Side by Side Comparison of: Allen Sports vs Keeper vs Master Lock vs UShake

Excellent, but 1 caveat... This rack (Allen 102DN) is really well made- excellent strength, stability and materials. Very easy to mount on the trunk and the clips are easy to secure. The foam doesn't scratch the car paint. For my old 10 speed (men's) bike that has a horizontal top tube, it's really perfect. I also like the tie-downs that my bike's top tube sits on with the strap fasteners- they're extremely secure. (I also use bungee cords to fasten the bike to the car bumper to keep it even more secure.) Excellent price too.One caveat- the rack is narrow, so it works great for my bike. But my S.O's (women's) bike has a slanted (not horizontal) top tube and her bike is longer (like some mountain bikes too), so when you hang it on this rack, the rear wheel sticks way up because it isn't wide enough to support it over by the seat. This is nothing against this rack- I should've done my homework better beforehand & gotten a wider rack to accommodate these concerns better. And I would get it from Allen because I'm so impressed with their quality & value.*** EDIT (Sept. 14, 2017):So I found something that cures the problem described above of this rack being too narrow- it's the Allen Sports Tension Bar Bicycle Cross-Bar Adaptor for 16.99 on amazon. Attached between the steering wheel stem and seat post of her bike, and the bike hangs normally like my 10 speed. We used it a couple of times and it performed great, just like the rack.

I have two of these. Bought in 2013 and 2015. I have had no issues and use them year-round in New England including taking my fat bike out to the beach and in snow.Observations.1. Protect your car paintwork by putting a buffer between your car and the hooks. I used slices of old inner-tube stretched over the hook ends.2. Comes on and off in minutes as long as you don't switch cars and don't have to adjust straps too much.3. Have had 2 bikes on a rack for a 3+ hour highway journey. Just pad the bikes to prevent scratches and secure to frame with additional bungees.4. Tie your front wheel to the bike frame to stop it flapping about and keep it straight. Again an old inner tube or bungee is great for this.5. Old socks over pedals will also help prevent scratches on long journeys especially with 2 bikes.5. If you leave it on the car for weeks at a time like I did you can expect the elastic on the bottom strap to perish and fail due to sun/heat/cold/rain but it takes a while. Replacement bottom straps are available from Allen's website.I can't attest to the fact that the quality of these has declined as one reviewer has stated as mine are quite old. I can say that the racks I bought have been great and are great value for the money. Read the instructions and follow some suggestions from the reviews and you should be golden.

I've never owned a bike rack but I wish I would have bought one sooner. We go camping a lot but I only have a car to take all of our things so I have been cramming my daughters bike in the back seat/floor of my car and didn't have room for my own bike. I received this one and it was packaged great, easy to open and once I had it out of the box it was easy to set up and start using it.I opened it up as soon as I got it just to see how a bike rack worked even though I wasn't going to be using it until we left for vacation. From the time I opened the box, assembled it (folded it out and put in 2 pins that were already attached in one spot) was maybe about 10 minutes at most. It wouldn't have taken than long if I hadn't re-read the directions to make sure it really was that easy and that I wasn't missing something. I can't wait to use it for the first time this weekend to take our bikes camping with us. Seems like a great bike rack and for a great price. My daughter was super excited that we could take both our bikes now so I could ride with her.I will update my review ONLY IF I have any trouble with it during the actual transport.

There are a ton of poor reviews for this product...I tried something I think a lot of these people didn't do to have amazing results while using this bike rack.It sounds crazy but I read the directions. I know right? Weird. I read the directions and recommendations and this rack didn't break my rear window, this rack didn't scratch my car, it didn't fall off while driving...it just worked. And worked well. I hope this review helps others. This rack is awesome!!

I like this trunk mount, i does the job if you install it CORRECTLYPros: - It fits most sedans or hatchback cars - It holds two adult bikes no problem - Looks and feels well made - Straps are solid - Pads are good enough to keep it from scratching your trunk or glass if you have a hatchback - Installs in minutesCons: - None so farOverall i really like this trunk mount, i drove 36 miles at about 70 MPH and the unit felt solid with two adult bikes in the back.Before you head out MAKE SURE YOU INSTALL the mount correctly to avoid any accidents!!!!!What i did is I`ve added few weatherstrip seal to each hook to keep it from scratching the paint on my car, but once you apply pressure the seal comes off easily so i decided to change the location of the hooks and set it up INSIDE my trunk (Please look at the pictures to see where i install them) it works WAY BETTER and also is more secure and doesn`t scratch your trunk.I also added a bungee cord once the bikes are hold in place just in case Murphy's law :-)[...]If you have any questions you can ask me: marquino17@gmail.com

