Brian, oh, I see. Ok, if you can push the front wheel’s arm down that would work!
Sally, yay! You proved it with pics and that setup looks great!!!!!
Back to the drawing board! On Jul 30, 2024, at 3:55 PM, Sally Bidleman <3mun...@gmail.com> wrote:
<Kuat 2.0 NV.JPG> Kuat 2.0 NV with our 2 fendered bikes. We don't use extra straps and have hit a few big potholes...so far, so solid! Leah - if you continue watching the video, you will see that the reviewer does exactly as I (and others) have said we do by adding extra Voile straps around each wheel where they sit in the tray. Even in the Quickr video the guy says he does that for extra security. In the case of the Kuat rack, the extra Voile strap really does cut down on any movement caused by normal driving around. Here's what I do: tighten the bike down normally with the built-in swing arm (front) and cam strap (rear). Then, I add a Voile strap tightly around the front wheel and front wheel cradle, and another Voile strap around the rear wheel and tray (right next to the cam strap). Then, I further tighten the swing arm and cam strap for good measure. With any rack, you want to make sure you tighten everything down as tight as possible to help prevent the bike from moving or bouncing around.
To address your other concern, yes, I use my Kuat front swing arm just fine with front fenders. I just make sure I position it about 1/2" away from the front edge of the fender so that it tightens down on the tire, and not the fender. I've hauled fendered bikes to and from Kentucky / Florida about 5 times a year for the past 4 years with no issues whatsoever. You really can't go wrong with either rack - they are both excellent, but for me, I felt confident that the Kuat would work best with fendered and racked bikes, and I still think I made the better call. If I only had mtn bikes, or heavy eBikes, or bikes with no fenders, then perhaps I would've chosen the 1UP.
Brian Lex KY
Brian, I’m one video in and already see a major problem with the Kuat. I have a front fender - how is that arm not going to interfere with it? And look how close it sits to the brake in the video. Yikes. And then the reviewer goes on to show his major complaint, but by then I think the rack is already ruled out for me since I have that front fender. But wait…you have fendered bikes. How are you using the Kuat without damaging the front fenders? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZAa27a1JNIMy understanding was Kuat's haven't been made in USA for awhile. Years back i was excited about the prospect of buying a rack made in my state of MO but then they outsourced their manufacturing. Maybe things have changed since i looked into it last.
Brian
Watched the Quickr rack video and I have to say, all of his gripes (aside from the ramp feature for super heavy eBikes) are non-existant with the Kuat NV Base 2.0. The reviewer mentioned not liking how the bike sways back and forth, and he uses a Voile strap for extra peace of mind - well, you don't get that sway with the Kuat, and I only use additional Voile straps as a failsafe in the unlikely event that either the swing arm or cam strap failed (anything can happen I guess).
Again, if the important thing is traveling with racked and fendered bikes that have less than 50 inch wheelbases (this is every Riv model except Large and XL Gus), I would highly recommend giving the Kuat NV Base 2.0 a serious consideration. Here's my personal list of PROS in no particular order: - Made in USA - Excellent customer service - No wait times as long as you can find a dealer near you (many bikes shops are Kuat dealers) - Expandable bike capacity (up to 4 bikes max.) - All operations can be controlled with a single hand, or with the help of the foot pedal - Secure, fender and rack-friendly front swing arm - Fender-friendly rear wheel cam strap (you get an extra one with the rack, too) - built-in, keyed cable locks for each bike tray - Optional work stand accessory (comes standard on the NV 2.0) - 3rd party accessory brake lighting available (I purchased one from Kody Technologies)
- lower profile than the chunkier 1UP and Quickr models - much lower MSRP ($800)
The only CON I can think of is there are some plastic pieces on the Kuat, whereas I believe the other racks are all metal... if that factor is important to you.
Brian Lex KY
That video was VERY helpful, Eddietheflay.
Yes, there doesn’t appear to be a perfect rack for our type of bikes and it comes down to choosing the one that gets most of the wishlist and the compromises that irritate you the least. For me, I have 3 Rivendells and I want to be able to take all three if need be. So, I’ve gotta have a 3 bike rack that caters to LWB, fendered bikes. There are a few workarounds for both 1Up and Quickr that should allow fendered bikes to be safely carried. I just wish I wasn’t having to discover them. I did find a helpful discussion about fendered bikes in the company FAQs: https://quikrstuff.com/faqs/
But how to get around a $1700 price tag and 7 week wait… L
On Tuesday, July 30, 2024 at 12:26:37 PM UTC-4 SallyG wrote:
We have the Kuat 2.0 NV (45 Clem and 50 Platy). It's a great one! We use it on our Subaru Crosstrek. (Brian, you're not alone!)
With a 1up you can ratchet the front arm onto your front tire tight enough so that it pretty much holds the bike steady with just that one arm. And then use the foam fender protected arm on the back wheel as a less pressurized steadying force.
On Tuesday, July 30, 2024 at 8:12:35 AM UTC-7 J J wrote:
I looked into 1Up and Quikr racks very seriously last fall. I like how they looked and construction quality seems great.
Echoing Lex's points, their design and functionality are inherently unfriendly for bikes with fenders, which most of my bikes have. I've spent way too much time fretting over, adjusting and fine tuning fender installations to risk messing up the delicate lines with a foam hack that necessarily crushes against the fenders to secure the bike. That categorically ruled out these good looking racks. (I also did not appreciate the long lead time — currently seven weeks — for the Quikr racks or the fact that they require full payment when ordering instead of when they ship. They do this partly on the basis that they are still a "startup" after years of being in business.)
