Yakima Frontloader Bike Mount

We’ve read the reviews across the web for the Yakima Frontloader Bike Mount and summarize the results below:

Universal Ranking

PeakScore: 82 (out of 100)
User Rating: 4.2 stars 
Expert Rating: 3.9 stars

Number of Ratings Reviewed: 296

Pros & Cons

Reasons to buy:

User Reviews

  • Very fast and easy assembly.
  • Does not require front wheels to be removed.
  • Can fit alongside a cargo box on top of the car.
  • Can hold a variety of bikes, including children’s bikes.
  • Allows full access to the trunk of the car.
  • Yakima offers a lifetime warranty.

Expert Reviews

  • Only makes contact the the bike’s wheels and tires, which protects from potential damage to the bike.
  • Fits bikes with all frame and axel designs and materials.
  • Works with almost every kind of crossbar, regardless of brand.

Reasons NOT to buy:

User Reviews

  • Does not include locks, although they can be purchased separately.
  • Some users had this rack break while driving, some losing the bike onto the road.
  • Rear wheel straps are too short for fat bike tires.
  • Not the fastest or most convenient set up for someone using it every day.
  • Can be difficult to know how far to properly tighten the front wheel, especially with thin wheels.
  • Lots of wind noise.
  • Can be difficult to load bikes onto a taller vehicle.
  • The dial used to tighten the front wheel can be annoying to adjust.

Expert Reviews

  • Can be difficult to load because of the high loading height of the rack.
  • Will not fit fat bikes.
  • Removing a heavy bike can be tricky.

Summary:

The Yakima Frontloader Bike Mount does not require the bike’s front wheel to be removed and is very easy to install, making it exceedingly convenient. While this rack is beloved by many, there are concerns about durability, including the front tightening knob breaking after some use, rusting, and broken straps, with some of these problems leading to lost bikes off of cars. Despite this, many continue to prefer this bike rack because of its ease in loading for shorter cars, although it is not suitable for fat bikes, and has a lot of wind noise.

Multimedia:

Note: User and expert rankings were reviewed across the web, including here: 1, 2, 3.