One of the biggest complaints about a hitch rack is that they are just way too cumbersome. They’re heavy, difficult to store and render the back up camera on your vehicle useless in many cases. So finding the right bike rack can be a journey, and quite a daunting one when you look around at all the companies and products out there. The Saris Cycle-On 2-Bike Hitch Rack aspires to combine all those little details into one huge convenience. Let’s check out some of the features on the Cycle-On 2-Bike.
Table of Contents
Saris Cycle-On Hitch Rack Features
Supports 2 ebikes up to 70 lbs each
Compatible with 1.25″ and 2″ Hitch Receivers
Folding, Rolling design for Compact Storage
Telescoping Load Ramp
Anti-Wobble System
Supports Wheel diameters 20″ – 32″ and up to 4″ wide tires.
2x wheel straps on each bike tray.
Total weight 53 lbs (without ebikes)
What’s in the box?
- Comes with the Cycle-On 2-bike rack system. No assembly required, it’s already put together for you and thoughtfully packed
- Hitch Lock pin and Lock with 2x Keys
- Telescopic Loading Ramp
- 2x Keys for the Telescoping locking support arm.
Saris has provided us with the Cycle-On 2-Bike Hitch Rack System so that we could provide hands on review coverage of the Cycle-On bike rack and our experience with the hardware to our readers.
Storage is Key
Storage can be a defining factor on whether or not you want to purchase a particular hitch rack. The Cycle-On shines with regards to storage. This re-imagined hitch rack makes the entire bike adventure experience just better from start to finish. The folding design also has wheels so you can roll it for the ultimate in convenience!
The Cycle-On drastically reduces on storage space by cutting the unfolded footprint to less than 1/3 the width. Located on the bottom of the 2 bike trays (left/close tray and far right tray) are levers that release the hinge so you can fold up the rack. Simply pull the levers and guide the tray upward till they meet in the middle.
About as Easy as it Gets
- Loosen the Anti-wobble mechanism and remove lock pin and lock if you have it on and slide the rack out and place on the ground.
- Reach down and pull the “Tilt Handle” which is located at the center, then retract the hinged hitch tube so it is facing upwards and locks in place.
- Next grab the hands at the top and lean it towards the hitch tube side that you just retracted.
- There are 2 wheels that make it really easy to roll into your garage.
The reduced footprint and wheels are a godsend when storing this thing. The Cycle-On 2-bike hitch rack at 55lbs is about half the weight of the Saris Modular Hitch System 2-bike at 104 lbs, and 10 lbs lighter than the Edge-2 at 65lbs, every pound helps.
Our Experience
Life with the Saris Cycle-On 2-bike hitch rack screams convenience. The reduced footprint is amazing for storage. The folding design brings a whole new aspect to these heavy ebike capable hitch racks that makes it easier for almost anyone to use it. We’ve committed to using this rack all summer and it’s a winner.
When folded up against the car without bikes, the Cycle-On is about half the height of typical hitch racks. The rear view backup camera is not obscured by the rack on our Nissan Rogue. This is incredibly useful since backup cameras are a huge benefit that you don’t want to lose functionality of. This of course is dependent upon the location of your rear view camera.
The Anti-wobble system (introduced in their Edge 2 hitch rack) has thankfully just become standard for Saris hitch racks. It’s an innovation that I can’t imagine living without now that we’ve experienced it. This stabilizes the rack and alleviates the need to purchase an additional u bracket to bolt down. It works incredibly well.
Tilting action
The Cycle-On 2 bike also features Saris’ patented tilting action. This is a staple feature of Saris hitch racks which conveniently allows you to access your hatch back or trunk without unloading the bikes. Now that is convenient.
While stepping on the foot pedal, grab the seat and handlebar from the far bike and roll it gently towards you supporting/controlling the weight until it reaches the full tilted or upright positions. The rack is designed to support the full weight of both bikes (up to 140 lbs of bike) once locked into either position.
Back up Camera
Backup cameras have really changed the way we operate our vehicles for the better. But once you don’t have access to it, that can inconvenience can scream out at you. The Cycle-On has been reimagined with this in mind and keeps the profile low enough not to be obscured when the rack is empty.
Loading heavier ebikes is easier with the telescoping ramp that is included. You’ll need some extra space left/right of your car to use this ramp. It can be shortened but that also increases the ramp angle. It is not always possible to use this ramp as we quickly discovered when loading bikes in a parking lot next to other cars.
The loading ramp clips onto the tray effortlessly but you don’t need to use the ramp if you can just lift your bike onto the tray. You simply lift the metal tab to pull the ramp out when you’re done. The ramp is a wandering soul and has no formal place on the rack. It’s a bit heavy and can cause some issues with convenience taking it with you since you will just be tossing this into your trunk.
Loading eBikes
To make your life easier when loading e/bikes, open up all 3 wheel straps completely first. That includes the telescoping arm that has the barrel lock on it prior to loading any bikes. The bikes can be a little squirelly when loading if you aren’t ready to lock something into place immediately. It is important to find your method because if you load up the bike and you’re not ready to balance it, your heavy ebike could fall off, possibly on you.
According to Saris, you should load the bike closest to the back of you car first, front of the bike facing your left when you’re looking at the back of your vehicle (but it can work in either direction). The outside or 2nd bike should be facing right.
Once you have the bike up on the tray, best to attach the telescoping arm first, even if temporarily to adjust it later. Once you have secured the bike so it is stable, go ahead and attach the wheel straps. Be sure to hook the end over the dot in the back so the excess is tidy and secure. Do your best to place the bike center so each wheel will have roughly the same amount of strap on secured.
The center telescoping arm not only locks but has a ratcheting crank and an articulating knuckle so you can pivot this thing virtually any which way to secure it to some portion of your bikes triangle area or even on the base of the seat post (not the seatpost itself). It is very easy to operate once you understand how it moves. The ratcheting action is good but getting it in there might pose a tiny challenge.
For the 65 or so lbs each ebike weighs, the Cycle-On 2-Bike hitch rack is suitable for longer trips. Where the Cycle-On really shines for us was in everyday use and storage. Easy on easy off, no fuss no muss. At least on our Nissan Rogue you can still use your rear view camera due to the low profile design. So if you were feeling lazy and didn’t want to keep removing this, you could drive around with it on and folded.
and That’s a Rack
The Cycle-On is a versatile 2-bike hitch rack that supports ebikes up to 70lbs each. Features tilting with bikes loaded for trunk access, anti-wobble mechanism. It can fold up to less than 1/3 of its’ wingspan and easily rolls away to store in your garage. The smaller mounted and storage footprint are very convenient for daily use.
The telescopic loading ramp attaches/detaches easily and can be very useful if you need the assistance with heavier bikes. Easy to take on and off daily or the low profile, no frame contact design makes it easy to leave it attached if you like.
The Saris Cycle-On 2-bike might be one of the most convenient hitch racks we’ve ever used. Highly recommended.
$899.99 SAR4820 Cycle-On 2-Bike Hitch Rack
saris.com
