ABOUT THE VELOCIRAX 6 MAX
The 6 Max addresses some areas the brand thought could improve usability and convenience while also making the rack more durable, capable of higher weights per tray and more.
SPECS
The VelociRAX 6 MAX can hold 100lbs per basket, which is a huge increase; and the total rack capacity moves from 230lbs to 300lbs. This means you can load up all 6 slots with eBikes weighing up to 50lbs each! The rack itself weighs 98lbs; it is no spring chicken but for the total carrying capacity this is acceptable. Some older testers have noticed it is a bit difficult to load by themselves, so this may be worth noting if you're not sure you can lift a 92-98lb rack by yourself. We can install and remove the rack alone pretty easily, but some may prefer a friend. To make storage and transport easier, VelociRAX does have a few different roller accessories as well as a wall storage option for the garage.
There is a new release handle for the strut assisted lowering mechanism; this new handle is much larger and easier to operate than the outgoing option, making it much easier for one person to operate the rack. The hinge assembly has been redesigned using a welded assembly that incorporates updated bushings for longer worry-free use.
Regardless of the vehicle you are using, the tilt mechanism allows for access to the rear compartment, bed, or trunk. The gas struts sleekly hidden on the base of the hinge assembly keeps that fully loaded rack from slamming down resting on the safety pin. The rack itself is 58.75” tall and 65” wide. Each tire basket has 10” of spacing between the tires with baskets 3 & 4 having 12” allowing for more access to the lever release.
VelociRAX 6 makes a ton of accessories for the rack that helps bring in more value. One thing we find pretty slick is the ability to convert the rack to work with skis and snowboards, something that is simple but a great addition to an already great product. On top of all the extra accessories they make finding replacement parts easy and accessible should you need anything. While these racks are stout, if you back into a tree the tree is going to win…
THE DIRT
SETUP
Unboxing and building the rack is a little more complicated than just sliding the thing onto your hitch, but with that said VelociRAX 6 has very detailed instructions with a step-by-step guide on what to do. It’s like Ikea for your truck, but much higher quality. The most complicated step is the damper bracket, so just take your time and enjoy your new bike transportation device.
USING THE VELOCIRAX 6 MAX RACK
This rack has survived not one but two eBike shootouts and thousands of miles with Drew’s love for high double digit highway speeds. There have been plenty of dirt roads, potholes and just about anything you can think of throwing at it. Once installed and tightened down, the Anti-Wobble pin was never in need of tightening. After the first few checks on the drive to Utah, we decided it was trustworthy enough not to need further checks at every fuel stop.
Dropping the rack into the load/unload position with 6 eBikes on was much easier with the new handle, while we did still find some upward pressure was needed for a smooth release you could still yank on the handle to get it released with all 300lbs hanging off it. On longer trips we do use the brake bands but when at home or quick transfers to the trailhead, those just live in the glove compartment, for sure a nice to have item. And speaking of nice to have, the integrated lock is awesome. While it may not prevent the keenest of thieves, it does the trick for running in for a snack and bathroom break at the petrol station.
LOADING AND UNLOADING
Loading and unloading of the rack remains the same as previous generations, so our muscle memory works well. We opt for the hinge pin in position C allowing for the most hinge out of the system. This ultimately makes it easier to load/unload bikes. We have been using the rack on a Rig’d Ramble Swing on the back of the Van. While you can access the van with the rack all the way in lowest hinge position, it does make it hard to load and unload bikes from inside the van, something we do daily on the shootouts. Having the ability to drop the rack into camp mode is pretty rad, admittedly we do not do this all that often but when needed it is a great thing to have. Camp mode allows you to stage bikes on the ground into the rack trays. This is great for some maintenance, storage, or when Robert has to switch his brake levers the wrong way around.
So how does it work when fully loaded raging down the highway? Well, on the Ramble Swing there is a bit of bounce but nothing terrible. When hard mounted on the van there is almost zero play in the rack; any movement comes from the bikes if they do not have the brake band installed, as the straps do allow for some stretching which is not a bad thing and is expected. You do have to be careful about pedal placement as there is some tendency to get some pedal to frame contact. On longer trips we pretty much always have pedals off the bikes just to have one less thing to think about when on the road for 20+ hours. When shuttling on rough roads, we used some straps to keep problem cranks in place. But as a whole we rarely see any issues; it really just depends on what bikes we have loaded up. We tend to leave the largest bikes for last to avoid any contact issues.
FINISH AND VALUE
The welds are beefy and have yet to fail us on any of the racks we’ve had. In the past, we had developed play in the hinge mechanism but with the updated bushings on the 6 MAX this has not been an issue, if we run into any durability issues down the road we will be sure to update this article. The value is a tough one, could you stack and strap 6 bikes to the top of your car with two $5 tow straps? Sure… But 100% you are having some major issues and most likely a conversation with a State Trooper… At roughly $1,200 this rack is not cheap, but you sure do get what you pay for. Say the average cost of each bike on the rack is $5k, you are investing 4% of the total cost you have hanging off the back of your rig. Pretty fair for something that will last many seasons and keep your bikes safe and secure.
We look at bike racks a bit like helmets. Sure, you can get a cheap helmet, but how much is your brain worth? There are lots of cheap racks on the market, and while we’re not proponents of paying more than we need to just because, but, when it comes to setting sail for a big road trip with your cherished two-wheeled possessions, the cost of an interrupted trip due to a failed rack, lost bikes or worse, is well worth the extra few hundred bucks in our opinion.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
While we do like the all black look of the Thule Revert there is no getting around the fact that the VelociRAX 6 MAX is a real competitor. You can check out the YouTube video review we made on that rack here. Much like we said in the video, there are some aspects of the Thule that make it a really awesome rack and one we still use regularly. However, there may be just a couple small edges that the Velocirax offers that could mean it’s a better option for you.
The Wolf’s Last Word
The VelociRAX 6 MAX vertical bike rack brings smart refinements. The Utah-based brand delivers a rack that can haul any bike you might throw at it without breaking a sweat. Its increased capacity is exactly what we were hoping for with the bonus of the integrated lock and taillight, this rack checks almost all our boxes (give us a black one or even better a Limited Edition Loam Wolf collab color! Who’s in on that?). 
Price: $1,170
Website: Velocirax.com
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