Depending on your vehicle, a swing-away rack makes a lot of sense. Unfortunately, that has typically meant choosing between a rack that is convenient or a rack that securely holds your bikes. Soon, you won’t have to choose when the Rocky Mounts Monorail Swing rack makes it to production. Holding up to three bikes, the rack will allow the loaded trays to swing out from the car 180º to the right, allowing you full access to the rear of your vehicle.
And while the Monorail Swing was huge news, it wasn’t the only surprising product in the Rocky Mounts booth – a full line of locks will soon be added to their portfolio…
Whether you’re someone that does a lot of car camping with your bikes, or you just want easy access to your trunk, the benefits of a swing away rack are easy to see. Currently, the options for these racks seem limited to the arm-style racks which suspend your bike by the top tube – not exactly ideal for the current crop of high end mountain bikes (or any bikes you don’t want banging against each other while driving). The Monorail Swing blends the rock solid stability of tray style racks with the swing away feature that is also fat bike compatible.
Still shown as a prototype with a few 3D printed parts, the Monorail Swing was still fully functional. The swing assembly uses a large locking clasp to keep the rack together when traveling, and includes safety release pins to keep the rack extended so it won’t come crashing into your knees if you’re parked on a hill. Designed for 2″ recievers, the zero frame contact rack will fit 20-29″ wheels with clearance for fat bikes with 197mm axles and Bluto forks. The hitch tube will include an anti-wobble device that is tightened by hand at the end of the rack, and security will be provided through a locking hitch pin and a cable lock for the bikes. Sold as a two bike rack for $529.95, an additional bike can be added for $149.95 and it should be available around March/April. A non-swing Monorail will also be offered in 1.25″ and 2″ versions for $369.95 and both can be expanded to 3 bikes with the single bike add on.
At first the move to locks might seem like a leap for a rack company, but Rocky Mounts was already designing locks for their racks and understood how they worked. After meeting with vendors and deciding it was something they wanted to pursue, the line was designed around the bike shop as the focus and by the looks of things, security was a natural fit. Right of the bat, Rocky Mounts’ lock range will include everything from 1 to a 10 on the security scale with some unique options.
On the left, the Carlito looks like a pretty burly lock, but it’s actually made from aluminum to keep it as light as possible. The thought is that this will be a great option for someone who doesn’t want or need the security and weight of something like the Compton to the right, but the look of the Carlito will scare off most undetermined thieves. However, if you park your bike in a high risk area, the Compton Large u lock has a rating of 10 thanks to an 18mm stainless steel shackle that is clear rubber coated for maximum protection at $149.95.
The Pivot carries a rating of 6 and focuses on ease of use with a hinged design that makes it easier to lock up. Offered in two sizes, the standard Pivot sells for $34.95 and the large bumps it up to $39.95.
Offering their take on a folding lock, the Hendrix builds in 27″ of length into a sleek rubber coated package that will fit on your water bottle mounts. The 5mm thick plates are enough for a security rating of 7 and the whole kit will sell for $69.95. Locks should be available in stores around November.
