Raxter Rack - Mtbr.com Pro Review

[francois]

Raxter Rack - Pro Review

At Interbike 2005, I saw an interesting hitch rack called the Raxter. Run by four enterprising and very friendly guys from Oklahoma, Raxter promised simplicity and functionality....

Photo ©: mtbr.com

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

Raxter Rack Pro Review
MSRP: $269.99


Description:
At Interbike 2005, I saw an interesting hitch rack called the Raxter. Run by four enterprising and very friendly guys from Oklahoma, Raxter promised simplicity and functionality. Their clean, sturdy design proclaimed a feature called ‘Autonesting’. This innovation, allows the bikes to be shifted forward and rearward of each other, eliminating the entanglement and damage that occurs with other bike rack designs. It also allows the bikes to be spaced very close together and results in a compact and efficient rack.

Fast forward a few months and I get a chance to try out the Raxter for myself. In a nutshell, I’m impressed. It handled my freeride bike, 29er bike, road bike with ease. It held the bikes securely and the bikes stayed solid behind the car through the rough, windy mountain roads.


Strengths:
- light weight at 32 lbs
- compact design
- lateral adjustability of bikes allows the bikes to be closely spaced together
- very flexible wheel clamp design allows it to be 29er wheel compatible
- simple with nothing to break
- the bikes are very secure with little movement through bumpy terrain
- good value


Weaknesses:
- Velcro fever. With 4 velcro straps for each bike. It’s a bit cumbersome.
- Does not fold up. My demo rack does not fold up but future production runs will have a very clean folding design.


Overall:
I’m new to the world of hitch racks. I’ve survived by putting the bikes inside the SUV. It works but dirtying the inside of the car and removing child seats can get old.

This Raxter rack turned out to be a nice gem. It comes from a small company with original thinking and a commitment to customer service. It’s refreshing to see a new company solve an old problem without resorting to copycat designs.

The real selling point to the Raxter rack is the light weight and compact design. By allowing about one foot of lateral movement on each bike, any variety of bikes can be placed close together without damage. With big pedals and wide handlebars, other racks are forced to place the bike trays farther apart.

Another strength of this rack is the solid fit and construction. The plastic beams don’t look as sturdy as steel poles but when the road got rough, the bikes stayed in place without a bunch of excessive swaying I’ve seen with other racks.

One of the weaknesses I saw was the rack didn’t fold up. Thus it was more designed for removal from the hitch when not in use. Since the rack is small and light, this works out for some folks. However, others like to keep the rack on their car all the time. Luckily, the folks at Raxter heard this plea from bikeshops and customers and they have addressed the issue with the Fold-Up Raxter rack. It retails for $329.99. See the attached press release.

The only other weakness I saw was the liberal use of Velcro to hold down the bike. The marine-grade Velcro is definitely secure enough to hold the bike down. However, it does take time to undo four Velcro straps for each bike, put the bike in, then strap in all of those straps. It takes maybe a minute, which is comparable to the time required for roof racks. But it is slower than those ultra-fast locking hitch racks from the competition.

So here’s a nice rack from Raxter. It holds the bikes secure and safe while keeping things simple.


Overall Rating:
4.5 out of 5 stars!



Mtbr.com Reviews: http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/Bike_Rac...t_125326.shtml







Raxter
http://www.raxterracks.com
Kelli Farney
918-706-7987
E-Mail: raxter@cox.net

[francois]

Press Release

For Immediate Release
26 June 2006
Contact: Kelli Farney
918-706-7987
E-Mail: raxter@cox.net

RAXTER™ introduces Fold-Up RAXTER Bike Rack
Broken Arrow, OK -- RAXTER™, introduces the Fold-Up RAXTER™ Bike Rack. The Fold-Up RAXTER™ is a hitch-rack design that shares the "AutoNesting™" feature found on the original, patent-pending, RAXTER introduced at Interbike 2005.

Mike Farney, innovator and RAXTER founder, leads a company intent on being market driven. “We plan a full line of RAXTER Bike Racks with priority given to fulfilling the requests of our growing dealer base and the expectations of consumers. The most popular suggestion has been to create a fold-up version of the original RAXTER rack.”

The Fold-Up RAXTER™ Bike Rack works very well. “The new design had to meet our commitment to quality, value and ease of use”, said Farney. The resulting Fold-Up RAXTER™ adjusts from the stowed position and is ready for use with the touch of a single button. The movement is light and smooth and the rack locks automatically into place.

The Fold-Up RAXTER™ retains AutoNesting™, a key RAXTER™ innovation, that allows the bikes to be shifted forward and rearward of each other, eliminating the entanglement and damage that occurs with other bike rack designs. The RAXTER™ Bike Rack's wheel mount arrangement secures bikes without clamps eliminating the risk of dents to thin-walled frames, scratches to bike or vehicle finish, and the damage commonly associated with other bike racks.

The Fold-Up RAXTER™ Bike Rack, built from glass-filled nylon composite, heavy gauge, cold-rolled, powder-coated steel and marine-grade nylon straps, accommodates virtually any bicycle frame design, style or size. Light enough for anyone to install or remove, the Fold-Up RAXTER™ sports a distinctive glossy-black, scratch-resistant coat and is a robust receiver hitch-rack that weighs a mere 32 pounds. It is a great value at a retail price of $329.99.

You can find more information on the Fold-Up RAXTER™ Bike Rack at www.raxterracks.com. To request a free brochure or the dealer nearest you, contact RAXTER™ at (918)706-7987 or e-mail: raxter@cox.net.

