Hitch racks are a popular way to carry bikes and gear as they offer a flexible and portable design that can work with nearly any vehicle equipped with a hitch. Saris’s Modular Hitch System or MHS rack is a modular approach to a hitch rack that provides a versatile way to carry one to four bikes as well as cargo by simply swapping out components. Saris lets you customize the rack by offering multiple base options, and removable attachments and additional accessories. It’s a clever system that currently features three base options: 1+1, 2+1 or the largest 3+1 which allow you to transport 2-4 bikes. Each base can be combined with either the DUO dual-arm tray or the lighter UNO single-arm tray or a MHS cargo rack for gear.
For this review we’ll be looking at the DUO setup with 2+1 base that can accommodate two bikes or extended to three with a $349.99 UNO tray attachment. This setup is designed to only work with 2” hitch receivers and can accommodate 100 lbs per bike in the 2 bike configuration or 80 lb per main tray + 40lbs for the add-on tray. Saris’s DUO trays have a dual arm design that only contacts the tires and have integrated cable locks for security. The entire base has a tiltable design which helps access truck beds or hatch openings. What makes the system so flexible is the modular clamp-on design of the attachments which lets you quickly add or remove additional trays to accommodate different configurations or for easy storage.
The Saris MHS DUO is a flexible hitch rack system with clamp-on attachments that allow you to customize the configuration quickly and easily.
| Retail Price | $899 |
| Rating | 9.2 / 10 |
| Weight (lb) | 38 (2+1 base), 33 (per DUO tray) |
| Likes | + Modular design with optional extensions and cargo options + Trays use removable clamp-on design that easy to install or remove + Dual arms holders only contact tires and work with any geometry |
| Dislikes | – Heavy components due to high weight capacity for e-bikes – Rear wheel strap always gets in the way while putting a bike on or removing it from the tray – Bases lack a secure location to strap extra U-locks or cable locks through |
| Where to Buy (US) | Saris |
ASSEMBLY
Given the modular design of the racks, Saris ships each component separately which meant our DUO setup came in three rather large boxes. Be prepared to bring some friends or flex some muscles as the base alone is 38 lbs while each rack is 33 lbs. Once you have all the components removed from the boxes and all the packaging material out of the way, assembly is fairly straightforward. Saris includes three sets of lock cores, two key sets and hex keys for the installation. However, you’ll need a 5/8″ wrench or socket for the installation of the base. The first step is to attach the base to your hitch by carefully sliding it into the receiver and lining up the holes. Saris includes a locking hitch pin and a grease to make it easier to install with an additional hitch pin lock for security.
Once the base is in place each of the DUO racks has to be assembled. They are essentially fully built out of the box and just need to have the center clamp attached and the wheel chock and rear strap attached to the tray. The clamp is attached with four bolts with the most confusing thing being finding the right orientation by using the Saris logo as a landmark. Once the base of the clamp is installed the T handle can be slid into place. Next, the tray should be positioned onto the base with the T handle locked into place and tightened down using the provided security bolt and wrench. The front wheel chock and rear straps slide through the diamond cutout in the tray. After you repeat the process for the second tray you can install the provided wheel locks onto the cable locks and the rack is ready to go. Adding the third bike attachment can be done at any time by removing the rubber cover at the end of the base and bolting the add-on tray in place.
FIT & FINISH
The Saris MHS system has a modular design that utilizes a base, tray / cargo attachments and optional add-ons for additional functionality. With the DUO system we have in this review, we have a simple 2 bike setup with two DUO trays and the 2+1 base. What’s great about Saris’s design is that you can always extend this setup to three bikes with the optional add-on trays. The most critical component of the system is the base which includes the hitch attachment and tilting base. Our 2+1 configuration is the medium sized variation and has a robust rectangular metal construction and black powder coating. For this 2+1 or the even larger 3+1 hitch base option, Saris only offers the racks for 2” hitch and limits the 1 1/4” option to the lighter 1+1 base.
It’s clear that Saris has over-built the base to accommodate heavy loads and rough roads as the tubing is thick with a single piece extension to eliminate weak points. The only plastic component on the base is the handle which has a nice wide design that has great ergonomics. Saris has included a built-in tilting feature into the base that allows the main portion to tilt upward 90 degrees or downward to make it easier to the bed contents. There is also a downward extending U shaped bar that is designed to be the first thing the rack contacts on the ground to provide some protection to the trays. Saris uses a standard bolt-on hitch pin and locking pin to secure the rack to the hitch. While it isn’t as slick as Yakima State Two SpeedDial design, the locking pin provides some peace of mind.
