 "Yakima DoubleDown 4 - One year review" | 2009-10-03 |
| - Reviewed By User: A7IYQF2Z393CH |
| Purchased this product one year ago. Rack is used for road and mountain bikes, all frames are different shapes and sizes. Securely holds bikes without damaging them. Bikes will not move when all straps are used. Well built heavy duty unit. Very little wear and tear after one year of use. Fold down arms and fold down mast feature work well. Individual bike cradles are movable and adjustable for any frame or spacing between bikes. Fold down mast allows access to back hatch (Jeep Cherokee) with no problem. I have even folded it down with bikes on to access the hatch (not recommended, but it will work). Previously owned a Rhode Gear rack mount which was good, but this is a much better product by far. Also purchased lock for hitch pin which works well. I would highly recommend this product. |
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 "Works well for three bikes, could be hard to carry four" | 2009-07-22 |
| - Reviewed By loce_the_wizard |
We needed a way to haul three adult-sized bicycles from our home base to various cycling paths. So I visited a number of local stores to see what my options were. I settled on the Yakima BigHorn 4 as the best option for my budget, then discovered through some online searching that I could purchase the next model up, the Yakima KingPin 4 bike rack for a bit less than the BigHorn 4 would run me in a traditional retailer.
The KingPin 4 folds features a fold-down mast, a must convenience to allow access to a vehicle's rear hatch or door. Although I would not consider a bike rack without this feature, be forewarned: once you lower the rack while it's loaded with three bikes (more about the fourth bike claim follows), you will be hard pressed to single-handedly reposition it and slide in the lock or bolt. There is too much weight on that pivot point.
I soon learned, therefore, that it was easier to have the mast folded up, not down, when loading the bikes.
The dual bike arms are a must, allowing for more stability and easier loading and unloading. The bike arms fold down as well, though this option, while useful, is not essential in many cases. (These folding bike arms are the main difference between the KingPin and BigHorn racks.)
A series of bike cradles and rubber "chainstraps" stabilize and anchor the bikes. You can slide theses cradles along the tubular arms to allow sufficient room to avoid any rubbing or scraping if you are carrying three bikes. (I looked as some less expensive racks that required hand-tightening one or more big bolts to tighten clamps that held the bikes. That system seemed like a royal pain and huge annoyance.)
Despite the name and billing, I'm less confident in recommending the KingPin4 for transporting four bikes. I think it's possible, but would require great care to avoid scraping paint or entangling pedals and spokes. Plus, I prefer using four "chainstraps" per bike for a bit of insurance, so if you want to carry four bikes, I would recommend springing for another set of these.
The unloaded contraption weights about 32 pounds, so it's not too heavy as you carry it from the basement or garage to install it. But be careful of the arms or you might shatter the glass in a door or an outside light. Also, you need to do a bit of assembly out of the box, so allow a good 30 minutes to set up and test the rig before using it the first time. The drawings in the instructions did not seem to match what I was actually looking at when I had everything before me on the floor, so I spent an extra few minutes considering the options. This assembly is not difficult---it's just that adage "never do anything for the first time" may stump one for a bit.
I am using this rack with a two-inch hitch, and I purchased a locking pin to replace the bolt that is shipped for attaching the rack to the hitch. I also run one of the cable bike locks through the bike frames and around the spanner between the arms to add a measure of security.
During our first foray, a 100-mile trip each way, the bikes and rack swayed just a bit from time to time, but overall, the sway was not a problem. Having a hundred extra pounds jutting up behind the rear window will change any vehicle's handling and hamper visibility through the rearview mirror, so be prepared to change your driving style as needed.
To conclude, the KingPin 4 has performed well. We could load and unload three bikes in about five minutes, and neither the Durango or bikes were scratched during transport. But, again, I would suggest that this rack is great for three bikes, but may be a challenge for carrying four. |
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| "Go DoubleDown" | 2009-05-18 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2AJ9CZY2IY8K3 |
I drive a Honda Element and had been putting my bike in my vehicle for 2+ years. It can be a little labor intensive and can take an 15+ minutes of my day taking out my kid's car seats, folding up the rear seats, taking off the bike's front wheel (and then putting everything back again before the family can go out again). I finally talked my wife into letting me get a hitch mount rack and I'm glad I bought the DoubleDown. I almost made the mistake of buying "cheaper" and I'm glad I didn't; this thing is a well made cycling tool. I've kept the rack on for a few weeks now - it tilts out more than enough for me to open the back of my Element. Now, I have my bike with me 5 or 6 days a week for rides instead of just 2 or 3 times a week.
I was initially concerned because for the first 24 hours it sounded like the rack was rattling around too much but I simply hadn't tightened it enough. A few quick turns with the corresponding socket/ratchet and I can't even tell the rack is back there. I should also mention that Yakima provides a few tools to assemble the rack; all you really need is a screwdriver. You should have a few wrenches and maybe a socket set ready to make sure everything is nice and tight - it comes together in a few minutes. Assembly = piece of cake.
It might be a good idea to visit a store like REI to touch a few of these racks in person first - Thule makes a similar product. Shop around to see who might have the best prices and then come back to Amazon - You'll find a few vendors with free shipping.
*Well built
*Convenient
*Easy to assemble
*Well built (to me, that's the best part) |
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| "A very solid hitch mounted bike rack" | 2009-01-04 |
| - Reviewed By n2diep |
| When I first put the double-down 4 on my 2" hitch, I found it to be quite loose as well and was initially a bit disappointed. However, after I tightened the screw and washers that came with the rack, it was solid without much swaying at all. The upper arms folds down and the lower vertical arm folds down as well. The only negative in my opinion (and this just applies to both Yakima and Thule branded racks in general) is that they can to nickel and dime the consumer with every little acessory, whether thats a bike lock that works with the rack or a hitch lock that is specific to that rack bolt. At any rate, I have replaced my previous rack with this one and am quite happy. I guess you just really get what you paid. |
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| "Love it!" | 2008-09-05 |
| - Reviewed By jmbest78 |
| I bought this to transport my 26" commuter and a touring bike. It works great. My only complaint is that I have no way of getting my neice and nephews 20" bikes on. I haven't tried the adaptor because it seems pricey. Other than that, I love it. High quality and fits real tight in the hitch. |
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| "Yakima Double Down 4" | 2008-08-05 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1A59W9UIZYZT4 |
| Easy to assemble and install it is very secure and especially like the vinyl straps which will fit all bicycle types. We carry two road and two off road bikes which fit well on the rack without disturbing rear wiundow sight lines. |
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