Yakima FullSwing Bike Rack – 1 Essential Bike Rack for Great Trunk Access

The Yakima FullSwing Bike Rack is great for traveling with 4 bikes.  The rack literally swings out of the way to allow access to the trunk of the vehicle.  I mounted it to our 4Runner to test it out.

Yakima FullSwing – Bike Rack that swings open

I have been looking for a good bike rack that did not get in the way of accessing the trunk of our 4Runner for a long time.  I have used a few that tilt down, and they left me wanting a little more.  The FullSwing is the first rack I have used that actually swings out of the way.  This is a game-changer for us.

The ability to have a bike, or several bikes, loaded up on the rack and still be able to access the rear is amazing.  I left the rack on for almost two months straight, as it did not get the way of my day to day activities. Prior to this rack, I would have to budget several additional minutes before going out for a trip to use our bikes.  This convenience and time saving alone are worth the upgrade.


FullSwing $549.00

 

Toolless installation

Another major perk of this rack is that anyone can install it.  Without tools!  That’s right, no tools.  I am no engineer, and I prefer to jump into the fun. Installation was a breeze thanks to the intuitive design.  Simply insert the rack into the hitch, allowing the Autopin to catch in the receiving hole.  Get your mind out of the gutter…. Then turn the big red SpeedKnob to tighten the rack in place.  The SpeedKnob does a great job of creating a secure “wedge” inside the hitch.

Compact storage when not in use

This is yet another great feature of this rack that deserves some major kudos.  We live in Denver and spend a good amount of time in the city.  This means lots of parallel parking and tight navigation. The FullSwing packs up to a very tight package when not in use.  I had no issues with backing-up or parking with this rack installed.

Built-in SKS lock

The features keep rolling!  The built-in cable lock is very nice as it stores away discreetly when not in use.  Pull it out and secure your bikes with ease when you need too.  Bonus – the lock is the same SKS lock as on the SpeedKnob below.  With the built-in lock, it is just one more thing to not have to think about accessory wise.

ZipStrips – secure bike mounts

Yet another thoughtful feature that really impressed me was the built-in mounting hardware – aka ZipStrips.  These pliable plastic pieces do a great job of securing the bike in place.  The teeth of the strip click into place and do not budge.  Once you are ready to remove the bike, simply squeeze the cams and release the tension.  Simple and effective.

Off-road use

Though I live in Denver and drive downtown often for work, I do get to the mountains at least three times a week.  Most of that time is on gravel or light off-road roads.  Heck, I was driving on snow-covered dirt roads this morning! I was impressed at how well the FullSwing held up to 2 months of on and off-roading.  Now, I am not rock crawling or anything extreme like that, but I am using the 4Runner for off-road travel very often.  I have not had to readjust the rack once in that time.

Bikes we used to test this

I used my men’s large size fat bike and my wife’s cruiser with no issue on this rack. I did not try using it with a kids bike or other sized bikes, so I can not speak to that.  The rack is rated for up to 4 bikes, though I did not test that out either.  Sorry I can not help you out more with that intel. I don’t see any reason it would not handle 4 bikes though.

Final review on the Yakima FullSwing Bike Rack

For our purposes, this rack is a dream to use. It folds up out of the way for daily use. Trunk access was quick and easy.  Durability is legit (it has been through snow, rain and lots of dirt and mud). Easy to install, without tools.  Plus, it looks damn good. If you own a vehicle with a hitch (2″ in our case) and are looking for a great bike rack that allows trunk access – this is it! $550

 


Yakima FullSwing 4-Bike Hitch Rack | REI Co-op $549.00

 

 

We first saw Yakima FullSwing Bike Rack at the Outdoor Retailer Show.  To see more products from Yakima, check out our interview with them here.  or listen to that in podcast format here.