Customer Reviews:
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 great truck rack, July 28, 2008
By Eric Rubin
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This rack installs in minutes. You can rack a bike in about 10 seconds. The only downside I can see is that they are easy to steal so i use a cable lock to tie them in to the truck. I bought two for my tundra.
10 of 10 people found the above review helpful.
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 Thule Insta-Gator Truck Bed Rack, June 21, 2009
By Hollywood (Columbia, SC United States)
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The Thule 501 Insta-Gator Rack is great for quickly securing bicycles in the bed of a truck. The rack mounts at tailgate in minutes. It uses the tailgate as a wheel stop. I can secure 2 bikes in under 5 minutes including double checking secure fit and locking. The locking bar is well padded and has not scratched my forks.
The down side is that the tailgate cannot be lowered while using the racks. A small price in my view.
Improvents that I note:
1 - rubberize the bottom tubes in contact with the truck bed to increase friction.
2 - add a loop to run a locking cable through to the rack.
5 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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 Good but not perfect, June 14, 2009
By J. Foster (San Jose CA)
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The insta-gator will not work on a bike with a front fender. That I discovered only by looking at the installation picture (no fender on the bike used). The other (minor) problem is that my truck bed is high off the ground and my bike heavy. That means I have to open the tailgate to load / unload the bike. When I do that, the insta-gator comes loose and that means it has to be re-adjusted when the tailgate goes up again. For daily use, I found this annoying. However, once adjusted and the bike in place, it is secure and does a good job of holding the bike.
5 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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Works as Described, July 13, 2009
By Happy
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It is so nice when you buy a product and it works exactly as it claims to. I use this with my 29er in an 2006 Longbed F150 and it works perfectly. BTW, I also purchased the Topline Add-a-bike clamp ($30) to use with this so that you can use this rack to carry two bikes as well.
4 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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Works with any truck and super quick to load, January 20, 2009
By E. Brown
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These things are great. Takes me about 5 minutes (max) to install them and load the bikes and be on my way. Highly recommended and best of all since they're not permanent they work in any truck.
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Good bike carrier, February 18, 2008
By J. Michael (Cumberland, MD)
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This is the first bike rack I have ever owned but I would definately reccomend it to any truck owner who needs a fast and efficient way to hall their bike. Only takes about 1 or 2 minutes and you are ready to travel anywhere with your bike. Very sturdy and simple to use.
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Fast, reliable and easy to use., August 22, 2009
By I HATE comic sans (ABQ, NM)
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I bought two of these for mine and my girlfriend's bikes. They are quick and easy to install in the bed of my Tacoma. I was a little worried that something so small would be able to hold up to high winds and fast speeds. I took it on the freeway yesterday and at 70mph the bikes barely move. It makes loading the bikes a quick and easy task so we can just put them in the bed and go. The only recommendation is to but a cable lock to make sure the bikes are secure.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Best Non Front Wheel Removal Pickup Truck Bike Rack, August 8, 2009
By Excessive Consumer (East Coast, USA)
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Assuming there is no front fender on your bike, this is the best pickup truck rack where you do not have to remove the front wheel (I have tried others). It is well designed, sturdy and keeps the bike firmly anchored in the bed. Installation takes a few minutes and removal is even faster. It also folds down so that the bed can be covered without rack removal. Yes it is true that you have to lift the bike up over the side into the truck bed due to the fact that it works easiest with the gate closed. Keep that in mind if you have a heavy bike (which should have no bearing on a rating for this product). I have a Ford F-150 full size bed pickup truck with bed liner and 2 of these racks fit nicely, I doubt a third rack would fit. You can purchase lock cylinders from Thule separately or use a cable lock if you wish to provide moderate theft control.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Works Great!, March 29, 2012
By ricky rocket (MI)
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I have an F-150 and I easily fit two road bikes in the back with two of these racks (3 racks would be very tight - but might work). Great design. The tailgate is the backstop, and the arm/lever helps hold the bike in place. It takes me about 5 minutes to secure 2 bikes. No tire removal!
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Unstable, July 25, 2011
By Shark Rescue
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The bike carrier works Okay, but the rachet straps slip and do not allow it to be tightened down very well. This leads to the whole unit moving around. It is quick to get the bike in and out of it though. I would suggest looking at different options before buying this unit.
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good but skip the lock, June 28, 2011
By archeopteryx
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Works as advertised, very simple, quick setup. Bike doesn't bounce around.
Actually, my only complaint concerns the lock (bought separately at the usual car-rack-manufacturer ripoff price): it doesn't work. Not even a little. Unlocked, the hook slides free and loose when you depress the lever. "Locked," it moves just as freely, just makes a ratcheting noise as it goes.
