I researched Amazon to find a bike rack that could transport 5 bikes. I chose this one mainly on the strength of the generally favorable reviews and because it was priced considerably lower than other products.

In short, the bike rack did what it said it would do, but I'd prefer a few design changes.

Firstly, the rack, after installing it into the hitch, tends to sag to the ground rather than protruding straight out of the hitch. On our Dodge Grand Caravan minivan, this posed a problem: when fully loaded, the trailer hitch was FOUR INCHES from the ground! If we were going to travel over sizeable speed bumps or travel over roads with sizeable gradient changes, the hitch was going to scrap the ground! In fact, backing out of the driveway caused the hitch to scrape the ground, and I had to physically lift the hitch up as my wife slowly backed out of the driveway! On vehicles where the hitch is 18 inches off the ground, this isn't going to by your concern, but if you're driving a minivan or other vehicle where the hitch is only 8 inches or so off the ground, then this IS a concern.

The "no-wobble" bolt that affixes the bike rack to the hitch actually bowed the part of the bike rack that slides into the hitch inward due to the pressure. You could argue, I suppose, that I overtightened the bolt. I would argue that my puny arms shouldn't cause the bike rack to bow at all -- there should be enough steel in the rack to keep that from happening.

I didn't have a problem getting the 5 bikes installed, but it takes some time and effort to arrange the bikes in a way that they all fit. Be aware, though, that our taillights were very badly obscured by all the bikes. In the future, I think I would like to add some trailer lights to the last bike on the rack to make brake lights easier to see.

While traveling down the interstate, I can tell you I had an uncomfortable feeling watching the bike rack bump up and down each time I went over a bridge. I felt like at anytime, the physical structure would break and I'd have 5 bikes flying across the interstate road.

In short, this bike rack did do what it said it would do, but I didn't have peace that this solution was one I would want to use repeatedly in the future. I'll keep my eye out on a small trailer on which I might be able to tow our bikes. 3 stars

If I could give this rack 4.5 stars I would! I have owned this rack for about a month. First off, it was easy to assemble and has a quality feel to it. Once attached to my hitch it is easy to load and unload.You load 1 bike from the backside of the rack and 4 from the front. I put 3 - 26" mountain bikes and 2 - 20" BMX style bikes on it with no problem. The tie downs are easy to use and the optional lower strap holds things in place nicely. I was skeptical that this rack would actually hold 5 bikes, but it does!

My only complaint about this rack would be that the hole in the end of the rack that goes into your hitch receiver is only 1/2". So if you want to use your standard 5/8" receiver lock you are out of luck. The rack comes with a "no-wiggle" bolt that holds the rack to the hitch, BUT anyone could come along with a couple of wrenches and steal your rack. SO, I bought a 5/8" drill bit and made the holes bigger so I could use my standard hitch lock. Now I can easily take my rack on and off and not worry about the rack being stolen while out riding our bikes. 4 stars

I spent a great deal of time searching for a 5-bike rack. The greater challenge was to find one I could afford. This rack fit the bill. It was considerably less expensive than other 5-bike racks, yet it works rather well.

Good points:
- Easily adapts to various bike frame types. I carry one men's frame, one old women's 10-speed, a women's autobike, a 24-inch women's frame, and a 26-inch women's mountain bike with a large tube design. Each of them fit the rack without any additional parts or hardware.
- Solid design. It doesn't rock, sway or rattle, nor do the bikes. Even at freeway speeds, everything stays put.

Bad points:
- Less-than-easy installation. It comes with a bolt and locking nut for mounting to the receiver instead of allowing the use of a regular pin. The hole is too small for a pin. This is supposedly to make it more solid (see good points above). However, I plan on buying a different collar-and-bolt style stabilizer, and drill out the hole so I can use my locking pin. Pulling out wrenches every time I want to put the rack on or off my truck is a PAIN.
- Ok, I guess that is my only beef with it right now.

Overall, you get more than you pay for with this rack. If you are on a budget, I highly recommend it. 4 stars

Works as advertised, except... One of the attachment straps broke the 3rd day. No particular stress applied or anything. I'm going to Allen to see if I can get a replacement.

That was my only complaint. Otherwise, it's fine. Then again, breaking on the 3rd use is a big complaint. 2 stars

The hitch is easy to assemble and easy to use. We found it holds our bikes securely with out scratching the frames. The straps are easy to fasten and we like the fact the straps are attached to the hitch so they do not get lost. I also like the fact the bikes are easy to see in my rearview mirror, but they don't obstruct my view or my taillights.

It is a well designed product, but we modified the holes on the hitch to match our receiver so that we could utilize a LOCKING hitch pin. This is too nice a rack to leave unsecured on a vehicle. If you're hauling bikes, you probably are going to leave the vehicle parked and ride the bikes. Unless the hitch is locked or removed from the vehicle, it is open for an easy theft.

The hitch is lightweight, but of very strudy design. We also like that it can be tilted to gain access to the cargo area of the van. We had a hard time finding a bike rack that would hold five bikes. It is easy to fold up and store in the garage. This is great.

Well designed! A great product! 5 stars