This means that each e-bike can be adjusted slightly left or right within its carrier, which is handy when loading the rack with two e-bikes. This helps avoid conflicts between pedals, handlebars, and saddles that can make it difficult to fit two e-bikes.
The pneumatic piston sliders on the swingarms receive a Kashima coating, and that gold color might as well be a gold standard. That coating ensures smooth, friction-free operation, which is why it is used on the best suspension systems in the world. One frequent complaint from riders is that those swingarms on other hitch racks can get sticky from sitting out in the elements year-round. That likely won’t be the case here.
Küat uses very little plastic in the Piston Pro X. With 99% of its materials being metal, the rack cleans up easily, and there are few opportunities for it to show age or weathering, thanks, in part, due to a powder coat—not paint—finish.
Among hitch racks, one common problem is that many struggle to accommodate more than a couple of wheel sizes. With the Küat Piston Pro X, the FastFit Wheel Chock System can be adjusted to accept wheels as large as 29 in. and as small as 18 in. It’ll even fit tires as wide as 5 in.
The Küat Piston Pro X ships with two trays but can be expanded to carry three or four e-bikes. The rack comes in two different versions, one for 1.125-in. hitch mounts and one for 2-in. hitch mounts.
With just two trays, the Küat Piston Pro X can hold up to 67 lbs. per tray. With three trays, that capacity drops to 50 lbs. per tray, and with four, the capacity shrinks to 40 lbs.
The Küat Piston Pro X is a premium hitch rack and it is price as such, coming in a bit less than $1400. For those who appreciate the flexibility offered by the tire arms, the Piston Pro shaves off $300 as well as a few of the more premium features, such as the LED lights and the Kashima coating.
One detail some potential buyers need to be aware of is that the Piston Pro X has a weight capacity of 67 lbs. per tray; we routinely review e-bikes that weigh 70 lbs. or more, which puts it right on the bubble. Add a third or fourth tray, and that capacity shrinks to a point where the carrier can only handle the very lightest eMTBs and road e-bikes. Many potential buyers may simply need to remove the battery before loading their e-bike.
Also, you need to have a good idea of how many e-bikes you will transport before making an order. While you can expand the rack with either or two more trays, you cannot add a second single tray after adding a first.
Küat makes several accessories for the Piston Pro X and Piston Pro that make it notably more user-friendly. They make an expanding e-bike ramp to allow you to roll your e-bike onto the tray. They also offer a way to adjust the wheel arms and add accessory straps that enable the carrier to accommodate e-bikes with fenders, something most hitch racks struggle to accept.
Because the police will sometimes pull over drivers if they can’t see their vehicle’s license plate, they make a license plate holder for the carrier to make sure it isn’t obscured.
If you already have a premium bike, this rack is a befitting mate. Or even if you don’t drop top dollar on your bikes, but you just want something that is highly adaptable and makes transporting your bike as easy as can be, the Piston Pro X fits the bill.
