Mountain bikes are the Summit rack’s best pals, but it won’t turn its’ nose at certain gravel or drop-bar companions. We designed the Summit around adult mountain bikes, so it’ll happily carry your 26”-29” wheeled mountain bikes with tires anywhere from 1.9” to 5” wide - that’s right, fat bikes can come along for the party!

When it comes to our drop-bar steeds, compatibility is more of a dance. See the next FAQ for further details on carrying drop-bar bikes in the Summit.

The Summit’s wheel trays are like a loving embrace for tires from 1.9” to a chubby 5” wide, holding them tighter than your lycra on a hot day… but what about the svelte road or gravel bikes? That’s where it gets trickier than a switchback on Alpe d’Huez.

You see, the Summit’s zero-frame-contact wheel trays are all about keeping your bike pristine and clean, contacting only the rubber on your tires, which means for a good fit, the wheel tray will support your bike on the tread and sidewall. 

If your tire’s sidewalls puff out proudly beyond their rims, then they’ll likely nestle in perfectly and work fine. 

If your tires are a closer match to your rim in width, then there’s a chance that the wheel trays will come into contact with your rim during transport, running the risk of scratching, scuffing, or even destroying your prized hoop. 

Cautious is best here - if you can install your road or gravel bike and there’s some wiggle room between the right side of your rim and wheel tray, you’re probably good. If there’s only a sliver of space or less, best to leave the Summit for gallivanting your mountain bikes. 

If you’re thinking of padding to Macgyver your incompatible rig onto the Summit - sure, but we can’t guarantee a scratch-free embrace anymore.

Absolutely! The Summit vertical rack is ready to elevate your e-adventures, supporting up to 4 ebikes weighing in at a solid 60 lb per bike. 

Got a posse? In party mode, aka 6-bike capacity, the maximum weight capacity on the Summit rack cannot exceed 270 lb. 

Oh, and did we mention to check the tongue weight rating of your receiver? Loaded to the maximum, the Summit rack with Add-On would tip the scale at 370 lb. Make sure your hitch receiver is as burly as the Summit if you want to carry that kind of load!

This is a loaded question with far too many variables to give a one-size-fits-all answer to, but here are a few things you’ll want to know:

We tested the Summit on a vehicle with 12” of clearance from the ground to the hitch receiver, and can safely say you should be good to mount bikes with a wheelbase of 48.5” or less in that scenario. If your hitch receiver sits higher off the ground than 12”, you’ll gain some more wiggle room for longer wheelbases inch for inch.

Have a bike that is taller than recommended given your hitch height? It doesn’t mean you can’t use it with the Summit, it just means the rack may not tilt far off enough down to lock into position for easy loading/unloading, and more importantly, means you’ll need to pay close attention to departure angles - make sure rubber isn’t scraping the road when it’s time to travel!

As of now, the Summit’s wheel trays are made for big kids’ bikes (26”-29” wheels), but we are working on wheel trays that keep the youngsters in mind. Stay tuned for kiddo-friendly trays! 

The Summit loves the chunky tires! If your bike’s got tires up to a bountiful 5” wide, they’ll fit snug as a bug in a rug on the Summit.

Does our hitch pin play nice with your receiver? If it’s a 2” hitch receiver (or larger), yes! 

The Summit sports a sleek new ⅝” threaded locking hitch pin with a redesigned locking head to maximize compatibility with tight spaces. 

The new hitch pin measures 6” from the bolt head to the end of the locking head, which leaves 4 ¼” of usable space. That means there’s enough extra length to fit into 2.5 or 3” hitch receivers - just don’t forget the third-party reducer sleeves if you swing that way. 

A bit unsure if you’ve got enough space around your hitch receiver to fit the hitch pin? Whip out that tape measure and give it a once-over to confirm.

Load ‘em up and let ‘em tilt! The Summit’s like that cool friend who’s always flexible - ready to bend over backwards for your convenience! 

Even with bikes loaded, the Summit tilts down, and don’t sweat the lift - our Easy-Assist Gas Shock gives you a little lifting boost when it comes time to return the rack to upright. 

Keep your eyes on the green-means-go indicator on the base - make sure the metal bar is in green checkmark territory and you’re ready to drive!

The Swagman Summit is like a gentle giant - tough enough to handle the bumps of the road, but tender with your bikes. It’s designed for zero-frame contact; your bike’s frame won’t even know the rack is there, as it’s cradled by the tire contact points alone. So unless your tires harbor a secret grudge, your bikes will arrive as pristine as they left, ready for action, no repairs.

Is the Summit a match for your ride? Unless we’re secretly mind-readers (spoiler: we’re not), you’ll have to measure up. If you’re chariot rocks a 2” hitch receiver, then chances are the Summit and your vehicle are about to become best buddies. 

Just make sure your hitch stands tall - you need at least 15” of clearance between the ground and your bike tire once mounted, and don’t forget to do the math on your receiver’s tongue weight to make sure it can handle the weight of the Summit with bikes. (That’s 70.4 lbs of pure Swagman ingenuity, or 90 lbs if you go full party mode with 6 bikes.)

To avoid broken hitches, broken bikes, and broken dreams, don’t forget to include the weight of your bikes with the weight of the rack when confirming compatibility with your hitch. 

Just remember, the Summit likes to ride smooth, so no tagging along on the back of towables, please.

Installing the Summit is a walk in the park - or a ride down the trail, if you will. Just loosen up that anti-wobble bolt on the underside of the drawbar, slide it into your 2” hitch receiver, insert and tighten the threaded hitch pin, and re-tighten the anti-wobble bolt. 

Looking for more detailed instructions? We included them in the box, but if you’re like us and hastily tossed those aside in your excitement to build your brand new rack, we’ve got you covered with a digital copy here!

It’s hitching made easy so you can hit the trails faster!

Contemplating the heft of your gear? The Summit vertical rack tips the scales at 70.4 lbs, while the Add-On is 19.6 lbs. 

If mathing isn’t your forte, we’ve got you - that makes for 90 lbs of rugged elegance attached to your ride if you’re rocking a Summit for 6 bikes. Make sure your vehicle’s hitch can handle this tag team before you hit the road.

It’s like asking if Schrödinger’s cat is alive - it depends!

The Summit’s two-position drawbar is a bit like a choose-your-own-adventure book for your vehicle’s rear access. In the ‘more room’ ™ position (that’s right, we’re trademarking that catchy feature name), most tailgates can swing open freely for a quick gear grab without any yoga moves. In the ‘snug fit’ position, it’s a bit cozier, keeping the bikes and center of gravity closer to your bumper. 

Looking for specifics? In the ‘more room’ ™ position, you have 18 ¾” of clearance from the hitch pin to the mast of the rack.  In the ‘snug fit’ position, you have 14 ¾” of clearance from the hitch pin to the mast. 

As far as hatches, or supersized tailgates, you’ll need to tilt the rack down for access. 

Rock solid? You betcha! The Summit rack clings to your hitch like a brand new Maxxis Minion to a freshly groomed DH trail.

It sports a threaded anti-wobble hitch pin and a vertical anti-wobble bolt that keep the rack sturdy and solid once installed. You might notice a bit of play where the upper mast meets the lower, but that’s normal - it’s just your Summit’s way of showing excitement for the trip.

The Summit locks to your vehicle tighter than Fort Knox! The locking hitch pin keeps the rack safe, but what about the bikes? Well for that, we welded security loops to the rack - buddy them up with your own chain and u-lock combos for ultimate bike security.