Bike Rack Solution?

Timelessblur

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Check out Stealth hitch, an elegant solution. They have installed a prototype unit on a Mach E and are working on production units. They have a 1.25 Option that should work well for a 2 bike rack. Call them and put your name on the list.
man I hope they make one for the mach e. I have a hitch bike rack that I love but I need a hitch that I can just hide away when not in use
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dtbaker61

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man I hope they make one for the mach e. I have a hitch bike rack that I love but I need a hitch that I can just hide away when not in use

I just (minutes ago) finished DIY install of the TorkLift hitch receiver.... It is only available w 2" receiver, but an adaptor/extender to 1-1/4 only costs a few bucks at HarborFreight. I'll put up a thread in the DIY section.... install takes about 2 hours, and can be done with one person.

So, I'm back in business with my 1up rack for bikes!
 

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Yakima has the Mach E listed as a choice in their configurator finally. Nothing fits unfortunately but at least it’s a choice.

I have a Torklift, but I want a roof rack too.
 

Timelessblur

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I just (minutes ago) finished DIY install of the TorkLift hitch receiver.... It is only available w 2" receiver, but an adaptor/extender to 1-1/4 only costs a few bucks at HarborFreight. I'll put up a thread in the DIY section.... install takes about 2 hours, and can be done with one person.

So, I'm back in business with my 1up rack for bikes!
LOL 1up rack is exactly what I want to put on to it. 1 up use does make an adaptor that expands there 1-1/4 rack to fit in a 2in slot. I have mine in the garage somewhere but I lost the bolt for it years ago as I did not need it.

Link to the part you need. 18 bucks
https://www.1up-usa.com/product/2in-hitch-adapter/
 


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And my day brings me back to the thread I started! But I wanted to toss what I found (and already bought) into the mix as a potential solution for some.

It turns out that late last year Yakimacame out with their EXO system. They basically describe it as a roof rack system for your hitch. Everything starts/depends on the EXO Swingbase, that goes in the 2” hitch. Once you have that, you have the option to add on a 2-bike carrier, a cargo box, or ski carrier, or a narrow basket. If you want/need to carry more, then you expand with the EXO Top Shelf, that provides an upper tier of mounting points for any of the other carriers listed above. So now you can have a cargo box and a bike carrier, for example, or two cargo boxes, etc.

So assuming one of these aftermarket hitch solutions can hold at least 250-300#, then maybe this would work. Yakima’s product page is here https://yakima.com/pages/exo, and I don’t work or have any relation to them. Just like their products and they’re local (to Oregon).

I bought the EXO Swingbase and EXO Double Up bike rack over the weekend, with the plan to basically replace all my other racks and cargo box into one unit.
What is like fo far is that it is modular, and that it swings the gear out of the way to open the hatch. I suspect it helps with less drag on EVs.
Disadvantages is see so far are:
(1) it’s F$@& expensive, despite how they say it doesn’t cost much more than typical roof rack systems. At least the SKS keys were included, so there isn’t a sort of nickel and dime expense to get these to lock up. Getting it through REI with their 10% member rebate can help lessen the sting ...
(2) the Swingbase alone is heavy, about 67 pounds. The bike carrier is another 30 or so. A complete kit fully loaded could easily be several hundred pounds. So those aftermarket hitches better be sturdy!
(3) carry max of two bikes.
(4) it doesn’t solve for carrying hard body kayaks or standup paddle boards.
 

dtbaker61

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And my day brings me back to the thread I started! But I wanted to toss what I found (and already bought) into the mix as a potential solution for some.

It turns out that late last year Yakimacame out with their EXO system. They basically describe it as a roof rack system for your hitch. Everything starts/depends on the EXO Swingbase, that goes in the 2” hitch. Once you have that, you have the option to add on a 2-bike carrier, a cargo box, or ski carrier, or a narrow basket. If you want/need to carry more, then you expand with the EXO Top Shelf, that provides an upper tier of mounting points for any of the other carriers listed above. So now you can have a cargo box and a bike carrier, for example, or two cargo boxes, etc.

So assuming one of these aftermarket hitch solutions can hold at least 250-300#, then maybe this would work. Yakima’s product page is here https://yakima.com/pages/exo, and I don’t work or have any relation to them. Just like their products and they’re local (to Oregon).

I bought the EXO Swingbase and EXO Double Up bike rack over the weekend, with the plan to basically replace all my other racks and cargo box into one unit.
What is like fo far is that it is modular, and that it swings the gear out of the way to open the hatch. I suspect it helps with less drag on EVs.
Disadvantages is see so far are:
(1) it’s F$@& expensive, despite how they say it doesn’t cost much more than typical roof rack systems. At least the SKS keys were included, so there isn’t a sort of nickel and dime expense to get these to lock up. Getting it through REI with their 10% member rebate can help lessen the sting ...
(2) the Swingbase alone is heavy, about 67 pounds. The bike carrier is another 30 or so. A complete kit fully loaded could easily be several hundred pounds. So those aftermarket hitches better be sturdy!
(3) carry max of two bikes.
(4) it doesn’t solve for carrying hard body kayaks or standup paddle boards.

the TorkLift 2" hitch should handle *whatever*.
took about 2 hours to self-install.... and they are coming out w a stainless version!
 

dtbaker61

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How did the install go? Any tips you can give or gotchas to avoid?
not too bad... i'll put it all in the thread in DIY. It was *a trick* to balance on floor jack and do it myself, but not too bad. Only real gotcha was that carriage bolts from torklift would NOT fit thru holes in chassis frame rail until I ground a flat spot on head of bolt.

...should be able to put this up tomorrow...

or, should I put it here in the hitch/rack area?
 
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not too bad... i'll put it all in the thread in DIY. I was *a trick* to balance on floor jack and do it myself, but not too bad. Only real gotcha was that carriage bolts from torklift would NOT fit thru holes in chassis frame rail until I ground a flat spot on head of bolt.

...should be able to put this up tomorrow...

or, should I put it here in the hitch/rack area?
I'd start a new thread - it'll be a good wiki candidate.
 

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Yakima has the Mach E listed as a choice in their configurator finally. Nothing fits unfortunately but at least it’s a choice.

I have a Torklift, but I want a roof rack too.
Everyone interested in using Thule or Yakima roof racks on your Mach E: email the companies and ask what they are doing to provide fit kit solutions. If enough of us ask they may pay attention.
 

dtbaker61

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Hallo all! I can't find an exact answer to this question, so here goes: has a solution for carrying bikes or other cargo been published or disclosed anywhere?

A truck/hatch mount style rack seems to be out of the question (based on owner manual seemingly prohibiting this)

Hitch mount is questionable, given no towing in the US and no aftermarket hitch options currently presenting themselves.

Roof Rack system - Also questionable. I saw the prototype at the Portland Autoshow earlier this year and the roof didn't seem to have mounting points, and certainly didn't have rails. Anyone see if aftermarket companies are working on a roof edge/door sill mounts?

I have a First Edition on order that goes into production in next couple weeks, for what I assume means early January delivery. And watching all the videos lately I'm really excited and really want to go through with this order. Maybe not popular on this site, but I just can't see going through with this purchase if there isn't a definite solution on the near horizon for a option to carry cargo/bike other than what I can stuff in the back.
Try the "SeaSucker" on the roof. No mount points needed.
 

ChasingCoral

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dtbaker61

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Try the "SeaSucker" on the roof. No mount points needed.
The sea sucker is pretty good for a road bike or two, but not a good solution for heavy muddy mountain bikes. The lift to the roof is pretty tough since the Mache is so tall
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