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Nov 28, 2024
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This adaptable system lets you haul a whole lot of e-bikes (each in quantity and weight), and has the flexibility to serve cargo-carrying wants as effectively.
Saris’ Modular Hitch System (MHS) is a well-thought-out idea. It’ll seize e-bikers’ consideration as one of many few hitch racks on the market that may haul as much as two 100-lb e-bikes, however that’s solely the start. It’s a hitch rack system that may tackle right now’s wants and adapt to wants that may come up later in life, with just a bit forethought required.
There are three completely different base choices to select from. You purchase the receiver with the bike-carrying capability you want, with room so as to add extra later.
We examined the Saris Modular Hitch System 3+1. We have been impressed with how shortly and simply you possibly can load up and carry heavier e-bikes within the first two tray spots and liked the flexibleness of taking as much as 4 bikes. Saris has a number of extra equipment that make life even easier, like a transportable bike ramp, lights that combine with a automobile’s brake lights, and a hitch tightener to make sure the heavy-duty system is tightly in place.
Bikes safe simply with no body contact (your bike’s paint job will thanks), and since they’re modular, you possibly can select the tray possibility that secures one or two wheels. The modularity extends to a cargo basket that may change or line up subsequent to your bike trays. It makes it simpler to lug a cooler when tenting and nonetheless deliver your bike alongside.
General, this technique was heavy-duty. It was one of many beefier racks we’ve examined, which supplies it such a great weight score, but it surely additionally makes it one of many heavier racks to fold up and down.
General, we actually loved this technique. There are only a few caveats to it that it is advisable learn about to find out whether or not it’ll finest fit your wants. All the main points are discovered beneath within the full Saris Modualr Hitch System evaluation.
Professionals- Its distinctive modular design has many advantages: you should buy solely what you want as you go, change up how you employ it for bikes, cargo, or bikes + cargo, and many others.
- The power to hold two e-bikes as much as 100 lbs every is as excessive a weight capability as you’ll discover. Go forward and throw on the moped-style, cargo, or all-terrain e-bikes!
- It’s extremely adaptable as it may possibly match as much as 230 lbs. of bikes (80 + 80 + 35 + 35) on the three+1 mannequin, with wheelbases as much as 53″ in size and tire sizes 20 – 29″ in diameter and 5″ large.
- Safety is built-in with a retractable cable lock that’s keyed alike with the hitch pin.
- The clamping mechanism’s lack of body contact makes it nice for preserving the paint job or for carbon frames usually.
- The cargo basket attachment can maintain as much as 200 lbs. and, with different equipment, can match a roof rack.
- It really works with many good equipment, similar to a ramp for loading heavier bikes, lights, and a distinct holder for fenders.
- The four-position tilt system helps you get bikes on the rack, entry the again of a automobile, and even just a bit additional clearance away from the rear hatch if the match feels tight.
Cons- It’ll work finest with bigger SUVs and vehicles. When prolonged, it’s not a sloped design (it’s flat to accommodate the cargo basket attachment), so that you’ll need to have a floor clearance of at the least 10″ to keep away from scrapes when going up an angled driveway, or managing the variables of offroading.
- Heavy-duty metal and aluminum development is nice for sturdiness and energy, however when loaded to the max (our tester was the MHS 3+1 system), it’s heavy at over 120 lbs. It’s finest to have two individuals when getting it on and off a hitch.
Saris Modular Hitch System Video Assessment
Saris Modular Hitch System Particulars
| Mechanism For Securing Bikes | Looped wheel arms on DUO trays, Cradle hook arms for UNO trays. Wheel strap for additional stability. |
| Max Wheel Base Size | 53” |
| Automobile Sort | Automobiles, Vehicles, SUVs, RVs (not tow-behind trailers) |
| Max Tire Width | 5” |
| Max Tire Diameter | 29” |
| Works With _____ Frames | Step-Through, Carbon Fiber, Bikes with Fenders, and many others. |
| Key Options | Modular system that may combine bike trays and a cargo basket on the hitch (risk for future mods down the road), RV appropriate (not tow-behind trailers) |
| Safety Options | Keyed alike built-in locking cables, locking hitch pin |
| Elective equipment | Fender wheel holder, Lighting Package, Bike Ramp, Cargo Basket (with roof rack functionality with non-compulsory adapter equipment) |
Mannequin Variations
| MHS 1+1 | MHS 2+1 | MHS 3+1 | |
| Hitch Dimension(s) | 1.25 in”, 2” | 2” | 2” |
| Variety of Bikes It Can Carry | As much as 2 | As much as 3 | As much as 4 |
| Max Bike Weight Per Tray | *As much as 80 lbs | *As much as 100 lbs. in first two trays, 35 lbs max in third tray | *As much as 100 lbs. in first two trays, 35 lbs max in third and fourth trays |
| Complete Max Weight Capability | *As much as 115 lbs. | *As much as 200 lbs. | *As much as 230 lbs. |
| Rack Weight | *68 lbs – 103 lbs. | *71 lbs – 139 lbs. | *75 lbs – 176 lbs |
*(See configuration particulars within the specs part of Saris’s web site)
Saris Modular Hitch System Assessment: Performance / Utilizing the Rack
Securing the rack to the hitch
Locking hitch pin on a threaded bolt is a protected and safe design. We added on the hitch tightener since we have been maxing issues our on our MHS 3+1.
