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Yakima Wheel Fork

$31.99
$40.00^*

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(13)

Item # 679452

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The new industry standard for wheels aloft--secondary retention tabs mean the wheel won't eject, even if the skewer is not tightened correctly.

This optional accessory for Yakima's fork-style bike mounts let you attach your bike's removed front wheel to your Yakima rack
Holds all 9mm, quick-release skewered wheels, even big 29" mountain bike wheels
Anodized, corrosion-resistant aluminum construction provides lasting durability
Yakima and Thule compatible; 5/16" hardware is accessory-lock compatible

Please note: Yakima products can only be shipped to U.S. addresses.

Imported.

Item 679452

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Yakima Wheel Fork Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews

Yakima Wheel Fork

1.7

(based on 13 reviews)

31%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

Easy to install (7)
Lightweight (4)

Cons

Poor quality (9)
Unstable (9)
Hard to install (6)
Scratches car (5)

Best Uses

Mountain bikes (5)
Road bikes (3)

- Reviewer Profile:
- Avid cyclist (9)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (7)

Reviewed by 13 customers

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Displaying reviews 1-10

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Sep

2012

(0 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

2.0

Great idea....BUT....

By atv244

from Reading, PA

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Lightweight

Cons

Hard to Install or Use
Unstable

Best Uses

Mountain Bikes
Road Bikes

Comments about Yakima Wheel Fork:

The idea behind this is fabulous...keep the dirty wheels out of the car, save space in the trunk for other things. However, this particular design is generally poor. Installation isn't the easiest, and stability is often a problem.

A common complaint is about how the mount and wheel eventually come to rest on the rooftop, having spun on the bars. I was able to solve this problem by folding some high grit sandpaper in half and placing it on the inside of the snaparound...grit sides out so that they grab the bar and the inside of the snaparound. Then torque the screws down as tight as you can. Yes, it does roughen both the bar and the snaparound, but it has prevented the mount from rotating on the bar.

My biggest complaint is the plastic tab that prevents the wheel from spinning. I found that it causes the wheel to shimmy left and right while driving, because it redirects the wind up and into the back end of the wheel. If the skewers aren't really tight, you will eventually lose a wheel. It's even more pronounced on lightweight, road wheels. Once I removed the tab...yes, the wheel spins as you drive...the entire assembly seems to be more stable. I'd rather the wheel spin than shimmy and eventually shake off. Replacing bearings are certainly cheaper than whole wheels. I also found installation a LOT easier when the plastic wheel tab isn't in the way. The square holes on the main mount still prevent the mounting bolts from turning as you tighten down the wing nuts. You can also hold the bolts in place easier with your fingers while negotiating the snaparounds.

All-in-all, a big miss on Yakima's part. I've owned several different tower & rail mounts, as well as bike mounts, and I've generally been happy with Yakima's quality. The wheel mounts, though, leave a lot to be desired.

Comment on this review

Oct

2011

(0 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

1.0

don't bother

By dw152

from Virginia

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy to Install

Cons

Scratches Car
Unstable

Best Uses

Comments about Yakima Wheel Fork:

I bought two of these to get the wheels out of my car. I tried them for a month, and gave up. No matter how hard I tightened them down, they would rotate until the wheel was resting on my roof, even with my lightweight road wheels. I didn't even try with my mountain bike wheels because I didn't want a dent in my roof. I called the Yakima customer service to see if they could help, but they acted as if they had never heard of this problem before, and told me I wasn't tightening them down enough. That was not a good answer, because I was tightening them very tight. I tried a few more times, but finally gave up, and now they sit in my basement collecting dust, and my wheels now go back in my car. I've been a fan of Yakima for 25 years (bought my first rack, which I still have, at REI in 1987 or 88), but their engineering has slipped recently. Time to check out their competitors.

Comment on this review

Oct

2011

(0 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

1.0

Need major re-design

By mountainmadness

from Seattle, WA

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Lightweight

Cons

Hard to Install or Use
Scratches Car
Unstable
Weak Construction

Best Uses

Comments about Yakima Wheel Fork:

The only thing I like about these wheel fork is they provide space in the vehicle and keeps it from getting dirty. Other then that I have nothing but complaints. On a recent trip down a bumpy dirt road, the wheel forks had gotten so loose that the bike tires were bouncing on top of my car and caused some nice size dents. No matter how hard I tighten it, the forks still were loose. I think it's the combination of round bars and poor fork design. All my other Yakima mounts seem to work fine. I think the wheel fork needs to go back to the drawing board.

