I've got 2 of those locks, they are way too heavy to have swinging around while you are driving! I'd use a short cable lock for the rack and lock the bikes with the chain lock when parked. 1up has some hitch lock options too, did you look at those?
I cannot recommend this rack enough. I have the single, black anodized with one add-on rack. The design is beautifully simple, and very well done. It's extremely easy to mount, and almost easier to load and unload your bike. After having 2 bikes on a number of rough roads, I can also say that it is very stable. I do check the rack tightness after a rough road because it will typically loosen up over a long rough trek, although never enough to make me feel like it would fall off. Just enough for me to notice a little more rocking side to side than normal. Easy twist of the wrench before hitting the road and you're good to go.
A few big pluses: The almost all aluminum construction, meaning great strength to weight ratio, and a long lift span. The ability to have the single rack makes keeping the rack on the truck full time extremely convenient because even in the stowed position, you can open and access the cargo area. For me this is a big benefit as it makes the likelihood of me riding at the end of the day much higher.
Ultimately it comes down to a person's list of features that they want on the rack that will sway them one way or another. For me, this one is the winner and I highly recommend it to anyone who asks me for my opinion. At the end of the day, as long as the bike makes it to the trail head that's all that matters :thumb3:
Another +1 for the 1UP racks, and +2 for the RakAttach swing-arm (http://rakattach.com/ - also sold directly through 1UP). This is my setup for long trips where I'm hauling myself plus one or two other bikes and gear. A 4th bike is an option for the rack, though that's getting a little out of my comfort zone for practicality, stability and effective vehicle length. This is the heavy duty 2-bike base rack, plus a single heavy duty add-on. The Super Duty rack is the same as this, but has an extra reinforcing piece that goes between the trays to allow carrying heavier bikes >50lbs.
The whole setup feels really solid on the road. The RakAttach has a locking pin as well as a compression clamp and plastic bushings, so there is no rattle or shake. It only takes 15 seconds to unpin it, unclamp it, and swing it out. A bit longer if you have the bikes cable locked to the safety loops on the receiver of the truck and you don't have enough slack in the cable. FYI this is a size LARGE RakAttach. They come in 3 sizes, which essentially determines how far away the bikes will swing from the vehicle.
I have some ideas about fabricating something that attaches to the swing-out. Maybe holding a small 5lb propane bottle and providing a small fold down surface for setting up a camp stove and cooking when I do destination rides with camping involved.
For my everyday rides where it's just me and my gear, I favor my solution that I built into my custom drawer system. Keeps the bike more protected and it's a bit more stealthy.
