overall, it's worth spending a little extra for this rack, as you don't have to worry about anything when using it! Plus, it's got a lifetime warrenty. Can't go wrong!

Works Great Until you see the Paint Chipped off your Bike!
The Thule No-Sway Cage does a great job holding my bike in place. I would have given it a 5 out of 5 stars but it chipped the paint off my bike! Like the guy said in an earlier review...I wish I would have known it did this because it could have easily been avoided. I put weather stripping on it and it works great...no paint chipping! This really upset me because I paid a lot of money for my mountain bike and the manufacturer of my bike does not sell touch up paint! Also, I called Thule and they are aware of this problem. They said the No-Sway Cage does not chip the paint off all bikes, just some! Thank you Thule for selling a product that does this. Again, this product works great and holds your bike in place....just make sure you put something on it...like weather stripping or some kind of soft pad. Make sure you take the No-Sway Cage off when you are riding and keep it in your car...it can easily be stolen if left on the bike rack.

Works great
This works great on the Thule bike rack...just make sure you secure the two sides and the bottom...this prevent the bike from swaying. I haven't had any issues with this eating up the paint on my bikes yet.

great product
I bought the thule 963 for my wrangler....these dont say they're built for use with it but believe me this is a wise investment...easy to install and easy to use and its durable ..A+

Good product to have
It is easy to install on the bike rack. Very satisfied. Enable me to secure the bike better on the rack. Unfortunately, I am only able to use 1 anti sway on my thule spare me rack. It is sold 2 in a pack.

Awesome
I ordered this two pack for my Bell-branded hitch rack and it fits perfectly. Any rack with rails that are about 1" in diameter will work with this. I wasn't able to confirm this before I ordered so I figured I would take the chance and return if needed. The way it attaches to the rails is perfect, every secure clam shell clip. The two rubber bands per cage are thick and look like they will last a long time. Holds bikes very well. My only complaint is that there is still some movement of the bike and where the plastic of the cage touched the bike frame, it rubbed away the paint. Good thing both of my bikes are aluminum so I don't have to worry about rust, but it would be nice to see a thick rubber pad built into the cage to protect the finish of the bikes. Only 4 stars because this is something Thule should have thought of. Other than that, they are perfect, even if you don't have a Thule rack.

Good alternative to more expensive Hitch Mounted Carriers
I own several bike carriers, including a Thule Trailblazer hitch mounted 4-Bike carrier, trunk mounted and roof mounted carriers, and fork mount blocks for pickup truck beds.
Advantage of hitch mounted carriers:
1) Secure the bike in the back reduces wind resistance at high speeds.
2) Avoid low height accidents like garages vs roof carrier bikes.
Disadvantage of hanging type bike carriers:
1) Bike swings during transit with stop and go traffic. More expensive carriers have brackets to minimize this.
2) Bikes may rub on each other if position too close, which risk marring the paint finish. Two custom road bikes did not fit my hanging carriers, and I was tired of removing the front wheel. I wanted a hitch mounted bike carrier that folded up compactly and did not require removing the front wheels during bike loads. I looked at the Thule, Yakama, and Saris product, but they were expensive, heavy and bulky. Swagman is a Canadian company, and the XTC2 was manufactured in Taiwan. The quality of the product was very good for the price.
The advantage of the Swagman XTC2 over the older XC Cross Country Carrier:
1) XTC2 wheel wells are 1/2 loops vs. full loops of the XC. This allows the tires to be tied down with the improved rubber straps vs. the wheel just sitting on the full loop well.
2) The receiver bar on the XTC2 is S-curved that lifts the carrier above the exhaust pipe vs. a straight bar on the XC. This higher ground clearance also helps with deep road dips and driveways.
3) I agree with the another reviewer that the ratchet locking system to hold down the bike to the rack found on the XTC is much better than the friction knob found in the older carriers by Swagman and carriers by Sportrack. The frame grip arms were improved and soft frame friendly to protect the bike's finish. You can lock the bike to the carrier using a padlock for each hook holders to prevent release of the ratchet. The padlock shackle needs to be a 3/16 inch in diameter or less. Anything thicker will not fit the hole. The spacing from the shackle to the lock needs have at least a 5/8 inch or larger clearance. Anything narrower will not lock. I found such a lock made by Masterlock (Model 131T) at a local discount superstore. The lock is covered in scratch resistant vinyl. They sell it in a 2 lock set with matching keys.
4) Assembling the carrier was easy. Only took about 20 minutes with a phillips screw driver, supplied allen wrench, and socket wrench (to attach the hitch receiver bolt).
5) I was pleased to see that the carrier cleared the rear window hatch opening on my 2006 Ford Escape. I use this hatch to access rear storage when the bikes are mounted. The vertical bar folds down in order to clear the rear door opening. The bikes need to be off the carrier to fold down the bar.
Disappointments:
1) The outer box arrived damaged. It was made of cheap cardboard material. The content were bubble wrapped and loose in the box. See picture. It would have been better if the shipper opened the box, filled it with shipping popcorn, then re closed the box into an outer, more studier shipping box. Luckily, all the parts were present and with no damage.
2) The main carrier can be removed along with the loaded bikes by a motivated thief with the proper tools even to there was a hitch lock in place. Two allen wrench screws are located in the underside crossbar junction. I added a separate cable lock to secure the rack to the hitch.
3) One item not described in the assembly instructions was that two machine screws need to be installed at the underside of the tip to prevent the wheel wells from sliding off.
4) Although the 1-1/4 inch to 2 inch hitch adapter was made of solid metal, and the screw in type hitch pin did minimize wobble, the 1 1/4 inch tubing used to make the receiver bar still had in inherent sway of a few degrees when driving with loaded bikes. The instruction sheet warns to remove bulky item such as child carriers to reduce wind resistance.

