Roadcycling.com reviews the Küat The NV Bike Rack.
Both my vehicles have receiver hitches and I was looking for a bike carrier that would work on both. I am a recreational biker and hate to waste time loading and unloading bikes. In the past, I've been frustrated trying to keep them from smacking into one another. The Kuat NV bike rack seemed to fit my needs and it looked fantastic in the promo pix, so I gave it a whirl.
Küat's The NV bike rack assembled quickly, although I did strip one of the nuts when I put it together. The nuts have a plastic sleeve and if you don't align the tie arms to the rack center you might strip it as I did. By the way, all of the tools I needed to assemble the NV were included. The best part of the assembly was a picture of each installation step along with concisely written instructions. I would, however, add a note regarding the alignment of the bolts for individuals like myself who are technically challenged. Once assembled, all I had to do was slide the NV into the receiver hitch, add the bikes and I was off to the hills. The NV is solid, but not so heavy that one person can't load it onto the hitch by himself. As I pulled out of my driveway on my first trip I couldn't help but notice the NV was not shaking back and forth like my previous racks. The NV has a device that expands the tube inside the receiver hitch making it a perfectly tight fit. When not on a vehicle, it can fold up and be hung out of the way on the garage wall.
Our bikes had not been used over the winter months and I realized the tires were flat, the chains needed lubrication and a few other tweaks were required before we hit the road. There was no need to turn the bikes upside down or take them to your shop. Kuat thoughtfully designed the rack with a built-in repair clamp making adjustments a snap. The same stability was present when the bikes were in the repair rack as it was when they were in the stand. The clamp retracted out of the way when the tune-up was completed. I appreciated this time and money saving feature.
Küat The NV bike rack.
The two step tie down is extremely easy for one person to accomplish and you don't have to figure where to place bungee cords so they don't slip off and smack you in the face. The rear wheel secures with the quick release strap and the front wheel sits in the tray. The adjustable bar clamps down on the front tire in an instant. Different sized bikes posed no problem. Once they were secured, they stayed put and I didn't have to worry about them bumping into one another, scratching the paint, or busting off a lever...my wife and I did that later out on the trail. The NV's bottle opener came in handy after that!
Security wasn't passed over when Kuat developed the NV. I'm usually concerned about getting my bike ripped off but not to worry. The locking cable is built in so you never have to wonder where you left it. Another great feature is the cable is retractable which keeps it out of the way when it is not in use. It is magnetically held in place. To top it off, the NV also has a locking hitch pin along with 2 sets of keys.
Perhaps the nicest surprise on the return trip was when we stopped for groceries. The back seat was filled with a bunch of junk, so how the heck was I going to get into the back of the SUV without taking off the bikes? The rack center has a quick release function that allowed me to tilt it back (along with the two bikes) giving me access to the rear. When I got home, I started to remove the NV like I had to do with my old rack because it stuck out too far. Instead, I folded it up and found it takes up very little space. It was less work for me and remains on the car to this day.
Kuat The NV bike rack.
The unique adaptations like the sturdy construction, built in repair clamp and the retractable anti-theft cable are great features. The option to access the rear of the SUV while the bikes stay on the rack makes it indispensable. It is obvious that a great deal of thought and engineering went into this product. The Kuat NV is by far the most convenient, attractive and easy to load bike carrier I have ever used.