I finally settled on a Thule EasyFold XT for a few reasons. It uses a ratcheted wheel strap system with frame holders that are super secure. It is friendly to bikes with fenders. And it is overbuilt for my needs — a good thing — with a weight capacity of 130 pounds. The most it would carry with two of my bikes (say, two Hunqapillars) is 55 to 80 pounds, depending on how they are outfitted, but it would usually be less than that because all of our other bikes are lighter. I like that the rack has capacity overhead. I also supplement the wheel straps with additional straps to be extra careful.
Securing bikes to it is a quick, easy process after a couple of practice tries. It is a heavy rack, though it does have built-in wheels for easy-ish transport. I don't know how well super long wheelbase Rivs would fit on it. And it is limited to two bikes.
It's worth checking out the EasyFold if the criteria I've outlined here align with yours.
Jim On Tuesday, July 30, 2024 at 10:11:59 AM UTC-4 Doug H. wrote:
The move from a minivan to an SUV was bittersweet for my wife and me. My wife's Highlander is more stylish and "hip" but it also meant my sons were growing up...now grown. I do plan to get a rack soon too so am following this thread with interest.Doug
On Tuesday, July 30, 2024 at 8:51:01 AM UTC-4 eddietheflay wrote:
Here's a Quikr demo of an ebike with fenders and a rack. I know we're not talking ebikes here but some of the issues prob apply to your normal bike with fenders and rack: https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=ac57164e41e9010e&sca_upv=1&sxsrf=ADLYWILR16mc0d4NuTFXlUYgnfbMkhoR7A:1722342812906&q=Quikr+Rack&tbm=vid&source=lnms&fbs=AEQNm0BglSNKPbDQcL4Et01QEIYvJ5VGsHgUL_tsKqYywhWXkknveTpaLEIQiU02u5i1FK5Aui8Lbcs6UtNG0K_ZRX5_Sfaez_nbio7ZevU-01UapAjSv2wQk2-mAIavlPl_IkQ9yjJrEAWBuJoPLi7CJPLOGmXJAB-cC9hSF3CAeTg0OrmMoOkp_LJE5lRf15vrfQGVTuGVYB7nO8MG0W7JENMvjGyviA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjAva384s6HAxWyKUQIHRtWDr0Q0pQJegQIFxAB&biw=1422&bih=621&dpr=1.35#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:cc99a11e,vid:H9848h70rrY,st:0
On Tuesday, July 30, 2024 at 5:32:49 AM UTC-7 Johnny Alien wrote:
I don't think the quikrstuff is a vast improvement over 1UP so I went with 1UP based on reviews and money. That was just based on functionality not ethics of the company. I like to support companies that aren't sketchy so I am really interested in what that archived article says. The link isn't working for me.
On Tuesday, July 30, 2024 at 7:58:31 AM UTC-4 Brian Turner wrote:
I’m probably going to be the only one here to recommend a Küat NV 2.0, because I know this group has thoroughly lauded the 1UP racks many times over… but please take my 4 years of experience with this rack for what it’s worth.
While they are very well-built racks with nice features (and MUSA is a plus), as an owner of several bikes with metal fenders and racks, I simply do not like the way the arms on 1UP racks clamp down on fendered bikes. Yes, I know they make a little foam spacer, but the arm still has to ratchet down and put pressure on your fenders, and I can’t see a little foam padding doing much to prevent potential deformation of a fender. One of my best friends has a 1UP that he loves for all his other bikes *except* for his racked and fendered bike, and he readily admits it to me despite being such a 1UP fan.
The NV 2.0 uses a ratcheting swing arm for the front, and a ratcheting rear wheel strap, so you don’t have to clamp anything down on your fenders. I put a couple of extra Voile straps on each wheel and around the tray of the rack just for extra security.
I have possibly THE longest Riv possible, with the exception of say, an XL Gus. My 54cm medium Gus, with a 50” wheelbase fits just fine and secure on my Küat because 50” is the max. wheelbase… and I’ve carried a 55cm Playtpus that fits perfectly (so there’s your confirmation in that respect).
The built-in cable locks are also a very nice feature. I carry two fendered bikes nearly 900 miles to FL and back 4-5 times each year, and have never had any issues or felt like they were insecure at all.
Brian Lex KY
Leah, a friend bought one of these racks after extensive research and couldn’t be happier. He uses it for an array of bikes with and without fenders and suspension, he continues to rave about it. Steven Sweedler
Plymouth, New Hampshire
I am no longer a minivan driver. The old gal gave up the ghost and I replaced her with a Kia Telluride (Leah’s Kia!). I’ve got an appt to have a hitch installed Aug 12, and meanwhile am handwringing about racks. I have a Saris Freedom 4 bike rack that I really liked. But it’s full of plastic pieces, which are beginning to fail, AND the rack doesn’t play well with all vehicles. My husband’s Jeep Gladiator has a bumper that interferes with the rack being in the folded position. I won’t know how it fits with the Telluride until I get that hitch.
So, I’ve been looking into racks that will work with fendered, racked bikes. There are no perfect options, only options that *might* work. I emailed RivSister Joyce, who has fendered, racked Rivs and a 1Up rack and she said something interesting. She likes her 1Up, but also, the makers split and there’s another company out there making a similar rack with improvements.
Well!
I think the Quikr racks look really, really fantastic. They just cost a MINT. I’m wondering if any of you have heard of them and/or have one. I really need a good option in my back pocket for when this Saris fails or when I discover it hits into the back of my Telluride.
If nothing else, this is an interesting discussion because there are a lot of 1Up fans here and if the article is true, that’s pretty despicable behavior on the one guy’s part… Leah
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