Update: December 14, 2009
We recently had a rain storm come through our area. After a few days I noticed a few rust spots on the latch pins which wiped off easily with a rag. The metal not have a rust resistant undercoating, so it is best if the rack is kept dry or out of the elements for long periods of time. I purchased the Swagman 2 inch threaded hitch pin lock from another website and it provides a peace of mind.

Overall this carrier was a great value.

BUY this one!
This is an awesome rack. Bikes are loaded in less than 1 minute! I could not be happier.

Fantastic- Greatly Relieved
What a relief! I spent many a hour looking/researching/contemplating on the next rack I should get after my last one suffered an epic failure.

I have a Mazda 3 sedan and my concerns were:

-I have an expensive and heavy freeride bike.. which bent my last rack.
-My bike is oddly shaped (2007 KingFisher) and hangs on those "racks" very awkwardly... maybe this lead to the rack bending in the first place?
-With the sedan, the bike isn't shielded from the wind like a SUV.
-I drive 45 min on a regular basis to the trails I like at 65+ mph.

Putting it all together was easy peezy. Impressed with the construction. Went for the XTC since I have a semi steep driveway and was skeptical whether the XC would scrape.

Once you have the wheel slots lined up. Putting the bike on is so simple its stupid. Makes you feel like you should do something more.. but that bike isn't going ANYWHERE! Enjoy the ratcheting system and the fact you can lock your bikes in. (locks not included)

Set my two wheeled, 40lb, 8" of travel fun onto the rack and set off for the trails. Cruising along at a cool 65 I was soon satisfied with it's stellar performance. Very little movement. Mozied along going 75mph now. Within 15min of arriving there was the infamous bridge crossing that when taken at the speed limit 65mph will make a noticeable bump up onto the bridge followed by a vicious bump off.. (did my last rack in)

In the spirit of science I took it at 85mph. Very impressive! Very sturdy indeed!

Kept a ratchet in the trunk to take it off once I got to the trails, I would advise getting a lock washer when putting the threaded bolt through.. I'm sure it won't come loose without one.. but it provided peace of mind for me.

Final Note: Great bike rack, very glad I got it! I used other bike racks and always found myself looking in the rear view mirror to see how the bikes were doing... not anymore! They're staying put!

Nice, but some improvement possible
I bought this to use on the back of my 2008 Dodge Caliber for my two Comfort Bikes. The main issue I have with the rack is that while the bar is supposed to tilt sideways to make it easier to put the bikes on, I am pretty much unable to do with the two hooks in place - it doesn't give me the clearance. Secondly, the bikes seem to wabble when driving, but I am confident they are not going anywhere (especially after I drove 12 hours each way from Detroit to Minneapolis with them).

