Sometimes it’s easy to forget that with all these new axle standards for forks, other products are affected as well. Things like fork mounted roof racks. It’s not much fun to go from new bike jubilation to the realization that the fancy new ride won’t fit on your current rack. Fortunately, companies like RockyMounts are thinking ahead. Bringing their swappable axle system to their newest roof rack tray, the SwitchHitter is ready for your Boosted/12mm gravel grinder…
Similar to their HotRod and StreetRod fork mounts, the SwitchHitter uses a series of axle tubes that can be switched out to fit your needs. When launched sometime early this year, the rack will include a 9mm QR as well as 12×100, 15×100, and 15x110mm thru axle compatibility. Sorry, no 20mm thru axles at the moment. Built with a low profile aluminum tray, the SwitchHitter will accommodate road tires to 3″ mountain bike tires and uses universal mounting hardware to fit just about any crossbar on the market.
At the back you’ll find a retractable cable lock which loops around and locks to itself with the same key that locks the rack to the car. Offered in 8 colors, the SwitchHitter will sell for $189.95.
As for those fork mounts I mentioned, the StreetRod and HotRod are two new fork mounts either for bolting to a solid surface with the HotRod, or as an adapter with the StreetRod. Both include changeable axle tubes with 12×100, 15×100, and 15x110mm thru axle compatibility and are made from 6063 aluminum. The HotRod will have track hardware available separately to fit Toyota, Nissan, Chevy, and GMC trucks as well as Unistrut channels for custom fits. Either model will cost you $49.95 per mount and is available in 6 colors.
The DriveShaft series also sees a 12mm thru axle adapter and will soon be offered in the new Track edition designed to fit bed channels for Toyota, Nissan, Chevy, and GMC trucks as well as Unistrut for $89.95.
With a continuing theme, the new LoBall Track mount is designed to fit those same Toyota, Nissan, Chevy, and GMC trucks which may have new rails that make the old vertical LoBall incompatible. The LoBall series also replaces the Clutch with an extruded rather than cast design.
The most exciting news from RockyMounts has to do with some upcoming hitch racks with their new SplitRail platform hitch rack that will be coming soon, as well as another rack that is something we haven’t seen before…
