TETON TESTED: YAKIMA’S COMPACT HOLDUP HITCH RACK

Yakima’s HoldUP retails for $450 and is a burly, simple-to-use, and aerodynamic system. Ryan Dunfee photo.

For those of us not rocking monster dually pickups with space to hang 57 bikes over the tailgate, hitch-mounted tray racks are the most pro way to go. The bikes are locked down on the tires, meaning that frames aren’t getting banged together, and hiding the bikes behind the car means your gas mileage won’t get knocked down so much that the Koch Brothers are gleefully checking their gas station stocks.

They’re also expensive – Yakima’s HoldUp we’re about to review here cost $450, which is a pretty penny for hosting two bicycles – so getting the right one is pretty important. Unless, of course, you’re one of those dentists I made fun of in my last gear review.

What’s cool about this particular offering from Yakima is how ideal is it for those of us putzing around in more petite vehicles. With a streamlined, compact design that makes it as aerodynamic as possible, both when in use and when folded up, and good ground clearance while tucking the bikes in as closely to the profile of your car as possible, your gas mileage stays intact no matter how long your road trip.

DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION

A simple hitch bolt locks down the HoldUP, with the option to slap on a key lock to keep the rack and your bikes secure while you’re in Chipotle. Ryan Dunfee photo.

The HoldUp, which weighs about 50 pounds, come in both 1 1/4″ and 2″ hitch options, with the bulkier hitch allowing you to add an additional two trays if you want. It’s secured with a simple hitch bolt that has a key lock to keep your entourage of human-powered land vessels secure, and there’s also cable locks that emerge from the bars that secure the front tire.

The ingenious tray design keeps the rack compact and keeps the bikes sitting a little lower behind your rig. Ryan Dunfee photo.

The main design feature of the HoldUP is a focus on creating a streamlined, compact package that is especially advantage for smaller vehicles. No part of the rack reaches below the level of the hitch bar, which arcs up slightly to provide additional ground clearance. The slightly sunken design of the bike carry system, however, means that your steeds won’t be hanging way out above the level of your roof, upping your wind resistance and knocking your mileage down to levels that would make Al Gore cringe.

Of note, Former Pro Snowboarder and current TGR National Sales Director, Chris Engelsman, complained verbosely when, after being able to drive the four and half hours from Jackson to Park City with his HoldUP rack loaded up and never having to fill up for gas once in his Prius, that he had to stop almost halfway to fill up while testing out a bulkier hitch rack.

The HoldUP folded up tight. Ryan Dunfee photo.

The focus on compactness and streamline-ability is evident throughout the HoldUP’s design. The bulk of the trays’ mass is kept between your bike wheels, and you actually have to unfurl the front wheel tray when putting the rack to use. When folded up when not in use, the HoldUP packs up tightly and well within the profile of your tailgate.

The front wheel bars have cable locks within, but it barely clears a 29″ tire with a knobby tire. Ryan Dunfee photo.

As was mentioned before, the bike trays hold the bikes a little lower than racks rocking a full-width tray bar. A ratchet system locks down the rear tire while an overhead bar closure holds down the front, with cable locks emanating from the top.

The only gripe we had with the rack was that these bars barely had the clearance to get over a 29″ tire with a knob-strewn Schwalbe Magic Mary tire. While most people will not be rocking that combo, it’s still an issue we’d like to see addressed.

Otherwise, we were able to squeeze in a plus-sized tire no problem, but imagine a fat bike tire won’t play nice with the narrower front wheel tray.

The rack folds away from your tailgate so you can access your trunk. Ryan Dunfee photo.

Otherwise, the HoldUP is a stout and simple rack to use. A burly pivot allows you to drop the loaded rack away from the tailgate so you can easily access your trunk, and once you wrench the hitch bolt down, there is basically no side-to-side play in the rack. There is also, conveniently for us adults, a bottle opener tucked under the rear of the rack. Touche, Yakima…

THE BOTTOM LINE

Yakima’s HoldUP is ideal for compact cars. Ryan Dunfee photo.

We’ve really liked the HoldUP. It’s stout, it’s simple to use, and it’s got a thoughtful design that focuses on providing good ground clearance while making the profile as streamlined and compact as possible, whether there’s bikes loaded or not.

This design makes the HoldUP ideal for compact cars with smaller profiles, and you can take on those road trips without fretting that your gas bill and carbon footprint will be way worse that it’d be if you didn’t have to carry those damn motorless vehicles around with you. As well, nice extra features like the SKS lock system and the bottle opener round out a super nice package.

The HoldUP retails for $450. Of course, if that’s too rich for your blood, Yakima also sells the TwoTimer, another two-bike tray rack that isn’t quite as burly or featured-out, for $300.