Yakima Dr. Tray hitch rack review
Loaded up with a long-travel 29er on board.
What is it
Yakima is among the leaders in bike racks in the U.S. with their long history of roof racks and now hitch racks. Very few companies can produce roof racks because of the complexity of attachments that are compatible with the hundreds of vehicles available. But hitch racks have gained popularity among mountain bikers because of their ease of use, improved gas mileage, and less chance of a tired cyclist crashing their bike into their garage door roof.
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0vxqzh8Kds
Yakima has been very successful with their ultra-compact HoldUp rack that’s reviewed here. But for the new platform, they wanted tool free versatility and the ability to handle all tire sizes, including fat bikes. Their new effort is called the Dr. Tray, a two-bike system that’s easily expandable to three.
The tilt lever is one of the best Mtbr has tested.
Pros
- So light at 34 pounds for a 2-bike tray system
- Trays slide front/back and left/right without use of tools
- Great pin and cam system for security and wobble free performance
- Excellent build and materials with best in class tilt lever
- True fat bike and plus bike compatibility
- Easy to expand to three bike capacity
Cons
- Huge rack for just three bikes because of fat bike compatibility
- For bikes with long wheelbase, rear wheel hangs low off tray
- Arm button for telescoping action hard to activate
- Even with two bikes, height is high because of the rack backbone
Rack is ready to take on any kind of bike.
Key Features
- Securely carries 26” to 29” wheels and tires up to 5” wide
- Ample spacing between bikes – up to 18” between each bike
- QuickChange lever provides tool-free adjustment while bikes are loaded, minimizing the potential for bike-to-bike interference.
- Easy-to-use RemoteControl tilt lever and lightweight, aluminum design makes raising and lowering the rack easy
- Tool-free locking SpeedKnob for a secure and easy install to your vehicle
- Extra burly SKS cable lock system for each bike secures both wheels and frame
- 40lbs weight maximum per bike
- Add the EZ+1 and carry a third bike (sold separately)
- Available in 1.25″ Hitch Size – L 16” x W 54” x H 11.50” 41lbs
- Available in 2″ Hitch Size – L 16” x W 54” x H 11.50” 34lbs
Rack is very big when third bike attachment is installed.
Mtbr’s Take
It’s a whole new platform for Yakima and it’s not perfect yet. But we’ve seen the 2018 version and they’ve addressed most of our concerns like longer trays for long wheelbase bikes and a big, easy to use button to extend the arms. But if you want a lightweight rack that can take the biggest variation of bikes from fat bikes to BMX bikes, this is a good option.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 
Price: $570
More Info: www.yakima.com
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