Bike Rack

The kuat will tip down with the bikes on them as well, and you dont need a crossbars like I have to use with my yakima swing away rack for my MTB bikes. I use my road bikes with the kuat as well...
 

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My experience is with road, but don't see why a MTB could not work on there either.

Many full-suspension mountain bikes don't work well with 2-arm style car racks. Hardtails and road bikes are generally fine. Wheel-mount-only racks work with anything; fenders and front racks (fork-mount racks for touring) tend to get in the way though.

For 2-arm style racks, look for the ones with a flip-down bracket that prevents the bikes from swinging and bashing into each other. Much nicer than messing with bungee cords, blankets, pipe insulation, etc., etc., to try to pad the bikes from each other.
 
The kuat will tip down with the bikes on them as well, and you dont need a crossbars like I have to use with my yakima swing away rack for my MTB bikes. I use my road bikes with the kuat as well...

Is that an old White Ti hub I see?

I just put the Kuat NV together and mounted it to the 4R. I didn't anticipate needing a 5lb sledge but one of the bolt holes was just slightly off spec. I didn't feel like taking the thing out to the garage and firing up the Dremel so I just sledged it through. Too much paint or something.

In any case, I tried looking at the Thule, Yakima and Kuat before making my decision but the local shop that carries Thule doesn't keep much stock on hand and thus I couldn't compare that brand. Second up was the Yakima and I really wanted to like it but wasn't sure how much I liked the hitch pin/attachment method. I went on to the shop that carried Kuat and once I saw the NV hitch arrangement I was sold.

After I mounted the NV to the truck I took off for a quiet night drive with the windows rolled down. I aimed for the rough pavement and I never heard anything rattling around back there. This was with the rack unloaded and stowed upright.

I'd never heard of Kuat until seeing this thread so thanks for that! :hatsoff:
 
Is that an old White Ti hub I see?

I just put the Kuat NV together and mounted it to the 4R. I didn't anticipate needing a 5lb sledge but one of the bolt holes was just slightly off spec. I didn't feel like taking the thing out to the garage and firing up the Dremel so I just sledged it through. Too much paint or something.

In any case, I tried looking at the Thule, Yakima and Kuat before making my decision but the local shop that carries Thule doesn't keep much stock on hand and thus I couldn't compare that brand. Second up was the Yakima and I really wanted to like it but wasn't sure how much I liked the hitch pin/attachment method. I went on to the shop that carried Kuat and once I saw the NV hitch arrangement I was sold.

After I mounted the NV to the truck I took off for a quiet night drive with the windows rolled down. I aimed for the rough pavement and I never heard anything rattling around back there. This was with the rack unloaded and stowed upright.

I'd never heard of Kuat until seeing this thread so thanks for that! :hatsoff:

Yes that is my GF's bike, old school hard tail white hubs, custom color (as I am friends with the owner of Ventana) im running chris kings, on my bikes. And the tail gate clears even with my wide DH bars... glad you like the rack, half the time i dont even use the lock pin the tension on the back will hold it in just fine if you want to haul something back and forth, and it doesnt rattle like my Yakima does either! good luck!
 
I know this is kinda of an old thread, but I remember reading it before deciding to buy a Kuat. So I thought I'd share this.

I purchased a Kuat Sherpa on my way home from CO earlier this week (having the bikes on the roof was killing my power on the interstate) and just wanted to add to this thread that the Kuat Sherpa doesn't clear the hatch the way the NV does.

I have ground down the mounting tab and tried putting my bike with clipless pedals on the inside but nothing works, the hatch always hits the pedal.

I'm ordering a 1.25" to 2" adapter from amazon that also extends the hitch a couple of inches. This should solve the problem, other than that I love the rack. Just wanted to warn anyone trying to save a few $ on the NV and get the Sherpa!

Also the hitch pin is a PITA but Justin at Kuat is sending me a slightly smaller one for free that will solve the problem. He has been very helpful and responded to all of my emails within a couple of hours.

I was supposed to get an NV in Boulder, CO but the guy sold it before I could get there so I bought the Sherpa in Springfield, MO.

Pictures:
dsc2849f.jpg

dsc2854b.jpg
 
That looks great Gaterose! I would love to have one of those...pretty much my dream rack. Its just a little too much $$$ for me right now :crybaby:
 
Me too, I couldn't spend $430 on it!

I found the NV in Boulder, CO for $250 but it was sold before I made it (I was already on a trip to CO), then I got lucky and found the Sherpa for $225 in Springfield, MO and couldn't pass it up. I just searched craigslist for "kuat" in every major city I was going to pass through on the way home. If you ever go through springfield for any reason I suggest you look, there 3 or 4 on there since Kuat is made there.
 
the NV felt cheap to me and thought the repair stand seemed to flimsy to be of good use... been using a Thule T2 but its a little heavy for frequent removal. soooo since i have a new mag grey 4r i bought this:
1up USA Ultra Rack
weighs about 1/2 the T2 and looks better too.
 
