1Up USA Tremendous Obligation Hitch Bike Rack Evaluate

1Up has at all times constructed bike racks from extruded aluminum with replaceable components, using the double-wheel arm mechanism it initially developed. This produces extremely sturdy racks that may be repaired by the client with hand instruments. And as burly because the racks are, they coddle fragile carbon bikes as a result of nothing touches the body.

I reviewed the prior model of the 1Up Tremendous Obligation, and my concluding assertion was, “I do know this would be the final hitch rack I’ll personal.” After I unboxed the present model, I used to be astounded that the made-in-America model made it considerably burlier. It visibly appeared like possibly it was overkill.

I examined a pre-production model of the 1Up Tremendous Obligation (SD) for 3 months and the manufacturing model for nearly 6 months. The rack carried every part from flyweight street racing superbikes to heavy enduro-type e-MTBs.

And each time I headed out, with bikes or not, I subjected the rack to the two miles of tough and rocky dust roads that result in my home every approach. This commute has launched bikes off of lesser racks, rattling a few of them aside.

Briefly: I hate to be a repeat offender, however the new 1Up Tremendous Obligation is now the final bike rack I’ll ever personal. Sure, it’s heavier than the earlier “final bike rack” I might ever personal. However admittedly, e-MTBs are getting extremely heavy as capabilities enhance. And, nicely, my dust street solely will get worse. So, I now see the necessity for heavier-duty racks. Though I nonetheless really feel this new model may be overbuilt, I’ll take it. And 1Up added options that make loading and unloading simpler.

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1Up USA Tremendous Obligation Hitch Bike Rack Evaluate

The final 1Up SD rack I examined in 2022 was the outright heavyweight champion. But it surely was apparent after I unboxed and assembled the brand new one which 1Up went up a weight class. It appeared just like the super-heavyweight champ.

The Identical Burly Supplies, however Larger

1Up’s all-aluminum development has at all times made the model’s merchandise stand out and final. The brand new SD was extra of the identical — rather more.

Each extruded aluminum half exterior of the welded 6061 T-6 hitch bar is larger and burlier. The wheel trays are wider, and every part concerning the wheel arms is sturdier. When checked out as a complete, the scale all match collectively. However in comparison with the outgoing mannequin, it’s just like the SD injected a couple of rounds of anabolic steroids.

And like a juiced bodybuilder, all the burden capacities elevated. I examined the SD in a double tray configuration, and 1Up charges every tray as much as an astounding 100 kilos. A 3rd tray can deal with 65 kilos.

Going to the utmost 4 trays renders the final two trays able to 45 kilos every, with the second tray lowered to 75 kilos. In complete, 1Up specifies a 265-pound complete weight, a 40-pound enhance over the prior SD. The wheel arms now match tires as much as 5 inches extensive.

I obtained the all-black 1Up Tremendous Obligation. 1Up powder coats the bike trays, and the remainder of the unit is anodized, with a tough coat anodization utilized to the hitch bar and ratchet glide bars (defined later). All {hardware} is stainless-steel, save for 2 bolts on every wheel arm, that are Grade 5 yellow zinc to stop galvanic corrosion.

1Up gives the SD with a 2″ or 2.5″ hitch bar and comes as a single-bike or double-bike mannequin.

New Options on the 1Up SD

1Up didn’t cease with the steroid infusion. It added a couple of new options that ease and enhance bike hauling.

One-Handed Operation

One minor inconvenience on the outgoing SD rack turned obvious solely after I began utilizing the brand new model: elevating and decreasing the two-wheel arm required two fingers. One hand needed to push a button to disengage a ratchet mechanism that held the arms within the chosen location whereas the opposite hand moved stated arm. The ratchet engaged when the button was launched. I by no means observed, because it was customary process for a lot of racks, however I at all times needed to lean my bike towards my automobile to load it.

On the brand new 1Up Tremendous Obligation, the ratchet may be disengaged with one hand, after which the identical hand can transfer the arm. I by no means needed to let go of my bike. As I stated, I by no means actually observed this minor inconvenience, however now I see the way it was.

The identical crimson button disengages the ratchet, however now a “Domino” that homes the button rotates upward to maintain the wheel arm gliding freely. Rotating the Domino to its unique orientation engages the ratchet mechanism.

Pivot Deal with

The SD can rotate on its base to considered one of three positions: completely vertical, tilted out to clear hatchbacks, and flat for bike transport. On the older model, I needed to attain down or ahead previous the primary bike tray to drag a bar that locked the bike trays in place. I’ve lengthy arms, and it was nonetheless fairly a attain, particularly when the rack was “open.”

On the brand new SD, the identical bar is now conveniently actuated by an aluminum seize deal with that’s on the high (or entrance when carrying bikes). This was 100% simpler and eradicated the mobility train required when the trays had been down.

Non-obligatory Wheel Chock

1Up gives an all-aluminum adjustable wheel chock. It possesses the identical burly construct high quality and ratcheting mechanism as the remainder of the rack. It’s actually overbuilt for what it does, however I appreciated it, understanding that my tough remedy of drugs wouldn’t faze it.

