Place Your Faith in Yakima's Terra Firma
Written: Jan 09 '03 (Updated Jan 20 '03)
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Pros: Quality construction, ease of use, bike capacity
Cons: Price
The Bottom Line: If you are looking for a hitch mounted bike carrier, you can't go wrong with the Yakima Terra Firma.
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| rbils's Full Review: Yakima Terra Firma |
As an SUV owner, I much prefer a hitch mounted rack over a roof mounted one. Besides that fact that it's just easier to put bikes on the hitch than it is to lift them onto the roof, I'd hate to forget one of my bikes is up on the roof and drive it right into my house or a drive through window!
First Impression
When I recently bought a new Toyota 4Runner, I knew I wanted to get a hitch mounted rack. I've used several Yakima racks in the past, and have always found them to be well constructed, quality products. The Terra Firma is no exception. The engineers at Yakima have a knack for building features and functionality into their racks that other manufacturers skimp on.
I opted for the 4 bike model knowing that there would be many instances where I would want to carry three or four bikes. The Terra Firma holds 4 bikes with ease.
Pluses:
1) Ease of installation
2) Security features keep bikes locked to rack, and the rack locked to your hitch.
3) Padded mounts keep your bike frames from scratching
4) Holds bikes securely even at highway speeds
5) Holds up to 4 bikes
6) Not necessary to remove the front rim
7) Rack folds out of the way allowing access to rear door without having to remove the rack!
Minuses
1) Price may be an issue
2) Certain frame styles may be more difficult to position on rack than others
3) On my 2003 4Runner, I had to cut about an inch and a half off of the end that inserts into the trailer hitch because the spare tire was preventing it from inserting far enough into the hitch.
Overall Recommendation
If you are an SUV or truck owner looking for a full featured, functional hitch mounted rack, look no further than the Terra Firma.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 218
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Epinions.com ID:
rbils
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Location: Phoenix, AZ, USA
Reviews written: 9
Trusted by: 1 member
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