I have a basic Thule 2 bike Hitch Rack and I love it. I've never had any issues with it for either my road bikes or my mountain bikes. Its really well built and holds two 40lb downhill bikes with out a problem. And it was less that $200.

<a href="http://s967.photobucket.com/albums/ae156/lennythebamf/?action=view&current=IMG_8763.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae156/lennythebamf/IMG_8763.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Have this same rack for 2 years now and have not had any problems with it.
 
Me too, I couldn't spend $430 on it!

I found the NV in Boulder, CO for $250 but it was sold before I made it (I was already on a trip to CO), then I got lucky and found the Sherpa for $225 in Springfield, MO and couldn't pass it up. I just searched craigslist for "kuat" in every major city I was going to pass through on the way home. If you ever go through springfield for any reason I suggest you look, there 3 or 4 on there since Kuat is made there.

Wow, thats a great deal! I checked the local CLs, but never find anything like that and ended up buying the Hollywood rack I have now (which I really like for the $). Springfield, MO huh...I'll keep that in mind if i'm ever out that way.

BTW, did you ever make it up here to ride on the mountain?

the NV felt cheap to me and thought the repair stand seemed to flimsy to be of good use... been using a Thule T2 but its a little heavy for frequent removal. soooo since i have a new mag grey 4r i bought this:
1up USA Ultra Rack
weighs about 1/2 the T2 and looks better too.

I do like the Thule T2. I've seen that 1up system before and it does look nice, but ~$600 for a 2 tray system!! That just seems like too much IMO.
 
Huntsville huh? Talking about Monte Sano Mtn. possibly? I try to get up there as much as possible but its just been so dang hot...what part of Hville are you in man?

Yep, Monte Sano. I haven't been up there much at all these last couple months between the heat and work...def got to get back on the bike myself. I'm just north of the arsenal off 72 (around Providence). You?
 
Yep, Monte Sano. I haven't been up there much at all these last couple months between the heat and work...def got to get back on the bike myself. I'm just north of the arsenal off 72 (around Providence). You?

Yeah dude, I live right around there also. Im a little further down off douglass rd.
 
Can someone with a kuat nv please confirm that this play in the ratchet arm is normal.
I can see it being a fail safe when bike in in tray and the driver hits a bump and the arm does not release.
Kuat nv - YouTube
 
That is a little more play then mine, not much though ive never lost a bike as the ratchet arm sits agains the fork when in use..Kuat is good about sending parts for free if you need them i broke a strap and they sent me 2 new ones for free...
 
Yea, the video kinda exaggerates the play. I bought the rack for $300 from a guy who does product reviews. The rack was only used for about three months and is in nearly new condition. I sent him a video and explained whats going on. He said its normal and he noticed the same thing but in no way affected the performance of the rack. He offered to take the rack back. He's a pretty well known guy in the bike world out here in NM so I trust his word.

Not quite sure if kuat will honor the warranty to me??? Do they ask for any sales receipt when you have had issues?


One complaint I do have is a 50/50 complaint towards toyota/kuat. The hitch pin hole is way to close to the opening of the hitch. And to kuat the hitch pin hole is way to close to the ball bearing stabilizer. I think i am going to drill a hole in my hitch a little further back so i can stick the rack further in my receiver. I would never use this dinky factory hitch to pull a trailer so im not concerned about weakening the hitch.

neway hers some pics
<a href="http://s1106.beta.photobucket.com/user/Ridefast84/media/IMG_1239_zps05858672.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h377/Ridefast84/IMG_1239_zps05858672.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"/></a>
<a href="http://s1106.beta.photobucket.com/user/Ridefast84/media/IMG_1240_zps4d5fedf7.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h377/Ridefast84/IMG_1240_zps4d5fedf7.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"/></a>
<a href="http://s1106.beta.photobucket.com/user/Ridefast84/media/IMG_1241_zps22f928f6.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h377/Ridefast84/IMG_1241_zps22f928f6.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"/></a>
<a href="http://s1106.beta.photobucket.com/user/Ridefast84/media/IMG_1248_zpsa2b5ecf4.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h377/Ridefast84/IMG_1248_zpsa2b5ecf4.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"/></a>
<a href="http://s1106.beta.photobucket.com/user/Ridefast84/media/IMG_1250_zps72e753a9.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h377/Ridefast84/IMG_1250_zps72e753a9.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"/></a>
<a href="http://s1106.beta.photobucket.com/user/Ridefast84/media/IMG_1242_zps140e1dc6.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h377/Ridefast84/IMG_1242_zps140e1dc6.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"/></a>
 
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