Yakima - KingJoe 2-Bike Rack

Description

If you’re a frequent rider who wants trunk rack versatility along with ultra-strong steel construction, the KingJoe is for you. It has the padded feet and buckles, and the Quick-Trigger™ hub system that makes installation a breeze. As far as your bikes are concerned, it’s a royal mode of transport.

• Quick Trigger Hub System makes installation a snap
• Fits the broadest range of vehicles of any Yakima strap rack
• 2 bike capability
• Narrow arm design fits a wide variety of bikes
• Premium Tri-Padded feet and padded metal buckles protect your car’s paint job
• Integrated StableCradles hold bikes firmly in place
• Six-strap system holds everything securely in place, even if your car has a spoiler
• Folding arms on the KingJoe make storage easy. As opposed to folded arms on you, which make you look bored during job interviews
• Includes glass hatch hooks for glass trunk or gate mounts

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many bikes will it carry?
A: The KingJoe 2 carries a maximum of 2 bikes, 60 lbs. Total. See the Fit List and instructions for recommendations for your vehicle.

Q: My car isn’t listed on the fit sheet; can I still use the rack?
A: If your car isn’t listed in the Fit List, you can follow the instructions for “Unlisted vehicles”. We only make fit recommendations based on what we have tried and tested. If you use the Unlisted vehicle instructions, keep in mind that Yakima cannot warranty any installation on any vehicle that is not listed in the Yakima Fit List or on the Joe Fit Sheet.

Q: How do I know if it is secure?
A: Refer to the product instructions for mounting instructions, warnings, and safety checks. Make sure to retighten the upper straps after loading your bikes.

Q: Will it fit my bike?
A: The Joe’s were designed for maximum versatility, however there will be some bikes that are too small or have unique features that prevent it from being mounted. When in doubt, test fit your bike at a dealer before you purchase.

Q: What else will I need to use this rack?
A: Certain vehicles might require the use of Glass Hatch Hooks, so check the Fit List for recommendations for your vehicle. Glass Hatch Hooks are included with your product.

Q: My car has a spoiler; will the KingJoe 2 still work with it?
A: Maybe. First check the Fit List to see if there are any notes for your car regarding spoilers. If we don’t say anything about it, you’ll have to make the call and it will be at your own risk. If any part of the carrier contacts the spoiler, do not use this product. Be sure to test it out with bikes loaded.

Q: Do I need any tools to put the KingJoe 2 on my car?
A: The only thing you’ll need is a tape measure.

Q: The arms seem to move around a bit. Is this normal?
A: Yes. The arms naturally have some play around where they fold. This does not affect bike stability. Do not attempt to lighten up screws to eliminate this play, as over-tightened can cause parts to bind.

