1up - Not all they're cracked up to be?

After 10-12 years I thought it would be good to replace my Thule Sidearm roof racks. One of the rachets was starting to release on drives and didn't want to have a catastrophic issue. :D I didn't like Thule's newer design and went with a couple of 1up roof racks to try them out. I also picked up a 1up hitch rack for my wife's car (more on that below). Everyone seems to love 1up and they appear more durable than Yakima or Thule with no plastic parts. However, I'm not impressed. 29er mtn bikes wobble like crazy in the racks. I have them as tight as you can get them and they wobble on smooth highway. We do a lot of bumpy dirt roads and not confident a bike won't fall out.

I called 1up to see if I was missing something and they told me the racks were designed for 26" bikes and they haven't gotten around to updating them yet. Thats crazy - who rides a 26" anymore? They suggested buying a velcro strap for extra security, but said the wobble was normal for 29" wheels and they hadn't heard of a bike falling out.

Anyone have a bike fall out of a 1up rack? I'm thinking about selling these and getting a Rocky Mount Brass Knuckle. The Thule Sidearm was awesome - you can shake the bike and the whole car/truck moves. It's very secure, I would buy more if they still made them. Any other suggestions for roof racks?

I have the rack over the bed of my truck and can watch them wobble in the side mirror:

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I've also been disappointed in the hitch rack. As discussed in the 1Up EZer Pull mod thread, you need 2 hands to pull the lever and move the position of the bike. I also have a very loud creak in one of the trays. I've confirmed the bolts are tight. Really annoying for a brand new, expensive rack. also get the wobble when shaking the bike on the rack. Not a secure as the old Thules.

Is it just me or are these racks over hyped?

I use mine on a hitch with 29” and 27.5” bikes. Works fine. Just gotta push it in to clamp hard against the tire. Use them on the roof for a little while but it is a pain in the ass to get them in the rack even on a lower roof car like my wifes rav4.

Otherwise they have been great for me so far. Much burlier than Thule and Kuat racks i have had.

Definitely not the right rack for some people. That's the beautiful thing about choices. I wouldn't use a 1up for roof top because I think it'd be clumsy. That said, I'm not into rooftop racks. The good news is, you can use them as long as you want in every possible condition and then finally decide to sell them for pretty close to what you paid.
As far as losing a bike from a 1up, I've forgotten to tighten the arms and had zero issues other than a bit more wobble. Never heard of a bike coming off a 1up.
The thing about 26ers is nuts. You can adjust the "Spool" height to get it right for different wheel sizes. When I ran 26ers I brought it down a couple spots. For 27.5 and 29er I leave it at the top spot with zero issue. If the arm is too high, it starts to contact the rotors, which is the only real reason to change it for a 26er. YMMV

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Originally Posted by jm2e

Definitely not the right rack for some people. That's the beautiful thing about choices. I wouldn't use a 1up for roof top because I think it'd be clumsy. That said, I'm not into rooftop racks. The good news is, you can use them as long as you want in every possible condition and then finally decide to sell them for pretty close to what you paid.
As far as losing a bike from a 1up, I've forgotten to tighten the arms and had zero issues other than a bit more wobble. Never heard of a bike coming off a 1up.
The thing about 26ers is nuts. You can adjust the "Spool" height to get it right for different wheel sizes. When I ran 26ers I brought it down a couple spots. For 27.5 and 29er I leave it at the top spot with zero issue. If the arm is too high, it starts to contact the rotors, which is the only real reason to change it for a 26er. YMMV

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Ah...I didn't know you could adjust the spool height. I wonder why 1up didn't mention that. I'll give it a try.

I've had no issues with my rack carrying 3 bikes on the back of my truck. I see them all over the place and have never heard of a bike falling off them.

That 26er thing honestly seems...wrong?

As jm2e said, the spool is adjustable, and plenty tall. I'm not sure the QuikrStuff racks have arms that are any longer, and aren't they supposed to be the original 1up designer's new and improved version?

