Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This was bought 1 month before a 7,000 mile road trip with it on the back of my 2016 Subaru Forester. I waited to review until after the trip to give it a little more merit. Pros: -Half the cost of a Thule -After assembly, it can be removed or installed in one minute -Holds bikes securely with locks (included) on the hitch and on each bike -Tilts out of the way to access the rear hatch of the car. -Folds up close to the car when no bikes are mounted. It is so compact, that I don't remove the carrier when the bikes are not mounted. -When folded it does not block my back-up camera. (I found that the red markers in the camera aligned perfectly with the back of the folded rack.) -With one bike in place, the back-up camera is still usable. (The yellow markers in the camera aligned perfectly with the back of the bikes when in use) -Carrier fits very securely in the car hitch. Cons: -With the vertical bar raised, it is a little awkward to mound a bike between the bar and the car. -Release pins for folding the carrier do not have self lubricating bushings. After a few days in wind, rain, and sun, I had to lubricate the pins because they did not snap back in place.. (Fortunately 3-in-1 oil was available at one stop on the route.) -Pads on the tire straps are a little fiddly if you change bikes with different tire sizes. -The carrier tilt mechanism is not as tight as I would like and there is some minor rocking of the bikes on bumpy roads. Tips: -Keep a wrench in the car to remove the hitch (1 minute) so you can take the car through a car wash. -Mount the smallest bike nearest the car. -Tilt the bike rack out when installing the inner bike. It is easier to lift the bike into place without the locking hook in your way -Pay attention to which way your bikes face. For my bikes, if the inner bike faced left and the outer right, I could not easily access the inner bike lock. Facing the other way, both locks were easily accessible. -When ratcheting the hooks, roll the bikes forward and back while pressing down on the hook. This will ensure that the bikes are mounted tightly. -Put a little oil on the tilt lock pins before using the first time. -Insert the wheel straps into the strap latches 1" when no bikes are mounted. I shopped hard and compared several carriers prior to buying this one. My requirements were: -It carries the bikes supported under the wheels. -It could be tilted for trunk access, with the bikes in place. -It was lockable (both at the bike and the hitch) -It was sturdy -It was reasonably priced The Swagman carrier accomplished all of my goals.