This story initially appeared on GearJunkie
At the moment, Saris formally launches its new premium hitch bike rack, the Edge. It boasts a excessive weight restrict and distinctive design parts to set it aside from its rivals and the remainder of the Saris lineup.
Saris is finest recognized for its reasonably priced trunk racks and bike trainers., and it isn’t precisely synonymous with high-end hitch racks. Saris seeks to vary that with the Edge, a two-bike service priced alongside premium competitors.
With a formidable 80-pound per bike weight restrict and a variety of motorcycle match, the Saris Edge can carry nearly any bike. It has a clear design and all of the options you’d count on for the worth. These embrace tool-free set up, a handy tilt-release deal with, and built-in locks. The distinctive bike attachment system and fixed-angle entrance wheel hook received’t contact your body or rub in your fork the way in which different fashions can.
I’ve been utilizing and abusing the brand new Saris Edge ($1,000) for the previous month. It has seen loads of each day journeys to and from the trailhead, together with a 600+ mile highway journey. From sunny days to snow storms and freeway miles to reasonably tough unpaved roads, I put the Edge via its paces to see if it’s definitely worth the premium price ticket.
Briefly: With the brand new Edge mannequin, Saris is making a robust transfer into the premium finish of the hitch bike rack market. It’s costly, however fortuitously, this rack is properly thought out. It has a user-friendly design and options that make it simple to dwell with. I put this rack via the wringer and was impressed by its stability and safe bike maintain. I particularly liked that the entrance wheel hook can’t rub the paint off my fork. It has a few minor quirks however is in any other case an ideal new possibility to contemplate.
In search of a brand new bike rack? See how the Saris Edge compares in our complete information to the most effective hitch bike racks.
Saris Edge Evaluate
Particulars
Given its excessive weight restrict, it isn’t stunning that the Edge rack solely is available in a 2-inch receiver dimension. You probably have a 1.25-inch receiver, you’ll must look elsewhere. The 2-bike model is presently the one possibility, and no add-ons can be found to increase its carrying capability.
The Edge has an 80-pound per-bike weight restrict. This means it could actually deal with every little thing from featherlight highway bikes to heavy electrical commuter bikes. Nevertheless, Saris doesn’t presently provide an optionally available ramp accent to assist load these heavy bikes.
Lengthy bikes are in play with trays designed to suit wheelbases as much as 53 inches (1,346 mm). That features most slacked-out trendy long-travel enduro and downhill mountain bikes.
Saris claims it really works with wheel sizes between 24 and 29 inches. For width, it could actually match 29 x 3-inch tires or 27.5-inch wheels and tires as much as 5 inches vast. This attachment system additionally works with bikes with fenders.
No instruments are wanted to put in or take away the Edge rack out of your automobile. The tool-free anti-wobble system takes any play within the receiver with a knob that you just flip by hand. The included hitch pin and lock safe the rack. An built-in cable lock system secures the bikes to the rack. The bike lock has two cables, one on both sides, that slide out of the bike trays and join.
RV fans will likely be joyful to know that the Edge is RV-rated for Class A, B, and C motorhomes. It isn’t particularly rated for off-road use. Nevertheless, the parents at Saris instructed me that gravel and unpaved roads are tremendous.
Bike Attachment
The bike tray helps the rear wheel and secures it with an extended ratcheting strap. The strap and the “riser block” slide alongside the tray to regulate for bike size. The riser block could be in entrance of the rear wheel, or it could actually increase it by 2.5 inches. This will help forestall potential seat and handlebar battle.
The entrance tire sits in a hoop and a hooked arm that articulates up and presses on the entrance wheel. The hook extends out from the articulating arm with the push of a button. It’s spring-loaded to recoil by itself.
In contrast to entrance wheel hooks that clamp immediately in entrance of the fork, the Edge’s arm stops at a set angle. The low mounted angle ensures the wheel hook solely contacts the entrance tire. The Edge hook can not rub on the bike’s fork and harm the paint — a standard challenge with different racks.