Other than those to issues, the rack is very nice and it securely holds the bikes in place. It is FAR easier to use then the truck mounted one that we have for the other car, and the adjustable tire slots allows you to customize the hold for your bike.

Once slight addition I made was buying a coated security cable (the one that seems to have a plastic coating with a loop on either end - be sure that it is not too long). I put one loop on the main up right bar of the rack, then put it through the tires of each bike then locked it to the hitch (it just gave me the added comfort of locking everything together.

Very glad I bought this
Whether you specifically buy the Swagman or not, my strongest recommendation is to get a bike carrier that attaches via a hitch and has the bikes sit on their wheels rather than hang from a bar by a strap. You just feel more confident that your bikes are secure. You feel more secure while you are driving and you feel more secure when you have to leave your car unattended (assuming you use a locking hitch pin and lock for the bicycle hook arms). If you are going to need a bike carrier more than once, buy one of this type. It's also the best option for women's bikes, which don't have the top bar. (I never trusted aftermarket bars that attached to the seat post and handlebars.)

Things to know (in general):

> Don't go to your car dealership for a hitch. It's the most expensive option. You can get a hitch online for 0 or less and installation should be approximately at any mechanic or auto body shop. The hitch can also be purchased at your local auto parts store, but will be slightly more.
> You want ratcheting bike hook arms (like the swagman). It is so much simpler and faster.
> You might need a can of Rust-Oleum to cover any places where the "protective powder coating" has been scratched off. A can is less than five bucks at any hardware store and you don't want to allow exposed bare metal, which can rust.

Things to know (about the Swagman specifically)

PROS
> holds bikes quite tight and you do not worry at all that they will fall off.
> The anti-wobble hitch pin works.
> Would be difficult (but not impossible) to steal if you use both locking hitch pin and barrel lock for the bike arms.
> Accommodates any size bike, even very small or women's bikes.
> Folds up into very tiny space when not in use. Does not obstruct view out back window.
> Easy to remove and re-attach with say... teenage boy strength required.
> I can open the trunk on my Mazda 3 with it installed (so long as there is no bike on it).
> Very nicely priced as compared to the models from Tule and Yakima.

CONS
> Sometimes the bike arm for one bike will be in the way of you installing a lock on the other bike arm. This would leave one bike unprotected. (This is my one star reduction)
> The little rubber covers for the bike arm hook release lever like to slide off. This is a minor annoyance and does not warrant any reduction in the rating.

OTHER
> If your bikes' top bars are of similar height, you can likely get by with only one lock for the bike arms. If the bikes are the same height, the top bike arm will likely sit so close to the bottom that the bottom one could not be lifted high enough to remove the bike anyway. However, if the two bikes are of dissimilar size, you might need two locks.
> Buy the locking anti-wobble hitch pin (sold separately). It's worth the piece of mind. Also buy a RATCHETING 7/8in crescent wrench to tighten it.
> The Hollywood Racks Sport Rider seems almost identical to this product. Check out both before purchasing.

-RM

Nice Sturdy Unit
Bought this bike rack to use on the back of our class c motorhome. The rack was very easy to assemble. I noticed right away the construction was superior to other racks I have looked at (this is a heavy rack) with all parts fitted and finished nicely. Look forward to many miles of use with this unit!

Allen 3-Bike Premium
She's sturdy. We drove 490 miles with it this weekend and it was great.
Easy installation, quick release allows it to fold down easily, and another quick release allows it to tilt out of the way for liftgate access.
Very satisfied.

yakima Raptor Aero Rooftop bike rack
I have used yakima products for 20 years. This rack is one of the poorest made yakima racks I have ever owned

Excellent bike rack
Great bike rack! I like that I don't have to remove the front tire and it is still quite stable. I recommend this to anyone who doesn't like taking off the front tire to put their bike up.

Good quality but bulky and probably less aerodynamic.
I have been looking for a rack that fits my new 2010 Subaru Outback's slick factory crossbars. I was real disappointed in the lack of selection. This was one of the few that came ready for factory aero racks out of the box. Quality is good but the overall size of it with the mighty mounts is bulky. And mounting the bike makes the aesthetic even worse.

