As a cycling enthusiast, hopping onto your bike and hitting the road is one of the greatest feelings ever. Cycling on a trail where it is just you, the bike, curves, and bends, and the land contours is a relaxing experience, an experience that briefly gets you away from the stressful and ever nerve-racking world.
However, for you to go cycling in a suitable area of your choice, carrying your bike in your car to your preferred destination can prove to be a pain in the neck. It is for this reason that you need a bike rack. A suitable bike rack will solve the transporting problem because all you need to do is mount the bike rack on your car, safely attach your bike, and hit the road.
Many bike racks manufacturing companies have been established to solve this bike transportation problem, one of the most popular bike racks-making companies being Yakima. Yakima has earned an impressive reputation from cycling enthusiasts for producing bike racks and other components that are of brilliant quality. Nevertheless, some people still have doubts about the quality of these bike racks, and you will still hear someone asking, is Yakima a good bike rack?
To answer this question and many more on Yakima bike racks, kindly read this article to the end.
Is Yakima a Good Bike Rack?
Yes, Yakima is a good bike rack. Yakima has a long-term reputation as one of the best bike racks and other bicycles accessories manufacturing companies worldwide.
The company is known to produce bike racks that stand the test of time because they are durable and firm. In fact, Yakima’s nearly 40 years track record is so impressive that in 1984, many competing cyclists used its bike racks in the Olympics.
First, Yakima bike racks are pretty easy to use. Loading your bike or unloading it is a process that takes a maximum period of a few minutes. In addition, the process of assembling the bike rack and mounting it on your vehicle receiver is pretty comfortable.
Also see: Do trunk bike racks work on SUVs?
They are compatible with any car hitch. In most cases, you will not need any installation tools to get the bike racks ready for the purpose.
Secondly, as earlier said, Yakima bike racks are pretty effective and solid. Whether you are using the Yakima Ridgeback for mounting on the hitch, Yakima Frontloader for mounting on your car’s roof, Yakima Block Head for mounting on your track bed rack, or Yakima Fullback 2 for mounting on your trunk, they are all firm enough to carry your bike around while you drive.
For this reason, the bike racks offer you the chance to select a rack with a carrying capacity that is most convenient to you. Therefore, you can always get a bike rack that can accommodate the number of bicycles you plan to bring on an excursion. For instance, some of these racks can carry a single bicycle, some two, while others can carry a maximum of six bikes.
In addition, Yakima bike racks are designed in such a way that they can comfortably carry bikes whose tires are different sizes, from 20 inches to those that are 29 inches. They are also suitable with bicycle tires of different widths, from the slim bike tires to the wide five-inch tires, with adequate spacing between them.
Thirdly, the other reason that Yakima bike racks are good is that they are fairly secure. These racks use a security system that involves the use of security locking cables to safely lock the bike’s frame and tires to the rack to prevent theft. You have the liberty to purchase an additional hitch lock and a cable lock to enhance the rack’s security.
However, just like when using the other bike racks, you should not leave your bike for long when it is attached to the rack. This is because the security system cannot stop a determined thief with the proper toolset.
Finally, Yakima bike racks are relatively cheaper when compared to other brands. For instance, a bike rack with a four-bike carrying capacity will cost you only $ 778. Furthermore, Yakima offers you a limited lifetime warranty for any bike rack that you purchase from them. This warranty covers the replacement of any defective parts or the whole rack as long as you are the original owner.
Where Are Yakima Racks Made?
Yakima has several locations from which it manufactures its bike racks. For instance, it has factories in Australia, Taiwan, and Mainland China. In addition, this company has an assembly in Southern California, USA, from where it makes its cargo boxes. In this facility, the company also does some final fitting works on some of their wide range of products.
Yakima company was established in 1973 in Yakima, Washington, by a paddlesports enthusiast and inventor by the name of Otto. During this time, the owner made hand-crafted foot bracings for kayaks and canoes, pruning equipment, and roof racks.
In 1979, Yakima industries started becoming bigger and better after being purchased by two kayaking and cycling enthusiasts, Don Banducci and Steve Cole. These two moved Yakima industries from Yakima, Washington, to Arcata, California. In 2005, this company changed its headquarters from Arcata, California, to Beaverton, Oregon.
Also see: Are trunk bike racks safe?
The company has been located in Beaverton, Oregon, until it recently relocated its headquarters to Lake Oswego, Oregon. In their headquarters in Lake Oswego, Oregon, they design their products, test them, conduct marketing, and control the logistics of their products.
How Do I Know What Bike Rack I Have?
Yakima deals with several bike racks, including roof-mounted racks, hitch-mounted racks, trunk-mounted racks, spare tire racks, and tailgate pads. All these bike racks are constructed in different designs, and they are mounted on different vehicle spots and assembled differently.
If you want to know the bike rack you are using, you have to first differentiate where it is mounted and know its dimensions, capacity, and part numbers. For instance, if you are using a hitch-mounted bike rack, these features will help you know the specific type of hitch-mounted bike rack that you are using.
Conclusion
It is vital to remember that several companies make bike racks. However, when you compare their bike racks to those made by Yakima, you ask yourself, is a Yakima bike rack good? By reading this article, you could agree that Yakima bike racks are strong, effective, and reliable. Therefore, as a cycling enthusiast that uses your vehicles to carry your bicycles, get a Yakima bike rack and start enjoying the experience.
