Yakima HoldUp Bike Hitch Rack ( Comments?)

Hi, Im looking to get a new rack, prob a 2" inch hitch for two bikes/ expand to 4.

Anyone have a Yakima "Hold Up" hitch rack ?

Looking for comments, comparable to Thule T2 ??

 

I have a Yakima hold-up for 4 bikes. It is built pretty solid (its like 60-70lbs). I think more solid than the t-2.
However, the paint could be better, it is starting to show a lil rust and it only a year old (i live a few blocks from the beach tho). lifting the rack on the t-2 seems slicker. but over all I,m happy with it.

 

I have one and I really like it. I agree with what jonnh nez says. It feels more solid that the T-2 but lifting the rack (to upright storage position) is easier on the T2.

I live in the Redlands and have not had problems with rust.

 

Go with Thule. They have WAY!!!!!! better customer service.

 

I have never owned a Thule product but I will still disagree.

All of my customer support from Yakima has been awesome. I once drove my roof rack and bike into the roof of my garage. They sent me new trays for two carriers no questions asked (and free). I have also lost parts here and there and they have always sent me new parts for free whenever I have requested.
They offer a lifetime warrenty on all products so if anything does go wrong/breaks you can get it replaced for free. I have nothing but god things to say about my customer experience with Yakima. Also I think they are an American company so I like supporting them better than Thule (European).

 

I am glad someone brought up this thread. I am in the market for a hitch rack myself and am up in the air on both of these racks. They are roughly the same price but it seems like the T2 folds down AND up. Is this correct or do both of them fold on both directions?

 

My first hitch rack was a Yakima Holdup. I had it for a month and sold it. Went out and bought a Thule T2 that week.

Overall I liked how compact the Yakima was when folded. It fit my 29er not problem. However, I couldn't put two bikes on the rack without lowering the saddles on both bikes. The saddles and bars would hit. It was a pretty big PIA. Also, the rack felt a little sloppy. There was some play at the hinge where the rack would pivot.

I like the Thule much better. Overall it feels much more stable. I like the fact that you can raise and lower the rack by a lever. Also the bikes don't touch eachother on the rack.

Overall I recommend the T2. Like it much better.

^^^oh ya, both fold up and down but the Thule design makes it much easier.

 

Thule, and this is coming from someone who sold Yakima for 10 years.

 

Perfect timing! We are shopping for a new 4 bike hitch rack as well.

I had basically ruled the Thule out since...I've read reviews where the arm that fit's over the front wheel hits bigger forks (dual crowns) and can scratch them?

and can someone pleasr go into further detail as to how the when using the Thule rack the bikes don't touch, without having to move seat posts, etc? I was sold on Yakima but considering both again for that very comment (the hubby hates to move his seat post).

 

I was just comparing the two as well. I have a Yakima Kingpin 4 that I will be selling. It is just a pain to put a FS bike with a top tube geometry like my 6.6 on the rack....safe to say it is far better suited for flat top tube bikes.

I am going to go with the one I get the best prodeal prcing from :bang:

 

I like my HoldUp a lot unfortunately I have yet to utilize the bottle opener. As far as the slop issue mentioned above, just tighten the bolt a few turns and all is good.

 

I think that with the Thule rack you can move the trays forward or back to try to make sure the bars/seats don't 'interact' with each other.

I saw this review that makes a small mention of this.

Even though I am a very happy owner of a Yakima Holdup I can attest that there can definately be issues with handlebars/handlebars and handlebars/seat/posts.

That being said I find it completely depends on the bikes on the rack. I can put all kinds of DH bikes on the rack together no problem. When putting xc bikes on the rack I often have to take posts off. I don't know what's involved in adjusting the T2. If the adjustment requires tools then I am doubtful that you could easily avoid bike to bike contact all the time with that rack.

 

My friend has a T2. There was still some interference when we had both our bikes on. Mine being a FS AM bike and his a XC hardtail.

I just saw a slamming deal on a Yakima Hold Up. Considering it..

Does the Hold up fold down like the Thule T2 does? As in the T2 can pivot down below the horizontal to allow better access to your car if the trunk of your SUV door swings out (i.e. Honda CRV). Can the Yakima do that?

 

I have the T2 and with the locking screw-in pin it is super solid in the hitch. Second, it is very easy to make sure bikes don't have any interference with each other. The bars that the bikes mount onto slide back and forth on the main bar, and side to side. So, I set the two racks a good distance apart and with one being off-centered towards the left and the other towards the right. This took maybe 15 min and common tools. I even had to flip the bars underneath the main bar because the rack would not fold up with our RAV4 because of the car's door design. This is not an issue of the rack so much as of the car. We've had all kinds of bikes from DH to XC to SS and road... no interference.

 

Thule T2 v. Yakima HoldUp v. Saris Cycle-On

[youtube]Z6oZcaoC34Q[/youtube]

 

I dont have either. but, I have heard one man say that the wheel hold down destroyed his front wheel bearings on a long trip.:?:

 

How?

 

I ended up getting the T2, home made +2 adapter allows me to add 2 more bikes via an old hollywood rack. I offset the trays so bikes don't hit. In Nov we drove to Oregon and back on 2 week trip, hooked to back of 31' class C RV. (bumpy ride). All worked great, bikes are secure.
The fold up/ down sticks a little, (grease?) and it's pretty heavy.

 

Ive had thule sidearms (which are just like the T2 except for the roof of a car ) as well as a T2 and the arms always kinda stick like that. I think its just the rotation mechanism.

And yeah the t2 is a beast, very heavy. It's like pots and pans....the heavy ones are always crap and get destroyed fast, and the nice, copper heavy ones last forever and work better. Horrible analogy? :lol:

 

Well, I picked up the Yakima Hold Up. It was new and one of those can't pass up deals. I've been patient for so long! I got the one in this video. As the video shows, the rack tilts down a little before you adjust accordingly the put the main pin back in to horizonal position. I haven't noticed if mine can yet. I'm hoping it does. I haven't checked the clearance between tailgate folded down and folded down rack. Also, I'm afraid to parallel park now.

HOWEVER, the newer 2009+ ones can tilt down like the T2 and do not have a mainpin/safety pin system anymore. Just becareful on the T2. It drops down farther than the Hold Up and it can drop to the ground like a wrecking ball because of the weight of the rack + bikes and cause damage.

HOLD UP vs. T2
Both the Hold Up and T2 has it's positive and negatives. Hold Up is more compact, lighter, comes with a locking cable. The T2 lets you adjust the how far the trays are from each other, tilts down more. Both the newest models are easy to adjust with lever (no pin stuff).

Both are solid but the T2 is slightly one up with adjustable trays but that's just another setting to worry about. What if you didn't bring along the tools to adjust? I'd rather just drop my post. I'm not siding with either. I'm just glad I have a hitch rack now! :beer: It's getting icy here and it's getting sketchy stepping onto my pickup to load my bike.