In retrospect, the lock is just plain silly anyway. The hook only holds the front tire - the rest of the bike is on its own(the tailgate has to be locked,too,BTW). But the "ratcheting straps" that hold the thing against the tailgate are just hard plastic and wouldn't be hard to cut. Plus the hook ratcheting system seems to rely on plastic as well, a good yank might defeat it.
So buy the Insta Gator, forget the lockset.
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Good product, May 5, 2011
By Brian Lee Robinson
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This product works just as advertised. I drive a 96 Tacoma longbed - the rack fits into the gap between the bed and the tailgate. You can't open the tailgate while the rack is installed without dislodging it, but that hasn't been a big issue so far. To me, not having to remove the front wheel every time I load up the bike is worth almost any aggravation - and I haven't found another pickup bed rack that doesn't require this. It's quite stable while moving at any speed and over bad pavement - also it's quite comforting to be able to see my ride (Specialized Roubaix) while moving. In summary, I don't hesitate to highly recommend this product.
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kudos, December 24, 2010
By KJ (Sarasota Fl.)
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Who thought of a rack that attaches to the tail gate of a pick-up truck and can be installed easily in 2-3 minutes with ease of racking the bike and solid sturdy support to the bike even at highway speeds? An extremely clever design, clean and simple to use. It is so easy to install that I remove it and lock it in the truck while I am riding the bicycle. It is nothing to reattach it on the truck bed after biking. I highly recommend it if you are carrying only one bike. It may be awkward to use two racks for two bikes-probably not enough space in the truck bed to easily rack two bicycles though I have not tried it.
KJ
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Gator Rack, September 3, 2010
By Matthew A Mozelak
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If you are looking to haul one bike in a pickup, and want the simplicity of moving the bike without taking the wheel off then this works great. It is very easy to use and holds the bike firmly without marking it. I also didn't want to mount a bar across the my bed, and have to deal with the cover getting in the way when rolled up. This just locks into the tailgate and wrenches down and you are done. I rated it 4 stars becuase - it didn't come with the lock and it is more expensive than other options out there, but to me worth the money.
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Works well and easy to use, August 30, 2010
By Duckcole
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I got this product because I wanted to put my bike the bed of my truck but did not want to be drilling and installing anything permanent. This came right out of the box ready to use and was ready to roll in less than 3 mins. I would recommend this product. The InstaGator holds my bike tight even on the highway.
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Works great, June 14, 2010
By J. Petrylak (cville)
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So far the insta gater has worked well. The only thing I dont like is that if the frt. tire goes flat while it's in the carrier is that bike could come out of it. I have used it about 10 times so far it's been a good purchase.
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Couldn't be more simple., March 19, 2010
By nader. (DC)
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Honestly, this rack from Thule couldn't be more simple or easy to use. It went from the box to holding my bike within 5 minutes.
My recommendation: Bring the bike into the bed with you before you close the tailgate and secure the rack. That way you don't have to lift it over the closed tailgate.
<3 amazon.
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Great product easy setup, October 27, 2009
By EMN (Johnson City, TN)
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I have a small truck that I did not know if I'd keep in the long run and did not want to invest in a hitch and a bike rack setup which would be more expensive. This product is something I could use on this truck, or on another truck if I trade-in. It is so simple to install, as well as remove. I can setup and place my bike in position in minutes. I will run a cable through the inta-gater and bike and for security run it through truck bed hooks. All in all, this is affordable and easy setup. I'm thinking hard to buy a second one.
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Great simple product, June 14, 2009
By Charles
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I use this product with a 6' long bed truck (Nissan Frontier) and it works. Installation is within minutes with no tools required. I like the idea of not having to remove your bicycle wheel. The gator really works. I've driven over very rough sections of freeway and my bike stays secure. compared to over roof bicycle carriers i havent noticed any dead bugs on my bicycle. Oh and it's so affordable.
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thule 501, May 25, 2009
By Ellis W. Mathus
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The insta-gator works as advertised, it only takes about 5 minutes to install and it is a breeze to load and unload you bike.
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Delivers as advertised., January 2, 2009
By Bjorn E. Loftis (Maryland Heights, MO United States)
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It requires no assembly, is sturdy and well built, mounts easily, and holds the bike securely.
I originally struggled with it - until I read the directions that said to attach to the front wheel (end user error) after that - I have been completely satisfied.
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Thule Bike rack, April 25, 2012
By Jenny
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Works as advertised.
Fits my 29er. My truck bed is only 5 and 1/2 feet and the bike stands at an angle but is secure. Been off-road and it has not moved.
Installs in minutes. Rack your bike in 10 seconds.
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