Not sure I would purchase again based on this fact. I would rather go for a fork mount. But finding a fork mount that supports factory racks is near impossible. The options all require the mighty mounts which add height and cannot be locked to the bar.

Best Roof Mount Rack for the Money
This roof mount rack by Yakima is the best rack for the money. Easy to install, not bad to assemble out of the package and hold our bikes excellent!

The only downfall in my opinion is that if you leave the racks in place without a bike for traveling they do not come with a strap/tiedown for the arm. It seems to ride well in the down position but still being able to "latch" it down seems to be a better option.

All together though this was the best roof mount rack of 4 brands we looked at.

great rack
Easy to assemble. Stable construction. Used it on a cross country road trip in our subaru wagon. worked great. Bikes stade nice and secure whipping down the highway. Would highly recommend for anyone who has rails already on there car so they don't have to spend extra cash on putting in yakima rails.

Works as advertised
Product worked very well and was fairly easy to mount. We got the 2 bike version but only mounted one bike and it rode very well, even though the car was very small. Due to our car geometry (Nissan Sentra) and large size of bike, we had to use the outer cradle to mount the bike as the inner cradle put the bike up against the trunk lid. However, we use ours only for one bike and it worked great. Made a 200 mile round trip with it and had no problems whatsoever.

Great bike rack at a good price
Transports our bikes perfectly. The bikes have not gotten marred and they do not sway at all. Held securely in place during our 500 mile trip. Not a single problem with this bike rack at all. I would highly recommend this to anyone thinking about getting a bike rack.

Not a very good quality rack.
I purchased this rack from my local bike shop about a year and a half ago. I liked that it was adjustable (I have a Nissan Maxima with a spoiler, which it just barely clears), and that it was cheap. I used it for a while with just one bike on it, and had no problems... at first.

A few months ago, I had my bike and my girlfriend's on it to go to the Grand Canyon from Santa Barbara, CA, which is about a 7 hour drive. On the way there, the saddles of the rack began to shift a bit on the poles they are attached to. I thought nothing of it until the drive home, when the bike in the rear-most position began wobbling noticeably in my rear-view mirror. I pulled over, and found that the saddles were slipping down the poles, working their way toward the ends. I had to take the bikes off three times on the drive and wrestle the saddles back to their normal positions. On a recent 10-hour drive, I had to tie my bike's seat post to the vertical pole on the rack so it wouldn't do the same thing. I no longer trust the rack with more than one bike on it, especially since I came home from the Grand Canyon with fresh pedal scratches all over the back of my car.

Another thing is that the rubber straps became too stretched out and began popping off their attachments. Another problem is that the weight of two bikes caused the rack to make a big depression in my bumper, which luckily popped out again once the bikes came off. You also can't really open your trunk with a bike on the rack, because you have to slam it really hard to get it to latch again with the rack hitting the bumper.

To sum up, I really don't like this rack, and I wish I had a trailer hitch or roof racks so I could get a real bike rack. Hollywood sucks.

Works great on my 2008 Elantra
Just a few minutes of fiddling got this mounted sturdily onto the trunk of my 2008 Elantra. It feels really secure, and my bike hardly jiggles at all, even at highway speeds. I can open my trunk with the rack attached, even with my bike on it!

The straps are much longer than I needed (to support bigger cars/SUVs), but I'm just going to cut them shorter.

Best trunk-mounted bike rack I've ever used (of course it can't compare with hitch-mounted ones).

Great Rack, Best for the Money!
I have used some of my friend's more expensive racks and really cannot see what makes them cost so much more. I use this rack on a 2000 Acura TL and it fits perfectly without leaving any dents or scratches. This rack is very sturdy, reliable, and setting it up for your car takes but a minute. The one thing about this rack is that I don't think it could hold two bikes. Not because it can't handle it, but because the second bike might be too close to your car if not on your car. That is just my observation. I have not had the need nor do I think I will have the need to use two bikes on it, but, if you do, then you might want to look around and see how it will fit on your car because two bikes would not fit on mine. Nonetheless, I give this rack five stars because it performs very well and covers my needs perfectly. It is just as sturdy and reliable as the higher priced racks so don't waste your money on anything else, this rack will do everything you need it to. I am very happy with it.