Never had an issue with the actual arms holding bikes. Sure the bikes can wobble a bit because the grab point is in front of the hub which allows the bike to sway at the headset, but they're certainly not going anywhere. The arms still grab 29x2.6 tires on an XL bike close to the max wheelbase well inside of the widest point--no way to extract them without moving the arms. The wobbling is certainly less than anything that happens when you're actually riding the bike. A Kuat-style single-arm that grabs the wheel near the fork might reduce the movement, but I like the dual arm design for a hitch rack.

Only issue I've had is occasionally finding that the bolt that holds it into the receiver has loosened on bumpy roads. Then the rack itself starts to wobble more, but the hitch pin means it can't actually go anywhere. That may also be due to simply not tightening it sufficiently...just something to keep an eye on on long bumpy drives.

Agree that I'm not sure I would choose the 1up roof rack though...seems like it would be awkward to operate from below while holding the bike. Also agree that the whole situation with the pivot point latch (and the stupid official EZ Pull option) is an annoyance. I'm not calling it a "weak point" because it is maybe the most burly pivot of any rack out there, but its sure not easy to use without either strength+practice or some sort of modification.

I have a 1up hitch rack and a brass knuckles on my popup camper roof rack. The 1up is definitely more stable then the brass knuckles or my previous yakima holdup but the bikes move a bit in all of them.
It is a bit fussy loading bikes but provides a lot of flexibility. Mine creaked a bit but I hit the pivots with some plastic safe dry lube and that fixed the problem.

I am also working on a 3 bike easy fold option that should be money and I plan to make available to other mags at cost when done.

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Originally Posted by singlesline

That 26er thing honestly seems...wrong?

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Yeah, I was really surprised the person I talked to was this candid. He went so far to say he himself was disappointed they hadn't made an update yet. He also said they used to sell a separate extender for 29" wheels but they stopped selling it because it kept breaking.

Sounds like the wobble is just a thing with 1ups. I'll prob keep the hitch rack but replace the roof racks. It's unnerving seeing them move around so much and kind of a pain to take off.

I have 1Up roof racks for my trailer, I only ever load 29'ers or 29"/27.5" mullet bikes, the racks are rock solid with no wobble. I am not sure what could be causing your wobble, are you loading road bikes?

Also, their hitch rack IMO is the best on the market. I have been hanging-on to my Kuat NV, but when that goes, or I devote it to my wife's car...I'm ordering a 1UP with zero hesitation.

I had a 1up roof rack briefly and found it super hard to load. I didn't notice any wobble problems. My hitch 1up seems really stable. Unfortunately they are starting to get stolen off of hitches very regularly here in Seattle, leading to a lot of theft risk if you leave them on your car and park on the street.

For what it's worth, I've had up to 3 bikes (all 29") on mine and been down some pretty rough trails and never had a bike even think about coming off. I agree there is a little bit of "wobble" - but personally I think that takes some pressure off the bikes if anything. A little bit of movement means all of the movement isn't going into the bike directly. At least that's how I've justified it... I just make sure levers & seats aren't hitting each other too hard and just let it be. Going on 6 years now.

Good info - thanks all. I decided to get some Rocky Mounts for the roof rack but will keep the hitch rack. I'll be selling the roof racks if any Denver/Boulder mags are interested.

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Originally Posted by bthomson22

For what it's worth, I've had up to 3 bikes (all 29") on mine and been down some pretty rough trails and never had a bike even think about coming off. I agree there is a little bit of "wobble" - but personally I think that takes some pressure off the bikes if anything. A little bit of movement means all of the movement isn't going into the bike directly. At least that's how I've justified it... I just make sure levers & seats aren't hitting each other too hard and just let it be. Going on 6 years now.

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Yeah, seems like a little give is a good thing. And you are clamping to two tires that have give and wheelsets obviously factor into that as well.

1up sold, so whoever you corresponded with may be a bit of a kook with the 26er comment.

I've carried 26, 650b, 29, mullet, 26 fatty and 650b fatty on my hitch rack with no issues at all.

I'm in Reno, but I have 3 Thule Sidearms that I need to get around to posting on Craigslist. All in good shape, ratchets are good.

