Allen Deluxe 3-Bike Spare Tire Mount Rack

This bike rack is very easy to install on the vehicle. Bikes load and unload in a flash. It rides very securely with minimal bouncing and no side to side motion. I don't feel the need to keep checking in my mirror to be sure the bikes are safe. I have a sloped cross bar on my bike so I purchased a tension bar to use with the carrier, but found my bike sits fine without the bar.

I bought this item for my husband's wheelchair, and it works!!!! We have a transport wheelchair that weighs about 35lbs, so I thought why not a bike rack for the CRV I drive. Once I get the dog's crates and groceries in the back, there is no room for the wheelchair. The Allen bike rack is easy to put on and to take off. And it works for the wheelchair and my bike!! I'll be ording more from Allen in the future.

We bought Allen Deluxe 3-bike Spare Tire Mount Rack for use with 2008 Rav4 and it works pretty good. It does not take a long time to install or take down. The ride is pretty stable. My only concern is I think it might not be very difficult to take the rack off. I have not tried to force it off; it just seems that if I try I would get it off easily. So, just keep this in mind if you are planning on leaving expensive bike on this rack in a crime-prone neighborhood. Otherwise pretty good.

It is supposed to fit a 2004 Rav4 but it really doesn't. The rear windshield wiper is in the way while installing. The spare tire is recessed into the door and there is not enough clearance between the tire and the door to get the rack seated securely. The rubber bumpers on the top hooks are not long enough to prevent the door from being scratched by metal. The cross bar in the middle rests on the outer part of the spare rim and scratches it. There is no place to securely attach the tie down straps. The rear door cannot be opened if you secure the straps under the door. There was no easy way to secure the straps around the spare itself because it is recessed into the door. I rate this rack as zero stars and have returned it to Amazon.

Don't normally write reviews but this one definitely deserves it.

After much research we bought this rack for a 2-week camping/biking vacation where we drove several hundred miles using this rack on our CRV with 2 bikes on it. (one adult male road bike and one adult female hybrid/comfort - carried with the addition of a bar purchased separately). It performed perfectly - so much so that we often forgot the bikes were even on the car; they were so secure that there was no movement at all! And that's a HUGE difference from the experience we've had on previous trips using a Saris Bones on the trunk of our other (sedan) car where we were always checking and tightening it. This was a piece of cake and we didn't even worry about taking the rack off the car while we parked in public carparks and went for biking for several hours. This was because the rack is secured inside the car at the bottom so if someone wants to steal it, they'd have to cut the straps rendering it useless to a thief. Loved the ease it was to put on the spare tire as well.(Don't know why someone said they had to "lie down" under the spare to put rack on??? We sure didn't).

A NOTE TO AMAZON: We echo other reviews that the packaging was inferior. The manufacturers carton did not hold up to shipping and was smashed and broken open when received. No harm was done though. We recommend that the item be placed in a more substantial carton for shipping.

All in all a great rack which enhanced our vacation by being easy to use and worry-free.