Any recommendations on what bike rack/swing you use on your GFC or camper shell? I have been considering this for a while now and it seems like there are several good options most of them you purchase the bike rack and then swing arm separately. I have been considering Rocky Mounts as they look like a good product and are $650. Also looking at 1up and Kuat.
We love our 1UP. I’ve used a lot of racks and it stands well above the rest.
With the DCLB, I’d like to switch to an aftermarket bumper with a swing that puts the hitch up higher. The length of the DCLB makes the hitch a particularly low point on departure angle.
1 Like
Thanks. I have a DCLB too. This is why I was looking at Rocky Mounts as their setu sits little bit higher than others. Do you have a pic of your hitch swing out?
I am also considering a swing away. My handlebars hit the GFC, so I need to extend the rack away from the truck. My rack is the Yakima Holdup 2 Evo and my bars are 800mm. I have read good reviews about the yakima backswing, but it moves the rack out a lot, about 13”. I have also heard good things about the RakAttach. I will be curious to see what you end up with.
1 Like
I am running the Rocky Mounts backstage rack with the GFC and love it. its a heavy beast but built very solid. The swing away feature is a game changer.
1 Like
I don’t have a swing out there yet, just the 1UP. The 1UP itself doesn’t impact departure angle much because it angles up. It is the Toyota hitch itself that sits lower than I’d like. There are a few photos floating around of hitch swings that move the hitch mount up significantly - like 2 ft to mid tailgate - that is what I’d like to do eventually.
In the meantime though, 1UP works great for me. No handlebar issues and my handlebar is 780mm IIRC.
1 Like
I have the Rocky Mounts one. Love it!
Luckily I found it on FB Marketplace for like $350 new in box.
2 Likes
I have a bunch of short videos of my setup with a rakattach and 1up but the forum won’t let me upload them. My GFC was currently in the shop to get resealed during the picture
2 Likes
I like my Recon Rack.
Last I knew he was working on a swing away. Mine works fine even without swinging to the side. It lowers down so you can access the truck/GFC.
1 Like
I’ve posted before - but here’s another picture - 1up on a swing out tire carrier w/ receiver tube added to the swing out. Bumper is from 4x innovations, which is right down the street from 1up USA.
Gets the bars higher, easy to get out of the way, doesn’t block my plate.
I had the Rocky Mounts swing out before but hated the latching mechanism and dual pivot for day to day use.
5 Likes
Thanks @Smelly621. I really like the look and structure of the 1up rack the most. I’m trying to compare price and overal weight as well. Rockymounts sounds like the best deal with everything included but I’m willing to pay more if I get better functionality. I don’t want to hate opening and closing this thing or removing it from time to time either.
-
Rocky Mounts back stage swing away: $649.95
Weight: 59lbs -
1Up heavy duty double: $569
Weight: 46 lbs
Rack attack swing away: $359
Weight: 43 lbs
Total cost/ weight: $928/ 89 lbs -
Kuat NV 2.0: $689
Weight: 52 lbs
Kuat pivot 2 swing away: $329/ 39 lbs
Total weight/ cost $1018/ 91 lbs
1 Like
Fyi, I don’t have time to Google right now, but I think one of the big company’s swing outs is the same as rakattach because they licensed rakattatch’s design… I can’t remember if it was kuat, Yakima, etc. The difference in weight could be the size. The unique thing about rakattach is that they offer both left and right swing outs. I couldn’t find another brand that offered a left swing out when I purchased my setup 6 months ago.
Cool. I saw that rack attack offers swing out to either side. I was thinking swing out to the right or passenger side would be ideal.
The Rockymounts swing out was good quality, and I was happy with how it held the bikes - but I just found myself taking it off all the time because the opening/closing was a pain. My tailgate would make contact with it even without bikes - so I was swinging it out of the way frequently.
Rakattach looks better in terms of latching - but I don’t have first-hand experience.
Being about to open the side panels on the GFC makes all of these options easier to live with on a day to day basis.
Adding a receiver to a swingout bumper is the way to go.
1Up is the way to go. Well worth the money.
I’ve owned just about every bike rack on the market and the 1Up is the nicest/best hands down.
1 Like
Get a Kuat Pivot and add whatever bike rack you like. I prefer 1UP.
Thanks for the pivot v2 recommendation. Comparing it to the rack attach it appears to be $30 less, 4 lb less, and swings out to 120° vs 90. I wonder if there’s anything else I’m missing.
I have been leaning towards the 1up rack as I like the construction in materials but I also like that I can buy it as a single rack and then get an add-on for an additional bike. Also I have a small car that a single rack would be good for.
absolutely love 1up and would never buy anything else! the adjustability for different sized bikes to make sure the handlebars and seat posts don’t hit is unrivaled. Love being able to add 1 or two extra trays. I also have the rakattach and think it is a super well built piece as well. I am actually selling mine as I’m goin full size and it wont quite work with an f150. if you are anywhere near boise and want to pick up the rakattach for a taco or similar sized truck for a good deal, let me know!
2 Likes
Im a huge mountain biker in addition to being a 4x4 enthusiast. Many times combining both for trips I take. Mountain bike during the day and camp/wheel in the afternoon and evening. If you’re driving offroad a bumper swing away with attached 1up rack is the only way to go for these key reasons:
•Highest possible departure angle
•You can swing away the bike while at camp
Im runnning a CBI rear bumper with a reciever welded onto the tire swing out. Been tested on high clearnace trails like Hells Revenge, 7 Mile Rim, Top of the World etc. Never had clearance issues at all.
8 Likes