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Inno Tire Hold Review

A versatile and easy to use bike rack that gives us some durability concerns
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Inno Tire Hold Review
Credit: Inno
Price:  $650 List
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Manufacturer:   Inno
By Pat Donahue ⋅ Senior Review Editor  ⋅  Mar 19, 2020
72
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#11 of 17
  • Ease of EveryDay Use - 20% 8.0
  • Ease of Removal and Storage - 20% 7.0
  • Versatility - 20% 8.0
  • Security - 20% 7.0
  • Ease of Assembly - 10% 6.0
  • Durability - 10% 6.0

Our Verdict

The Inno Tire Hold is a smart and effective hitch rack. The Tire Hold is easy to use, is quite versatile, and has a slick tilt-down mechanism. There is a lot to like with this rack as it fits all wheel sizes, and can accommodate a huge range of tire widths, including fat bikes. Additionally, it has a 60-pound per bike weight limit, so it should be able to handle most bikes, including heavy electric models. Ease of assembly is another impressive area. Unfortunately, this rack doesn't have a particularly sturdy feel, and some of the pieces seem a little flimsy. We have slight concerns with the long-term durability.
REASONS TO BUY
Versatile
Easy-to-use
Great tilt system
REASONS TO AVOID
Cheap feeling
Durability concerns
A little expensive

Compare to Similar Products

 
inno tire hold
This Product
Inno Tire Hold
Awards  Editors' Choice Award
Best Hitch Rack Under $1000
 Best Buy Award
Best Bang for the Buck Hitch Rack
 
Price Check Price at REI
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$740.95 at AmazonCheck Price at REI$499.95 at Backcountry$689.00 at REI
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Star Rating
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Bottom Line A functional and versatile rack with some durability concernsVersatile and easy to use with an excellent tilt-release functionThis is a versatile rack with an optional loading rack that's useful for heavier electric bikesThis impressive rack is sturdy and user-friendly, with a lower price tag than the premium optionsAs the lightest hitch rack we tested, the Sherpa was a favorite for its good looks and simple design
Rating Categories Inno Tire Hold Thule T2 Pro-XTR Yakima Stage Two RockyMounts Mono Rail Kuat Sherpa 2.0
Ease of EveryDay Use (20%)
8.0
9.0
9.0
8.0
8.0
Ease of Removal and Storage (20%)
7.0
7.0
7.0
7.0
9.0
Versatility (20%)
8.0
9.0
9.0
9.0
6.0
Security (20%)
7.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
Ease of Assembly (10%)
6.0
7.0
6.0
6.0
8.0
Durability (10%)
6.0
9.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
Specs Inno Tire Hold Thule T2 Pro-XTR Yakima Stage Two RockyMounts Mono Rail Kuat Sherpa 2.0
Bike Capacity 2 2 (Up to 4 with add-on) 2 (Up to 4 with add-on) 2 (Up to 3 with add-on) 2
Lock? Locking hitch knob and security cables Yes Locking hitch knob and security cable Yes Yes
Rack Weight 62 lbs 14 oz 51 lbs 63 lbs 8 oz 44 lbs 2 oz 32 lbs
Max Weight Per Bike 60 lbs 60 lbs 70 lbs (60 lbs RV and 42 lbs Off-Road rated) 60 lbs 40 lbs
Min/Max Wheel Size 20" to 29" 20" to 29" 20" to 29" 20" to 29" 20" to 29" (20" to 24" require adapter)
Max Wheelbase 48" or 1,219mm 50" or 1,270mm 52" or 1,320mm 50" or 1,270mm 47" or 1,194mm
Max Tire Width 3" 5" 3.25" (up to 5" with fat bike kit) 5" 3"
Other Sizes Available? Yes, 1 bike and 4 bike Yes, 1.25" receiver and rack add-on for 2 additional bikes Comes in 1.25" and 2" receiver sizes, 2 bike add-on sold separately Yes, 1.25" reciever, single bike add-on sold separately Yes, 1.25" receiver
Cross Bar Compatibility N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Tire Hold is a solid bike rack. It takes a somewhat unique approach in the way it holds a bike. Its tire clamping method is secure, and there is no frame, fork, or even rim contact. It is a great platform to build off of. We felt its ease of use, versatility, and ease of assembly were its greatest strengths. It does, however, have a lot of plastic in its construction, and a lot of the moving parts connecting the elements of this rack feel flimsy which makes us question its long-term durability. Still, this rack was a noble performer and could be worthy of consideration.

Performance Comparison


inno tire hold - saddle/handlebar interference can be an issue. luckily, modern...
Saddle/handlebar interference can be an issue. Luckily, modern mountain bikes have dropper posts that offer plenty of clearance.

Ease of Everyday Use


The Tire Hold is quick and easy to use. The tire clamping design might take a little getting used to if you are familiar with more traditional hitch racks from other brands. While most racks grab the front wheel near the fork and pull the wheel down into a cradle, the Tire Hold has arms that squeeze the wheels inward. There is no frame or fork contact and the hold is strong.

inno tire hold - the arms are very smooth but don't feel all that robust.
The arms are very smooth but don't feel all that robust.

