The Swagman Patrol bike rack is an excellent option for any truck driving cyclist. This versatile rack adjusts to fit almost any truck bed, from small pickups like the Ford Ranger to full size pickups like the Ford F-350.
The Patrol is quick and easy to install (under 2 minutes!) and it requires little to no setup out of the box. The rack comes setup with two standard 9mm QR mounts and includes cores to adapt to multiple different thru axles (15mm, 20mm, and fat bike sizes 15×150, 142, 138, and 110mm).
Update:
The Patrol only comes with one adaptor core: 15mm x100mm tapered. The others (below) are all sold separately.
- Replacement 110mm x 20mm
- Fat Bike 150mm x 15mm Impakt
- 100mm x12mm Impakt
- Boost 110mm x 15mm Impakt
Installation requires no tools aside from an allen key to swap mount sizes and the “Swagman Wrench” tool used to adjust the location of the “Impakt Fork Mounts.” The Patrol comes with two mounts, each of which can handle up to a 35lb bike. Additional mounts are available for $45.
Truck bed mounted racks have many benefits over standard hitch style racks. The Patrol retails for $240, where some hitch mounted racks reach prices of over $1,000. Having bikes mounted in the bed keeps them safe from any rear end collisions and keeps them away from dirt, salt, and other grime that is kicked up from the road.
I have had a lot of success with this rack. I have driven on all sorts of different terrain (highway, dirt roads, and snowy adventures) and the rack has stayed put perfectly. Although I love my hitch mounted rack I think I may convert to using the Patrol full time because it is easy to use, keeps the bikes more protected, and lastly, nothing touches the frame of the bike. I do wish the Patrol had a locking mechanism for thru axles, but that is not offered at this time (though Swagman reports that they are working on it). For now I will have to settle for using a couple cable locks to lock bikes to the truck.
⭐️ Find the Swagman Patrol Rack at Backcountry, Competitive Cyclist, and other online retailers.
Last updated by Greg Heil at 4:20pm on February 17, 2017.
Seems simple and solid for those with pick ups. However, no fork mount rack system has ever provided a nice way to manage your front wheels. Sucks to have to lock them/put them inside especially when they are covered in slop, not mention the space they take up. Roof mount wheel racks have been pathetic at best for mountain wheels and occasionally passable for road wheels. Maybe you are finding someway to secure them in the bed, but this is still a PITA. I think Thule’s Insta-gater is a better solution.
How dose the back tires stay down? Like…if you hit the breaks hard…..what would the bike do?
Nothing really.
The only time I had movement with a similar mount was when I hit some railroad tracks fast and the back tire bounced around a bit. Wasn’t a big deal though.
The hardware for installing the fork mount looks like a torx security bit. They use that so someone can’t easily unbolt it to steal your bike. If you lose the supplied wrench you can get a replacement torx bit from harbor freight or elsewhere. This looks like a great rack. I had a similar setup in my old tundra using Yakima fork mounts installed on the factory bed rails. I just bought a chevy 2500 and am currently looking at my options. Right now it’s between this and the pipeline. I like the pipeline because you don’t have to remove the front wheel but this looks a whole lot more secure.