The kids are of the age (7, 9, and 11) that they want to go places to take family bike rides. Many times this will be just the wife and kids so I want something easy for them to load, use, etc. Any experience with swagman?
Many thanks,
david
Hitch rack? If so, IupUsa is the best, most expensive option.
Get a tray style hitch rack. Thule, Yakima, Swagman, and even Softride make them. I’ve heard people here say that each one of the brands I just mentioned is “the best”. The designs are all pretty similar, with some of them lowering a “hook” down onto the top tube and others just the wheel. Some have more adjustability (important for kids bikes) and others seem to be a little more robust.
If you’ve got a store in the area where you can try them out, or friends with them, that’s ideal. Kids bikes are notoriously difficult to transport because the frame sizes and wheel bases make fitting them into a “standard design” rack more challenging. They also tend to be made from “high tensile steel”, which is very heavy. A tray mounted hitch rack that folds up when not in use would be idea as it reduces the amount your wife has to lift the bikes, and doesn’t stick out when unloaded. You should be able to adjust the trays (if needed) once for each bike, and then just have a specific load order.