Burly Bike Hitch Rack for Heavy Hauling: 1Up USA Xtreme Duty Single Review

At cycling enduro events and Overland Expos alike, 1Up USA is seeing a proliferation of e-motos owned by the same folks who are the company’s dedicated bike rack users. So, 1UP developed the Xtreme Duty Single to alleviate this need.

The Xtreme Duty Single rack has the same basic design as other 1Up racks, with aluminum wheel holders that secure the bike without touching the bike frame and tiered trays that don’t require wheel straps. On the Xtreme Duty Single, the trays are significantly more robust, rated to hold 150 pounds, not 50-75 pounds like other 1Up racks.

I used the Xtreme Duty Single as a bike hitch rack most days, and I’ve tested nearly every high-end hitch rack on the market. The rack did duty in Vermont for over 2 months, rallying on dirt roads with e-bikes, mountain bikes, and gravel bikes loaded in single- and double-tray configurations (expandable to three trays). I drove up steep paved and dirt mountain passes and explored the fourth-class dirt tracks for which Vermont is famous.

In short: The 1Up USA 2″ Xtreme Duty Single is a middle-ground solution for carrying e-motos and bikes. I’ve tested nearly every bicycle hitch rack, and this U.S.-made version felt remarkably stable and secure while heavily loaded, even over pot-holed dirt roads. But, it’s pricey at an MSRP of $850 and targeted to a niche but growing audience.

1Up USA 2″ Xtreme Duty Single Review

What’s New and Different

In addition to the beefed-up construction on the Xtreme Duty Single, the gap between the pivoting wheel arms is larger to leave space for e-motos like a Surron 110, as is the tire width capacity of the arms and the tray.

The rack also sits slightly lower than other 1Up models and most other hitch racks when installed on the hitch. With almost every other rack on the market, when I drop my truck tailgate, it hits the arms of whatever folding hitch rack I have installed. With the 1Up Xtreme Duty Single, there was no contact between the rack and my dropped tailgate.

If you’re carrying an e-moto or two, 1Up recommends you use their wheel chocks, sold separately. It also recommends wheel chocks if you’re driving on gnarly off-road terrain with any bike, and with any bike over 75 pounds on the rack.

The added wheel chocks limit steerer tube and handlebar rotation. Heavy e-bikes with a battery positioned higher are especially prone to handlebar rotation while driving.

What’s the Same and Still Awesome

Nothing Touches the Frame

1Up’s bike securing system is superior to any other hitch rack I’ve tested because there is no frame contact. The same goes for the locking skewers that go through the wheel arms. So, you can secure the bikes and leave the locks on while driving without wear and tear on delicate carbon or paint. This rack uses longer skewers than on other 1Up racks, so, sadly, the skewers you may already own won’t work.

Cross-Compatible 1Up Accessories

But there are other accessories that this rack shares seamlessly with other 1Up racks. If you want to carry an e-moto, you’ll still need the Xtreme Duty Single, but other 1Up bicycle add-on trays will work to carry an additional bicycle, saving money in going to a double-tray system.

The first tray of the Xtreme Duty rack is rated to 150 pounds. Xtreme Duty Add-Ons can carry up to 120 pounds per tray. Other add-ons each have lower weight ratings available on 1Up’s website. Other accessories for 1Up’s bike racks are also compatible with the Xtreme Duty Single; examples are tail lights and license plate holders.

Folding Functions

As with 1Up bicycle hitch racks, the Xtreme Duty Single folds up 90 degrees toward the vehicle to make parking easier, and it lowers to 45 degrees so you can get into your hatch or trunk, but only when empty.

1Up attempted to “stupid-proof” the Xtreme Duty Single so users wouldn’t pull the pin to lower the rack with 300 degrees onboard, which, if dropped, could break the rack, the user, or the bikes. With most 1Up racks, you squeeze a handle to lower or raise the rack. You remove dual side bolts and a backup locking bolt with the Xtreme Duty Single.

Hitch Bar, Ramp, and Rack Construction

This rack uses the same hitch bar as the rest of 1Up’s Super Duty and cargo racks. The excellent anti-wobble mechanism stabilizing the rack arm in the hitch receiver will be familiar to those who have used 1Up racks before. The dedicated wrench for the anti-wobble unlocks pins for an add-on.

The Xtreme Duty Single is compatible with the 1Up V-Style Ramp, which came in handy with heavier e-bikes and would be almost required for e-motos. Finally, the same super-robust billet CNC, anodized aluminum construction, and replaceable parts that make 1Up’s bicycle hitch racks stand out grace the Xtreme Duty.

1Up USA Xtreme Duty Single: Cons

1UP touts this rack’s new Glide Bar Ratcheting system for its robust, positive engagement, and that’s an accurate claim. The ratcheting system will not slip or accidentally open, but it’s also hard to open when loaded. When I used this rack for bicycles and pressed the wheel-holding arms in enough to secure the bike, it was hard to release the wheel holders at the trailhead.

I needed to use all of my body weight to push on the wheel holder to release the ratchet track to remove my bike. The ratcheting tracks are released with a push button that has to be engaged anytime you’re opening or closing the wheel holder, which was awkward.

While the rack is ideal for heavy bikes, it’s not necessarily optimized for XL bicycles. Pivot bolts at the base of wheel holders — in a red sleeve in the photos — add height to the ends of the rack. Some XL bikes sit on top of that sleeve, raising it slightly from the tray. If the bike were to shift while driving, it could become loose on the rack.

I hoped to use this rack to carry a CAKE Ösa, but I could not because of the bike’s fenders. The rack carries bikes with 16-29″ wheels up to 5.25″ wide and bikes and motos with wheelbases up to 57″.

And this should be no surprise, but the hitch rack is heavy: 44 pounds with a single tray. Pair it with an Xtreme Duty Add-On, and it billows to 80 pounds, which was hard to maneuver on and off the car when I was solo.

1Up USA Xtreme Duty Single Hitch Rack: Closing Thoughts

The 1Up 2″ Xtreme Duty Single proved to be a middle-ground solution for carrying e-motos and bikes. Outside of longer bikes, it handled heavy loads with aplomb, delivering confidence. I never worried about jettisoning a heavy e-bike or the rack’s structural integrity regardless of road or off-road conditions. It’s even rated for RV and travel trailer use with a maximum load of two bikes.

But you lose some of the conveniences of other 1Up racks for the additional carrying capacity. It’s heavy, especially with an add-on tray, which made it hard to move around. It also required extra steps to fold down, something I commonly do with bicycle hitch racks. Lastly, it’s expensive for a single-tray hitch rack.

While testing this rack, I wondered why 1Up USA didn’t introduce a rack that could hold dirt bikes, including gas-powered ones, and bicycles instead of this “intermediate solution.” For that, we have to wait.