Saris Edge Tilt Adjustment
Like every good hitch bike rack, the Edge’s tilt angle could be adjusted as wanted. The lean-release deal with is conveniently situated on the finish of the principle assist arm, the place it’s simple to succeed in. After all, the rack folds flat to move bikes and could be tilted down for rear-of-the-vehicle entry with or with out bikes loaded. Whenever you aren’t transporting bikes, it folds up vertically to cut back its profile or at an intermediate angle to permit trunk entry.
Saris Edge Meeting
For those who order the Edge from an internet retailer, will probably be shipped to your property with some meeting required. My take a look at rack arrived in a characteristically massive and heavy field. The assembled rack weighs 66 kilos, and the shipped weight might be nearer to 75. You’ll most likely wish to get the assistance of one other particular person if it’s essential to transfer it any distance earlier than unboxing it.
The rack is available in 5 items, together with detailed printed directions (or you may watch an meeting video) and all of the required instruments. I adopted the directions step-by-step and had the rack assembled in simply over half-hour.
The receiver arm and major “backbone” of the rack come preassembled, and every tray is in two items. All that must be executed is to connect the 4 tray halves to the backbone of the rack. All the components have been clearly labeled, and I discovered the method simple and hassle-free.
How I Examined the Saris Edge
I obtained my take a look at rack a few month in the past, assembled it, and have used it virtually day by day since. I dwell in Reno, Nev., the place a light winter has allowed me to maintain driving mountain and gravel bikes most days. The Saris Edge steadily went from house to the native trailhead. It additionally went to some trails an hour and a half away.
My spouse and I additionally loaded up our camper and took a 3-day highway journey down via the Alabama Hills and Dying Valley Nationwide Park. All instructed, we drove over 600 miles on that journey. That features over 30 miles of dust roads resulting in our backcountry roadside campsites in Dying Valley (would extremely advocate). Whereas these roads wouldn’t qualify as “off-roading,” they actually weren’t completely easy, both. Deep sand, unfastened gravel, and a few reasonably tough patches required four-wheel drive.
My take a look at interval included a variety of highway surfaces and climate circumstances. The Saris Edge was uncovered to rain and snow showers and the highway grime that goes together with them. It’s additionally seen the other finish of the spectrum, with 87-degree temperatures, 60mph gusts, and mud storms on the lowest level within the continental U.S.
Utilizing the Saris Edge
Although I’ve solely been utilizing it for a few month up to now, I’ve executed my finest to place the Edge via a correct GearJunkie subject take a look at. Nonetheless, a month is a reasonably brief take a look at interval, so listed here are my first impressions.
Set up and Elimination
I’ve principally saved the Saris Edge mounted in my truck’s receiver, however I’ve put in and eliminated it a number of occasions to load and unload my camper. The tool-free anti-wobble system made it simple to placed on and take off. It may be good if the anti-wobble knob was barely larger. However I had no drawback cranking it down sufficiently to stabilize the rack within the receiver. The set up and removing course of solely took a few minutes every time.
Like most comparable racks, the Edge is cumbersome, and at 66 kilos, it actually isn’t gentle. Carrying it round off the automobile and storing it when not in use have been challenges. That’s not a knock on the Edge particularly, as I say the identical factor about virtually each different hitch rack, too.
Tilt Launch
The lean launch deal with has an ideal design, and I had no points adjusting the rack’s tilt. The deal with’s place on the finish of the backbone made it very simple to succeed in when folding the rack vertically, flat, or tilted down away from the automobile.
On our highway journey, I tilted the rack down with bikes loaded many occasions to entry the door of our camper. With two 30-ish pound mountain bikes on the rack, this wasn’t an issue in any respect. With a few heavy e-bikes on it, I might see it being difficult to tilt it. However the identical is true of another rack I’ve used.