Founded in 2005, RAXTER™ is the new leader in receiver hitch-mounted bike racks. Located in Broken Arrow, OK, RAXTER™ uses the combination of modern materials, innovative design and American ingenuity to bring you an easy to use, value-packed rack.
RAXTER™: Carrying your bike is what we do.

[MikeG]

I really like my Sports Works rack ... even after two years of use. The velcro on this rack could get lost easily. But AFAIK this rack looks better than anything Yakima or Tule could (or do now) offer.

- MikeG

[bustamove]

I''ve had first-hand experiece with the Rakster and the velcro straps are secured to the rails. The only way you are going to lose the velcro is if they are torn off of the rails. Securing the bikes with velcro becomes easy after mounting the bikes a few times. You just have to remember which direction to wrap the velcro around the tires in order to get the prickly side to match up with fabric side.

[Dan'ger]

The "Auto Nesting" function sounds somewhat better than my Saris rack. Even for the simplicity and speed of my Saris hitch rack (similar to Sports Works), I occasionally find myself removing seatposts because of the seat/bar conflict.

How long until a folding 4-bike version?

[bustamove]

Originally Posted by Dan'ger

The "Auto Nesting" function sounds somewhat better than my Saris rack. Even for the simplicity and speed of my Saris hitch rack (similar to Sports Works), I occasionally find myself removing seatposts because of the seat/bar conflict.

How long until a folding 4-bike version?

I posted the PR announcing the fold-up version two days ago.

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=213000

[Dan'ger]

Originally Posted by bustamove

I posted the PR announcing the fold-up version two days ago.

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=213000

Neither press release talks about the 2-bike add-on unit that makes it a 4-bike rack but their website does. That's pretty slick.

[Wheezer]

$329, eh? Is it 3x better than the ones from Performance?

[rideorglide]

I've torn or seriously degraded my share of velcro in other sports applications. I'd prefer a different type of connector.

Originally Posted by bustamove

I''ve had first-hand experiece with the Rakster and the velcro straps are secured to the rails. The only way you are going to lose the velcro is if they are torn off of the rails. Securing the bikes with velcro becomes easy after mounting the bikes a few times. You just have to remember which direction to wrap the velcro around the tires in order to get the prickly side to match up with fabric side.

[spindr]

I'm sorry, but I don't see what the big fuss is about this rack. Sportworks , now Thule, first devised this sort of rack and their design still blows everyone else away when all is considered. The T2 costs more, but you get what you play for, and no velcro.

Just my 2 cents.

[azdrawdy]

Originally Posted by Wheezer

$329, eh? Is it 3x better than the ones from Performance?

Don't know if the Raxter is, but I assure you that the SportWorks/Thule T2 is at least 3x better. I have had a SW rack on my '02 Explorer since I bought it in 7/02. Several trips cross country (SC to TX, SC to AZ, SC to OR, etc.) with bikes on, plus numerous trips here in the SE, and this thing is as tight as it was when purchased. I have several friends who own el cheapo versions of the SW racks, and I after six months, they are pretty well worn...To the point that I wouldn't trust my bikes on them...

[spindr]

I fully agree. The T2 is not inexpensive, but I never fear for my bikes when I'm driving down the road with them on my rack. The only thing the competitor racks can boast against the T2 is lower price. But then again, you should expect to pay less for a copycat rack.

[Porchsong]

Anybody had some time with the Raxter products? I'm interested in the 2'' fold up version with the 2 bike extension to create a four bike system. I drive a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee. My overall questions boil down to a few questions.

1) When the 2 bike extension is installed will the 4 tray set-up fold up w/o hitting the rear hatch on my jeep? When it is folded up does this have much wobble?
2) Is this system really strong enough to hang four $3k bikes on?? I figure +-35lbs per bike puts the total around 145lbs. Then add in a bumpy dirt road and additional load and torque…that can get heavy real fast. If this system fails and dumps $12K of our pride and joy out on the HWY a 65 MPH, then what? I've read that it has 40lbs per bike recommendation.
3) With the 4 tray set-up will this system stick out behind my jeep and dramatically effect it's off-road clearance / approach angle? I'm no 4x4 jock, I'm just talking about gnarly rocky roads in CO and Moab, etc.

Any feedback out there.....static?

Thanks,

Porch

[spindr]

I have no experience with the Rakster product, but I do have experience with the Thule T2 (formerly Sportworks rack), and I can say that it definitely will do everything that you were asking about the Rakster product. Plus it is covered by a lifetime warranty from the leader in bike rack technology and is made in the USA. Check it out at a local dealer.

[Porchsong]

thanks for the feedback. One thing that interests me is the "auto nesting" or the ability to stagger the bikes ahead and behind of one another, allowing 4 bikes to be stacked more closly together.

Porch

[waterhauler]

I have one of these racks and I am very pleased except it was stolen from my yard. Hope someone else is enjoying it now. The Auto nesting feature is great. Never have to remove my seats...even lines up perfectly with my kids smaller bikes. Velcro doesn't seem to be a problem. Thule is just higher priced and weighs a ton. Raxter weight is about half. I like that in my bikes too.

[waterhauler]

sounds like you work for Thule...check out a raxter you may change your song.

[waterhauler]

Originally Posted by spindr

I fully agree. The T2 is not inexpensive, but I never fear for my bikes when I'm driving down the road with them on my rack. The only thing the competitor racks can boast against the T2 is lower price. But then again, you should expect to pay less for a copycat rack.

And pay more to repair the hole in your seat after the bikes rub up against each other. My guess is that others will copy the raxter's "auto nesting" and light weight