I installed the rack today on my 2002 Honda Accord EX and everything went well. I had contacted the manufacturer and they were not optimistic that it would fit my car since it has the rather large factory spoiler, but it fits just fine. After watching a video on how to install the rack it took less than five minutes the first time. With my mountain bike on the rack I took it for a test drive around town and everything remained super tight with no shifting. I will need to get some straps to secure the front wheels. This is a great rack and I highly recommend it. And when you factor in the price it is a great bargain.Update 12-6-2015I've been using this rack for around three months and still love it. With the experience that regular use brings the rack goes on in about three minutes and off in one minute. I never did get straps for the front wheels. I've been using the extra long strap at the bottom to secure the front wheels. After three months of being used three to four times a week, every week, the rack is still as solid as when new. I'm so glad I didn't spend a hundred or two hundred dollars on a Saris or Thule rack when this one does the exact same job for a fraction of the price. The rack regularly accommodates my 20 year old, rather heavy, mountain bike and my buddies equally heavy bike as well. Never a problem, always solid.

Bought this for my 2014 Mazda3 hatchback and it works well. I ended up driving about 100 miles on highways recently carrying my bike on this rack. The rack is shockingly small. The box was less than two feet long. Which is great. However, the rack goes on quickly and makes a lot of sense. You just tighten up the straps until everything is snug and then strap down the bike.The rack looks like it would fit a wide variety of sedans and hatchbacks quite well. It stays in place on the road and I was never concerned with losing my bike.

I bought two of these, one for my daughter and one for my husband since we are always wanting to ride at different times. It was easy to install. It's small enough that it doesn't take up too much storage space even though it doesn't fold up. It does the job and for the price it was definitely worth it. My daughter used it on a 4 hr drive twice and had no issues. It might wiggle a bit especially if it's windy. Just make sure the straps are tightened properly and we also secure the bike to the rack with other ties. They have only ever carried one bike at a time so I can't comment on how it works with multiple bikes.

I am very happy with this relatively inexpensive lightweight but sturdy bike rack. I ordered according to my car model but the rack allows my bicycle to come in contact with my trunk lid in one spot. It made an ugly scratch on the trunk lid of my old car before I noticed. That is why I gave it only 4 stars. Just use caution! This is a nice item that I would buy again and have recommended to my friends.

I've only used it a handful of times thus far but holds two heavy bikes on the back of my '14 Elantra well. I did add extra padding to the hooks. It hasn't left and dents or scratches but make sure your trunk and the pads are clean before use. On a side note it scares the crap out of me every time I hit a solid bump and it jiggles a little but I can't tell if it's the rack itself or my deep seated fear that I'll look at the rear-view mirror to see it and/or my trunklid bouncing down the street. Wife thinks it's fine...

This is my first car mounted bike rack so I really can't compare it to the more expensive brands, but it works just fine. We used it to travel with two bikes 100 miles each way and had no issues except one that I will explain below.A few modifications are necessary. You will need to put electrical tape on the metal hooks to avoid paint damage. Our Murano bows out slightly in the center and scraped a bit on the middle of the horizontal bars between the protective pads... so use foam pipe insulation to fill in the gaps between the pads. Don't forget to bungee the front wheel back to the bike to prevent the handle bars from spinning. One of the bikes we hauled was a ladies cruiser and the top bar curves down at such an angle that it would not mount properly. Instead of buying the cross bar adapter I used ratchet straps to pull the vertical seat bar back to the front of the mount. The ratchet provided enough tension that it held in place just fine.My major issue was that when installing the rack for the first time I placed the top two clips at the trunk hinge locations thinking this would be the strongest point of the door. On our Nissan Murano the door is actually rigid plastic instead of metal. When I opened the trunk the metal clips created a pinch point at the hinge and cracked the exterior plastic of the door. I moved the clips away from the hinges and did not have the problem again. However, I was now concerned that by clipping to plastic my door would fail under the weight of the bikes before the bike rack would. Again, over 100 miles of highway driving everything help up. I don't blame the rack for this problem, but just a word of caution to others.

