When covering the MADE show, writing about new products by a bigger brand like Yakima isn’t our usual modus operandi. But, being that the show is held in Portland, and it’s a hop, skip, and a jump from Yakima’s HQ, and MADE is about bikes and bike people, it works out just fine.
Don’t you worry about it.
All that being said, Yakima was showing off three new racks: a revised HoldUp, the StepUp, and the cool StepUp Swing.
Let’s jump right into it!
Yakima HoldUp
Yakima’s StageTwo rack is still the brand’s top dog, but the HoldUp has been updated and modernized. The upgraded trays can now hold 60lbs, and are RV and backswing rated.
The trays are easy to move for bike clearance, and can hold up to 4.8″ tires. The new HoldUp is available for 1 1/4″ and 2″ receivers. It’s also Plus 2 compatible for those who need the ability to carry four bikes. For those who like the previous version, the HoldUp classic is still available, likely at a lower price.
The retail price for this rack has yet to be finalized, but Yakima says they are shooting for the $600 spot and it might be available around March 2026.
Yakima StepUp & StepUp Swing
Yakima has also updated the StepUp. The new, extremely lightweight rack (claimed 45lbs) has a few more features than the HoldUp. The new V-Shaped trays are adjustable to keep bike-to-bike interference to a minimum. Plus, there is a port for the addition of an eBike ramp. For now, it seems like the StepUp will not be Plus 2 compatible, so it will be a two-bike rack only.
The new StepUp can hold bikes with wheelbases up to 52″, and wheels as small as 16″. The updated StepUp will still have the tilt feature for easy access to the rear of the vehicle.
The updated StepUp Swing has the ability to swing built right into it, no adapter required. This makes the whole rack assembly lighter, and makes it so it doesn’t stick out as far from the vehicle. Only one model will be offered, which will swing to the passenger side of the vehicle. It comes with a locking cable included.
The hitch pin doubles as the tool for adjusting the Speed Wedge, which is a clever and helpful feature. It keeps the tool with the rack always, so you are never without the tool. Cool beans.
The new updated trays can fit tires up to 4.5″, and can hold up to 65lbs per tray. The StepUp Swing is RV-rated as well. The regular StepUp has all of the same features as the StepUp Swing, minus the swing feature.
Yakima says the retail price for the StepUp and StepUp Swing is $649 and $999, respectively. They also said that they’re looking at a March release.