I just bought a 1up for my subie and have similar issues with my bike (XL w/1280mm wheelbase). I know it's not going anywhere, but it's still not great looking in the mirror on the highway. We run 29, 27.5 and a 20" on the rack, and the shorter the wheelbase, the more stable the bike. Even my wife's M 29er is noticeably more stable than mine, same wheel size, shorter wheelbase.

This is pretty interesting stuff.
I’ll be interested in some follow up comparing the wobble using different racks. Obviously the 1up has inherent movement because its holding on to rubber tires and also because it allows for headset movement. A rack that puts direct pressure on the frame or fork should be able to reduce a lot of that. Whether that comes with any trade offs is another question.


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I have one on my roof next to a Yakima.


I prefer the 1up

I added the spacers so it will take a fatbike and I don't remove them in the summer. It holds my 29er fine.

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Originally Posted by jm2e

This is pretty interesting stuff.
I’ll be interested in some follow up comparing the wobble using different racks. Obviously the 1up has inherent movement because its holding on to rubber tires and also because it allows for headset movement. A rack that puts direct pressure on the frame or fork should be able to reduce a lot of that. Whether that comes with any trade offs is another question.


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Good info for sure. I decided to replace the roof racks because of the wobble and it's a little awkward to take bikes off. I 'think' I'm convinced the bike won't fall out but I don't want to stress about it. I prefer the sidearm/brass knuckle design for roof racks - there is no wobble from my experience.

I'm keeping the hitch rack and will try the dry lube to get rid of the creak. I wish I had known Rocky Mounts makes a couple of hitch racks (a 1up copy and a brass knuckle version), with build in swing arms. That would be helpful with a hatchback and much cheaper than buying separately. The Guiderail is a 1up knockoff but looks like they have made some improvements including easier to remove bikes and the handle to change the position.

I've got a couple of 1Up racks on Rhino Rack crossbars over my truck bed for long drives (don't want bikes rubbing on a tailgate pad for several hours), and while the bikes do sway a bit when going 80mph with a crosswind, they've never come loose.

This is pretty interesting stuff.
I’ll be interested in some follow up comparing the wobble using different racks. Obviously the 1up has inherent movement because its holding on to rubber tires and also because it allows for headset movement. A rack that puts direct pressure on the frame or fork should be able to reduce a lot of that. Whether that comes with any trade offs is another question.


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When I have multiple bikes on the 1Up and the 1Up is on my towable RV then I voile strap the bike frames together to minimize side to side sway. I also will sometimes put a sock that has foam padding in the end over the bar and brake lever of the most inboard bike, as big bumps can sometimes induce bar contact with the carry vehicle’s liftgate or rear panel - also want to check the crank arm clocking for pedal strike concerns.

I’ve been using 1Up for over 10 years, including shit ass roads like going up to Gooseberry Mesa, and never dropped or damaged a bike, not even when I had the 1.25” non-lockable shank versus the 2” lockable shank I have now. (I have dented a liftgate with a pedal going through a major hole with 3 MTBs loaded).

I’m absolutely positive the Quikr has improved ergonomics and less loosening of the shank than the 1Up ball compression rod does. For 2 bikes on a hitch I don’t think there is a more robust or durable or better system than 1Up/Quickr. I got rear ended with my 1Up folded up and it showed no damage or change in operation while the fascia and bumper of the guy who hit me were completely destroyed, he may have had some hood panel damage too. 1Up sells spare parts for repair or upgrade which makes it SO EASY to buy and install, they are way way better than other brands about that.

I have used the 1Up with 3 bikes and it drives well but the EZPull becomes mandatory due to weight, as do secondary turn signal lights due to obstruction (I used the CURT stick-on lights that plugged into my flat four connector, and put them on the outermost tray) … at three or more bikes you have a lot of “moment of inertia” far behind the rear wheels of the vehicle so you might as well switch to an upright rack like Velocirax (if you can handle the weight) or Lolo/North Shore (if you can’t handle the weight), upright racks will bring the weight distribution of multiple bikes closer to the rear wheels which will improve handling and reduce likelihood of losing traction going into a corner too hot. 1-2 bikes I’m using the 1Up, every time.