I drive a 2016 Hyundai Tuscon.I bought this so my roommate and I could go to different bike trails around Houston. We both have male bikes, so figuring out how to get them both on here was a logistics test for us. The way we have to put the bikes on the rack together makes the tires stick out pretty far out both sides of my car (not too far, but further than the width of my car). On our first trek to a new trail, the bike rack shifted on my car while we were on the freeway. Luckily we were able to exit safely without damaging our bikes or causing an accident. You just have to REALLY make sure those straps are tight and that the rubber bumper is placed on the right spot on your car. Give the whole thing a good wiggle once you think you're ready to go to make sure there's no movement (if there is any movement, it will move while you drive). Once we got ourselves re-situated, we were on our way again and it was sturdy for the remainder of the drive.Overall, it's a good quality bike rack. I wish the 2 bike holders were more spaced out so we could fit our bikes better together, but we're still able to make it work. This is a good price, so I would recommend this.

2014 CruzeSeems sturdy, held 1 adult and 1 child bike really well.I added foam protection on all the hooks even though they seem to be coated. The lower bar rest right on the license plate which is a pain if you have a plate cover like I do. Would rate higher if you could adjust the lower bar but its decent for the money.

Bought it for a 2,000 mile trip. It did its job. I checked it every time we got gas, never noticed a problem. The way it wobbled on the highway definitely made me nervous though, I'd really prefer something more sturdy. Had it mounted on a Honda Fit (hatchback).I lined the hooks with gorilla tape to protect car paint, which I strongly recommend.I read all the instructions and followed them, although I don't think I would've done anything different without them (it was obvious).

Does the jobDirections could be better for assembly, extra line or two with a picture.Once assembled "not a big job" the unit carries one bike quick and easy.The second bike has to be wiggled and jammed in to get in and take off.The distant they give between the two bikes "not adjustable" is unnecessarily tight .

It's really nice rack, but 1. it's not as easy for installing as it should. 2. It's hard to mount MTB bike on it, as most of bikes does not have middle bar. (see image).

The bike rack is fairly easy to set up on the trunk of a car. Where the problem lies, and hence the three star rating, is in being able to transport a women's bicycle on it. Men's bikes are easy enough to life onto the arms and strap in, but women's bikes have to be flipped upside down and maneuvered onto the arms. Since the bike we have is one of those women's retro-style cruising bikes with a low-slung crossbar, the bicycle could only be mounted at a severe angle, with the rear fender and light being only a few inches from the ground (our car is a 2004 Hyundai XG350 - not super low car). I have no idea how a second bike could fit on there.This rack is probably perfect for light and thin racing-style bikes but if you want to transport cruising bikes or anything more substantial than a skinny bike, i would recommend getting another bike rack, preferably one that has adjustable width arms.For the price, we are making due with the hoisting and maneuvering.

So my girlfriend read up on cheap bike racks on Amazon and told me to buy this one. She said all we would need is some bungee cords and this rack and we would be good to transport our bikes to wherever. We tried out the rack on my 2013 Mazda3 sedan and it seemed to work fine... I left the bike rack on for the weekend and removed it to find... missing paint. This is largely due to the design of the 2013 mazda3's trunk, which comes to a point in the center for aesthetic purposes. The weight of the bikes had compressed the two foam pieces enough so that the bare metal was rubbing against the trunk's angular midpoint 'ridge'. The metal was rubbing against this point and wore through the paint here. Bummer. The clips, which we thought would be fine after wrapping them in electrical tape, also damaged the paint in the crevice to which they were attached (just the side clips).As crappy as that is, I think it could be avoided if I were to put the rack back on my car. We learned from our mistakes when putting the bike rack on her 2013 Subaru Impreza hatchback. First of all, due to the design of the hatch, the top bar rests on the window and the bottom bar rests on the top of the license plate, so the chance of scratching any paint here is essentially zero. When attaching the clips to her car, we took a cloth rag and cut it into pieces to act as a buffer between the clips and the car paint. This worked excellently, maintaining a strong hold while protecting the car paint from any damage. I highly recommend foregoing any taping of the clips; just take a rag and cut it up into small squares to protect the paint. I would also recommend putting a rag with a rubber band on the pedal that will rest closest to the car before trying to place it on the rack. That will prevent any issues scratching the paint while trying to get the bike situated on the rack.We used bungee cords to prevent the wheels from turning, which worked great. The rack may shift a little but as long as you follow the directions, you should have no issues. I would recommend this rack if you are carrying two lighter bikes, with a car with a flat trunk design. Otherwise, you may want to pay more for more security and convenience.Not recommended for circa 2013 Mazda 3's, or any car with a trunk that has an uneven trunk design like them.I will update the review if I decide to retry using the rack with my car to see if further damage can be avoided.

