Overall Impression:
We've used so many bike racks through the years and the Kuat Sherpa 2.0 is by far our favorite! We like the straight-forward functionality of the Sherpa so much that we have them on all of our vehicles. They're lightweight (32 lbs to be exact) so you don't break your back taking them on/off the vehicle and this can easily be done with one person (even a lightweight like myself). That being said, our racks stay on our vehicles pretty much year round and have held up incredibly well with 4+ years of use due to the anodized finish; no rust and the finishes still look new!
The foot/hand lever is super smooth, allowing you to raise and lower the rack with one hand. This makes folding the rack up super easy and the rack also folds down beyond the "loading" position if you need more clearance or if you need to get into the rear of your vehicle. We've done' this easily with our two bikes still loaded on our vehicle. If you want even more clearance for the rear of your vehicle, the Sherpa pairs perfectly with the Kuat Pivot V2 swing arm to allow the rack to totally swing away from your vehicle.
A generous 14" spacing in between bikes makes sure that our mountain bikes with wide bars are never cramped (road bikes have even more room!). You secure your front tire with the adjustable rachet arm which works by engaging a button and sliding. Typically the rachet arms work very well, although after a few years of snow, dirt and mud, our rachet arms on one of our racks got a bit sticky. Kuat took care of us, since the racks offer a Lifetime "No Worries Warranty" (big kudos to their Customer Service!). The rear tire uses a simple rachet strap that stays in place (unlike some of the other straps on other brands that easily fall off).
Available in 1.25 or 2 inch options, comes with an integrated cable lock, holds wheelbases up to 47" and tires as large as 3", and can hold 2 bikes up to 40 lbs. each.
Pros:
- Lightweight (32 pounds)
- Functional and smooth - foot pedal works great
- Durable - still looks new after years of consistent use
- Kuat Customer Service - Lifetime "No Worries Warranty" on their products
Cons:
- Rachet arms can get sticky (I attribute this to year round use in salty, grimey, and dusty conditions)
- No option to carry more than 2 bikes (check out the Kuat NV or Kuat Transfer if you want 4 bike capacity)
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