I've hauled bikes on everything from a $178 trunk strap that scratched my paint to a tray rack that survived a deer strike at 65 mph. I've owned eight racks in twelve years, I've installed them in the dark, loaded bikes after 100-mile rides when my brain was fried, and driven through crosswinds in Wyoming that'd make a semi truck nervous.
Related: Hitch Bike Rack Vs Trunk Rack
I time everything, I measure everything, and I have no brand loyalty. I just want to know if a rack will hold my bike at 75 mph without terrifying me.
Hollywood Racks Sport Rider SE
Quality pick in this category.
Heavy, bulky, terrible instructions
Allen Sports Deluxe
Bikes sway, straps are weak, wobble in the hitch
Prices and availability were captured from Amazon Creators API and may change.
How I tested
For the past month I've had both racks bolted to my 2019 Honda CR-V. I've loaded my steel road bike after Tuesday night criteriums when my legs were shot and my brain was worse. I've hauled my partner's gravel bike up I-70 to the mountains with Ranger, my 70-pound Lab mix, panting in the back seat.
I've driven through crosswinds east of the Continental Divide that had me checking the rearview every thirty seconds.
I timed everything. Assembly took me 16 minutes for the Allen, 34 for the Hollywood. Loading a bike in the daylight took 90 seconds on the Hollywood and about two minutes on the Allen. Loading in the dark took longer on both, but the Hollywood's wheel holders are easier to find by feel.
I ran both at 75 mph on the interstate, watched them in the mirror, and noted the wobble. I also read what buyers have said over the years, and their experiences line up with mine.
The Loading Workflow
Every rack fails or succeeds in the moment you're exhausted. The Allen is a hanging rack, which means you lift the bike higher, hook the top tube, and then deal with the sway. The bikes swing freely once mounted, as buyer William Roche noted. He's right. I've had my top tube clunk against the upright bar more than once.
The Hollywood is a tray rack. You lift the bike, set the wheels in the holders, and strap down. It's one motion, and it's easier to do in the dark. But loading the bike closest to the vehicle is a chore because the vertical clamp tube gets in the way. Buyer JCC found the same thing with his Levo e-bikes. So neither rack is perfect on this metric, but the Hollywood wins for late-night loading.
Hitch Wobble
Every rack wobbles. Every single one. I've never met one that didn't move in the receiver. The Allen wobbles, and five out of thirteen buyers mentioned it. Miss Peabodi called it "real folks! But manageable!" and she tested it at 77-80 mph. RayC fixed his with a grade 5 bolt from Lowes. Ts132 called the included bolt a "9/16th 'no-wobble' bolt" and said it helps but doesn't fully solve it.
The Hollywood solves it entirely. It has a hitch rattle stopper that cinches the coupling around the hitch pin. Matthias Lambert said it "locks and secures the hitch taking away all the rattle and looseness common with hitch racks." That's real engineering.
The Tilt Feature
You'll use this more than you think. Grabbing a jacket, a water bottle, a snack without unloading the bikes. Lori called the Allen's tilt "incredibly useful, allowing easy access to the back of the car, even when a bike is on the rack." The Hollywood tilts too, and it works with rear hatches. Amazon Customer confirmed it with their Jeep Grand Cherokee.
But there's a catch with the Hollywood and e-bikes. JCC found that with two e-bikes installed, the tailgate cannot open even when tilted because the wide handlebars interfere. That's a real limitation if you're hauling electric bikes.
Best Overall for E-Bikes and Heavy Loads
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RSB is a former auto, marine, and FAA aircraft mechanic who raced vehicles in the Baja 500. When he says a rack is "very well designed and fabricated," I listen. He carried two 65-pound e-bikes, 130 pounds total, "without any signs of being over-loaded." That's the benchmark now.
This rack costs around $400. Matthias Lambert was quoted $699 for a comparable rack from a dealer, so the price is fair. The hardware is first rate. Lambert said "all the bolts washers and hardware were of first rate quality, no skimping and that is great to see." The hitch pin and cable locks are keyed alike, which Amazon Customer called "good quality."
The downsides are real. It's heavy. Judd Rousseau warned about storage space, calling it "VERY heavy, and a big unit." CLC found the weight "a little difficult to mount and remove from the hitch." The wheel holders are stiff initially.
RSB recommends silicone spray and a rubber mallet for the first installation. And the instructions are terrible.
Lambert agreed with other Hollywood buyers that "their instructions are very poorly written." I struggled with them too, and I've installed eight racks.
Should you buy it? Yes, if you haul e-bikes or two bikes that weigh more than 50 pounds each. Yes, if you want a rack that won't wobble at highway speed. No, if you don't have storage space or if you're swapping the rack between vehicles often. The weight is the price you pay for the stability.
Allen Sports Deluxe
Best Value
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William Roche said it best: "You just cannot beat the price.. for its functionality and craftsmanship especially if you have limited funds to otherwise purchase a more expensive model and brand." Ts132 put it even more directly: "it is under $100 bike rack. and it is just as good of a >$100 bike rack."
The build quality surprises people at this price. RayC said "There is nothing cheap about this rack." Buckeyejack is 82 years old and called it "very high quality" and praised it for being light enough for him to handle. That's the real test. Can an 82-year-old mount it without help? Yes. That's accessibility data.
It took me 16 minutes to assemble. RayC timed it at 15. The tilt capability works well. The straps are not rubber-type like the expensive racks, and they're harder to tighten. Lori supplements with three bungee cords. William Roche ordered Velcro straps separately. I use pipe insulation and electrical tape to keep the bike closest to the upright from dinging my frame.
The wobble is real but fixable. The sway when bikes are mounted is more of a concern. Buckeyejack noted the bike can swing and hit the rear window if you're not careful. But nobody returned the rack over these issues. Miss Peabodi initially gave it three stars, then updated to five after determining it was secure at highway speed.
Should you buy it? Yes, if you want to spend under $100 and don't mind a little sway. Yes, if you're on a budget or if you need a rack that's light enough to mount and remove easily. No, if you're hauling e-bikes or carbon frames you're precious about. For the price, it's the people's champion.
The Storage King
If you have a garage and want a tray rack that won't break the bank, look at the mid-tier options from Thule and Yakima. They cost more than the Allen but less than the Hollywood. They wobble a little, but they hold bikes securely and fold up smaller than the Hollywood.
The Budget Pick
The Allen Sports Deluxe is the budget pick. It's $99 and it works. That's the whole story. Don't ask it to do more than that.
The E-Bike Hauler
The Hollywood Racks Sport Rider SE is the e-bike hauler. It handles 130 pounds without complaint. It's heavy, it's bulky, and the instructions are terrible. But it's rock solid. That's the trade-off.
The last thing I'll say
I've owned eight racks in twelve years. I've scratched paint, I've had a rack swing into a highway divider on I-70, and I've had a rack survive a deer strike that totaled my car. I know what bad racks do. Neither of these is bad.
The Allen Sports Deluxe wobbles and the bikes sway, but it costs $99 and an 82-year-old can mount it. That's value. The Hollywood Racks Sport Rider SE is heavy and the instructions are terrible, but it carries 130 pounds of e-bike without flexing. That's capability.
The best rack is the one you'll actually use. If a rack is too heavy to mount or too expensive to justify, it'll end up in the garage. I've seen it happen. Buy the Allen if you want to save money. Buy the Hollywood if you want to haul e-bikes. Buy either one and you'll get to the trailhead with your bikes intact. That's what matters.