Product Reviews

Customer Reviews

Customer Rating:  3.7 stars based on 10 reviews

Customer Rating: Save your bikes By Very Upset I bought this item from a local bike shop. They mounted it on the car showed us how to Strap the bike on. I did everthing they showed me! Driving down the Highway at 75 Mph Look up at the mirror in time to see my $640.00 bike fell off and Tumbled everywhere. Traffic swerving to avoid hitting it. My bike is Distroyed. Only had the bike for 33 days. Had the bike rack for less then a day. What I got out of it A broken bike and a useless bike rack! Customer Rating: Not fail safe By Toy Robot from Beaverton, OR United States The strapping system on the version of this product that I received (6/23/2007) is very poorly designed in my opinion. The fatal flaw is that the role of the horizontal and lower vertical straps on each side are shared using single continuous strap. That is, the left horizontal and left lower vertical are one piece, and the right horizontal and right lower vertical are one piece. The problem with this approach is that if any single clip comes loose, all remaining clips will loosen as well. For example, if the left bottom clip comes off, it will not only loosen the left vertical holding tension but also the left horizontal tension, because the two are interconnected. This will in turn loosen the right side horizontal tension, and since the right side horizontal is interconnected with the right side vertical tension, the right side vertical will come loose, too. If this happens, it appears that the only thing that would be holding the rack on the vehicle is gravity pulling on the hooks of the top straps. Admittedly, if the system is tightened to the point that all connections will remain snug under bouncing under load, shifts of clips, etc., the system will work. But if an error in installation leads to any one attachment or tensioning element failing it appears the others can follow. It is also my opinion that this arrangement of having combination horizontal/vertical straps makes it more likely that a clip would become loose because it requires more force to tighten the system to prevent this. My guess is that this particular arrangement was chosen because it eliminates the cost of having additional tightening buckles, and the manufacturing cost of assembling more, separate, straps. Photos of competitor products appear to use separate straps for these functions. The bulk of this review came from observation and a trial installation with my bicycle. I did not travel with a bicycle on this unit. I decided not to risk traveling based on my assessment and returned the unit instead. What triggered my overall scrutiny of the design was reading some reviews of the Super Joe 2 where some people reported losing their bikes when the rubber strap system didn't work. Note that there were also reviewers that indicated nothing but positive experiences with the Super Joe. I did not find any explicit reviews of the King Joe, but it appears to be of the same basic design as the Super Joe, with the main difference being that the King Joe has a hub system that adds the ability to have the arms be folded down when the unit is not in use carrying a bicycle. Again, by observation, the plastic mechanisms that lock the hub and the holds for the rubber straps that secure the bike to the carrier seemed under-engineered as well. I can see how people could have issues with the rubber straps. Especially if the straps are overtightened, or harden due to sun exposure. The reader is encouraged to search for reviews of the Super Joe and form their own opinion. Customer Rating: Nice Bike Rack By Film lover from VA "Frank" from Midlothian, VA USA have used the rack a few times and found it easy to set up, very stable and secure. Worth the price. Customer Rating: Sturdy rack and easy to set up and remove! By K. Gustafson I use my Yakima King Joe 2 on a 2006 VW Jetta. After the initial reading of the manual and setting the rack up with proper adjustment and tighting straps,(15 minutes)this rack can be on and off the car in less than 5 minutes. The rack is rock solid and holds two mountain bikes perfectly. I was pleasently surprised by the sturdiness and ease of use of this product. Customer Rating: Bike Rack works fine By Ralph Shafer from Florida This is about the only bike rack that would fit my Ford Escort hatchback. It works fine if you make sure every strap is tight. However, it doesn't instill confidence since it sways slightly on turns and bumps. Also, Florida just passed a law that you can't obscure your rear license plate and this does. Customer Rating: I drove 2800+ miles with two bikes caked in ice and snow with this rack. By Jason I drove cross country with two bikes, pretty much through the worst conditions possible. This rack never loosened or gave me any doubt as to the security of my bikes. It had no problem supporting the extra weight from the ice that caked up on the bikes, and it was a considerable amount of weight. Customer Rating: Solid Bike Rack By Steve S. in from Glendale, CA United States After comparing several brands of bike racks, the KingJoe is definately a strong durable rack with pads that won't scratch the paint of your car or get deformed from use. You can go to stores like REI and pick up any parts you may need (if necessary). Make sure you check to see if the rack will fit your vehicle and do follow the installation instructions. This will ensure your bike(s) will be transported correctly. Works great on my SUV! Customer Rating: '95 Buick Regal GranSport (4 doors) By S. Bullock "SHB" from Washington, DC USA My wife and I took our two bikes from our home in suburban Washington, DC to Ocean City, Maryland via Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Total driving time with traffic was about ten hours and about 400 miles. I never went over 65 miles per hour and tried to avoid sharp turns and sudden braking/aceleration. I also stopped at least once per trip to make sure the straps were still tight--which they were. The rack worked like a champion! I am so happy with it--it really does well. I guess I was nervous because it seems the lower base is kind of narrow, but it worked out very well in the end. I've heard that it's not a good idea to leave the rack on your car when not carrying bikes. I wonder what the sun's UV rays do to the straps over time, too. And how would the straps perform if wet? I can't imagine I'd want to try driving to the beach with this rack in the rain, but I cannot say for sure. Over all--solid. (Original Review Below) After searching high and low for weeks, I finally found a bike rack that fits my car. I strapped it on this weekend and was able to shake my whole car just by pushing and pulling vigorously on the bike rack itself--the rack didn't budge and the straps remained tight. I'll update my review if I see any problems in the future, but for now my assessment is that the rack is solid. Customer Rating: AVOID THIS RACK IT HAS BEEN A DISASTER By Fair and Balanced "The Awful Truth" from Atlanta, ga Do not purchase this rack if you are using it with a swept back car and a composite bike. While the rack remained fully attached to automobile, Cervelo carbon fiber triathlon bike went sailing across the highway when weak rubber mounting straps failed. Bike was completely destroyed. Manufacturer tries to limit liability to cost of rack and hides behind the fine print of a warranty statement that you get when filing a claim. This has been a complete disaster. If I could give it a negative review I would as I am currently experiencing a $3500.00 loss. STAY FAR AWAY FROM THIS RACK IF YOU HAVE A COUPE-TYPE VEHICLE AND A VERY LIGHT WEIGTH BIKE! Customer Rating: Works great, easy to install, secur By D. C. Wells from Macon, GA , USA Another reviewer found a theoretical flaw in the design and did not use the rack. I understand the critique, but I have used my King Joe successfully for several years with very expensive road bikes. The benefit, as I see it, of using one strap for two tension points is that it is easy to apply and balance the tension points. Unless a strap or buckle actually breaks (unlikely unless damaged), the rack and bikes are secure so long as the straps were placed properly (as easy task) and then tightened. 1-10 of 10

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