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Originally Posted by SchralphMacchio

When I have multiple bikes on the 1Up and the 1Up is on my towable RV then I voile strap the bike frames together to minimize side to side sway. I also will sometimes put a sock that has foam padding in the end over the bar and brake lever of the most inboard bike, as big bumps can sometimes induce bar contact with the carry vehicle’s liftgate or rear panel - also want to check the crank arm clocking for pedal strike concerns.

I’ve been using 1Up for over 10 years, including shit ass roads like going up to Gooseberry Mesa, and never dropped or damaged a bike, not even when I had the 1.25” non-lockable shank versus the 2” lockable shank I have now. (I have dented a liftgate with a pedal going through a major hole with 3 MTBs loaded).

I’m absolutely positive the Quikr has improved ergonomics and less loosening of the shank than the 1Up ball compression rod does. For 2 bikes on a hitch I don’t think there is a more robust or durable or better system than 1Up/Quickr. I got rear ended with my 1Up folded up and it showed no damage or change in operation while the fascia and bumper of the guy who hit me were completely destroyed, he may have had some hood panel damage too. 1Up sells spare parts for repair or upgrade which makes it SO EASY to buy and install, they are way way better than other brands about that.

I have used the 1Up with 3 bikes and it drives well but the EZPull becomes mandatory due to weight, as do secondary turn signal lights due to obstruction (I used the CURT stick-on lights that plugged into my flat four connector, and put them on the outermost tray) … at three or more bikes you have a lot of “moment of inertia” far behind the rear wheels of the vehicle so you might as well switch to an upright rack like Velocirax (if you can handle the weight) or Lolo/North Shore (if you can’t handle the weight), upright racks will bring the weight distribution of multiple bikes closer to the rear wheels which will improve handling and reduce likelihood of losing traction going into a corner too hot. 1-2 bikes I’m using the 1Up, every time.

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Do you have a pic of how that hitch receiver is welded onto the frame?

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Originally Posted by grskier

Do you have a pic of how that hitch receiver is welded onto the frame?

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Of my travel trailer?

If so, I can get one. It’s definitely welded to the frame and not to the bumper, though there is a spot weld to the bumper to help with rigidity but not critical for the load. It’s a factory installed Northwood/Outdoors RV 2” receiver stubbed off a structural tube crossmember made with the same 2.5” OD/2” ID tubing of the receiver, that crossmember is then welded to large flanges that come off each of the two the main I beams of the trailer frame (which are also massively stout because it’s Northwoods/ORV). The stubout receiver has a flat 1/16” triangular plate (imagine a gusset on each left and right side of the stub out) welded on the bottom that helps with torsional rigidity but in my opinion could be beefed up to minimize dynamic rack oscillations; I have thought about having a welder add another plate to it but I probably won’t get around to it until the kids two bikes are bigger and we are trying to tow with a Lolo 4 on the back of that thing … I am also concerned about how much that would remove trailer tongue weight and increase trailer sway propensity as I’m pretty paranoid about having a stable towing setup - so we aren’t quite there yet on that mod.

I had a bike fall out of a Kuat NV on a rough forest service road years ago, but never an issue with either of my two 1-up hitch racks. My wife and I have have multiple 29ers, a 700c gravel bike and a 27.5+ and everything is reasonably secure with no spool adjustments needed (we use the longest settings). Bikes wiggle a bit, but not close to falling out.

I once had a single wheel pop out of a 1Up tray, but that was with a three-bike configuration mounted on the hitch receiver of a travel trailer over a very potholed stretch of highway (before my younger self learned that the amount of bouncing with the rack on the rear of a trailer is waaaaay more than when mounted to the vehicle).

I've used our 1Up hitch rack since 2014 in 2, 3, and 4 bike configurations, and like others have come to the conclusion that it's a great rack for 1-2 bikes. More than that just gets awkward to manage and progressively wobblier on the slightest bit of rough road, including pavement dips and segmented concrete.

The guy saying it is only for 26" wheels is flat wrong, 29ers are no problem and 1Up has long advertised the rack as being suitable for all wheelsizes (with only fat bikes requiring a kit). Longer wheelbases of XL/XXL and heavier bikes can become an issue, though, and will wobble more.