Earlier this year, we got our first look at the Kuat Piston Ion eBike rack in conjunction with an MTB-focused camper. Then, shortly after the Escapod launched, we got to check out the Piston Ion in person at the Sea Otter Classic.
At the time, the rack wasn’t actually available yet, but we were excited to actually try it when it was available for release. It looked nice and was well-equipped to make loading and hauling eBikes easy, as the rack is specifically designed to handle heavy eBikes.
The Piston ION can handle wheel bases of 57″, and wheel sizes that range from 18″ to 29″. Each of the trays can handle bikes that weigh up to 100lbs, and tires up to 4.8″ wide. The Piston ION’s “per tray” weight changes when you attach the rack to an RV, or if you go off-road, to 80lbs per tray, and 50lbs per tray, respectively. But an 80lb rating for RV use, or a 50lb rating for rugged off-road use is still pretty impressive.
The rack comes with a semi-colapsible ramp to help load those heavy eBikes onto the rack. Kuat sent me the rack with all of the additional accessories available, the licence plate relocation kit, and the light kit. I am using the light kit, but don’t need the licence plate relocation kit, so I won’t be installing that.
The Piston ION’s cost, as tested, with all of the accessories, is $1,487. With no accessories, the rack retails for $1,289. Yeah, it’s a pricey piece of gear, but so are our bicycles. The Piston ION also comes with Kuat’s No Worries Limited Warranty.
Piston ION Retail & Detail
Retail: $1,289 (rack only), $1,487 (all accessories) (tested)
- 100 lbs per tray maximum capacity
- RV compatible with 2″ chassis-mounted hitch (80 lbs per tray)
- Off-Road compatible (50 lbs per tray)
- E-Bike Ramp included
- Accessory Light Kit available
- Accessory License Plate Mount available
- Fender is compatible with the Fender Strap Kit (2 straps included)
- Hand-tight hitch cam system
- PedalPivot easily folds the rack up and down
- No frame contact
- Integrated front tire stabilizer
- Stainless steel & automotive-grade hardware
- No-fade Powdercoat
- FastFit Wheel Chock System
- Stainless steel barrel hitch lock
- Semi-integrated high-strand 12mm cable lock
- Patented Flatlock Hitch Cam
- No Worries Limited Warranty
Piston ION Assembly & Install
The Piston ION went together more easily than any other rack I’ve tested. It was easy to just use my phone to scan the scanny thing (QR Code) and pull up the detailed and well-written installation instructions.
The first step was attaching the center beam assembly to the receiver on the Jeep. Align the hitch pin holes and insert the included lockable hitch pin.
A couple of notes here: I tried to install the rack straight into my hitch receiver, but, I couldn’t get the center beam assembly’s shank in far enough to match the hole on the shank with the hole on my receiver due to my spare tire. So, I needed to use either my swing (which I use regardless) or a hitch extender just to clear my Jeep’s spare tire. So, keep that in mind.
Once it was in place and the hitch pin installed, I tightened the Flatlock cam system to eliminate sway in the rack. This was easy to do and required no tools to get it tight enough.
Installing the foot lever was the next step. This was pretty self-explanatory. The foot lever is really easy to activate. And when you can’t, or don’t want to use it with your foot, it’s easy to activate with your hand from the top of the rack.
There is a Foot Pedal Lock that is really easy to use. You simply spin the lock clockwise, and it pops out, indicating the foot pedal is ready to use. Spin it again, and the pin locks the foot pedal back in place. Sometimes you may need to wiggle the foot pedal to engage the lock properly.
The trays are fully assembled and ready to mount to the center beam assembly. Just open the arms to access the screw holes. Then, place the inner tray on the platform and install the two included screws and spacers. The inner tray has the “Kuat Ion” on the bottom, so pay attention to that. Then, repeat the process for the outer tray.
Tire Cradle Operation
This feature is probably one of my favorite parts of the rack, so far. If you transport bikes with different-sized wheels, like a 20″ wheeled eCargo bike, then this feature is pretty wonderful. There are no tools needed to adjust the touch point for the rack to hold the tires.
Squeeze the tabs and slide the tire cradle up or down, depending on the size of the tire being transported. This is an awesome feature for bikes with fenders, since you can position the cradle on the tire below where the fender ends.