Not ok as is for heavy use
We ride bikes several times per week. I say we meaning my me and my kids. So I carry 2-3 bikes on this several times per week. There are problems with heavy use. First of all, the pin that lets the rack fold down is 3/8 inch. Mine actually bent from running on the highway with 2-3 bikes. I drilled it out and put a 1/2 pin. Also, I didn't trust the threaded hitch pin that comes with the rack, it is also 3/8 inch and all that force is on the threads. If they break, by by rack. So I drilled it out to 1/2, used a regular class 2 1/2 pin and a product called a hich vise. for the hitch vise, but the system works much better and is more stable. Finally, the sytem holds the bikes with flexible plastic pieces which slide on 1 1/4" metal poles. They hold the bikes well, but they also slide on the poles resulting in bikes ending up touching and rubbing paint off each other. Since I have no idea how anyone could fit four bikes on this rack, I went with mounts for three. You can remove a screw on the end of each pole, take the end cap off and slide off or on the pieces that hold the bikes on. I took one set off and then cut 1 1/4 inch PVC pipe to keep the other three sets equal distance from each other. This is dirt cheap and works extremely well, the bikes stay put on the poles and don't touch each other. Lots of modifications for this rack but it works well now. I think I would buy a more expensive one in the future but there aren't many choices if you need 1 1/4 and all I have ia a class 2 hitch so I can't use a 2 inch hitch.

Very Good Bike Rack
This is a very nice bike rack for the money. I've been able to get my mother's bike on this rack without using an adapter bar. Sometimes it can be difficult to get some bikes on, but I haven't had a bike that I couldn't get it on it yet.

It does exactly what I needed it to do and I do not think I would have been more satisfied with a more expensive rack.

Solid bitch rack
Easy to assemble. Feels solid and well made. Fits well into the tow hitch receiver.

Excellent four bike rack for 1.25" hitch
I am very pleased with Yakima for creating this rack. We downgraded cars which forced us to have a 1.25" hitch instead of an earlier 2" hitch. Our previous four bike rack was from Reese, which worked very well but was heavy and over built.

Yakima BigHorn 4 is lighter yet very strong. It is the perfect size while supporting four bikes. The assembly instructions were clear. The parts and box were nicely thought out. The bike mounting and straps are as good as any I used. There was not a large selection of four bike hitch racks for 1.25" and I was please Yakima still supported this need. It appears this rack is identical between the 1.25" and 2" hitches with only one part change. Well thought out design.

The only negative and the reason I didn't give it 5 stars relates to a plastic guide when lowering the rack. This plastic guide can pop off and needs to be pushed into placed when lifting the rack in the upright position. I don't anticipate lowering it often and with care it functions fine, but you do need to keep this in mind.

Do note that for 1.25" hitches, you do get more side to side sway compared to a 2" hitch but it is acceptable and the Yakima design is plenty strong enough.

Well made and works well
I abuse this rack and haul my bikes everywear and it holds up very well. My bikes are secure and I don't ever worry about them. Roof racks scare me as I know too many people that have destroyed their bikes on the garage door.

This rack has a swivel to lower the rack and get to the hatch, but beware! When the rack is loaded-down with bikes, it is very heavy! You'll need a buddy to help raise the rack back into position. This earned it a four star instead of a five.

I also had to purchase a Hollywood Racks Boomer Bar Womens or Dual Suspension Bike Rack Frame Adapter for my full-suspension mountain bike to fit on this rack. My road bike and wife's bike fit just fine though.

Overall, this is a good piece of gear that I could not live without.

Great Bike Rack
This bike rack is very sturdy and easy to use. The bikes barely move back and forth when going over train tracks and bumpy roads. Great feature to get into the back of your tail gate on a jeep. I would recommend this item.

Good Rack
A good all around rack. Built well and very functional. Only problem is customer service at Hollywood. Called with a few questions and the person was impatient and a bit condescending. Too bad- kind of bittered me towards future Hollywood products.