Comment on this review

Aug

2011

(0 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

1.0

Lost a wheel

By Trad_Biker

from Washington DC

About Me Competitive Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy to Install

Cons

Scratches Car
Unstable
Weak Construction

Best Uses

Comments about Yakima Wheel Fork:

Easy to install, however even with the wheels quick release well tightened, the wheel fork rotated back with the wind and that was enough for the wheel to hit the roof of my car hard enough to knock the wheel off the Wheel Fork, where it was run over by the car behind me.

Even with a safety strap, there is no way to prevent the wind from rotating the assembly back so the wheel hits/sits on my roof, where I now have a pair of scuffs.

Comment on this review

Jul

2011

(0 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

1.0

Disappointing

By YellowBiker65

from Cary, NC

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy to Install
Stable

Cons

Hard to Install or Use
Weak Construction

Best Uses

Road Bikes

Comments about Yakima Wheel Fork:

I was disappointed that it didn't fold down easily. Also the slot for the wheel was too shallow to take the front wheel of a smaller mountain bike. And I thought the piece that keeps the wheel from spinning was cheap and not very durable.

Comment on this review

Jul

2011

(1 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

1.0

Don't bother

By Gar

from Ephrata, WA

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy to Install

Cons

Does not stay uprite
Needs constant tightening
Scratches Car
Unstable
Weak Construction

Best Uses

Hang flags and banners

Comments about Yakima Wheel Fork:

I used these on one long road trip and decided that was enough. I would rather spend time cleaning mud out of my car than to worry about these things.

No matter how tight you attach them to the Yakima racks they will eventually loosen and rotate until the tire rests on your roof. Or if you are unlucky like me, the tire will fall off the car along the interstate! There isn't enough compression in the wheel lock to keep that mechanism from loosening up as well.

I have been very pleased with yakima racks, but thule's wheel racks are much better, especially when they are mounted on the square thule bars.

Comment on this review

Jul

2011

(1 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

1.0

Taking them Back -- They're Unsafe.

By lwray

from Salt Lake City, UT

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Cons

Unstable

Best Uses

Endangering others

Comments about Yakima Wheel Fork:

I bought two of these to upgrade the old models, which didn't have the retention tabs. I tightened the wheel way down, below the retention tabs, but still lost a wheel and tire, within ten miles. Fortunately, no one was injured. Unfortunately, the new wheel, tire, tube and hub ran me over $200.

If you buy these, add a safety strap to them. Perhaps a simple velcro strap. Yakima should include that in the design, as that would also stop the spinning problem.

Comment on this review

Aug

2010

(3 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

2.0

Not Your Standard Yakima Product

By TWJR

from Chicago, IL

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Cons

Hard to Install or Use
Unstable
Weak Construction

Best Uses

Comments about Yakima Wheel Fork:

While I love all the other Yak products I have for their sturdiness, functionality and ease of use...this one misses the mark. The install is a little difficult (not hard, just difficult) with the bolts moving all over the place as you try to line up the holes. Couldn't get it tight enough and the piece rotated back so the tire was resting on the roof of the car. That could probably we fixed with some type of foam tape but why should I have to? It give me a place to keep the tire when loaded to the gills inside on family vacations, it just does not live up to the Yakima name IMO.

Comment on this review

Apr

2010

2.0

Close...but no cigar

By SPaw99

from NC

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Convenient
Functional
Space Saving

Cons

Design Lacking
Not Lockable
Weak Construction

Best Uses

Mountain Bikes

Comments about Yakima Wheel Fork:

This serves the primary purpose of saving space and keeping muddy tires out of your interior; however, it lacks a plus of its major competitor's wheel carrier that will fold down when not in use. While still recommended...recommended with qualification.

Comment on this review

Jun

2009

(2 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

1.0

Reward if found - Missing Wheel and Tire

By CO.GearHead

from The DEN

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy to Install
Easy to Use

Cons

Scratches Car
Unstable
Weak Construction

Best Uses

none

Comments about Yakima Wheel Fork:

I have bought two of these units and as of yesterday, returned to buy knew wheel and tire. Look at the other brand - This Yakima wheel fork set up needs tons of improvement.