The arms themselves operate similarly to other racks of this style, with a cam lever that you push to release the arms so you can open them up, then simply push close to ratchet tight. To use the ramp below, you push the release lever and open the arm all the way until it falls to the ground, then attach the ramp.
Piston ION’s eBike Ramp
This feature is a really nice touch. The ramp itself doesn’t break down all that small, but it does slide down to half its size. But it’s small enough to fit into the trunk or back of the car when transporting your bikes.
For my Jeep, the ramp is essential. It sits a bit higher than most other cars, so lifting the heavy eBikes up and down would be a pain (remember, this rack can hold up to 100lbs per tray/bike). Because of the ride height of the Jeep, the ramp’s angle is a bit steep, but still easily usable. It’s a real game-changer when transporting eBikes.
A bike rack for heavy Cargo eBikes with fenders
The fact that the Piston ION can carry odd eBikes was what sold me on bringing the rack in for review. Most eBike-rated tray racks can carry heavy eMTB bikes, as there are no fenders or protruding frame details to worry about.
But, where you may run into issues with the other racks is when you try to carry a small-wheeled, fendered, cargo eBike. But that’s almost what the Piston ION is made to do: carry oddly shaped, heavy bikes. I found it easy to adjust the rack to accommodate our Aventon Abound cargo eBike.
Front Wheel Stabilizer & Rear Tire Strap Kit
The Front Wheel Stabilizer is a necessity, at least for me and my use case. I like that it is included with the rack, and not some spendy, bulky afterthought.
The Reat Tire Strap Kit, I think I could do without, I dunno, the jury is still out on that. It seems to get in the way when moving the load arms up and down. Time will tell.
Kuat Piston ION: My Initial Thoughts
This is a pricey hitch-mounted bike rack, for sure. But, when you think about the fact that we’re dropping $2,000 on wheels, $1,200 on a fork, and in some cases $3,000 – $5,000 for a frame, is the rack really that pricey? And what is it worth to protect an uber-expensive bicycle when hauling it to the ride?
Overall, my initial impression of the Kuat Piston ION is that it is a premium rack that is designed well and easy to use. I have only had the rack for a few days, so I can’t comment on its long-term durability, obviously.
But, I will say that there is very little plastic used in the construction of the rack, so I would not anticipate any issues with long-term durability. The rack is stout and seems to be ready for any adventure I could throw at it. Plus, I hear that Kuat’s customer service is top-notch.
A few things I instantly loved: I love the included integrated cable lock. It seems beefy and is easily long enough for two bikes.
I love the hitch pin lock, as it faces up, and just snaps back on the hitch pin to lock it. No need to get down there and turn the key to get it back on the hitch pin. For someone who doesn’t leave his rack on 24/7, this is nice.
A Few Things That Bug Me
There are a few things that may end up bugging me after a while. The front wheel stabilizer and the rear wheel strap kit need to be adjusted using a 4mm Allen wrench. If you haul the same bike all the time, then this won’t be a big deal to you; you tighten them in place and leave them alone.
But, for someone who has multiple bikes or hauls friends’ bikes a lot, this will become a pain. Not to mention the 4mm bolts seem very low quality. So the more you loosen and tighten them, the shorter their life will be. These sound like small issues, but the rack’s base price is $1,290, and that doesn’t leave a lot of forgiveness for subpar parts.
The other small thing that is bugging me is the Rear Wheel Tire Strap Kit. The strap is really long; it gets in the way of the tire arms at times, and looks sloppy when not in use. And, it can be awkward to tighten and loosen. Not to mention, it’s another point of adjustment that needs to be done if your bikes have different wheelbases, plus you need a tool to do so.
I dunno, this opinion may change as time goes on.
It’s Early Still…
Right now, it is too early to recommend the rack without having used it for a while. I will say that with the construction of the rack and how well it’s been engineered, plus Kuat’s reputation for great customer service, I don’t anticipate any negative issues in the future.
Stay tuned here for the long-term review.
Kuat Piston ION Availability & Pricing
The big news here is that the Kuat Piston ION rack is now available and shipping to customers. The base model 2-bike rack without lights is priced at $1,289. Add the light kit, and that price bumps up to $1,438, or $1,487 for the light kit + licence plate mount. Fun fact, Zach just got pulled over recently because his Kuat Piston Pro X was blocking his license plate, and he didn’t have the license plate mount installed. So while rare, you definitely can be pulled over for your bike rack blocking your license plate.