To load the rack, simply push the silver button to open up the wheel clamp arms. The longer the bike, the wider you will need to open the arms. Place the bike on the tray. While holding the bike with one hand, close the arm on the rear wheel. There is no need to over-torque the arm, just get it snug. Next, close the arm on the front wheel. That's pretty much it, there are no straps or ratchets to fuss with. If you are loading a second bike, you'll want to flip the bike to face the opposite direction as the first. If there is handlebar/saddle interference, you can lower the dropper posts if applicable. If not, you can loosen the wheel clamp arms to shift the bikes side to side to reduce interference. To unload the bikes, simply work backward.

We loved the tilting mechanism on this rack. There are four positions; folded up for driving around without bikes, ΒΌ tilt for access to the hatch on a wagon or crossover when not loaded, flat in the loaded position, and down for trunk access when loaded with bikes. A tilt handle at the end of the main support arm is in an easy to reach location, and it engages the tilt mechanism with a very light action.

inno tire hold - the tire cradles squeeze the front and rear tires together.
The tire cradles squeeze the front and rear tires together.

Ease of Removal and Storage


Removing the Tire Hold from your vehicle is relatively simple. Use the key to unlock the knob that loosens and tightens the expander. Turn the knob left until it loosens the tongue in the receiver. Then, pull the spring-loaded pin out, and you are ready to remove the rack. You don't need to remove the anti-rattle plate, but it might be smart to loosen it. That will save you a step when reinstalling the rack. Our test rack tipped the scales at a hefty 62.9-pounds. That's certainly not that light, but it is not terrible to carry.

Storing this rack is a little more challenging. This is a big piece of gear, and it doesn't collapse down from its regular, folded size. Like most other hitch-mount platform racks, it is bound to take up a fair amount of space in your shed, garage, or basement.

Versatility


Versatility was another strong point of the Tire Hold rack. We tried this rack with a variety of bikes from extra large mountain bikes, road bikes, and fat bikes. All these bikes play nicely, although our fat bike with 4.8-inch tires was a tight squeeze, it still worked.

In addition to the fact that this rack accepts a wide variety of bikes, it also should work on most vehicles. It fits 1.25-inch and 2-inch hitch receivers. We may caution riders with particularly low vehicles against tray-style racks. The ground clearance can be a real issue, especially entering and exiting parking lots with quick angle changes in the pavement. All other vehicles should work swimmingly. Vans, SUVs, wagons, and trucks should all play nicely.

inno tire hold - the tire holder requires some assembly, but it is all intuitive and...
The Tire Holder requires some assembly, but it is all intuitive and fairly quick.

Ease of Assembly


The Tire Hold was quite easy to assemble. Upon unboxing the rack, the process looks a little daunting. Within the main box, there is the main support arm and five smaller boxes. Four of those boxes hold the components that form the two trays. The fifth contains some hardware.

Luckily, Inno did a great job labeling the boxes. The components of the trays are very easy to identify. Assembling the trays is simple, and each tray is secured by a mounting plate and five Allen screws. Simple as that. Actually installing the rack into your hitch is simple. After the first installation, the order of operations is quite clear.

Security


The Tire Hold comes with a cable lock. The cable can be fed through the bikes and locked to the knob that tightens the rack's expander wedge. The lock that secures the system to your vehicle also doubles as the lock that secures the included cable.

This system works fine. It is a little cumbersome to get down on your knees or hunch over to use the lock on the expander knob, but it works. It is better than not having a lock, but we feel it could be improved. While we appreciated the addition of the cable for its theft deterrence, we would probably add a beefier aftermarket lock to the equation for additional peace of mind.

inno tire hold - the tire hold in its folded position.
The Tire Hold in its folded position.

Durability


Durability is one area we are concerned about. It should be clear that we used this rack for about three weeks and loaded it about 100 times. We did not experience any significant wear or deterioration through this time period.

That said, we are slightly concerned about the longevity of the Inno rack. Upon a visual examination of the rack, it isn't constructed with the beefiest pivots or linkages and doesn't feel particularly robust. Where the arms connect to the main trays, the hinges are made of thin aluminum pieces. We would really have liked to see something beefier that would inspire more confidence in this unit's durability.

inno tire hold - this rack has a tilting feature to allow for access to the trunk. it...
This rack has a tilting feature to allow for access to the trunk. It is quite easy to use and has a smooth action.

Value


Like most hitch mount platform racks, the Tire Hold isn't exactly cheap. That said, it is a functional rack that does certain things exceptionally well. If you are lugging around fat bikes and electric bikes, this rack can be a great value as not every rack can handle that load. We feel this rack is a decent value for the right buyer, assuming it stands up to the test of time.

Conclusion


The Inno Tire Hold is a functional and refreshing bike rack. It is nice to see a company taking a slightly different approach as opposed to simply imitating some of the top options on the market. The result is an easy-to-use and versatile bike rack at a decent price. We feel there are areas that Inno could beef up and refine, but this is a good bike rack that might be worth considering.

Pat Donahue
 

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