loloracks - bike rack

[TopBud]

Does anyone here use a lolorack on their Vanagon. Here is a picture of one: https://www.google.com/search?q=loloracks+vanagon&...0QLmWQcWCM

Curious to see if the hatch can open with it.
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86 bostig SYNCRO
66 convertible Karmann Ghia

[Steve M.]

If it's the first pic of the sky blue Westy - not a chance!
If you zoom in you can see this long support going all the way up to the handle bars.
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This free advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.

There are seven days in a week. Someday is not one of them.

[erste]

[Steve M.]

[erste]

I swear I saw a few more pics of this van on the Lolo website but can’t find them right now.

[jimf909]

it looks like a take on NSR...
https://northshoreracks.com/

Or Recon racks...
http://recon-racks.com/

Unfortunately, photos of the hatch open with these racks tipped are not easy to find.
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- Jim

[RoryGirl]

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1991 Double door pop top conversion

[Steve M.]

Thinking it would be great to help swing a hammock to a tree!
_________________
This free advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.

There are seven days in a week. Someday is not one of them.

[4Gears4Tires]

I've seen one on a van (not a vanagon) at The Shed, (Frederick Watershed) the local gravity trail area. Neat bike rack and certainly built sturdier than my Saris. I am considering this rack or the 1up rack so my friends and I have 1 more vehicle to do shuttle runs.

The one thing the Saris rack that does better than others is the integrated security. It stores steel cable inside the rack and with a click of a detent you can pull it out, wrap it through the bike, and click it into it's lock. But man, does the Saris bounce around on bumps. Not great to see my bike bouncing around looking like it's going to fly off the van. I'm going to keep it for road bike duty only.
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'87 Syncro
Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition

[fishgo]

[4Gears4Tires]

I really like the Kuat NV but I can't find where it's made and that is starting to be more and more important to me. Did you see/notice where it was made?
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'87 Syncro
Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition

[TopBud]

I like this rack a lot. I am deciding between the one up and the loloracks. We have Surly bikes (ECR and an Ogre) with front racks and fenders. This doesn't block the taillights. The 1 up does. The 1 up tilts also but It may be difficult to access the hatch. I have seen this rack in town and love it. Ideally I'd want the RMW swing outs with 1 up racks, but that is a ton more money than I can spend. Lots of the other vertical racks listed can not accommodate front racks and fenders. Our bikes are touring bikes that we carry lots of stuff on. I emailed the people at Lolo racks asking about the specific Vanagon tail gate. It does hinge, I just need to make sure I can open the hatch. Thanks.
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86 bostig SYNCRO
66 convertible Karmann Ghia

[jimf909]

[4Gears4Tires]

Thanks Jim. It really looks like it'll be the 1UP even with their odd steel bar through the wheel security. That said, the rack is aluminum. That steel bar is harder to cut through than the legs. I guess I'll add a cable too.

[erste]

[michaelasnider]

Not a direct answer to the Lolo racks question, but a North Shore rack hinges out of the way easily to be able to open up the rear hatch. Also works with a swing away spare tire carrier and Gary Lee ladder with a bin on the fold down shelf.

Highly recommend a vertical carry style bike rack. I used a Fiamma hatch mounted rack for a few years and it just was not built for carrying two bikes on rough FSRs.

[jmillsj]

Looks like a nice rack. Very expensive. There is a swing away version, to answer the OP original question. That probably adds another $100 to the nearly $800 cost.
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1985 Vanagon Westfalia EJ25
Vanagon owner since 1995

[TopBud]

The owner contacted me and it does allow access. HE did say that with the rack loaded, it is very difficult to lower, because of the weight.

That swing out rack adds $775 to the price

I think I am going a different route all together. I just verbally committed to buying a different bumper set up and will try to fabricate something that fits my needs, hopefully for way less than most price tags.

I really only need a rack to carry two bikes, but do not want to loose access to my hatch. I have an adventure wagon bed set up, and use the area under the bed for storage of things I need daily.

I was looking at this rack system or the 1 up. Ideally I wanted the RMW swing outs and the full switchback system then 1 up racks, but I cannot afford that. I'd rather spend the money on more important van items
I am sure I will post more ideas I have.
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86 bostig SYNCRO
66 convertible Karmann Ghia

[happy2CU]

!UP is a great rack, I know I've loved mine. Not cheap by any mean but cheaper than that lolo.

[jimf909]

I hear ya. Over 20+ years I used nearly every possible bike rack on the back of the van: a cheapo Hollywood rack; Yakima Q-Towers mounted to the hatch with Yakima tray racks; several hitch racks (Yakima, Küat); Fiamma rack with hatch struts to hold the hatch open with two bikes on it; and RMW Switchback swing outs with 1UP racks. In between I looked at Recon racks (local to me) and fabricating solutions as you're considering.

Hatch access is always a top priority for me and my recommendations are:

- $500: Fiamma rack with $60 of 250 psi struts (gas springs) from McMaster-Carr to hold the hatch open with 60 lbs of bikes on the rack. I really like the simplicity of the Fiamma with the added umph of the HD gas springs.
- $crazy$ to buy the RMW setup (which is awesome).

Fiamma...

Gas springs allowing hatch access (it requires a bit of a lift but I never feared for an injury)

Details here...
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8579474

Good luck with the search. It's not easy.
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- Jim