|
Alpaca Carriers hails from Kimball, Minnesota, where
cycling is usually not a year-around activity, and bike racks need to
serve double and triple duty for other activities as well. Our test
subject is their Compact Carrier, a hitch-mounted carrier designed to
carry up to four bicycles, or various combinations of skis and snowboards.
The Compact carrier is
constructed of 1-1/4" square steel tubing, powder coated in
black. Two vertical riser tubes extend up from the receiver tube,
with a top horizontal tube supporting the carrier arms. Construction
is clean and sturdy with all junctions welded and/or bolted. The
carrying arms are strong steel rods with protective plastic coating to
eliminate damage to bike parts and paint. The entire unit is
lightweight and compact, and mounting the carrier to your vehicle is easy.
The arms are secured into the
rack's vertical risers with removable pins, in a fashion similar to the
hitch pin. By removing these pins, the arms can be detached, allowing
the rack to be more easily stored or transported (or secured inside the
vehicle). An optional hitch lock is available also, which will
secure the rack to the vehicle. A separate lock is required to
secure bikes onto the rack. The standard unit is rated for 120
pounds, and fits a 1-1/4" receiver. It can also be fitted with
an optional adapter to fit 2" receivers.
Two things make the Compact
unique and set it apart from other carriers. First is the patented
clamp system, which serves two purposes. It secures the carrier
tightly to the receiver, reducing sway and vibration and at the same time
greatly increases the strength of the carrier. Alpaca president John
Stein explained to us how in testing the clamp system it exceeded both his
and his engineer's expectations by distributing the load weight onto two
tubes rather than one. The clamp's easily replaceable pivot arm also
serves as a skid plate for driveway incidents.
The other unique feature is the patent-pending
Alpaca Cinch, a fastening system of straps, metal rings, and cam
buckles. The cinch system works by holding your gear against the
arms with a sturdy nylon strap. One end of the strap is attached to
the rack's riser bars. The strap is threaded through a padded
buckle, and as many of the
|
Alpaca's hitch-mount rack installs easily on either size
of hitch receiver and can carry several bikes at once.
This clamp system is patented by Alpaca and really
serves to eliminate even the slightest hitch movement.
Ring and strap system holds one or more bikes securely
in place by threading the strap thru rings as needed.
Racking up a 'bent may require a bit of experimentation
with placement, but the Alpaca rack did a fine job.
|
metal rings as are needed for the load.
We found the cinch to be ingenious, secure and versatile. Since the
cinch is based on a loose strap, it allows for infinite adjustment and
adaptability to whatever you are carrying.
To secure a bike, the strap is first looped
through the keeper clip on the carrier and secured. Three 0 rings
are then fed on to the strap. Finally, the end of the strap is fed
though the cam buckle, which itself is attached to its own 0 ring.
After hanging the bike with the rear wheel and front of the frame on the
carrier pins, the straps are laid over the bike frame/tire. An 0
ring slides over the pin and up against the bike, securing and snugging
the strap. The cam buckle 0 rings then slide over the carrier pins
and the strap pulled tight, securing the bike to the rack. If
multiple bikes are being loaded, the straps are simply guided in a
"serpentine" manner through the extra 0 rings, with the cam
buckle installed on the outermost bike and cinched tight. Loading
and unloading one bike or many is fast and easy. Both operations
require minimal lifting.
Alpaca suggests using children's swimming
"noodles" as spacers and padding between multiple bikes, and
supplies a bungee cord to secure the bikes to a third lower point on the
rack's vertical tube to prevent swinging. This is a good precaution
as the nature of the design places bikes very close together, touching in
places. The foam padding running the length of the rack's vertical
tube is a nice touch.
We like the ALPACA Compact Carrier. The
clamp performs as advertised, sturdy, secure and versatile. If you
enjoy skiing and snow boarding in addition to biking, this could be a
handy year-round carrier for you. The Compact allows skis and
snowboards to be carried in their covers unlike conventional racks, a nice
bonus. The entire unit is easily removed and stored, requiring
little space and is available at a suggested retail price of $199.00.
Check out Alpaca's web site at www.alpacacarriers.com
and see their Utility Carrier, a larger, even more versatile unit.
Contact: Alpaca Carriers, Inc., 14087 State Hwy 15, Kimball, MN
55353. Toll free 1-877-350-3361
Reprinted with permission |
