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SportRack ABR611 Nomad Universal Upright rack
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Other:$119.95
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Product Information
| Binding: | Sports |
| EAN: | 0770527000783 |
| Label: | Thule |
| Feature: | Sturdy, well-built car-top bike rack Mounts directly to all OEM or aftermarket crossbars up to a maximum 3.5-inch bar diameter with included universal U-bolts Accepts bikes with frames from one-to-two inches in diameter Adjustable locking cam system with interchangeable lock core keeps your ride secure Large, overlapping jaw further boosts security |
| Publisher: | Thule |
| Studio: | Thule |
Description
Mounts directly to all OEM or aftermarket crossbars with universal U bolts
Customer Reviews
I ordered the SportRack ABR611 Nomad Universal Upright rack and was initially happy with the item till I started assembling the parts into the correct configuration and mounting it to the vehicle. Had one major problem, two of the four sets that I ordered were missing the mounting hardware thus leaving me with two useless partial systems. Called the company and asked them to send the mounting hardware, but unfortunately they were unable to help......guess you get what you pay for and probably should have just spent a little more and gone with a brand name Thule or Yakima!!
We have found the racks work great. The tray could be a little longer, but they are easy to set-up and hold the bikes stable. I have enjoyed using them. The only downside was that all of the hardware (screws, nets, bolts) was missing in three of the four that we purchased. I called the company. After a 20 minute conversation, they shipped most of the hardware- left some out. I had to go to the hardware store and purchase replacement hardware for what was not included. Unfortunately, exact hardware fits could not be found because the exact metric screws are not sold here in the US (or if they are, I simply couldn't find them in the major US Metro Area that I live in).
I have a Mercury Villager and a Jeep Patriot. Both of them have wide factory crossbars on the roof racks. The SportRack was the only bike rack I could find that would fit... and it fit perfectly. The clamps are broad (3") and have a gentle arc to them, just like my roof racks. It might not work as well on crossbars that are round or square.
The racks aren't too hard to assemble, and all the critical connection points are metal (for instance, the plastic retainers have threaded inserts). It looked and felt plenty solid. The clamp mechanism works fine on most bikes, but my son's mountain bike has a non-round frame and the clamp doesn't work on that.
The sliding "ramps" and straps work well, but there is a limit to how long the bike can be and still work... my longest bike is 53 1/2" from hub to hub, and it fits on the SportRack but the rear ramp and strap have to be in front of the rear wheel, instead of behind it. The bike seems to be secure, but I'd prefer the ramp to be behind the wheel. Adding a center section somehow would help.
It's not as expensive as the Thule or Yakima, but it's mechanically sound. Why pay more?
The racks aren't too hard to assemble, and all the critical connection points are metal (for instance, the plastic retainers have threaded inserts). It looked and felt plenty solid. The clamp mechanism works fine on most bikes, but my son's mountain bike has a non-round frame and the clamp doesn't work on that.
The sliding "ramps" and straps work well, but there is a limit to how long the bike can be and still work... my longest bike is 53 1/2" from hub to hub, and it fits on the SportRack but the rear ramp and strap have to be in front of the rear wheel, instead of behind it. The bike seems to be secure, but I'd prefer the ramp to be behind the wheel. Adding a center section somehow would help.
It's not as expensive as the Thule or Yakima, but it's mechanically sound. Why pay more?
My only real complaint about this product is that it's too short for the 56" road bike that I bought it for. The maximum bike size that it's intended for should be in the description. I still use it, just without the little support for the rear wheel. I found this rack very easy to install on the factory crossbars on my car. (I don't know what's wrong with the guy that wrote the other review.) It is also very easy and quick to load and offload my bike. I just need to remember the bike's there before pulling into the carport!
This rack is reasonably priced and, for the most part, does what it's supposed to do.
However, it has some problems. First, it's not easy to assemble or adjust. My bike is a 51cm racing bike, so it has a very short wheelbase. With this rack adjusted to maximum length, my bike won't fit without removing the rear wheel holder bracket. The straps it comes with to secure the wheels to the rack are much too short. With 23X700 wheels, the strap will barely reach around and leaves no room to adjust. The knobs that secure the main portion of the rack are very difficult to tighten by hand. I had to use vice-grips to turn them. After I do some MacGyver reengineering, I'll be able to use this rack, but it's a pretty disappointing product out of the box.
However, it has some problems. First, it's not easy to assemble or adjust. My bike is a 51cm racing bike, so it has a very short wheelbase. With this rack adjusted to maximum length, my bike won't fit without removing the rear wheel holder bracket. The straps it comes with to secure the wheels to the rack are much too short. With 23X700 wheels, the strap will barely reach around and leaves no room to adjust. The knobs that secure the main portion of the rack are very difficult to tighten by hand. I had to use vice-grips to turn them. After I do some MacGyver reengineering, I'll be able to use this rack, but it's a pretty disappointing product out of the box.
This is just another knock off of better manufactured products. It's my second OEM rack mount except the first one is a RockyMounts fork mount. First, the bar comes in two pieces to keep the shipping box shorter. It doesn't effect the overall performance of the track, nonetheless, it would be stronger if it was one piece. Second, there is no security once the rack is mounted. Anyone with some time can just unscrew the knobs and remove the rack (with your locked bike on it)and take the whole thing. I would estimate this taking no more than three minutes. A special wrench or removalble knob or two would prevent this. So, if your planning on parking at an isolated trailhead etc. be aware you could come back to a rackless vehicle, worse, lose of your ride. Third, the wheel straps are a joke, virtually worthless and time consuming, RockyMounts is a sturdy ratchet type, quick release. My plan is to sew on some velcro for speed and better tightening. Lastly, the main mounting plate at the front is plastic versus a heavy duty wide metal plate on the RockyMounts. In the end, I got what I paid for. If I had to do it over, I would pop another 50-75 dollars and get something of better quality. One last thing to consider: these type carriers have two points of contact to your OEM rack. If you install a two bar system, you are actually creating four points of contact with your OEM rack. This will make these type racks much more sturdier creating less sway on your bike. Good luck!
If you need a rack for a full-size bicycle, be ready to perform some modifications. The quality of this rack is fine, it's just too short. I had to fabricate and add a section to the middle of it to use it. I like the quality of the rack and the locking mechanism for holding the bike, just be warned about the length issue.
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