Kuat Sherpa 2.0 Bike Rack [Rider Review]

For many of us, our bikes are our pride and joy. Especially considering how much we put into them, transporting your bike is very important to make sure it's safe at all times. Kuat is known for making industry leading bike racks, and the Sherpa one of their most popular offerings. See what our customer thinks!

Overview

I've saved up and bought that e-bike I've always wanted. It finally arrived, it's beautiful. Now I have to get it to the trails. I'm an old guy it was an easy matter to get my old Santa Cruz Heckler in the back of the pickup. Well not this new e-bike. At 45 pounds and with the tailgate of the pickup at mid chest level it's a no go to lift it in, at least for me.

Obviously time to buy the first bike carrier in my life, but which one? First things first, time for an internet search. Most roads along that line lead to Amazon so that's where I go too. The first thing I notice is there is a wide price range in bike carriers. From $99 to $1200 depending. I decided to pick one that had decent reviews and cost about $250.

It arrives, I assemble it following the assembly instructions that were written in semi-english the best I could. It was quite a lift to get my bike on the carrier. Once on the thing shook back and forth like a rocking horse. And then it dawned on me, I was trusting my $4000 e-bike on a $250 carrier of very questionable quality.

I decided to bite the bullet and buy something quality. I read the reviews on pretty much every bike carrier that was approved for e-bikes. I finally decided on the Kuat Sherpa 2.0 Hitch Bike Rack - 2-Bike, 2" Receiver, in Gray. One of the reasons I selected this particular carrier is that the color matched the gray of my Ford F-250 like it was a custom paint job.

The Sherpa locks the front wheel in place so no rub on painted parts on the bike. The rear wheel is secured with a ratchet type strap. The carrier itself is very robustly made, has a quality finish and is easy to use. Assembly was simple with clear instructions and the necessary tools supplied, that is, except for a recommended torque wrench. The carrier leans back at about a 30 degree angle ostensibly to allow the tailgate to open without removing the bikes from the carrier. I, however, use this feature to ease the loading and unloading of my bike.

First, I lean the carrier back. I then bring the bike parallel with the carrier, apply the rear brake while lifting the front wheel and placing it in the front wheel slot in the carrier. I then bring the front wheel lock arm up on the wheel to hold it in place. Next, I lift the rear wheel in place and reach down to pull the carrier level. I then move the front wheel arm into place and secure it. Finally I pull the ratchet strap over the rear wheel and secure it. I essentially do the opposite to remove the bike from the carrier.

This carrier is solid with no rocking in the receiver as once it is pinned in place with a locking pin that is included a knob is turned which tightens everything very securely. I purchased the carrier from Worldwide Cyclery as it was about $100 cheaper than my local bike shop and the best price on the internet. Shipping was fast and arrived as promised. Communication was amazing.

Final Thoughts

I guess my best advice is if you decide to spend thousands on a bike, purchase a carrier that deserves to haul it. The Kuat Sherpa 2.0 is such a carrier.