Review on CHINOOK Hitch Mount Bike Rack by Swagman by Louis Mechtak

This was purchased 1 month ago for a 7000 mile trip on my 2016 Subaru Forester. I've moved the review to the end of the trip to give it a little more value. Pros: - Half the price of Thule - Once assembled, it can be removed or installed in a minute - Holds bikes securely to the hitch with locks (included). and on each bike - Tilts sideways for access to the car's tailgate. - Folds close to the car when the bikes are not mounted. It's so compact that I don't remove the trunk when the bikes aren't mounted. When folded, it doesn't block my rear camera. (I found that the red marks on the camera lined up perfectly with the back of the folded rack.) - With a bike mounted, the rear camera can still be used. (The yellow marks in the chamber are perfectly aligned with the rear of the bikes during use) - The mount fits the car hitch very securely. Cons: - With the vertical bar up, it's a little awkward to place the bike between the bars. and passenger cars. - Trunk lid pins do not have self-lubricating bushings. After a few days of wind, rain and sun I had to oil the pins because they wouldn't snap into place. (Luckily, 3-in-1 oil was available at one of the trail stations.) - Tire band pads are a little uncomfortable when swapping bikes with different tire sizes. - Trunk tilt mechanism isn't as taut as we'd like. and there's a little rocking from bikes on bumpy roads. Tips: - Keep a wrench in the car to remove the hitch (1 minute) so you can drive through the car wash. - Install the smallest bike closest to the car. -Tilt the bike rack when installing the inner bike. The bike is easier to lift when there is no locking hook in the way. Pay attention to which direction your bikes are facing. On my bikes, when the inside bike was facing left and the outside facing right, I couldn't easily access the bike's inside lock. In the other direction, both castles were easily accessible. - As the hooks engage, roll the bikes back and forth while pushing the hook down. This ensures that the bikes are securely fastened. Before first use, lubricate the tilt stop pins with a small amount of oil. before you buy this. My requirements were: - It supports the bikes under the wheels. - It could be tilted to access the trunk with bikes in place. - It was lockable (both bike and towbar) - It was durable - It was reasonably priced. The swagman carrier accomplished all of my goals.