I’m an avid biker. I love the outdoors – and spend as much time outside as possible. When I have free time, I try to get out and explore nature. Living in an area that’s filled with expansive parks, dirt roads and trails, it’s a great location for me to escape.
But I’m like most people: I’m cheap. I kept buying cheap bike racks, and they would eventually fail on my Jeep Wrangler. Amazon was my go-to choice for bike racks and I feel for many of the fake reviews that have exploded on their site for cheap knock-off products.
I guess I was too rough on the racks because they couldn’t stand up to my frequent usage.
RockyMounts was recommended to me after my bike rack failed at a national park. I couldn’t get the bike to mount properly, and I ended up with some great advice that day. Someone pulled up, asked if he could help, and we finally got the rack working right.
He recommended RockyMounts to me and told me that he, too, kept buying cheap racks on Amazon before he found the Monorail rack.
We had a few good laughs, and that was one of the last days in my two-year search for the right bike rack.
I really wanted the RockyMounts Backstage – it came highly recommended. But the rack was out of stock, so I ended up choosing the RockyMounts Monorail.
Who is RockyMounts?
RockyMounts is the brainchild of Bobby Noyes. Noyes used to live in New Jersey, but he had an itch to travel. He wanted to live in an area of the country that is known for its outdoors activities.
Where did he move?
Colorado. An avid biker, he realized that the bike racks, even back them, were not well-built. He set up shop in Colorado, and he started building racks by hand and selling them. He would travel around and sell his racks out of the back of his truck.
People loved his racks.
They worked well. They were sturdy. People were supporting a local.
Eventually, RockyMounts were being sold across the United States. Bobby was on to something big, and being in area known for adventure allowed him to make sale after sale. Outdoor enthusiasts flock to Colorado due to the trails and getaways in the Rocky Mountains.
RockyMounts are now being used by:
- Enthusiasts
- Professional cyclists
- Athletes
The company offers a variety of racks, including cargo racks, ski racks and bike racks. Innovative and designed to last, RockyMounts are some of the best in the industry.
They sure beat the cheap racks that kept breaking on me.
Why RockyMounts are Better
First, let me just say that all of the products offered by this company come with a limited lifetime warranty. You can have your rack replaced or fixed if the product broke due to a manufacturer defect.
But if you overload your RockyMounts mounts or modify them and they break – that’s your own fault.
Warranties cover:
- Defects
- Cracking plastic
- Excessive rust
- Issues that stop normal use
When you choose these mounts, you’re choosing a company that isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. The company works to provide durability and strength, not a new product that performs the same task.
You just need to make sure that you choose a rack that is able to accommodate the weight and size of your bike.
If you do that, you’re going to have a great time with these industrial strength racks. I put my rack through a lot of abuse, and it works well even after months of continual use. I am using my rack a few times a week this summer, and I have had zero issues.
Racks for Days
The Monorail 2
There’s always a revolving lineup of different racks available through RockyMounts. The racks that are currently for sale, and a lot are actually sold out, include:
- Backstage
- Splitrail LS 2”
- Monorail hitch rack 2” (the one I have)
- Monorail hitchrack 1.25”
- Monorail solo
- Westslope 2 bike
- Westslope 3 bike
You’ll also find that the manufacturer offers a few neat add-ons. You can buy an add-on for the splitrail and monorail (I haven’t tried it yet), and you can also purchase hitch extensions if you need them.
I also found every product having rave reviews. I did a lot of digging, and all of these reviews were real.
What the MonoRail Has to Offer
I have personal experience with this model, but you will need to look through the company’s entire lineup of products to find the rack that best works for you. There are several options available, and you’ll find racks that can hold one, two or three bikes (you may need an add-on).
Since I often carry two bikes, the MonoRail works perfect for me.
What I like about this model is that it offers:
- Two bike capacity up to 60 pounds
- Secures the bike from the front wheel and never meets the frame
- Tire diameters can be between 20” and 29”
- Fat bike tires, even 5” thicknesses, work well with this rack
- Wheelbases can range from 34” to 49”
When installed, you’ll find that the rack folds flat against the vehicle and can be tilted down 30 degrees to allow for easy hatch access. An anti-wobble bolt is available, and you can choose between the 1.25” and 2” variants.
The rack weight is 39 pounds, and the company included a lot of neat extras:
- Hitch pin
- Cable lock
- Standard lock pods
Installation is also a breeze. What I really liked was that there is a full PDF with instructions and steps to follow. All of the parts are labeled, and you’ll also see which bikes won’t work for this hitch.
For example, you can’t use the MonoRail with any of the following:
- Kick bikes
- Tandems
- Recumbents
Assembly instructions are simple to follow and took less than ten steps to get installed. You’ll want to make sure that you open up the arm and adjust the rack and trays as necessary. If you’re able to do this, you’ll enjoy a great, tight fit that is snug and keeps your bikes safe from wiggling around.
With a lifetime warranty, RockyMounts is a solid investment, and one I recommend to any avid biker.
