Allen Trunk Bike Rack Review (Why This Budget Trunk Rack is BETTER than More Expensive Racks!)

We tested and compared all three of Allen’s trunk bike racks offerings – Allen Sports Ultra-Compact, Deluxe, and Premier trunk mounted racks.

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In this review, we’ll walk you through what makes Allen’s trunk racks unique from other brands as well as the differences and similarities between their three different models.

:01 Intro to Allen Trunk Bike Rack
:23 2 quick questions before we start
:26 1) Will an Allen trunk bike rack fit on your car?
:50 2) How does a truck mounted bike rack work?
1:21 Allen trunk racks versus other brands
1:39 5 reasons Allen racks might be better than a more expensive brand
1:46 1) 4-bike capacity
1:55 2) Independently swiveling cradles
2:26 3) Adapter bars and vertical clearance
3:02 4) Great value
3:17 5) Narrow support bars
3:34 Comparing Allen Premier vs. Deluxe vs. Ultra Compact
3:43 1) Quality level
3:58 2) Bike capacity
4:14 3) Base and rack arm width
4:50 4) Strap style
5:09 5) Ease of set up
5:36 6) Car contact points
6:00 Which Allen trunk bike rack is best for you?
6:11 1) How many bikes do you want to carry?
6:22 2) Do you have limited space to store the rack when not in use?
6:31 3) Do you plan to carry small kids bike or bikes with odd frame design?
6:51 4) Do you plan on carrying larger framed and/or heavier bikes?
7:06 The bottom line on Allen trunk bike racks

Allen Trunk Bike Racks Review

Allen Trunk Racks vs Other Brands

There are a few unique benefits of choosing an Allen trunk rack, even over a more high-end rack.

(1) 4-Bike Capacity: The Allen Deluxe and Premier are the only 4-capacity trunk racks on the market. All other brands max out at 3 bikes.

(2) Independently Swiveling Cradles: Allen racks are the only trunk racks (that we know of), that allow the individual cradles to swivel.

(3) Adapter Bars and Vertical Clearance: The flexibility provided by Allen’s swivel cradles greatly reduces, or even prevents, the need for costly and finicky adaptor bars.

(4) Great Value: While more expensive racks have some better features, they don’t offer much more functionality.

(5) Narrow Support Bars: The Allen Deluxe and Ultra-Compact models have narrow-set support bars that allow smaller bikes to fit without adapter bars.

Allen Premier vs. Deluxe vs. Ultra Compact
So what are the primary differences between Allen’s three trunk bike racks?

Quality Level
The Allen Premiere Trunk Bike Rack is Allen’s most expensive trunk rack and boasts the most upgraded features.
The Deluxe and Ultra Compact are less expensive and more basic, and are pretty equivalent with each other.

Bike Capacity ​
The Premier and Deluxe have 2, 3, and 4 bike options.
The Ultra Compact has 1 bike and 2 bike options.

Base and rack arm width
The Premiere trunk rack has the widest base.
The Deluxe is the most narrow.
The Ultra Compact’s base width is right in the middle.

Strap Style
The Premier has rubber strap tie downs that make securing the bikes in the cradles a very quick process.
The Deluxe and Ultra Compact have nylon straps that work well, but take a bit longer to thread through and tighten.

Ease of Set-Up
All three Allen Racks fold to allow for easy storage but need to be unfolded before you can mount them to your car.
The Premier makes it easy as it snaps into place by simply lifting up on the support arms.
When unfolding the Ultra-Compact also pops into place via spring clips.
The Deluxe has cross supports that take some muscle to snap into the correct position.

Car Contact Points
The Premier features thick rubber vehicle pads to help prevent the trunk and or/bumper of the car from scratches or damage.
The Deluxe has foam protectors that are less likely to withstand the elements with time.
The Ultra-Compact also has rubber feet on the top, but they are narrower and not adjustable.
​
So Which Allen Trunk Bike Rack is best for you?
Although Allen’s three models share many features, which one is best for you (assuming they all fit your car) really depends on four things:
1. How many bikes do you want to carry?
2. Do you have limited space to store the rack when not in use?
3. Do you plan on carrying kids’ bikes with 20″ or 16″ wheels OR do you have a bike with an odd frame design (aka not the standard triangle tubing)?
4. Do you plan on carrying larger framed and/or heavier bikes?

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OTHER GREAT REVIEWS:
Saris Bones Trunk Rack Review: http://y2u.be/DTp0feImHms
Thule Apex XT 4 Review: http://y2u.be/tRsrO139LaM
Velocirax vs. Altaracks Bike Rack Review: http://y2u.be/Pr46x4nuvBw

#allenbikeracks #allensports #trunkbikerack

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