When it comes to transporting your bike, Rocky Mounts has you covered in all kinds of ways. We were lucky enough to get our hands on the SplitRail platform hitch mount rack and the SwitchHitter fork mount rack, and we have been putting them through their paces over the last few months. Find out what makes these racks so versatile for just about every rider out there, regardless of where you prefer to mount your bike.
SplitRail
Let’s start with the SplitRail. This hitch mount platform rack is available with a 1.25″ or 2″ stinger. It has two trays, each with an arm that locks down on the front wheel, similar to the the brand’s Tomahawk roof mount, along with a strap for the rear wheel. If you are team driver for the weekend, the 2″ version can be expanded out to three or four total trays with additional tray kits. They trays can fit anything from 20″-29″ wheels and road tires to plus size mountain bike tires. Road track, cyclocross, all mountain, downhill, cross country, lefty, thru-axel, quick release, it doesn’t matter. As long as it has a two wheels and a 48″ or less wheel base, it will fit. And when you aren’t using it, the SplitRail folds up and out of the way with a pull of a handle.
Now, time for what makes this rack special.
First off, it is light. Well, 44 lbs might not seem light, but when compared to other racks on the market, it is. And when your wife is 5’2″, and 115 lbs, you want a light rack incase she needs to remove it. The SplitRail also includes a bracket that mounts onto the wall to hold the rack when it is not on your car.
The rack is also seriously stable, thanks to Rocky Mounts Anti-Wobble Device. It acts as a wedge so that when you start to crank the knob that pulls the stinger in, the wedge locks the rack tight into the opening of the hitch. I’ve had two Cannondale Scalpels on the rack while traveling on at highway speed, and had no concerns.
Finally, there are integrated locks on each arm. The thick cable locks pull out from the arm, and are long enough to loop around your frame and front wheel. The hitch pin also has a locking core, so you have one key to rule them all.
SwitchHitter
When you move to the roof, the SwitchHitter has a novel approach to versatility. Instead of having to use adaptors to make a thru-axle bike work with a quick release fork mount, Rocky Mounts uses different tubes for the different standards. The tray came with the 12×100 thru-axle tube installed, and the 9mm quick release insert inside. For my bikes, this is all I need, with one caveat. The majority of my current stable of bikes are all quick release. Even the Van Dessel WTF we have for review, works without having to swap fork mount tubes on the SwitchHitter. I just removed the quick release insert and used the 12mm thru-axel to lock the bike in. The only bike that Rocky Mounts does not have a tube for is anything with a Lefty. Luckily, there are various brands that make adaptors that will work with the quick release mount.
The skewer is what keeps the 9mm quick release insert in place. To take it out, remove the skewer, and the insert slides right out. Other tubes included are the 15×100 and 15×110 “boost” thru-axels. These tubes easily swap out by loosening two hex bolts on the head just behind the tubes, sliding the old tube out, sliding the new tube in, and tightening the bolts back down.
Out back, the rear wheel strap adjust from both sides. This not only makes it easier to mount on either side of the roof, but it also allows the strap to handle anything from short and narrow rims to tall or wide wheels. The SwitchHitter also has a lock, but it comes out from the back of the tray. It’s a novel approach that helps to secure the rear wheel, something lost on locks located at the fork mount. The length of the cable is long enough to loop through the rear stays and wheel.
Something else I really like about the rack that continues on from the SplitRail is the stability. Once mounted, I was surprised by how locked in and stable it felt. Even when I compare it to an older Rocky Mounts roof rack, or other racks from Thule I have used, the tray is much more solidly built and attached to the roof rack. Regardless of the type of base system you are using, the SwithHitter will fit on Thule square, Yakima round, or aero systems (with T-Track hardware) like Rocky Mounts’ own Ouray aero crossbars.
Finally, the SwitchHitter gives you the chance to add a little color to your ride. Whether you are matching it up to your car, you bike, or just want to add that accent color, the rack is available in black, silver, red, yellow, green, white, and orange.
When it comes down to it, there are plenty of options out there to transport your bike, but not all are created equally. Rocky Mounts’ SplitRail and SwitchHitter both include well thought-out details that keep them versatile to work with your entire fleet of bikes and secure for where ever you may travel. Add on a limited lifetime warranty, and you have piece of mind that these racks will last you for years to come.
SplitRail Hitch Mount Rack – $519.95
SwitchHitter Roof Mount Rack – $189.95
Heckling Editor, Image Taker, Crash Test Dummy, and Beard Master at Bikeworldnews.com
~Veggie Powered Athlete~
Location – Lancaster, PA
Current Testing Rigs – 2024 Van Dessel Arch65, 2019 Van Dessel Full Tilt Boogie, 2018 Van Dessel Motivus Maximus LTD, 2016 Van Dessel Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, 2015 Bianchi Sempre Pro, 1978 Trek TX900
Dream Bike – I’ll tell you when they make it
Discipline – Cyclocross, gravel, road and duathlons (ride/run)
Favorite Rides – Quiet country roads of Amish Country, some of the best roads around.
Food of Choice – Sweet potato roll
Beer of Choice – Unibroue Grand Reserve 17, aged four years
Bourbon of Choice – Widow Jane 10 Year