Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Click for more info and reviews of this Kuat Hitch Bike Racks:
etrailer.com/Hitch-Bike-Racks/Kuat/KU88ZR.html
Check out some similar Hitch Bike Racks options:
etrailer.com/dept-pg-Hitch_Bike_Racks-pc-1_Bike.aspx
Search for other popular Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport parts and accessories:
etrailer.com/vehicle/2025/Volkswagen/Atlas+Cross+Sport
etrailer.com
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youtube.com/user/etrailertv
Full transcript: etrailer.com/tv-install-kuat-piston-sr-bike-rack-for-1-bike-2025-volkswagen-atlas-cross-sport-ku88zr.aspx
Hi, I'm Matt with etrailer. Today, we're gonna be talking about the Kuat Piston SR Bike Rack on the back of our 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. Now, this is gonna be a great option if you're looking for a rack, if you're going on your solo rides, but you want something that feels a little more premium and it can work with a wide range of bikes, whether it's a carbon frame or a heavy e-bike. But what I really like is, just the touch points on it feels really premium, especially if you're someone who is a more experienced rider and you're looking to kinda upgrade your setup. Now, the one downside to this rack is, if you wanna get hatch access, you can't tilt the rack back, you have to remove the bike. But that process is really easy, all you have to do is come right over here.
Typically, I'll hold onto my bike, press a button, that's gonna release this arm, doesn't push it away. And then, same thing on the front side. (button clicking) Then you'll push it way like that. If you wanna push it all the way down, you have to press it again a second time, usually, I'll just use my knee. So you have a little bit more room to work with.
And then I can just pick it up and take it out for a ride. So once you're done and ready to put everything back up, all you have to do is lift this arm up, because a lot of times, it'll get locked into place. Just press this again, that's gonna release it. And then from here, locks down. And make sure you put this clip down, this is gonna ensure that if you hit something on the road, this doesn't accidentally pop up, it retains it in place.
The other side, since I didn't push it all the way down, you can push it like that and put that retaining clip on here. Now, what I also like about this is since it wasn't making contact with the frame of our bike, great for anything with a really nice paint job or a carbon frame bike. And it can have a weigh capacity up to 100 pounds, so perfect for those e-bikes. But speaking to that heft, let's kinda talk about the ground clearance, because that is gonna affect this. So this is gonna be about 16 inches away from the ground.
If you put a heavy e-bike on here, this is gonna drop by maybe an inch or so. But since it sits so close to our vehicle, we shouldn't bottom out. Just keep an eye out if you're going up a steep hill or incline. Now, for the total distance away it sits, this is gonna be about 13 1/2 inches. And that's pretty good even for a single bike rack. Now, the downside to this is since it is so compact, it doesn't have any folding capabilities. I personally don't mind that, especially since if you do fold it up, a lot of other racks, once you do that, they start to block things in the back of the vehicle. With this, we don't have to worry about it blocking your license plate, your backup camera, taillights, or back window. And the way this install is we're gonna have a two inch shank that goes into your two inch hitch receiver. If you don't own one, you can find one here on our website, and we can find someone to install it for you if you need. And then we're gonna have a pin that goes through and connects to a lock core on the other side just for some more security. You'll also notice there's a really good hold. Reason being is at the very back of here, we're gonna have the security bolt. You tighten this up, this is gonna be your anti-rattle device that prevents any of that rattling from happening, so you don't have any of that noise. But overall, I think this is gonna be a great option if you're looking for something that's gonna feel very premium, not with just the looks, but also just with the buttons on here as well. Now, if you're looking for something with tilting or folding capabilities, so you can get that hatch clearance, I would recommend the Hollywood Racks CrossTrack Bike Rack. But that one won't look as nice as something like this. Now, if you guys have any other questions, let us know here at etrailer. And again, I'm Matt, and thanks for watching.
Click for more info and reviews of this Kuat Hitch Bike Racks:
etrailer.com/Hitch-Bike-Racks/Kuat/KU88ZR.html
Check out some similar Hitch Bike Racks options:
etrailer.com/dept-pg-Hitch_Bike_Racks-pc-1_Bike.aspx
Search for other popular Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport parts and accessories:
etrailer.com/vehicle/2025/Volkswagen/Atlas+Cross+Sport
etrailer.com
Don’t forget to subscribe!
youtube.com/user/etrailertv
Full transcript: etrailer.com/tv-install-kuat-piston-sr-bike-rack-for-1-bike-2025-volkswagen-atlas-cross-sport-ku88zr.aspx
Hi, I'm Matt with etrailer. Today, we're gonna be talking about the Kuat Piston SR Bike Rack on the back of our 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. Now, this is gonna be a great option if you're looking for a rack, if you're going on your solo rides, but you want something that feels a little more premium and it can work with a wide range of bikes, whether it's a carbon frame or a heavy e-bike. But what I really like is, just the touch points on it feels really premium, especially if you're someone who is a more experienced rider and you're looking to kinda upgrade your setup. Now, the one downside to this rack is, if you wanna get hatch access, you can't tilt the rack back, you have to remove the bike. But that process is really easy, all you have to do is come right over here.
Typically, I'll hold onto my bike, press a button, that's gonna release this arm, doesn't push it away. And then, same thing on the front side. (button clicking) Then you'll push it way like that. If you wanna push it all the way down, you have to press it again a second time, usually, I'll just use my knee. So you have a little bit more room to work with.
And then I can just pick it up and take it out for a ride. So once you're done and ready to put everything back up, all you have to do is lift this arm up, because a lot of times, it'll get locked into place. Just press this again, that's gonna release it. And then from here, locks down. And make sure you put this clip down, this is gonna ensure that if you hit something on the road, this doesn't accidentally pop up, it retains it in place.
The other side, since I didn't push it all the way down, you can push it like that and put that retaining clip on here. Now, what I also like about this is since it wasn't making contact with the frame of our bike, great for anything with a really nice paint job or a carbon frame bike. And it can have a weigh capacity up to 100 pounds, so perfect for those e-bikes. But speaking to that heft, let's kinda talk about the ground clearance, because that is gonna affect this. So this is gonna be about 16 inches away from the ground.
If you put a heavy e-bike on here, this is gonna drop by maybe an inch or so. But since it sits so close to our vehicle, we shouldn't bottom out. Just keep an eye out if you're going up a steep hill or incline. Now, for the total distance away it sits, this is gonna be about 13 1/2 inches. And that's pretty good even for a single bike rack. Now, the downside to this is since it is so compact, it doesn't have any folding capabilities. I personally don't mind that, especially since if you do fold it up, a lot of other racks, once you do that, they start to block things in the back of the vehicle. With this, we don't have to worry about it blocking your license plate, your backup camera, taillights, or back window. And the way this install is we're gonna have a two inch shank that goes into your two inch hitch receiver. If you don't own one, you can find one here on our website, and we can find someone to install it for you if you need. And then we're gonna have a pin that goes through and connects to a lock core on the other side just for some more security. You'll also notice there's a really good hold. Reason being is at the very back of here, we're gonna have the security bolt. You tighten this up, this is gonna be your anti-rattle device that prevents any of that rattling from happening, so you don't have any of that noise. But overall, I think this is gonna be a great option if you're looking for something that's gonna feel very premium, not with just the looks, but also just with the buttons on here as well. Now, if you're looking for something with tilting or folding capabilities, so you can get that hatch clearance, I would recommend the Hollywood Racks CrossTrack Bike Rack. But that one won't look as nice as something like this. Now, if you guys have any other questions, let us know here at etrailer. And again, I'm Matt, and thanks for watching.
