The Yakima BigHorn 4 is an easy-to-use, sturdy four-bike hitch mounting rack. The mast folds down conveniently when free of bikes for vehicle access. The BigHorn 4 carries almost all bikes without needing top-tube adaptors. The SwitchBlade anti-sway bike cradles keep your bikes scratch free until you inflict your own damage on the ride. The BigHorn 4 holds up to 4 bikes, and fits a 2" receiver hitch. Optional accessories include the DeadLock System, 1 1/4" adapter, QuickHitch, and PowderHorn ski and snowboard rack.
Average Customer Review: ( 13 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 found the following review helpful:
Excellent four bike rack for 1.25" hitch Jul 04, 2008
By Evan Bontrager I am very pleased with Yakima for creating this rack. We downgraded cars which forced us to have a 1.25" hitch instead of an earlier 2" hitch. Our previous four bike rack was from Reese, which worked very well but was heavy and over built.
Yakima BigHorn 4 is lighter yet very strong. It is the perfect size while supporting four bikes. The assembly instructions were clear. The parts and box were nicely thought out. The bike mounting and straps are as good as any I used. There was not a large selection of four bike hitch racks for 1.25" and I was please Yakima still supported this need. It appears this rack is identical between the 1.25" and 2" hitches with only one part change. Well thought out design.
The only negative and the reason I didn't give it 5 stars relates to a plastic guide when lowering the rack. This plastic guide can pop off and needs to be pushed into placed when lifting the rack in the upright position. I don't anticipate lowering it often and with care it functions fine, but you do need to keep this in mind.
Do note that for 1.25" hitches, you do get more side to side sway compared to a 2" hitch but it is acceptable and the Yakima design is plenty strong enough.
24 of 28 found the following review helpful:
Not ok as is for heavy use Sep 13, 2008
By E. Hansen We ride bikes several times per week. I say we meaning my me and my kids. So I carry 2-3 bikes on this several times per week. There are problems with heavy use. First of all, the pin that lets the rack fold down is 3/8 inch. Mine actually bent from running on the highway with 2-3 bikes. I drilled it out and put a 1/2 pin. Also, I didn't trust the threaded hitch pin that comes with the rack, it is also 3/8 inch and all that force is on the threads. If they break, by by rack. So I drilled it out to 1/2, used a regular class 2 1/2 pin and a product called a hich vise. $35 for the hitch vise, but the system works much better and is more stable. Finally, the sytem holds the bikes with flexible plastic pieces which slide on 1 1/4" metal poles. They hold the bikes well, but they also slide on the poles resulting in bikes ending up touching and rubbing paint off each other. Since I have no idea how anyone could fit four bikes on this rack, I went with mounts for three. You can remove a screw on the end of each pole, take the end cap off and slide off or on the pieces that hold the bikes on. I took one set off and then cut 1 1/4 inch PVC pipe to keep the other three sets equal distance from each other. This is dirt cheap and works extremely well, the bikes stay put on the poles and don't touch each other. Lots of modifications for this rack but it works well now. I think I would buy a more expensive one in the future but there aren't many choices if you need 1 1/4 and all I have ia a class 2 hitch so I can't use a 2 inch hitch.
7 of 7 found the following review helpful:
Very Good Bike Rack Aug 17, 2008
By Andrew White
"whitea23"
This is a very nice bike rack for the money. I've been able to get my mother's bike on this rack without using an adapter bar. Sometimes it can be difficult to get some bikes on, but I haven't had a bike that I couldn't get it on it yet.
It does exactly what I needed it to do and I do not think I would have been more satisfied with a more expensive rack.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
We took it back May 15, 2011
By rnesmom We bought this so that my husband and I could take our bikes and our two kids' bikes (both 20-inch) to local trails. The bike rack was reasonably easy to assemble, apart from getting the rubber straps that secure the bikes to the rack on. On the one hand, we didn't mind that so much as we knew that meant the straps wouldn't be likely to come off easily during use. On the other hand, we wondered how difficult it would be to secure and remove bikes once we'd put them on the rack.
We had to purchase adapters at $35 each for our two 20-inch bikes, so keep that potential expense in mind. The adapters were easy to use.
Once we began putting the bikes on, we quickly realized that securing the bikes and removing them with the rubber straps was going to be a big pain every single time. To load a bike, it's important to make sure the cradles and straps are positioned such that they don't get in the way as you are loading the bike. After more than one bike is on, getting access to the rubber straps and pins to which they are fastened is difficult. When not in use, there's no way to fold down the arms on which the bikes sit, so the choice is to have a many inch extension on the back of your vehicle or remove the rack, which is also kind of a pain as it screws into the hitch.
We were so frustrated with this bike rack that we decided to return it. In full disclosure, however, a large part of our frustration is that we have been using the SARIS CYCLE ON PRO HITCH RACK 2 BIKE for a few years. Use couldn't be easier, the bikes are secure, and the rack folds up when not in use. The one we have only holds two bikes, though, so we'll continue the search for a 4-bike rack.
This rack might be okay for long trips where loading and unloading would be infrequent, but for our planned use--regular trips to local trails, it just didn't make sense.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Great 4 Bike carrier!!! (2" hitch) May 10, 2011
By ericB214 I have now used this rack at least a dozen times over the last few weeks. First, I will tell you the types of bikes that I use on this rack.
1- 20" BMX style bike
1- 56" Trek road bike
1- 21" Trek Hybrid (no suspension)
1- 16" Trek step through frame ladies comfort bike)
I've put all 4 of these bikes on this rack with NO ISSUES at all. The first time you load the bikes on the rack, take your time and do it right. It took me a good 15 - 20 mins to find the perfect placement. I did need a cross bar for the ladies step through frame bike. I use a saris crossbar for that bike. I also use several bungee cords to keep the handlebars from moving back and forth.
The rubber straps that are provided work wonderfully and keep the bikes very secure with virtually NO play and no scratches on the paint.
The majority of the roads I have driven on are pretty much flat and smooth. There are a few roads that are brick paved and I have noticed very little if any rattling or shaking. This is a VERY SOLID carrier. The key is to simply read and follow the directions carefully and keep an adjustable wrench in the car so that the pin is always tightened each time before you mount the bikes.
All in all, I highly recommend this carrier! I paid $142 (shipped) through amazon.com and that was substantially less than the local bike shops in my area.
based on 13 reviews
Not ok as is for heavy use Sep 13, 2008
By E. Hansen
We took it back May 15, 2011
By rnesmom
Great 4 Bike carrier!!! (2" hitch) May 10, 2011
By ericB214
;){kind=link}
;){kind=link}
