The Apex Swing is a hitch-mounted rack with a four-bike capacity. Bikes are secured to the top tube by cradles with rubber straps in the same manner as other contenders with horizontal arms, such as the Allen Deluxe 4-Bike Hitch Carrier. The Apex Swing stands out from other hitch racks with its unique swing away feature that allows unrestricted access to rear vehicle compartments, even when fully loaded with bikes.
Loading the Apex Swing is easy on the back due to a low loading height, and front wheel removal is not required. Along with the RockyMounts BackStage Swing Away, this rack is one of only 2 hitch racks we tested that allow for complete unimpeded access to rear vehicle compartments, even when fully loaded with bikes. An easy to use pivoting arm rotates out and laterally away from the vehicle. The arm can then be locked in place to prevent the rack from swinging back into the vehicle, even on uneven terrain. Many higher rated models can't compete with this vehicle access. Even the Editors' Choice Thule T2 Pro XT, with its significant tilt-down feature, falls short of the Apex Swing for rear vehicle access.
The bikes rest on the cradles by their top tubes, and rubber straps stretch over the top tube. The Apex Swing is equipped with anti-sway cradles to prevent bikes from rocking back and forth while the vehicle is in motion. We like the concept, but in practice, the cradles are difficult to adjust and are only useful on a small number of the bikes we used for testing. Thule recommends the use of included nylon straps to further secure bikes to each other and the main mast. The Apex Swing suffers from the same drawbacks of all racks that utilize the frame as the primary point of attachment: limited versatility, the potential for frame damage and lack of stability on rough roads.
Attachment is simple. The rack slides into the hitch receiver and is secured by an auto-engaging hitch pin on the contender. A knob on the "Stinger" is then turned by hand to eliminated wobble between the rack and the receiver. At 48.8lbs the Apex Swing is one of the heavier models we tested, but a built-in carry handle makes moving and attaching this competitor easier than some other models that weigh this much.
This rack has cradles for four bikes and a weight capacity of 140lbs. It is possible to fit four bikes on the Apex Swing, but you will be hard pressed to do so without the bikes making contact with each other. When bike-to-bike contact is present, it is likely that damage will occur to your bikes when the vehicle is in motion. We found this rack to be better suited to carrying three bikes, and we were able to space most bike combinations in a manner to prevent bike damage. The cradles on the Apex Swing move fore and aft to facilitate optimal bike positioning, giving it an advantage over other racks we tested such as the Allen Deluxe 4, which has fixed cradles.
The Apex Swing lacks the versatility of our Editors' Choice rack, the Thule T2 Pro or other tray style hitch-mount racks such as the Kuat NV, the previous Editor's Choice winner. It's hard and sometimes impossible to get full suspension bikes with unique front triangle shapes to fit on Apex Swing. Small bikes and children's bikes can also be a challenge.
The Apex Swing is a bit of a challenge to assemble. We like the fact that all the tools required for assembly are included, and the directions are easy to follow. While not technically difficult, the construction is challenging due to the size and weight of the pieces. Assembly requires the various parts to be held in awkward positions while bolts are threaded into place. Some of the bolts are difficult to tighten due to their position, making access with the included wrenches tedious. Having two people for the job is ideal.
This contender is equipped with a lock at the hitch receiver to prevent theft of the rack. The "Stinger" has a knob that is used to prevent play between the rack and the receiver. A Thule lock core is included to lock the knob, preventing removal without the key. The Apex Swing is also equipped with a cable lock that pulls out from the main mast and secures the bikes to the rack itself. The cable is only long enough to go over the top tubes of the loaded bikes, leaving wheels vulnerable to theft. We like the cable lock but wish it were longer and a bit more substantial in diameter. This rack provides far more security than the other similar style racks in this test.
The Apex Swing held up well during testing. It does have many moving parts due to the swing-away design, but the pivots seem to work well, even when dirty. The overall construction is robust and of high quality. The plastic cradles and straps are prone to wear, abrasion and degradation from the sun, but they are replaceable components.
This rack is best suited to carrying bikes with traditionally shaped frames with horizontal top tubes. The Apex Swing excels at carrying road bikes and hardtail mountain bikes. If access to the rear of your vehicle is of concern, this is a great option. Full suspension bikes, bikes with unique frame shapes and children's bikes are difficult to load, and in many cases, it isn't possible to secure them effectively. Use with caution on rough roads; excessive movement of the bikes can damage frames due to the retention system design.
At $530, this model is one of the most expensive racks we tested; however, the unique design of the Apex Swing offers excellent access to the back of your vehicle. It does suffer from a lack of versatility due to the retention system design, and the Best Buy RockyMounts MonoRail would better suit most users and costs less. We're also impressed with the RockyMounts Backstage Swing Away which has a similar pivoting feature and a platform rack that will work better for more people and bikes, although it costs slightly more.
