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December 13, 2023
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This motorized bike rack does the heavy lifting when transporting e-bikes
The Door County 2 from Saris is a hitch-mounted rack that uses an electric motor to make raising and lowering your electric bike easier when loading and unloading it from the rack. The main advantage is that you no longer have to manually raise and lower your e-bike, making transport much easier for you. Most riders will appreciate this, as electric bikes tend to be heavier than traditional bikes (and we definitely don’t want to be lifting heavy loads after a ride!).
We got to check out the Saris Door County 2 to see how well it lifts and transports e-bikes. It can carry two e-bikes weighing up to 60 pounds. per bike. We used several bikes for testing, including a commuter, cruiser and adventure bike. All of our bikes have 26″ tires no wider than the 3″ limit of the rack. Installing the rack was just as easy as any other rack. Simply slide the 2-inch coupler into your vehicle’s insert tube and secure with the locking pin.
*Editor’s Note: Updated 12/13/2023 with a new review of Saris Door County 2
Advantages- No more heavy lifting! The motor lifts the bike after you roll it up and attach it to the hitch rack.
- We like that the ratchet clamps have a rubber pad to prevent scratches on the bike’s paint.
- The rack can tilt the mounted bikes down and away, allowing you to open the tailgate on most SUVs without having to remove the bikes.
- For added safety, this rack features brake, turn signal and backup lights and is connected to your vehicle via a 7-pin wiring harness.
- The shelf folds easily, has wheels for rolling and a cover for storage.
- The Door County 2 can carry 2 bikes with a tire size of 16 to 29 inches and a maximum weight of 60 pounds per bike.
Disadvantages- Its 3-inch tire rails and per-bike weight limit make it unsuitable for transporting fat tires and heavier e-bikes (although removing the battery may help).
We like Saris’ safety-focused lights included with this rack, as bikes with racks tend to partially or completely block a vehicle’s taillights. Your vehicle’s tow package must use the 7-pin wiring harness to operate the lights and engine. If your vehicle uses a 4-pin wiring harness, you will also need an adapter to connect it to the Door County 2 wiring harness.
Loading the bikes onto the rack is easy as soon as you turn the key and press the button. The platform can be lowered so that all you have to do is roll the bike’s wheels onto the rail. The clamps used to secure your bikes are crafted in Door County 2’s unique “lobster claw” design that holds your e-bikes securely without touching fenders or e-bike battery mounts. The inner part of the clamps is lined with rubber to prevent scratches on your bike’s paint. It also comes with rubber bands that you can use to tighten them to the bottom of your wheels to keep your bike well secured.
The rack’s motorized lift is operated with three buttons and has a key lock for security.
Once the troughs are folded down, they can accommodate e-bikes with tires up to 3 inches wide.
The ratchet clamp arms also feature key locks to prevent theft.
The rack uses a 7-pin wiring harness to power the lift motor and integrated lights.
The carrier easily lifts e-bikes into the transport position and away again. It also has a cool feature that allows you to lower the bikes down and away from the tailgate of your vehicle, allowing you to access this part of the vehicle without having to remove the bikes and rack first.
On most vehicles, the rack provides 11 inches of clearance between the hitch locking pin and the mast, allowing you to open most SUV hatches when the e-bikes are lowered. However, this does not work on vehicles with a hinged rear door, such as the older models Toyota Landcruiser, Jeep Wrangler, Mitsubishi Montero and Land Rover Discovery. RVers will be disappointed to learn that this rack is not approved for use in RVs or attached RV trailers.
To make storage even more convenient, the shelf trays fold inward for compact storage, and there are built-in wheels that allow the folded shelf to be rolled for movement. Finally, there is a 1-year conditional warranty on the rack’s electronics.
Sarees Door County 2 Specifications
The information
- Carries two e-bikes up to 60 pounds each.
- The rack fits a wheelbase of up to 48 inches and is compatible with bicycle tires up to 3 inches wide.
- For use with 2″ receivers only.
- Rack weight: 63 pounds.
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