Setup

Setup for the RockyMounts TomaHawk required some assembly of the upright mount before installing it on the roof rack. It came half-assembled in the box, and the instructions for the rest of the assembly were straightforward. End caps needed to be installed with a mallet for absolute security on the mount. While the setup came with a simple hex wrench, we found using one with a handle made the process easier.

Stability

The TomaHawk has a cover plate, wheel chock, tray plate with bolts, two swing arm collars, and two front crossbar mounting brackets with bolts and spacers to stabilize it on the crossbar. All bolts are tightened with included 5 mm and 4 mm hex wrenches to secure the upright mount. There are two bolts on the plate of one of the swing arms that were loose out of the box when performing the installation, so make sure these bolts are tightened once the mount has been complete to avoid any mishaps with the swing arm. Along with the swing arm, the hook that ratchets over the front tire of the bike and two straps for the front and back tire complete the stable hold of your bike on the mount. The only time stability was somewhat of a concern was when crosswinds were at high velocity while driving. High crosswinds actually seemed to be a consistent concern with all bike racks tested as they caused more movement of the bikes than usual on the roof of the car. To avoid any possible damage to the bikes, the car was pulled over to wait for the wind to settle.

Ease of Use

Loading bikes on the TomaHawk upright mount is quick and easy. With some bike mounts, the bike almost feels too unstable to let go of one end in order to finish loading it, but with the TomaHawk, the bike doesn’t feel like it might tip to one side while holding it with just one hand and ratcheting the hook into place on the front tire. The ratchet slides into place easily, and once the straps are over the tire rim and through the buckle, it only takes a couple of tugs to tighten them down.

Versatility

The TomaHawk mounts to all style of crossbars including aero, round and square. It will hold any bike from 20-29” wheels. Whether it’s a road, mountain, cruiser or children’s bike, this upright mount caters to several different styles. While there wasn’t a children’s bike handy for this test, a mountain bike, downhill and road bike were all loaded onto the rack, and each bike latched in with ease. The TomaHawk is fat bike ready right out of the box, and two wheel strap extensions are included to accommodate the size of the tires. The only bike style it’s not ideal for are those with fenders.

Features

In addition to the features mentioned above, this style rack that does not contact the bike frame is one of the best we tested as it won’t interfere with bottle cages and it prevents damage to the frame. Easy-load wheel straps help make loading the bike easier. The fact that it already comes fat bike ready (tire widths up to 5 inches) is a bonus feature. There is an option to buy 2-pack locks that will secure the rack to the car and the bike to the rack. The TomaHawk is covered by the RockyMounts lifetime warranty.