Küat Transfer Bike Rack Review - Old Guys Rip Too™

About Küat Racks

Küat Racks designs lightweight, stylish and easy-to-use products that help snowboarders, adventurers, cyclists and a variety of outdoor enthusiasts get out and do more of what they love. Starting off in 2008 as an idea for a better way to transport bikes evolved into a thriving company that creates high-end, awesomely engineered hitch racks, roof racks, and accessories that push the envelope of innovation.

With a team of industry experts and avid cyclists, Küat is a machine fueled by bright ideas and heated debates that consistently deliver innovative solutions that chase that perfect balance of style and substance with core function and simplicity.

Specs from Küat

Single bike rack minimizes loading hassle
Spring-loaded foot pedal pivots without hands
PerfectFit adjusts for a precise hold
Contact points don’t touch the frame
Fits 20-29in tires, up to 4.5inch with a Phat Bike Kit
Compatible with the Transfer 1-bike add-on
Locking hitch pin and cable locks sold separately

Intended Use
The Transfer bike rack by Küat is used to carry up to 4 bikes to your desired biking trail securely and safely.

Recommended For
Anyone looking for a well designed and easy to assemble tilt platform bike rack.

Review Date and Location: Summer 2019 in Idaho/Wyoming

Review:

If you are anything like Chris and me, when the lifts stop spinning and the snow melts, you yearn for the mountains, the speed, and the freedom snowboarding provides. We both skateboard, but skateparks can often be crowded. In recent years, I’ve reconnected with mountain biking. It has a lot of similar qualities to snowboarding that I miss when the snow melts. It allows me to go to places of solitude, be in the mountains, go fast, and keep my legs in shape for winter.

We met with Küat at OR/SIA 2019 and were impressed with their Küat Grip Snowboard/Ski rack. They are known for their well built, stylish bike racks. I was excited to have the opportunity to test out one of their racks for transporting my bike safely and securely to the trailheads.

I reviewed the Küat Transfer with a 1-bike add on and a lock kit. Upon opening the box, I was impressed with the construction and packaging of the Transfer. The Transfer is Küat’s introductory platform bike rack and it boasts a price that won’t break the bank. With the cost of a decent mountain bike, a helmet and other protective gear, etc. it’s nice to find a rack that is affordable yet not cheaply made. The Transfer rack is constructed out of steel and durable plastic.

The build instructions were easy to follow and come with the majority of the tools you will need packaged in a Küat labeled burlap bag. It took about 30-45 minutes to assemble the rack, add the 1-bike add on and lock kit.

Once installed into the hitch on my SUV, I was ready to load bikes. Loading/unloading bikes with the Transfer is simple and straightforward. The rear tire sits in a tire cradle tray and is secured with a ratchet strap system like you would find on snowboard bindings. The front tire sits in a tray and is secured by a tire hook arm. You place this as close to the fork as possible and then ratchet the tire hook down onto the tire. The Transfer bike rack will accommodate tire sizes of 20”-29” with no issues. If you have a bike with Phat tires you will need to get an adapter kit.

I’ve traveled all over to ride this summer and the Küat Transfer has held up without any issues. It keeps the bikes securely in place. My bike never moved around and is very stable in the rack, even traveling down bumpy/winding roads.

You can make slight adjustments to the tire cradles if necessary as some bikes align funny if their wheelbases vary, but with a few minor adjustments the bikes don’t hit each other. One thing I really liked about the Transfer is the rack does not touch the bike frame. Carbon frames are becoming more popular due to the weight savings and the last thing you want is a rack rubbing or vibrating against your frame.

The rack has a tilt feature that will allow you to lower it so you can open the rear hatch on your SUV. You can also use this tilt feature when the rack is not in use to fold it up closer to your vehicle. It will fit a 2” and 1.25” hitch.

The Küat Transfer comes in 1, 2 and 3 bike options. You can also upgrade any one of these with the 1-bike add on and lock kit.

The lock kit adds a bit of security to your bike(s) if you need to run into the store or gas station quickly. The lock kit adds a cable with a lock into the end of the hook arm. The cable is not very long so you have to run the cable through the fork and into the lock. It also comes with a hitch lock to prevent theft of your rack. For an additional $30 and a quick install, it’s definitely worth the deterrent it provides.

Overall Impressions:

I was really pleased with the performance of the Küat Transfer bike rack. The assembly and install were straightforward. The Transfer rack is a great introductory platform rack that won’t break the bank. I would recommend the Küat Transfer rack to anyone looking to transport their bike(s) safely and securely to trailheads.