The Yakima Raptor Aero Rooftop Bike Rack is a versatile roof-mounted bike rack designed for the transportation of a wide range of bikes. The low cost of this bike rack is matched with its 4 stars in quality.
This particular bike rack is attachable to most factory crossbars making it highly versatile. Despite only being able to transport one bike at a time it can fit bicycles between 1-3 inches in diameter.
It does not require the removal of the front wheel during travel so this makes the loading and unloading process much easier.
Yakima Raptor Aero Rooftop Bike Rack Features:
- The Raptor does not require front tire removal.
- Fits bikes with a traditional diamond shape as well as bikes with fenders.
- Works best with Yakima crossbars:
- aerodynamic, square, round, and factory.
- It has an adjustable arm that secures the bike frame with a clamp that secures the bike to the rack.
- Fits downtubes 1 to 3 inches in diameter.
- Has a 52-inch tray with ratcheting straps to hold the bike in place.
- Has a weight capacity of 35 pounds
- Well-suited to transport full suspension bikes and accommodate thru axles as well as disc brakes.
- Folds down when not in use
Yakima Raptor Aero Rooftop Bike Rack Pros:
- Installation requires no tools and can be put together quickly and easily. The unit itself is mostly pre-assembled.
- The wheel-mount design works well with a wide range of bicycles making it flexible to meet your needs.
- The bike rack is firmly connected to the bike so it will not detach during transportation.
- It can easily fold flat when not in use.
- It also comes with a Lifetime Warranty
Yakima Raptor Aero Rooftop Bike Rack Cons:
While this bike rack is versatile in that it can adjust to many types of bikes there are a few features that need to be carefully assessed when evaluating its many attributes.
Previous buyers have stated a couple of concerns when attempting to buy this product. While the Yakima Raptor has a four-star rating some of the issues that present themselves with this product are too important to ignore.
The following list shows some of the drawbacks with this particular roof rack system.
- In terms of security, there is no way to lock the bike to prevent theft. Yakima offers SKS cores to secure the bike to the carrier but it must be purchased separately.
- The clamp is made of plastic and comes loose easily during transport. The plastic clamp also deteriorates when left in the sun.
- The clamp itself has no foam or cover protecting the bikes finish during transit causing the clamp to leave scratches.
- When driving, the arms holding up the bike tend to sway making long distance travel at high speeds ill-advised.
Consumer Feedback:
Most of the consumer feedback is fairly positive for this roof rack due to its easy assembly and convenience. Many consumers rated it 4 out of 5 stars because they like how well it worked but felt that it could use minor improvements.
One common issue that was mentioned by quite a few clients was that the bicycle in transit tended to sway side to side. This swaying would often make the bike lean off to one side making it hard to trust.
Of these consumers, many said that they were uncomfortable transporting their thousand dollar bikes with this particular bike rack. They felt that the vertical arm should be made of a more sturdy material that reduces sway when on the road.
Other small improvements such as including a lock for safety and using different materials instead of plastic for the clamp were repeatedly mentioned.
Many bikers with expensive bikes felt that there should be a foam cover on the clamp to reduce the scratching of pain on the bikes. Some commented that the design was too flimsy and should be made of more sturdy material. However, overall the reviews were surprisingly positive.
The majority of people who liked the product didn’t mind the sway or the clamp.
This product is probably not a good idea if the consumer is transporting an expensive bike due to the likelihood of it being scratched during transit. Since the Yakima Raptor tends to sway excessively while on the road consumers might want to try another type of bike rack that is more sturdy and solid while traveling.
The Yakima Raptor is a low-cost bike rack that struggles to keep bicycles standing firmly. This product is not a good choice for consumers looking for a low cost and reliable quality product.