Securing the rack is fairly simple. I like to recommend putting in the bottom after which attaching the trays once you first construct out your MHS, because it’ll be somewhat simpler to do solo (however constructing with an additional set of fingers by no means hurts!).
It makes use of a locking hitch pin bolt for a really sturdy connection. Nonetheless, it does imply instruments are required to get it on or off. We even have the Hitch Tightener for added stability, which implies twisting a pair extra nuts to lock all of it, however the connection will likely be as stable as a rock as soon as it’s in place. From there, bolting the clasp to your tray and securing the tray to the bottom with the safety t-nut goes fairly shortly. So even if you wish to solely carry as many trays as you’ll have bikes, you possibly can drop one off as shortly as you possibly can undo 5 bolts.
The problem of getting it on or off the hitch is relative to the way you modify your Saris Modular Hitch System. On the lightest facet of the MHS 1+1 base with a single Duo Tray, you’re taking a look at 60 or so kilos, however in case you go all the way in which as much as one thing like our tester of the MHS 3+1 with all of the trimmings, we’re speaking north of 120 lbs. It’s undoubtedly a two-person job in that sense!
So why all of the heft? The bottom is metal, and the trays are comprised of aluminum. The metal makes it extra heavy-duty, which is the way it will get that prime weight score and is so sturdy, however simply know that it makes it somewhat trickier to get out and in of the hitch and not using a helper.
The ramp accent is good for geting bikes on the ray, and the arms snap shortly into place after you’ve gotten the spindle preset to the best tire measurement.
The Modular Hitch System’s cradle arm design is good for carrying many alternative bikes. Its lack of body contact makes it nice for carbon frames, step-thrus, and mainly the rest inside the 53” wheelbase restrict.
How excessive off the bottom your hitch is and the way heavy your bike is will have an effect on how straightforward it’s to load. The simplest option to assure a simple loading expertise is to seize the ramp accent, although, which simplifies issues. There’s ample house between the 2 trays, so pedal knocking wasn’t an excessive amount of of an issue.
When the rack is prolonged, it’s not a “stadium seat” design that angles up as you go additional again. This will increase the chance of handlebars knocking when you have a number of bikes with larger-sized bars, however because of the spacing between every tray, we haven’t encountered any precise points but.
The arm securely covers the tire and you’ll maintain the paint job pristine since all it is going to contact is the tire.
The cradle arm design makes getting bikes in actually easy. If you happen to don’t have a kickstand, you possibly can simply unfold the arms with one hand whereas steadying your bike with the opposite. If you happen to’re utilizing DUO trays, they’ll match snuggly on nearly any bike as much as the 53″ wheelbase restrict. Youngsters’ bikes is likely to be higher going with the UNO tray with the cradle hook that comes down to 1 facet of the bike. Simply bear in mind the load rankings are completely different, although.
The tray heights aren’t staggered as a result of non-compulsory basket attachment, which must stored flat. Happily, pacing between trays is ample that knocking pedals collectively isn’t a big concern, and there’s ample room for becoming bikes, however when you have a number of bikes with wider handlebars, there’s an opportunity they might contact (although we haven’t had this concern ourselves)
Spacing is noticeably extra comfortable when utilizing the +1 tray, but it surely works wonderful with cautious placement.
There’s one wheel strap for the rear wheel, whereas the entrance will get the added safety of a block to press in opposition to in transport. General, it’s a decent match that stored our bikes securely in place with a tiny little bit of lateral motion.
The rack tilts down for simpler trunk entry, simply bear in mind, it’ll be heavy to get a completely loaded rack again up and the deal with angle can really feel somewhat awkward when below load.
The Modular Hitch System has 4 completely different pivot factors: you possibly can go low to the bottom (the place it has a leg to relaxation on), the place you’ll most simply entry a rear trunk or tailgate. It extends straight out when carrying bikes, or at a barely inclined vertical place for giving a bit extra clearance off the bike’s hatch with out bikes on it, or absolutely upright in case you’ve received the clearance house. The vertical, inclined place was a considerate inclusion that’ll higher match extra autos than most racks’ traditional three choices.