On all racks that use wheel arms or hoops, the entrance wheel usually oscillates within the wind. It’s not a motorbike safety situation — until the wheel arms someway transfer, the bike can’t escape from its grasp. But it surely’s visually unnerving. The brand new wheel chock butts up towards the again of the entrance tire, which sits in a “V” notch, making a backstop so the strain of the entrance wheel arm can successfully mitigate the oscillations.

The chock additionally limits steerer tube rotation on heavy e-bikes or when driving on extraordinarily tough terrain. This helps preserve the clearance between bicycles.

The 1Up Tremendous Obligation Bicycle Hitch Rack in Use

The 1Up USA web site states that the SD rack is match for “excessive off-road” use, and I didn’t need to learn that to know that it was true.

Strong Is as Strong Does

The one phrase to outline my expertise with the 1Up SD is “strong.” From hitch mounting to securing bikes, match and end, and look, the SD is bombproof.

A chrome steel “nook ball” inside the hitch bar creates strain to remove any wobbling or rattling contained in the hitch receiver and in addition acts as a safety measure. A particular Allen wrench tightens the ball towards the receiver.

1Up additionally features a keyed hitch bar pin lock for added safety. The rack by no means wobbled or vibrated as soon as throughout the complete 9-month take a look at interval, and I by no means needed to retighten the nook ball. Throughout that very same time interval, I found that I tore all of the front-end bushings within the automobile. That’s how tough my street is on vehicles.

The wheel trays and base look visibly overbuilt, and so they carried bikes in the identical trend. It didn’t matter if I had two heavy e-bikes aboard and was operating late. I might nonetheless blaze down my dust roads on the restrict of traction, and nothing budged. Placing a 14-pound street race bike on the rack appeared offensive. It felt like a waste of the SD’s formidable bodily skills.

I’m used to trying in my rearview mirror or by way of my sunroof whereas driving on dust roads to reassure myself that the bikes are OK. I’ve launched two bikes off of automobile racks in my time, and so they weren’t mine. Even with the prior model of the SD, I might instinctively look if I hit an enormous G-out or bigger sq. edge. After every week of utilizing the brand new 1Up USA SD rack, I lastly stopped taking a look at all.

Simpler to Use

I’m type of hard-headed and don’t discover inconveniences until they hit me sq. between the eyes. The brand new options of the 1Up SD rack made me conscious of those I had been coping with for fairly some time.

Each the brand new Domino and pivot handles labored as supposed, and mixed, they eradicated the inconveniences that I’ll not have observed earlier than. This places the 1Up SD into the identical comfort class as some opponents which have touted comparable, considerably “luxurious” options.

The non-compulsory wheel chock labored as designed. It drastically lowered wheel oscillations on gravel and mountain bikes. For street bikes, 1Up’s clip-on “wheel savers” cradled the narrower tires to scale back wind-induced wobbles and dispersed the strain of the wheel arm throughout a bigger part of the tire.

These additions cleared what I thought of minor trades for the legendary sturdiness, repairability, and high quality of supplies and development. Now, the SD solely has one compromise.

The 1Up SD Is Nonetheless Heavy

The outdated two-bike SD weighed round 50 kilos, which made it troublesome to tackle and off. The brand new SD’s achieve in capability and burliness got here with a rise in weight, including to its already appreciable heft.

At 64 kilos for the two-bike mannequin, the brand new SD is heavy for a hitch rack. By comparability, the high-end, two-bike Thule Epos weighs 38 kilos. The highest-shelf Kuat Piston Professional X is equally as heavy because the SD, at 63 kilos. However, each the Epos and Piston Professional X have considerably decrease load capacities.

If you’re a set-it-and-forget-it bike owner, this isn’t a problem. However should you take bike racks on and off, putting in and eradicating the SD may be a nuisance and problem. And, like all bike racks that don’t have wheels (just like the Epos), the SD was awkward to deal with.

Conclusions on the 1Up USA Tremendous Obligation Bicycle Hitch Rack

When you’re an e-bike pilot, particularly aboard the longer journey MTB variations, drive over excessive terrain, or worth overbuilt sturdiness, then the 1Up SD is a selection that’s extraordinarily arduous to beat. The repairability is an added bonus that every one however ensures it’ll outlast your car and doubtless your self.

I routinely see 1UP racks which can be many years outdated. And 1Up racks are the one ones that didn’t finally break on me (and had been unrepairable). I’ve additionally by no means had a motorbike even come near working its approach free or jettisoning off.

I used to assume 1Up bike racks had been on the excessive aspect of pricing. However now, different comparable racks are equalling or surpassing its value level. At a $900 base MSRP, the two-bike SD prices lower than each the Thule Epos ($1,000) and the Kuat Piston Professional X ($1,389). And neither of these is anyplace close to as repairable. The one-bike SD begins at $600.

If you would like your without end bicycle hitch rack, look no additional than the 1Up SD.

Imagine it or not, 1Up has an excellent burlier rack, the Xtreme Obligation, with an astonishing weight capability of 345 kilos.