RockyMounts Brass Knuckles – Review
If bike carriers were weapons for armed combat, then the RockyMounts Brass Knuckles would be a devastatingly good choice. Tough, reliable, and brutishly simple, it gets the job done.
When securing your beloved mountain bike to your vehicle, the reassurance that it’s not going to go for a sightseeing tour at 110kph on the motorway is high on the list. We’ve heard horror stories of bike racks failing whilst driving at high speeds, scattered to the four winds, or even worse, causing serious accidents to other road users.
There is a certain level of anxiety when loading your bike onto the roof for the first time hoping that everything is secure and will still be there at the end of the journey. This level of anxiety (or shall we call it a trust issue?) is natural, especially as bikes these days can cost more than the vehicle carrying them.
The RockyMounts Brass Knuckles feature has a low-profile design when not in use, reducing air drag and noise.
We’ve done a couple of reviews of the RockyMounts products over the years such as the Monorail and the Backstage Swing, and have always been very impressed with the quality and outright toughness of their racks. RockyMounts are based in Colorado US and were founded way back in 1993. The era of ionized purple components (those that know, know). Luckily for us Aussies they have dealers here in Australia.
Loading up a bike takes under a minute.
Heavy-duty ratchet loops secure the wheel to the rim.
The burly locking arm prevents the bike from moving forward while the metal wheel chock stops the bike from moving backward. A simple and very effective design.
The Brass Knuckles from RockyMounts has all the confidence and swagger of a seasoned street fighter.
Features
The key feature of the Brass Knuckles (we think) is the unique handle that secures the front wheel. The design, which has evidently been inspired by a pair of brass knuckles, is pretty unique. Looks aside, this design helps when securing the front wheel by providing an ergonomic handle to pull down on.
If we’re scoring points then let’s give another one for the way the Brass Knuckles carrier, much like all other RockyMounts carriers, doesn’t touch the frame, thus totally removing any frame wear. The carrier uses the front wheel as the main contact point which also means it can accommodate a wide variety of frame shapes and sizes. Whether you’re carrying a $12,000 downhill or enduro mountain bike, a city commuter, or a kids bike, the Brass Knuckles will happily take care of them with equal surety.
Brass Knuckles, the weapon of choice.
The RockyMounts Brass Knuckles, Tough, Reliable, and Brutishly Simple
The Brass Knuckles can carry skinny tyres all the way up to 3in wide mountain bike tyres and can accommodate wheelbases from 860mm to 1220mm, and wheel sizes from 20in to 29in, however, we would like to see a rail extension available for longer wheelbase bikes.
The Brass Knuckles has a load rating of 20.4kg so most bikes can be catered for however, we wouldn’t recommend e-bikes as this is not its forte, and some full-powered e-bikes could tip the recommended weight scale, but who wants to lift a 26kg e-bike onto the roof anyway?
For additional security, the Brass Knuckles also offer integrated locks that secure the main rack to the roof crossbars and one on the main front loading arm. These make it very difficult for the bike or the carrier to be removed when locked.
Fitting the BrassKnuckles to your vehicle crossbar is a simple process utilizing a sturdy bolt-on wrap-around system that is truly universal, fitting all aero, square, round, and factory crossbars. For more details on installation please refer to the fitting instructions below.
Key Specifications
- Carries 1 bike, up to 20kg
- No front wheel removal
- No contact with the frame. Secures the bicycle by the front wheel.
- Carries road tires up to 3.0” wide mountain bike tires, and diameters from 20” to 29”.
- Max Wheel Width – 5in (Fattie Kit)
- Compatible with bicycles’ wheelbases from 860mm to 1220mm
- Crossbar Spread: Minimum 24″ (61cm) Maximum 43″ (110cm)
- Form-fitting stainless steel mounting straps that fit all square, round, factory & aero crossbars
- Ergonomic brass knuckles-shaped handle
- