Customer Reviews:
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 Go DoubleDown, May 18, 2009
By Alfredo Mar
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I drive a Honda Element and had been putting my bike in my vehicle for 2+ years. It can be a little labor intensive and can take an 15+ minutes of my day taking out my kid's car seats, folding up the rear seats, taking off the bike's front wheel (and then putting everything back again before the family can go out again). I finally talked my wife into letting me get a hitch mount rack and I'm glad I bought the DoubleDown. I almost made the mistake of buying "cheaper" and I'm glad I didn't; this thing is a well made cycling tool. I've kept the rack on for a few weeks now - it tilts out more than enough for me to open the back of my Element. Now, I have my bike with me 5 or 6 days a week for rides instead of just 2 or 3 times a week.
I was initially concerned because for the first 24 hours it sounded like the rack was rattling around too much but I simply hadn't tightened it enough. A few quick turns with the corresponding socket/ratchet and I can't even tell the rack is back there. I should also mention that Yakima provides a few tools to assemble the rack; all you really need is a screwdriver. You should have a few wrenches and maybe a socket set ready to make sure everything is nice and tight - it comes together in a few minutes. Assembly = piece of cake.
It might be a good idea to visit a store like REI to touch a few of these racks in person first - Thule makes a similar product. Shop around to see who might have the best prices and then come back to Amazon - You'll find a few vendors with free shipping.
*Well built
*Convenient
*Easy to assemble
*Well built (to me, that's the best part)
42 of 42 people found the above review helpful.
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 Works well for three bikes, could be hard to carry four, July 22, 2009
By loce_the_wizard (Lilburn, GA USA)
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We needed a way to haul three adult-sized bicycles from our home base to various cycling paths. So I visited a number of local stores to see what my options were. I settled on the Yakima BigHorn 4 as the best option for my budget, then discovered through some online searching that I could purchase the next model up, the Yakima KingPin 4 bike rack for a bit less than the BigHorn 4 would run me in a traditional retailer.
The KingPin 4 folds features a fold-down mast, a must convenience to allow access to a vehicle's rear hatch or door. Although I would not consider a bike rack without this feature, be forewarned: once you lower the rack while it's loaded with three bikes (more about the fourth bike claim follows), you will be hard pressed to single-handedly reposition it and slide in the lock or bolt. There is too much weight on that pivot point.
I soon learned, therefore, that it was easier to have the mast folded up, not down, when loading the bikes.
The dual bike arms are a must, allowing for more stability and easier loading and unloading. The bike arms fold down as well, though this option, while useful, is not essential in many cases. (These folding bike arms are the main difference between the KingPin and BigHorn racks.)
A series of bike cradles and rubber "chainstraps" stabilize and anchor the bikes. You can slide theses cradles along the tubular arms to allow sufficient room to avoid any rubbing or scraping if you are carrying three bikes. (I looked as some less expensive racks that required hand-tightening one or more big bolts to tighten clamps that held the bikes. That system seemed like a royal pain and huge annoyance.)
Despite the name and billing, I'm less confident in recommending the KingPin4 for transporting four bikes. I think it's possible, but would require great care to avoid scraping paint or entangling pedals and spokes. Plus, I prefer using four "chainstraps" per bike for a bit of insurance, so if you want to carry four bikes, I would recommend springing for another set of these.
The unloaded contraption weights about 32 pounds, so it's not too heavy as you carry it from the basement or garage to install it. But be careful of the arms or you might shatter the glass in a door or an outside light. Also, you need to do a bit of assembly out of the box, so allow a good 30 minutes to set up and test the rig before using it the first time. The drawings in the instructions did not seem to match what I was actually looking at when I had everything before me on the floor, so I spent an extra few minutes considering the options. This assembly is not difficult---it's just that adage "never do anything for the first time" may stump one for a bit.
I am using this rack with a two-inch hitch, and I purchased a locking pin to replace the bolt that is shipped for attaching the rack to the hitch. I also run one of the cable bike locks through the bike frames and around the spanner between the arms to add a measure of security.
During our first foray, a 100-mile trip each way, the bikes and rack swayed just a bit from time to time, but overall, the sway was not a problem. Having a hundred extra pounds jutting up behind the rear window will change any vehicle's handling and hamper visibility through the rearview mirror, so be prepared to change your driving style as needed.
To conclude, the KingPin 4 has performed well. We could load and unload three bikes in about five minutes, and neither the Durango or bikes were scratched during transport. But, again, I would suggest that this rack is great for three bikes, but may be a challenge for carrying four.
22 of 31 people found the above review helpful.
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 Not what I expected . Doubledown = Double trouble, May 22, 2011
By Kippy
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I picked up this rack after reading a few reviews online. It is well constructed and attractively finished. Everything seemed great until I actually mounted the bikes and went on a trip. After about 20 miles I stopped to get gas an found the rubber cradles shifted. The rubber cradles had migrated along the support arms, so instead of the bikes being parallel to each other they were at an angle and now rubbing. Now I have some new scratches on the fork. All cradles were clamped as tight as the design would allow. In an attempt to fix this I tried putting a few turns of electrical tape around the metal support arm so when the cradle began to migrate it would be stopped by the barrier of tape. No success. The cradle just pushed the tape down the arm. I took the rack back to the store where purchased. They had no suggestions other than to say they had heard this before. I decided to exchange it for the Thule Roadway 914XT. It appeared to have a better cradle design. I have not had the chance to try the new rack but keeping my fingers crossed. As an extra step I emailed Yakima about the design challenges. They never responded so I assume there is no fix.
Edit: Just received this reply from Yakima:
The Double Down was designed this way so it had adjustability as to where the bikes were able to sit so when different sized bikes were placed in the rack they could all fit together. Our higher end racks such as the Flipside or the Swingdaddy have different arms that allow more positions for the bike to sit that are fixed instead of moveable on the bar, this eliminates that movement as well.
Thank you for your inquiry!
Yakima Support
9 of 9 people found the above review helpful.
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 Great but lack of security, May 13, 2010
By carlover (heaven)
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Its a great product but lack of security even with deadlock accessory. The pivot bolts can be taken out if you have the correct wrench. I have to custom made by drilling a hold through the vertical bar so that I can secure with cable and padlock against my hitch/vehicle.
9 of 10 people found the above review helpful.
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Great Bicycle Rack, July 7, 2008
By A. Ward
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This 4 Bicycle Rack by Yakima is very nice. We are very happy with the stability of the bicycles when strapped onto this rack. The only issue we have is that the rack does not fit as tight as would be preferable into the hitch and this allows the whole thing to bounce quite a bit when crossing railroad tracks. Otherwise would recommend this rack to anyone looking for a rack to carry 4 bicycles at the same time.
9 of 10 people found the above review helpful.
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A very solid hitch mounted bike rack, January 4, 2009
By Gadget Slave (Southern Cali)
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When I first put the double-down 4 on my 2" hitch, I found it to be quite loose as well and was initially a bit disappointed. However, after I tightened the screw and washers that came with the rack, it was solid without much swaying at all. The upper arms folds down and the lower vertical arm folds down as well. The only negative in my opinion (and this just applies to both Yakima and Thule branded racks in general) is that they can to nickel and dime the consumer with every little acessory, whether thats a bike lock that works with the rack or a hitch lock that is specific to that rack bolt. At any rate, I have replaced my previous rack with this one and am quite happy. I guess you just really get what you paid.
7 of 7 people found the above review helpful.
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Better quality than bargain racks!, July 3, 2010
By clp
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The rack feels high quality and operates well. It seems the finish is more durable than cheap powder coated brands. Kind of like tents for camping (4 person is big enough for 2), The 4 place rack fits 2 bikes easily and is a tight fit for more. It did fit my full suspension mountain bike without the top tube adapter. I also bought the deadlock system. Some say even with the locks you can just remove the pivot bolt and walk away with the bikes and rack. My easy, cheap solution: Use some JB Weld and cover the nut and threads of the bolt. Make sure to wire brush them and clean the surface. After that a wrench won't fit on the end and the bolt is "welded" to the nut without any problems with the pivot function.
6 of 6 people found the above review helpful.
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Yakima DoubleDown 4 - One year review, October 3, 2009
By Brian M. Borcherding
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Purchased this product one year ago. Rack is used for road and mountain bikes, all frames are different shapes and sizes. Securely holds bikes without damaging them. Bikes will not move when all straps are used. Well built heavy duty unit. Very little wear and tear after one year of use. Fold down arms and fold down mast feature work well. Individual bike cradles are movable and adjustable for any frame or spacing between bikes. Fold down mast allows access to back hatch (Jeep Cherokee) with no problem. I have even folded it down with bikes on to access the hatch (not recommended, but it will work). Previously owned a Rhode Gear rack mount which was good, but this is a much better product by far. Also purchased lock for hitch pin which works well. I would highly recommend this product.
6 of 6 people found the above review helpful.
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Love it!, September 4, 2008
By Jason (Detroit, MI)
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I bought this to transport my 26" commuter and a touring bike. It works great. My only complaint is that I have no way of getting my neice and nephews 20" bikes on. I haven't tried the adaptor because it seems pricey. Other than that, I love it. High quality and fits real tight in the hitch.
5 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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Yakima Double Down 4 Bike Rack, September 17, 2010
By WLS2585
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You can purchase the additional locking cable for the bikes and the hitch pin, but all a person has to do is take two wrenches and remove the lock nut from the vertical support and take the main support and the bicycles. It doesn't make sense to be able to lock the hitch pin and not have a way to prevent the other bolt from being removed. I questioned this with Yakima and they just said they didn't have plans to make any changes. This is definietly a security flaw.
4 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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Yakima Double Down 4, August 5, 2008
By Marc L (Cherry Hill NJ)
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Easy to assemble and install it is very secure and especially like the vinyl straps which will fit all bicycle types. We carry two road and two off road bikes which fit well on the rack without disturbing rear wiundow sight lines.
3 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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great, April 25, 2010
By Carol L. Ellis
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great sturdy bike rack. There is a nut that could be taken off and the rack and bikes could be stolen even after i bought all the locks that secure the bike rack and the bikes. But other than that it does the job is sturdy and doesnt move too much on my hitch. easy to get in and out of my suv.
2 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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used for a year now, still love it !, March 14, 2011
By kel
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I purchased this rack based on the positive reviews. Have now used it for a year, have not been disappointed, and love it. I am a 47 year old mom, and go biking 2 - 3 times per week. It only takes me a couple of minutes to strap on and secure either my road bike or mountain bike all by myself. Pop it on the rack, strap it tight, and I add a cable lock at the bottom thru the tires to secure the bike tighter to the rack and minimize movement. We also purchased the security deadbolt but haven't seen a need to use it yet. I can easily put the rack on myself with the wrench (provided) and unless a random person is really ambitious it's secure enough for the rural area we live in.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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BEWARE of movement during driving!, November 13, 2011
By Austin Guy 2005 (Cedar Park TX)
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This rack looks great (love the fact I can open the back of my SUV while it's attached). BUT....
The cradles (where the bike sits, and what it straps to) slides up and down the arm of the device! Now this is actually a good thing in the fact that you can increase the space between larger bikes... HOWEVER with this ability comes the downfall of the product. I found that if you drive over 2 miles the bikes on the inside of the bar (toward the car) slide back and push the other bikes toward the end of the rack. This might not sound too bad, but I had a bike get pushed off the cradle by another bike while driving!!! (Luckily I saw in the rear view mirror that something was wrong so was able to pull over before the bike completely came off, was hanging only by 1 cradle).
I also found that if you are carrying a single bike, that the same movement occurs, but in more of a uneven motion. This is also very dangerous as one time I found the bike was completely cockeyed and while still on the cradles was pulling very tightly (don't think it would have lasted much longer) on the straps!
The only reason I'm giving it 2 stars is that Yakima was very nice in trying to resolve the problem by sending me new cradles/straps -- unfortunately did not solve the problem. I was able to find my own solution of using clamps (from home depot) to hold the cradles on!
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Great design, should have bought this one first, September 19, 2011
By WI_BOY
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Love the fold down design. Bought the BuckHorn 4 carrier first because it was $70 less. I realized that storing the Buckhorn and having it sit on our vehicles for any period of time was inconvenient and sometimes hazardous as you walk around the back of the vehicle and clothesline yourself on the bars sticking out. The Buckhorn rack is fine and operates exactly like this DoubleDown, but the convenience of being able to flip down the bars is well worth the price difference. The Doubledown rack gets tight into the hitch once you tighten the bold through the hitch and it folds down great by easily pulling up on the lever, as opposed to messing with the pin-method on the Buckhorn. Great design, we are able to use the rack more easily and keep it on our vehicles longer which is a great benefit and time saver when it comes to those last minute rides with the family.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Good, not great, July 7, 2011
By JLovesWatches
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This is good rack, but certainly not great. The assembly was a piece of cake, and the rack feels pretty heavy-duty. I haven't experienced any abnormal noise or rattle, and holds my family's four bikes securely. My only beef with this rack is with the mount. It is designed to fit either 1 1/4" or 2" receivers, but even with the 2" adapter (basically an aluminum sleeve), there is plenty of slop. I wish the sleeve were machined a little larger so that it would fit into the receiver with less wiggle room.
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Fair price for a decent bike rack, July 5, 2011
By Dozer The Cat
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If you want a rack that folds away from you hatch or folds down easily, it will be in the 200 dollar range. This is an OK rack and the price is fair. For half the price you will not get a hitch rack that can easily fold.
The rubber bike rests can slide as one reviewer pointed out, but they can be locked in place. So this hasn't been an issue for me.
The main complaints I have with the rack is that it does not fit snug in a 2" hitch (but certainly will not fall out) and it is not easy to get bikes on or off the rack as the 'V' shaped bike holders seem to always catch on something when you are trying to load the bike.
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Yakima DoubleDown 4-Bike Hitch Mount Rack, June 22, 2011
By Valeriy V Voyts
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The best bike rack you can get on the market...very quality product and durable and looks great.. I've tried different company's tire rack in the past , but this is much better, and the quality outperforms.. Very clear instructions and easy to assemble. It's double down for easy access to the trunk, so you don't have to remove it ever
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Works great!, June 29, 2011
By J. Letourneau
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So excited to not have to shove the bikes and trailer into the back of the truck - works great!
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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hitch mount bike rack, May 24, 2010
By Timothy (Rochester, MN)
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Received item promptly. Was well packed and as described. Not enough use yet to say more.
0 of 8 people found the above review helpful.
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Great Rack, September 8, 2011
By Fizz
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I was looking between this and the Thule 914xt. The Thule was an extra $25 so I decided to go with the Doubledown not seeing any great benefits for the Thule. This rack has been great. I've taken it out on some rough roads to go mountain biking and it held the bikes great. The folding down mechanism is simple and easy and allows me to get into the trunk of my Lexus GX with no problem despite the trunk swinging out to the side instead of up. The rack feels sturdy and of quality. I am pleased with my purchased and would recommend this product to anyone. I keep it on riding around down and fold down the arms and don't even notice that it's attached.
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