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The hitch-mounted answer to your prayers |
Words and photos by Stuart Kernaghan
As I mentioned in Gear Shots #1, lifting a 40-pound bike onto the roof of an SUV isn't my idea of fun. Neither is scraping off several hundred dollars of roof rack trying to squeeze into a parkade. So it didn't take long to figure out that a hitch-mounted system was the best option for my Nissan Xterra.
The problem, however, with most hitch racks is that they carry bikes by the top tube. And that doesn't always work so well if you've got a VPS frame, or a Big Hit, or an M-1, or a ... Well, you get the picture. Rack manufacturers offer a bar that attaches to the stem and seatpost to act like a top tube, but the bike sits fairly low and it's possible to bottom out going over a large speed bump or up a steep driveway.
Yakima, which has been making racks for bikes, kayaks, and other sports gear for more than two-and-a-half decades, has come up with a solution to each of these issues: the RimROC, a hitch-mounted rack that carries up to three bikes by the wheels rather than the frame.
Photo: Stuart Kernaghan
Putting it all together
You've got two options for attaching the RimROC to the hitch: the bolt that comes with the rack or the optional Quick Hitch handle that serves as a bolt and allows for tool-free installation. Yakima was kind enough to include the handle in the test package so that's what I went with. Once the rack was snugly bolted onto the hitch, the small security lock attached to prevent the rack from coming loose (or being 'removed'), the carrier arms unfolded and raised, and all the latch pins in place, it was time to load up.
Both of the arms on the RimROC have three sets of rubber-coated notches for rims to sit in. Lifting the bikes and sliding the rack arms through the spokes is a simple procedure, and once the rims are sitting in the notches, rubber straps are used to hold the wheels in place. There's also a stabilizer bar and set of straps that can be used to prevent the bikes from moving side to side. The RimROC can be lowered if you need to open the tailgate after the rack is mounted to the vehicle, and it's even possible to do that with a bike attached. When you're loading bikes, especially for a longer road trip, be sure to load the heaviest bikes first to put as much weight as possible closer to the carrier mast of the rack, rather than out on the arms. Unlike some other hitch racks, the RimROC bounces very little (and it doesn't sway back and forth at all) when you're on the road - but it will be even more solid if it's loaded heaviest to lightest. |
 The rack goes down and the tailgate goes up Photo: Stuart Kernaghan |
It's good, but ...
 The view from the side Photo: Stuart Kernaghan |
That was enough to stop the bikes from moving but on a rack that's ideally suited to freeride and DH bikes, it would make sense to at least offer larger hooks as an aftermarket option. The fastener nut that the Quick Hitch bolt screws into can be a bit of a pain if you're not aware that it slides back and forth in a track. It has to be pushed all the way back to the correct side for the Quick Hitch bolt to engage. The last, and probably most significant, problem with the RimROC was that bikes sit too close together. Rear dropouts rest against forks when you load several bikes, and rub against one another - especially on freeride bikes. |
It's probably not be a big deal if you're just driving across a bridge to get to the Shore but imagine what would happen if your rear dropout or quick release was rubbing on a fork leg for an eight-hour road trip. Some sort of padding around the fork leg solves the problem, but it seems like a rather large concession to make.
Final thoughts
One fact of life with a rack like this is that it sticks out a fair ways. Even with the rack folded up, the stabilizer bar comes out 29" from the rear bumper. That's going to make parking in the city a bit of an issue, especially if you live in an area where people park by Braille. To get around that, I take the RimROC off when I'm done using it. It takes less than two minutes thanks to the Quick Handle, and while it may not be a perfect solution, it works for me.
Overall, I'm quite happy with the RimROC. Loading and unloading bikes onto an SUV couldn't get much easier, and the rack is a brilliant way to accommodate non-traditional frame designs. There's also very little bike movement when you're on the road, thanks to the stabilizer straps and the beefy 2" steel tubing used for the carrier mast of the rack. The Quick Hitch is also a great option if you don't want to leave the rack on all the time. |
 Folded up and ready to go - watch out for that stabilizer Photo: Stuart Kernaghan |
According to Yakima, the load limit for the RimROC is 135 lbs., which would be about three good-sized freeride bikes. This may be the perfect opportunity to find out just how much that pig of yours weighs, just to make sure you're not over that magic number. Most bike and rack shops sell the RimROC for about CDN$500 or US$300.
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