Each of the DUO trays attach onto the base using a clamp on design with a special security bolt to deter thieves. It’s one of the key features that makes the MHS system modular as you can easily install or remove the trays from the base. The clamp have an all metal design with multiple bolts to attach to the tray and the single security bolt on the clasp to attach to the base. Saris has been clever with the tray designs as they are a symmetric design. Both of the arms are identical and have pivoting designs and an adjustable plastic attachment piece that is designed to contact the front and wheel tires at their outer edges. There are wide metal handles to release the levers at the base which are intuitive to use. Thanks to the symmetric design the front wheel block and rear wheel ratchet can be installed on either side.
ON THE TRUCK
While the Saris MHS has a modern design, we installed it on our classic Ford F-150 truck with its 2” receiver. Setup was straightforward with its simple locking pin design and clamp on trays. With the impressive 100 lb limit per bike and RV approved use, it’s clear that Saris has over-built the MHS components. The base has a wide metal structure that is designed to handle the heaviest bike configurations and e-bikes. Although the setup was overkill for our sub 18 lb carbon road bikes, it’s great to have the high weight capacity for e-bikes like Stromer which can push 80lbs. The DUO trays’s dual arm design works well with nearly any bike as the arms only contact the tires and provide tension on both sides of the bike.
We felt confident that the MHS would hold the bikes securely even at faster highway speeds and over unexpected potholes. The dual arm design of the DUO trays accommodate a wide range of tire sizes and are intuitive to use with a nice wide handle to lock and unlock their position. We were less impressed with the rear wheel strap which seemed to get in the way while attaching or removing a bike from the tray. The extra long design means it tends to tip forward instead of backwards and out of the way. We had to remember to wedge it in place to avoid getting it caught in the spokes. Otherwise, the rack is well designed and easy to operate with wide handles at all the contact points.
RACK DOLLIE
We also had the opportunity to review the $49.99 Rack Dollie in conjunction with the MHS rack. The Rack Dollie is compatible with any 2” hitch rack and consists of a small square metal tube that mimics a 2” hitch receiver. There are two solid wheels attached to the end which allows you to roll the rack on the ground instead of carrying it when installing or removing it from a vehicle. It’s a simple yet effective design with matching black powder coating and Saris branding that pairs well with the MHS rack. You’ll need to drop the rack to the ground to install the hitch, but once it’s on it’s a nice accessory that makes it faster and more pleasant to move the rack around.
MHS RAMP
The other accessory we tested was the $189.99 MHS Ramp which is designed to make it easier to load and unload heavy e-bikes from the rack. As the name implies, it’s a long metal ramp with a clever clamp head that slides into place at the ends of the ramp. Although it’s quite expensive, the ramp is very well built with a collapsing design that can be fully extended out for a gentle slope to roll bikes on or from the bike. The shape of the ramp mimics the DUO trays with angled edges that help keep the bike tires on the ramp. One of the big downsides of the ramp is that even fully collapsed it’s fairly long and cannot be stored on the rack itself. That means if you pick up the ramp you’ll need to store it inside your vehicle and install / remove it as needed.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Saris MHS DUO to be a well built and versatile bike hitch rack. Saris has developed a clever modular design by incorporating clamp-on attachments and a simple extension system to add a second, third or fourth bike to the single, dual and three bike bases. The heavy duty metal construction enables the racks to achieve high weight limits and accommodate even the heaviest dual-battery e-bikes safely. We were impressed with the intuitive design of the DUO racks and attention to detail with wide handles at all the contact points. As far as negatives we wish the rear wheel straps would tilt out of the way and would have liked to see a slot to secure additional locks. That said, if you’re looking for a flexible bike rack system that’s also easy to take apart and store then the Saris MHS is an excellent choice.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Saris. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.
FYI. The rear wheel strap carriage has a built in hook to catch the loop on the end of the strap.
Thanks for highlight that, we did notice it but don’t show it in the video. That hook was helpful to hold the excess strap while a bike is attached or not attached.