 - Compact trunk rack that holds up to 2 bikes at once
- Quick-trigger hub system makes installation a snap
- 6-strap system holds bikes securely in place
- Tri-padded feet and metal buckles protect paint job
- Integrated stability cables; folding arms for storage
List Price: $129.00
Lowest Price: $116.10 
Product Description: KINGJOE IS OUR BEEFIEST STRAP RACK YET, AND HE PERSONALLY GUARANTEES THE SAFETY OF HIS ROYAL SUBJECTS (NAMELY, YOUR BIKES). 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. Padded feet protect your car�s paint job. Integrated Switchblade cradles 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 3 make storage easy. As opposed to folded arms on you, which make you look bored during job interviews. Amazon.com Product Description: Compatible with the broadest range of vehicles of any Yakima bike rack, the Yakima KingJoe 2 fits up to two bikes on the trunk of your sedan. The KingJoe 2 is equipped with a quick-trigger hub system that makes installation a snap, along with a six-strap array that holds your bikes securely in place--even if your car has a spoiler. Plus, the unit's premium tri-padded feet and metal buckles are expressly designed to protect your car's paint job. And thanks to the narrow arm design, the KingJoe 2 holds a variety of different bikes, from cruisers to mountain bikes. Other details include folding arms that make storage easy; glass hatch hooks to accommodate glass trunk or gate mounts; and integrated StableCradles for maximum stability.
Customer Reviews: Rating: 
Date: 2008-05-03
Solid Bike Rack
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! Rating:
Date: 2007-08-17
Works great, easy to install, secure
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.
The rack is well-designed, sturdy and takes only a minute to place and remove. Rating: 
Date: 2007-06-30
Not fail safe
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.
On the plus side, it does clear the spoiler on a 2000 Accord. |
