The Küat Sherpa 2.0 is one of the excellent bike rack offerings from Küat. The Sherpa is their middle range model and is a step below the NV 2.0 and a step above the Transfer V2. The Sherpa is a popular option among tray-type bike racks and is built to handle a max weight capacity of 80lbs (or two 40lbs bikes). The bikes are locked in place with an arm mechanism that ratchets into place for security.
The design of the Sherpa 2.0 is a breath of fresh air, and each feature is a serious upgrade from the original Sherpa model. The new 2.0 system has a streamlined grip which seriously decreased the number of times we bumped into it by accident. In this Küat Sherpa 2.0 review, we cover all of the features, considerations, and more for this great bike rack.
The Küat Sherpa 2.0 is well designed and functions exceptionally well as a tray-style bike rack. There are a few notable features that set this rack apart from others, including the lightweight, aluminum-based body, the foot-activated release lever, adjustable wheel trays, and more. It secures to your car’s hitch post with a hitch locking pin and is further secured with a cable lock that attaches to your mounted bikes. It supports two bikes of up to 40 pounds each. All in all, it is easy to assemble and stall and very effective to use.
This has a lot to do with the fact that they fall at about knee height, which means you never have to lift your bike too high to get it onto your rack and car. As seen on the more expensive NV model from Küat, the Sherpa 2.0 uses ratcheting front wheel clamps to secure your bike once loaded onto the tray. These clamps are super easy to use and are still very secure during driving. Another unique feature of the Sherpa 2.0 is the folded front wheel trays which can fold closed but need to be opened to use.
Sherpa 2.0 is loved by bike enthusiasts who switch between road and mountain bikes. This is because this rack features pivoting rear wheel straps that accommodate multiple different wheelbase lengths.
To move your Sherpa 2.0 between the folded-up position and laid flat to the tray position, the lever to release the rack can push with your foot and pulled down with a single hand, which makes multitasking a breeze and loading onto the tray incredibly easy. We particularly love this foot release lever for its design and ease of use. In many cases, it can be frustrating to put your bike down (or whatever you’re carrying) to deploy your tray bike rack with two hands. Additionally, this feature makes this bike rack accessible to differently-abled bike riders Trusted Source Almost one billion children and adults with disabilities and older persons in need of assistive technology denied access, according to new report A new report published today by WHO and UNICEF reveals that more than 2.5 billion people need one or more assistive products, such as wheelchairs, hearing aids, or apps that support communication and cognition. www.who.int , which we definitely love.
The expanding cam system used by the Sherpa 2.0 is similar to some competitors, but the main difference is where the locking system lies. With the Sherpa, the bike tray locks with a locking hitch pin to secure it to your hitch mount, and this is easy to remove as well. Given the lighter weight and smaller size of this bike rack, removing and storing it is quite easy and straightforward and much easier than bike racks of a similar price point. We firmly believe that this rack is the best choice for someone who likes to be able to remove their bike rack when they aren’t using it.
While it shines in many categories we assess, the Sherpa isn’t as versatile as some of its competitors. It wouldn’t fare well with a heavier electric bike Trusted Source E-bike turf war: Where electric mountain bikes are allowed, and why The trail at McDowell Mountain Regional Park wound past towering saguaros, around paloverde trees in blooming splendor and through sand-filled arroyos. There was no sound except the grind of tires on gravel, the gush of a May breeze and the occasional call of sentinel quail. www.usatoday.com , and as these are growing in popularity, many bike enthusiasts may be disappointed by the Sherpa. The weight limit for this rack is 40 pounds per bike, and the lowest weight listed for electric bikes is 40 pounds (ranging up to 80 pounds). That being said, the weight limit wouldn’t be an issue for a standard road, gravel, or mountain bike.
Additionally, the maximum wheel width supported by this rack is 3”. That is fine for the standard bikes listed above (road, gravel, and mountain), but fat tire bikes are also becoming increasingly popular, and they have a width range of 3.7” – 5.2”. You also can’t adjust the space between each bike because the tray is fixed in place when deployed.
Another thing to consider is that this bike rack is only able to be mounted to a car’s hitch post. If you don’t have a hitching post, you will need to purchase one (they cost around $500), or else you’ll need to consider using another bike rack.
The assembly for this bike rack was incredibly easy and straightforward. The whole process took us around 20 minutes and wasn’t confusing or frustrating. Bike racks can look intimidating to set up and attach to your car, but that is definitely not the case with the Küat Sherpa 2.0. Additionally, this bike rack came with all of the necessary tools for the job, and we found the tools to be made of such high quality that we kept them for future use.
Once assembly was finished, we attached it to the car with ease. The process involves simply sliding the bike rack onto your car’s hitch receiver and tightening it by hand. It comes with a hitch locking pin, as well, to make sure your bike rack is protected from theft and tampering. If easy assembly and mounting are important for you, you should check out some of these other bike racks that we love for the same reason.
The hitch pin system is very effective and certainly deters potential bike rack thieves, but it adds another step that doesn’t seem as efficient as it could be from a design perspective. To secure your bikes to the rack, use the non-integrated cable lock that loops around the bike frames once placed. The cable is then secured to a lock on the Sherpa 2.0. We find that this cable system is far preferable to integrated lock mechanisms which can be finicky and tend to get more difficult with age.
The only downside to this cable system is that because the cable is a detachable piece from the rack, you need to store it somewhere when not in use, so it isn’t taken. The cable lock is certainly effective and easier to use than other models, but if security is a primary concern for a bike rack, you may want to supplement the cable lock with a burlier addition. Furthermore, these bike racks are great choices for highly secure racks.
The Sherpa 2.0 comes in three colors: gray with orange, black with silver, and silver with chrome. During our testing, we had the silver option and found it to be very attractive but easily scratched. That being said, the bike rack is built from aluminum which means it is corrosion-resistant and, all in all, is very well built.
The wheel trays, which flip up and are made of plastic on the Sherpa 2.0, are definitely the weakest point on the rack. If, for example, you forget to secure them when not in use, they could easily become damaged. That being said, the Sherpa is definitely a very durable bike rack and could withstand a lot of wear and tear with regular use. A similarly durable (but roof-mounted) rack that we love is this Thule model.
The Küat Sherpa 2.0 is priced at a modest $629 across the board. This is a mid-priced, mid-value bike rack that offers a lot of value for its price.
The rack is easy to fold up when not used and can be tilted down to access the trunk even when bikes are in place. It holds two bikes maximum and can support bikes that weigh up to 40 pounds.
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The Küat Sherpa 2.0 is a great tray-style bike rack that offers plenty of design and features improvements from the original Sherpa model. As a mid-range bike rack in price, you definitely feel as though you get more value for your money than with some competitors. We loved that this model was easy to use and super lightweight for storage.