It might work for someone, I guess, but didn't seem to fit on our Prius, without 'riding' on the spoiler . When mounted on the Ford Fusion, the bicycle pedals wouldn't clear the frame, and would hit the car body... Also we didn't like the clips to hold it to the trunk, as they were very sharp, with very little padding protection for the car body and we were worried they'd scratch or dent the body.... we didn't trust it, so we returned it.

Easy to mount to your car. My women's mountain bike took a bit of trial and error to mount. However, the bike felt secure after I figured out how to mount it. The problem started after my second ride. I live in Florida where it rains all of the time. It rain on my way home from my second ride. I shook the water off the rack and put it in my trunk. Two days later I opened my trunk to discover pools of rust all over my new yoga mats. The rust was really excessive. Yoga mats are ruined, and I'm not hopeful for the longevity of my new bike rack.

The reviews are true, this thing does leave a mark on your car. It does hold the bikes pretty well but it does damage your car. If you don't care about your car then I would say go ahead and get this product. If you have a nice car that you don't want get damage then invest in the Thule.

Your experience may be different, but I cannot get it to securely hold tight to my 2008 Civic trunk even under the weight of one bike on paved roads. I wouldn't even attempt poor roads or two bikes. On a paved 55-mph road I had to stop twice in 15 miles to reattch and retighten straps. Completely unacceptable and unsafe. But I don't give it less than two stars because I could see this working on a hatchback, maybe, or a car with a taller trunk area.

Does not fit Dodge Avenger 2012 with spoiler, unlike box and advertised. The bike rack barely sits on the car without destroying the spoiler due to its smaller frame, and it does not provide the clearance for the first bike to be mounted. When mounted, and not resting on the spoiler (which spoilers can not handle weight downward), the first hook for the bike-rack is so close to the frame, that any bike's pedal or gears begins hitting the backside of the car. I would rate as 4 or 5 star if it wasn't listed as compatable for the dodge avenger 2012, as the dodge caliber 2008 fits perfectly, and I have used it on that car for a while/

i've contacted customer service 4 times about a simple deficiency in the spacers between the straps for two bikes, the first reply was incorrect (or in hindsight maybe just BS), i've just been ignored ever since. the customer service phone no. is just to a call center. the call center personnel are courteous and sympathetic but it seems they are just stonewalled by the company that has not replied.the bike rack is an OK starting point but what with the additional strapping and ropes required to stabilize the bikes I'm not sure that I couldn't have just started with some two by fours.

Does not mount solidly on a 2017 Ford Fusion Hybrid which is listed on the "fit list" on the Allen website and on the box that the carrier comes in. The brackets do not have enough contact with the metal trunk lid to properly hold the rack. The clamps can easily scratch and/or damage the trunk lid. The rack continued to slip down the trunk lid each time I drove over a bump. Even after tightening the rack several times it continued to slip off. I ended up with scratches on the top of the trunk lid and on the bumper where the bike rack and bikes scratched it. Thankfully the rack and bikes did not fall off onto the freeway or there would have been a real disaster.

Poorly made. Hurt my car on first attempt. Didn't even go biking that day because of the fact I didn't feel comfortable it would work, even though we were only traveling about 20-30 miles, on road. Sucks, man. Sometimes the "Highly Rated, Low Priced" Amazon featurettes are very poorly made and sometimes they are great. This one was not great.

I tossed it after three uses. It's cumbersome and the bike swings a ton. It may be that it wouldn't fall off, but I don't like the bike hitting my bumper.

This just doesn't fit on the back of my Nissan Murano as it says it should. The bikes would hit the back of my vehicle. Wish I had a hitch on my car so I could get the car rack for hitches.

Installed according to instructions, and carefully. Verified ropes were tight. Have used several bike racks so this wasn't my first rodeo. Nevertheless, this rack scratched up the paint at all grip points on my Subaru Forester. You get what you pay for, but not scratching the paint should be an expected feature of any bike rack. I shouldn't have to modify it in order for it to not damage my vehicle. I do not recommend this item. Spend more, get better.

This thing in my opinion, is complicated/not user friendly, has too many straps and worst of all fit my car but does not fit any of the 4 bicycles I have. I bought a cheaper one at a large box store and it serves my purpose. I would return bit waited too long and now past my return date