We’ve got a riddle for you: how do you access the rear of your vehicle when there’s a bike rack installed on your car?
In the bike transport world, possible solutions to this puzzle have included words such as, “tilt”, “swing” or “remove.”
We've added a new word to the mix: “glide.”
See the Glide 4-Bike See the Glide 5-Bike
Even better, our glide-action provides instant, one-step access to the rear of a car – with bikes or without.
Simply press the trigger to release the rack and boom – hatch access. When you’re done, the same amount of (non) effort glides the rack upright and you’re good to go.
How’d We Do It?
It all started with a custom, dual-suspension bike frame being built up by our Chief Mechanical Engineer. The design played off an old college dune buggy project, one that happened to feature a four-bar linkage system; a system that allows for smooth movement without reorienting the center of mass.
Our development team soon realized that this concept could solve one of the biggest dilemmas around: easy hatch access. Using the laws of physics, the four-bar linkage system keeps the center of mass at the same height while allowing the rack to move away from the vehicle.
The best part? It was easy, smooth and could be condensed into just one step.
This innovative approach to moving the rack and the bikes allowed us to build the best – and only – bike rack that provides easy, one-step access to the rear of the car.
The Features
One-Step Glide Action
One button. One motion. One step. Yes, sometimes things really are that easy.
Hatch Access
Have we mentioned that the Glide gives you easy and fast access to your hatch? We’re talking near-instant access to whatever you need in the back of your car – even when the Glide is fully loaded with up to 5 bikes (depending on model), and when it’s not.
Hatch access in five to eight steps versus one - we know which one we’d choose.
Light & Centered
Did you know that the Glide is lighter than a 5-gallon bottle of water? Weighing in at 37 pounds, the Glide is nearly half the weight of other hatch access bike racks on the market. Plus, the innovative design centers the weight of the rack – unlike swing aways where extra weight is added to side swinging joint.
These two features combined ensure that the Glide is not only easy to maneuver, but can be lifted, installed and loaded by one person without any assistance.
Easy to Load
We decked out the Glide with our low-profile bike hold downs and best-in-class ratchet straps. These hold downs carefully cradle your bike and can be easily adjusted to fit a wide range of bicycles. Once bikes are loaded, our ratchet straps snugly and speedily fasten your bike to the rack so you can get where you need to be.
Plus, the Glide 4-bike can haul bikes up to 35 pounds (that’s 30 pounds per bike for the Glide 5-bike). Road. Hybrid. Kid’s bikes. If your bike weighs 35 pounds or less, the Glide can move it.
EX is for Extra
The Glide EX 4- and 5-bike models come with a little extra security. Integrated locks secure the Glide to your vehicle and your bikes to the Glide. These built-in locks can help deter anyone eyeing up your collection of bikes.
See the Glide 4-Bike See the Glide 5-Bike
Experience the Glide In-Person
at Your Local Saris Dealer