If you’ve been on the market for bike racks, you would have figured that they come in different types, specs, and prices. Considering that prices, depending on your needs, can even go over a thousand AUD, might as well do some research just to make sure you get the right one to suit your needs and preferences.

Here we go.

The Why

First off, why did I choose the Yakima Foldclick 3 among the many good options in the market?

A couple of reasons, the biggest one being its tow ball mount design. My first bike rack was tow ball mounted as well and I loved the ease in terms of attaching and detaching the unit from the vehicle – it litterally takes a few seconds.

Next reason is, it fits my daughter’s 16″ bike. And if you’re wondering, yes, it does fit a 12-inch bike as well.

Other things I like with this bike rack are the brake, indicator, and number plate lights all integrated via the towbar’s 7-pin power output. I personally think it’s a cool feature.

Reliability

One of the biggest issues that might put people off is on reliability. I, too, have had some reservations mainly because compared to my first rack, this one is a much bigger and heavier unit. And if you add in the fact that it is going to ferry three bikes, then it becomes a bit of a concern.

To put it to the test, our very first destination was Bright – it’s over 200km away from home with some twists, turns, climbs and descents on 80-110kph highways and freeways. It was the perfect test.

To cut it short, I loaded it with 3 bikes (two 26-inch MTBs + one 16″ bike), 400+km travel in total, 110km/h max speed – no issues at all. That tow ball locking/gripping mechanism is impressive indeed.

Issues

All you guys thinking this is all happy ending – not quite.

The only thing I don’t like, which I just realised after a good 2 months of use, is the lock. Unlike the HoldUp and other similar racks, the Foldclick 3 doesn’t have that wheel lock bar, or whatever it is called. Instead, it has clips that hold onto the frame. To be fair, the part that touches the frame is made of really soft rubber with almost like a felt paper feel to it. It is supposed to be gentle on the frame.

That’s the only fault I can see, and having a new bike with a decent frame at a fair I-had-to-save-for-months price tag, I would have prefered to have the HoldUp style locking with zero frame contact.

Will this damage my paint work over time? Only time will tell.

Photos

Here are a few photos to give you an idea:

Perfect for a family biking trip
From the side
The designe flaw that I mentioned – frame contact
3 M Sized MTBs
Lights on

Conclusion

The Yakima Foldclick 3 is an almost, almost perfect bike rack for me. Truth be told, I am keeping this because the three bikes we use for family rides are basic entry level bikes which have been around for about 2 years now. That said, I don’t really mind if they get a few scratches and worn out spots.

Who needs this bike rack? If you are a family of 3, you have a small kid’s bike to consider, you want something that you can just install/uninstall in a snap and you don’t mind potentially having marks on your bike’s frame, then the Yakima Foldclick 3 is just right for you.

And consider this scenario – if you tow a trailer quite regularly e.g. for work, and you want to ride on weekends, then a tow ball rack even makes more sense.

I’ll end this blog with a summary of the things I love and hate about the Yakima Foldclick 3.

Features I like:

  • Quick tow ball install and uninstall
  • Compatibility with kids’ bikes (12″ and 16″)
  • Tumble down feature for easy boot access – trust me, you’ll need this
  • Fits three 29″ MTBs (although a little fiddly to mount all of them)
  • Brake, indicator and number plate lights
  • Number plate holder

Feature(s) I don’t like:

  • Frame contact

P.S.

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