Platform hitch racks live or die by the details that emerge after months of use: whether the hitch cam stays tight, whether the bike interface actually works with your stable, whether the security features integrate cleanly or become friction points. The NV 2.0 from Kuat addresses these daily-use realities with an all-metal construction that handles bikes up to 60 pounds per tray while keeping the loading and securing process intuitive enough that you'll actually use the features rather than work around them.

The front tire interface uses an adjustable cradle system with three positions to minimize handlebar and seatpost interference between bikes. Dial in the fit once, and the cradle holds that position across loading cycles. A ratcheting arm swings over the front tire and clicks down to secure it, with a release mechanism redesigned from the original NV to feel more intuitive under gloved hands or rushed departures. At the rear, co-molded straps wrap around the wheel and rim without metal-to-rim contact, and the strap position slides along the tray to accommodate wheelbases up to 50" with the tire scoops lowered.

Kuat built cable locks into each tray that extend far enough to loop through rear triangles and secure bikes during stops. The cables retract back into the rack body when not in use, held by magnets rather than dangling loose. The key that operates these locks also works the included hitch lock, consolidating security into a single key rather than a jangling collection. The hitch cam itself tightens by hand without tools, wedging the rack into the receiver to eliminate the wobble that plagues lesser setups over washboard roads and highway miles.... Read More