SINGLE TRAIL 5UP ALL ABOUT SINGLE TRAIL

Weight: 39.6kg | RRP: $1949 Warranty: 5 year transferable From: single-trail.com

Single Trail are based in Victoria and all their racks are made here in Australia. They do a range of vertical bike racks for 2-6 bikes, and their design lets you upgrade to a larger capacity model down the track if needed, if your family or riding crew grows. As the wheel hoops bolt on, you can also replace them if they get damaged. Their inbuilt anti wobble hitch, rope fastening system and deep wheel cradles are the same on all their racks - fat bike hoops are also available.

HOW DO I GET A SINGLE TRAIL RACK?

You can buy Single Trail racks directly from their website, or from one of their stockists listed online. Our 5UP test rack took barely 30 minutes to build, thanks to the base V3 hinge unit shipping complete. We only needed a few spanners and the instructional video was easy to follow. The upright section was added before fitting the base and top bar. The wheel cradles have a fixed position and bolt on easily. 16 bolts had the rack together, and that included 2 bolts per wheel hoop! Freight was $93 to Brisbane outer metro.

FITTING UP THE SINGLE TRAIL 5UP

With the anti-wobble hitch, this was one of the fastest and simplest racks to install on the vehicle. There’s just one hole for the hitch pin, then you tighten the anti-wobble hitch on the rack via an included spanner, as it expands inside the hitch. Without the need for an anti-wobble bracket fitting and removing this rack had far less to juggle, tighten and loosen. Or lose. The 5UP suits 24”-29” wheels, and each hook can carry 25kg each for a total rack capacity of 125kg. There are kits to support road or 20" wheels. The included number plate board attaches via bungee toggles – you can also buy a light board from Single Trail.

LOADING AND UNLOADING

The V3 pivot makes the Single Trail 5UP easy to lower down using your foot to toggle the locking mechanism. It can be upright, or slightly in towards the vehicle, plus back for loading. It stops at the lowest position, so cannot slam to the ground. We could open the boot without issues. Once it is lowered you simply pop the front wheel into the cradle and get your mates to help lift the rack into place, while the pivot locks into place. Lift the rope over the pedal and pull it tight. We found it a good fit for anything from gravel bikes to 29” XC bikes through to a big enduro bike. The 330mm spacing between bikes really helps, but there isn’t an option to fiddle with the exact hoop position if you still had any rub.

With the single attachment point on the pedal, the loading and unloading is very fast. You must ensure the pedal is at the lowest point before pulling the rope tight. The unit locks, and has a 1.7 tonne loading capacity. It’s easy to release once at the trail head via a lever, and the deep wheel cradle stops anything moving side to side. Being able to brace the rack with two hands and use the foot pedal on the hinge to release the rack to lower it is easy – but you’d be best to have two people bracing a full rack.

ON THE ROAD

The Single Trail rack was fuss free on the road. While there was some concern of only using one secure attachment point per bike, they stayed solidly in place each time we went out. The onus is on the rider here though, as if your pedal isn’t at the lowest point and the rope therefore can’t stay tight, the bike may move. We had a tiny creak develop from the main bolt, but a quick tighten up had nothing more from it. It pays to check the bolts on any rack periodically.

OUR TAKE

From ease of building, fitting, loading and unloading, the Single Trail was the fastest rack to get out and start shuttling. The electroplated finish is a bonus for durability, and being able to replace the hoops is handy. While the single attachment point may make some wary, it wouldn’t be hard to attach a strap to the top or lower wheels for long trips. With such fast loading and unloading, this rack really suits fast shuttle turnarounds to maximise runs. For unhindered rear of vehicle access, you may need to check clearance, as there is no swing arm option.