Awesome Bike Rack!
Great 4-bike rack at a great price. Light enough for me to easily put on and off by myself, as a 47 year old woman, but very sturdy. Easy to snug bikes up, anti-sway works well. I can even open my back hatch on my Lexus 330, without hitting it. Get a pad lock to replace the Carter key, and it is secured to your hitch. But you still need to lock your bikes onto the rack with a cable, if you leave them. Excellent product!

An ignorant review
I only say ignorant because I never really gave this product a try on my car. But I HAVE installed it just to get accustomed to it. First, it uses nylon straps to secure onto the car. I have no real problems with this since it seems secure enough (although I have my reservations). However, if you baby your car like I do, the straps and the rubber coated hooks can rub against parts of your car. If you're not careful, this will mar parts of your car's paint or bend an edge here or there. Second, the hooks that come out do not have separate straps to hold down your bike. I am guessing you would have to just tie them down with rope or buy another strap/strapping product. What I liked about the product was that it was simple and easy to store. It folds up pretty flat and can stand up on its own (very convenient). You can also transfer it to another car if needed with little effort. In the end I opted out for a hitch and a hitch mount bike rack and gave away the Hollywood rack to the first neighbor that I saw had a bike. It was more expensive but it was faster to deal with and a hitch has much more usefulness, but that is another story.

Hollywood, 3 bike rack
this fit very securely on an 05 Toyota Camry. I actually got it to use as a rack for my mothers wheel chair which weighs 50 lbs.. who would think that no one has cornered that market to make/sell this as, a wheel chair rack. It works perfectly.

my first bick rack
Very nice bicycle rack. Attaches easily to the rear door of my 98 dodge caravan. Carrying three full size bikes would be stretching the limits of this product. Especially a far distance. I carry it with me all the time just in case.

Works great...a good value!
The Hollywood F1B was exactly what I wanted to carry our bikes for a recent camping trip. Easy to fit and fasten, it worked perfectly on my 2010 Fusion (with no damage to the finish, either). With just a little readjusting, it fit 3 full-size bikes. Only one has a horizontal bar, so the other two bikes rested on their angled frame pieces. The lack of individual frame clips and straps was actually an advantage for this arrangement. The mounting straps do loosen somewhat as the padding compresses, so stopping to retighten the straps after the first half-hour or so (as someone else suggested) kept everything snug and secure. Took off one star because the rack comes with only two tie-downs even though it's a 3-bike rack. I purchased 3 pairs of 2-foot long bungee cords that worked wonderfully for holding the bike frames to the rack. The center strap that goes around all three bikes is a nice extra security feature. Once tightened down, those bikes weren't going anywhere until we took them off at the campground. A good value for the money!

Exactly as expected.
I bought this rack to make a cross-country move with my wife and son. We are planning on camping during the trip and wanted to take the bikes along for ventures to the camp store and nearby vicinity. The mounting instructions are simple to follow and the rack is easily mounted with one person and only took about five minutes (first-time mounting; now that I've gotten the hang of it, will probably even take less time.)

All in all a great product and would highly recommend for ease of use.

Great for Cannondale SuperV Full Suspension
Just recently purchased a Thule hitch mount bike rack and our Full Suspension bikes would not fit with what I felt was secure.

Purchased two of the Boomer Bars and they worked great so far. Lowered the level of our bikes to give a clear view out the back window and held both bikes straight and level.

We have two Cannondale Super-V Full Suspension bikes with oversized tubes and this made hanging these bikes from both the hitch mount bike rack as well as our inside bike rack a breeze!

used a few times
Works great for my heavy comfort bike, I have not used it a lot. No cautions.

User friendly boomer bar for women's bicycles
Easily used adjustment on women's bicycles to be carried on the Hollywood bicycle hitch rack. We carry 1 man's bike and 3 women's bikes on our car rack and these boomer bars are well made and easy to put on and take off.

perfect solution
this is exactly what i was looking for. bar is very sturdy construction so you don't have to worry about the bike going anywhere when it's on the carry rack. quick ship, too.

makes carrying a ladies bike easy
Carrying a womens bike or unisex can be difficult on your cars bike carrier. These work. Makes odd shaped frames easy to carry