Loading Bikes
I’ve used the Saris Edge to move mountain bikes, gravel bikes, a fats bike, and a few electrical bikes. Loading and attaching any sort of motorcycle was intuitive and easy. It match skinny 700c x 40mm gravel tires, 29” x 2.5” mountain bike tires, and 26” x 4.5” fats bike tires with ease.
For those who’ve ever used comparable racks, just like the Thule T2, Kuat NV, Yakima StageTwo, or Rocky Mounts MonoRail, loading the Edge is analogous. Nevertheless, there are a few delicate variations.
As with different platform-style racks, it’s essential to raise your bike up onto the bike tray and place the entrance wheel within the wheel hoop and the rear wheel on the tray. Then, the grey button on the wheel hook extends it, you then articulate the hook arm up till it stops.
Launch the button, and the spring-loaded wheel hook recoils to place gentle rigidity on the entrance tire. I selected to press down on the wheel hook for a few additional clicks of the ratchet so as to add extra stress and safety.
The mounted place of the hook arm is at a decrease angle than most different racks, guaranteeing that the wheel hook received’t contact the fork. Visually, I discovered the wheel hook place to look a bit of humorous at first, however I shortly acquired used to it. Nearly each bike I personal has a small spot of paint rubbed off the fork from different racks, so I discovered this refreshing.
For the rear wheel, the riser block and ratchet strap are related and slide alongside the tray to regulate for wheelbase size. I needed to place the block in entrance of the rear wheel, cross the ratchet strap via, and tighten it down.
I by no means skilled any bike-on-bike battle, so I by no means used the block as a riser. That stated, I might see it probably being useful to cease handlebars and saddles from contacting one another.
The ratchet strap is sort of lengthy, to the purpose that it will get in the way in which whereas loading bikes. Happily, Saris added a loop on the top of the strap and a hook on the aspect of the riser to carry it out of the way in which. Utilizing this strap administration characteristic added an additional couple of seconds to loading however made it a lot simpler.
Like every ratchet strap that contacts your rear wheel, this one can scuff up your rims. You probably have actually costly carbon rims or are tremendous involved concerning the look of your bike, you would possibly wish to put a protector of some type below the strap.
Stability
I haven’t taken it simple on my take a look at rack, however I’ve been pleasantly stunned by its stability at each flip. Over many a whole lot of freeway miles and 30+ miles of dust roads, the rack didn’t wobble in any respect.
The anti-wobble system labored nice and didn’t loosen, even after rattling over chunky washboard again roads. If it ever began to wobble, it could be very fast and straightforward to tighten it again down by hand.
It’s not simply the rack that was secure, however my bikes additionally stayed very safe. In conditions the place I’d count on to see them bouncing round, they weren’t. Positive, they moved round a tiny bit, however they fared properly, given the numerous vertical and side-to-side bouncing throughout my travels. The safety of the bike attachment and stability of the bikes on the rack exceeded my expectations.
Saris Edge Safety
I’ve had bikes stolen, and it was a horrible feeling. I’ve by no means had a motorbike rack stolen (knocks on wooden), and I’m hoping to maintain it that means. I at all times respect locks, even when they solely work as a theft deterrent. It’s troublesome to cease a decided thief with energy instruments, however hopefully, you may get them to maneuver on to a neater rating.
The sturdy steel hitch pin lock Saris contains with the rack impressed me. It’s acquired some weight to it and feels prefer it might deal with a number of whacks from a hammer. This lock is nearly as good or higher than another hitch pin lock I’ve seen from different manufacturers.
I’ve but to see an built-in lock system for bikes that I’d name good, however I respect that rack producers try. Any purposeful lock for the bikes is healthier than no lock in any respect. On the very least, it is going to deter opportunistic grab-and-go theft.
