The Tarsus was straightforward to assembled, with two bolts for each tray that added up to only a few minutes of our time before it was up and running. Once on the vehicle it sits at a decent height off the ground that worked well for us, even when crossing over abrupt terrain changes like deep water bars or steep climbs, and there should be plenty of clearance for all but the most rowdy of 4x4 roads. Installing bikes on the rack was pretty simple, but we did note that they sit close enough together that it was near impossible to take one out from the middle of the pack. How often did we need to do that? Pretty much never, and we don't expect most other people will either. We tried fitting a variety of bikes to the Tarsus, and all went on without trouble so long as each was offset to its neighbour correctly, and they seemed to be held as sturdy as when on any other tray rack. Any issues? It doesn't fold down to allow access to a vehicle's rear hatch, which you might find inconvenient if that's where you keep your gear, although it tilts up nice and close against the back of your car for great clearance when not in use. We're fans of the Tarsus' simplicity, but we're curious how the rack's bolt together construction, as well as some of the smaller items such as the wheel supports, will hold up over time. Having said that, we came across no reliability issues to complain about, and it seems like the Tarsus could be a good choice if you're looking to branch out from the larger brands that are more commonly seen at the trail head. - Jordan Carr |
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Run on sentences ftw!
It is incredibly simple to use, and the thought required behind putting your bikes on it is minimal, even when compared to the 1upUSA rack my friends have. They are constantly having to figure out which bike goes on first, and always end up needing to drop seats or drop their dropper posts. The Tarsus makes bikes fit more by staggering them, because the trays are a bit longer. Works out nicely.
The fold down part of things was annoying at first (rack before was the Thule T2), but now I have just trained myself to position my gear behind the drivers side seat, so I never need to get into the rear hatch on my wagon.
This thing is LIGHT when compared to other options, which is one of the reasons I bought it. When I do need to take it off, you can carry it with one arm. Wrestling the T2 was a difficult task. I did end up ordering an anti-wobble hitch pin, because while the default "quick release" is amazingly fast, it didn't inspire confidence when I had the DH bikes on the rack (wobble party).
Overall, I would buy it again. My favorite moment with this rack is when my electric scooter that I use to ride to work died, and due to how this rack is designed I could even fit it (with 20in wheels) with some creativity. No other rack coulda pulled that off.
Look around for sales/deals. I ended up paying right under $300 (shipped) for mine.
After I got the second one I got rear ended. Fortunately I wasn't carrying any bikes, but it damaged some parts of the rack. I sent a picture to Kuat and they sent me all of the parts to fix it, nearly everything but the hitch insert/pivoting part, completely free! It is a little heavy, but only because it is an awkward size to carry around. And i'm guessing that weight saved me from needing some bodywork on my car.
-1 on velcro straps, and no locking feature
-1 the time it takes to load and unload bikes
There is something to be said to have a control arm sit right in front of your fork to secure your bike to rack. Also to have the front wheel mounted securely instead of two flat trays. Seriously...4 velcro straps per bike? Should we just start using zip ties and duct tape for max security?
For the price point there are much better options. I have owned Thule T2 (hitch and roof), Kuat NV, and currently Kuat Sherpa.
www.torpedo7.co.nz/products/T7CATN04B/title/torpedo7-towball-mount-4-bike-channel-rack
Also have smaller versions also.