It’s good you could entry the rear of the automobile. Nonetheless, it’s a fairly heavy rack once you go to the bottom, particularly when you have the rack weight and bike weight to take care of, so elevate along with your legs or a second particular person when transferring bikes from the bottom to straight again.
Saris Modular Hitch System Assessment: Driving With the Rack
Stability
As marketed: the rack can securely transport as much as 4 bikes!
I’ve discovered that threaded bolt connections are all the time a bit extra stable with racks, so I just like the Saris Modular Hitch System’s total stability. Since we went for the heaviest doable setup, having some peace of thoughts with the Hitch Tightener was good.
As soon as the bikes are in place, they don’t transfer round or sway an excessive amount of. The arms come down tightly on the tires, so there isn’t a sudden bouncing up. We seen somewhat lateral motion (facet to facet in case you have been seated on the bike), however that’s frequent with many different hitch racks.
I just like the DUO trays for 2 looped factors of contact, which supplies me some peace of thoughts. With the wheel strap in place, there isn’t a lot discernible vertical motion when driving.
The rack has an RV score as effectively on the MHS 2+1, which in a basic sense, requires a bit extra heavy-duty development, which the metal base of the MHS undoubtedly gives, so it appears geared up to move bikes securely for the lengthy haul. Its development appears good throughout our testing.
Entry/Exit angles and floor clearance
The flat design shouldn’t be too problematic when you have a better floor clearance the place the hitch rests in your automobile. Vehicles and bigger SUVs ought to do wonderful, as would most different autos that may get at the least 10” of floor clearance from hitch to street.
Equipment
There are a handful of equipment appropriate with the MHS. Relying in your kind of motorcycle, the fender wheel holders and ramp equipment may very well be important.
The ramp is fabricated from metallic and could be very sturdy. It really works for bikes as much as 100 lbs. The heaviest one I examined weighed 84 lbs, and it went up the ramp with no downside. I want this modular system had an attachment mount for placing the ramp on the rack as a substitute of taking over trunk house, however I digress.
We actually preferred the lights we examined. They’re DOT compliant and have brake, flip sign, and hazard gentle performance off the 4-pin system. Their rubber base provides them somewhat little bit of flexibility, which is useful in case you’re susceptible to working into it when getting bikes on the again or simply when transferring round your storage.
The basket attachment has a 200-lb weight capability. That makes this technique extra versatile for on a regular basis life. You’ll be able to nonetheless get two bikes on the rack with the basket however on the decrease 35-lb score on these trays. With the acquisition of an adapter equipment, you possibly can even repair the basket to a roof rack in case you want cargo and lots of bikes to journey with you.
Saris makes use of the tagline “future-proof system,” so whereas it’s not a promise that it will occur, we wouldn’t be shocked to see ski and snowboard mods added down the road. It’s the one hitch rack system you want for all of your actions.
Saris Modular Hitch System Assessment: Rack Storage
What it’s like carrying the rack round and storing it
The +1 attachment raises up ove the handlebar. Additionally, notice the lights! They combine properly and we love the additional visibility at night time.
As beforehand talked about, relying on which one you purchase, this rack can get fairly heavy. I’ve pulled heavy hitch racks off my automobile earlier than, however I didn’t need to try this solo. Get a second set of fingers, at the least for the three+1 mannequin.
It additionally has fairly a footprint and can take up some house in your shed or storage in case you want it off your automobile except you absolutely disassemble it.
If you happen to’re storing it for a really lengthy interval (some winter hibernation, maybe?), you may undo the clasps of the trays and baskets and save your self some sq. footage by stacking them up collectively. That’s truly a plus; it may possibly take up a comparatively small quantity of storage house in case you do take it aside, which doesn’t take all that lengthy.
Saris Modular Hitch System Assessment: Our Advice
The locks combine properly into the tray and tuck away shortly out of sight when not in use.
That is a simple system to make use of, and it has the potential to adapt to ever-changing wants. General, I just like the Saris Modular Hitch System, and I feel it has a whole lot of potential to be a great and helpful bike rack (plus cargo, plus who is aware of!?) for years to come back.
This bigger 3+1 mannequin will finest serve these with larger floor clearance, and people with lower-positioned hitches might need success with a number of the smaller base choices. When you have heavy e-bikes and just like the attraction of a system you may tailor to your wants, I feel it’s price pricing to see if it’s inside your finances.
Joyful Using! Be certain to tell us when you have any questions or in case you suppose we left something out on this evaluation of the Saris Modular Hitch System down in our feedback part.
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