The Edge’s cable lock system is considerably distinctive. It consists of two components housed contained in the bike trays’ rear halves that slide out and lock collectively. The coated metal cables are 10 mm thick (together with the coating), and the keyed lock seems fairly powerful, too. When absolutely prolonged, the cable is lengthy sufficient to loop via two bike frames or the body and one wheel of a single bike.
This technique was simple sufficient to make use of and definitely added a layer of safety for low-risk conditions. Every time I left the bikes unattended and out of sight, I added a beefy aftermarket lock for peace of thoughts — one thing I do with each bike rack.
Sturdiness
I haven’t been utilizing the Edge rack for lengthy sufficient to make any feedback on long-term sturdiness. I’ve used this rack fairly a bit, and nothing has damaged. It has a wholesome coating of mud and midwinter highway grime on it, however every little thing nonetheless works completely.
The Edge is sturdy. Saris claims it is going to assist as much as 160 kilos of bikes at a time, and it reveals. The backbone of the rack is tremendous beefy, and so is the pivot. I vibrated the heck out of this factor, and the pivot hasn’t developed any play in any respect.
Like most bike racks — apart from 1Up-USA’s — there are some plastic components. That’s not a trigger for alarm, however plastic does put on quicker than steel. Nonetheless, individuals have been getting 10 years of use out of Thule T2 racks — with comparable quantities of plastic — and I’d count on the identical right here.
Sliding components are one other concern, as highway grime and publicity to the weather could cause them to get gritty and transfer much less easily. The extending wheel hooks, riser block, and cable locks all depend on their capability to maneuver to work correctly. Once more, I haven’t had any points, however time will inform how properly every little thing features in the long run.
Room for Enchancment
Whereas my expertise utilizing the Saris Edge has been overwhelmingly constructive up to now, I believe one factor might make it even higher. That may be a loading ramp. I’m not saying it ought to include one, however it could not less than be good to have the choice to purchase one.
The 80-pound weight restrict is nice, however loading any bike heavier than 50-60 kilos on this rack is hard with no ramp. Don’t get me unsuitable. I might raise my 74-pound Rad Energy Radster Highway up onto this rack, however it undoubtedly wasn’t simple. I’m an athletic particular person, and I’d take into account myself to be fairly sturdy. I might see loading heavy bikes being far more of a problem for individuals with restricted energy or mobility points.
I principally transport one or two bikes at a time, so the Edge’s two-bike capability is nice for my wants. With out add-ons to increase capability, nonetheless, this rack received’t carry greater than two bikes.
The thinner-than-average hitch pin provided with the rack can also be a curious selection. The thinner dimension means there’s free play within the gap of the receiver, so the hitch pin can rattle round whereas driving. This doesn’t compromise its capability to maintain the rack on the automobile, however it may be a bit of noisy.
Floor clearance is also a problem for some customers. It wasn’t an issue for me with the peak of the receiver on my truck, however there may be little or no rise from the receiver arm to the top of the rack. It’s one thing to contemplate relying on the clearance of your automobile and the roads you drive.
Saris Edge Bike Hitch Rack: Who’s It For?
There are many nice racks in the marketplace, and the Saris Edge provides to that rising record. Apart from children’ bikes, it’ll carry nearly any bike as much as 80 kilos with no body or fork contact. It was easy to make use of, secure as could be, and held bikes securely.
Past the shortage of a loading ramp for heavy bikes, I had solely minor complaints about this rack’s efficiency or performance. Assuming you don’t want to hold greater than two bikes at a time, the Edge is well-executed and user-friendly. For my part, Saris has stepped up its sport and moved into a brand new efficiency class.
The $1,000 price ticket places it roughly in the identical ballpark as different high-end racks, and it has some very stiff competitors. I wouldn’t name it the most effective rack I’ve ever used, however it carried out and dealt with abuse surprisingly properly. There’s no scarcity of choices, however the brand new Saris Edge is a worthy contender when trying to find your subsequent hitch bike rack.
