Can anyone recommend any hitch mounted bike racks?
heh...this will be my first accessory on the 4runner...

Thinking about a capacity of 4 mountain bikes...

Thanks!

4/23/2011 8:20AM update...
wow, there are alot of bike racks out there. now i am wondering if i should be looking at the type where the tires are resting on the rack or the type where the rack is supporting the bike by the bike frame...

I have a Kuat NV (Kuat Racks) rack and love it. It has a cam feature to the hitch mount so it is super stable (even off road although it does impact your departure angles) and it has an integrated cable lock.

Here's a picture of it loaded up before a trip to 24 hours of Moab. Note that I have the two bike rack but you can get an adapter to extend it to four bikes.

- Ryan

EDIT: Just saw this post about a new rack too. Looks like another Kuat fan: Sweet new rack

Attached Images

 

I'm goin with the Yakima Flipside... you could also check out the Yakima Double Down 4. I'm a fan of yakima products for sure.

Yakima Holdup

holds up to 4 bikes

I have the Thule 964 Revolver

964 Revolver - Thule - Thule Bike Racks - Rack Bike Hitch
Holds 4 bikes and swings out to the side with bikes attached so you can open the tailgate. Also screws tight into the hitch so there is no shaking or rattling.

I made a hitch rack from a harbor freight truck bed extender that I cut down and drilled one side for a fork mount.. $30 for the bed extender, $10 for the bike mount.

No pics of it, will take one eventually..

I also have a rocky mount on the factor bar, I do have a pic of that:

I like my Sportworks 4 tray rack (now made by Thule, I think) but it does kill your departure angle, like on sharply steeper driveways. Generally it wasn't a problem for me, only scraped the rack a few times. Bikes go on and come off quick and easy. It was also nice to leave it down when parallel parking in busy areas- get back to my truck, fold it up and voila! 4 more feet of space to thwart the close-parkers. It also doesn't work for taco'd wheels or tandems,
which brings me to my current rack, the
Thule Parkway 4 bike rack. Some frames won't work without one of those top tube adapter bars. Works with my kid's bike, my tandem mtb, the normal-framed mountain bikes and the road bikes. The only thing I haven't liked about it is that the arms don't fold down when not in use. The rack itself can come down for tailgate access, but you're pivoting a lot of weight with 4 bikes. I just squeeze between on the non-chain side. I usually use extra bungees to keep things from banging about rather than the strap they provide. I also have a pad zip-tied on the rack to keep frames from banging against it when wheeling.
Sway hasn't been a problem with either rack.

A friend is getting a hangs-from-the-wheels rack, a Highland Sportwing 4 bike rack, but he hasn't let me know what he thinks of it yet. Sure looks interesting...

The Yakima Double Down 4 looks like a nice rack...

Haven't shopped bike racks for 6 years but, back then, Performance Bike online represented an amazing bang for the buck.

I have a similar setup, same rack for my Stumpjumper FSR.

check this:

Shop - MWE Racks

Attached Images

 

How does this hold 4 bikes?

I have a similar rack made by Thule called the T2. It holds the bikes nice and firm. These types of racks are so quick and easy to use especially if you have odd mountain bike frame designs, but I'd recommend them only for 2 bikes. I know with the Thule you can get an extension for 2 more bikes, but it's expensive and starts to get very long.

I also have an older Thule 4 bike carrier which is now called the Revolver, which served it's purpose well, but you do need extra time to strap the bikes properly so they don't swing into each other. Although, this new one looks like it has some new "technology" to remedy that.

i think the yakima holdup has a 2 bike extension you can add on.

wow, there are alot of bike racks out there. now i am wondering if i should be looking at the type where the tires are resting on the rack or the type where the rack is supporting by the bike frame...

How much do you enjoy cleaning mud out of wheel tracks?

seriously, i dont think i have ever felt the need to do that. i've had the rack for about a year and i mountain bike (including muddy downhilling, etc). they do drain and they do get washed when i hand wash or do the touchless carwash (yes, I have no problem with that with the rack in the upright position). i suppose if you worry about your bike tires getting dirty....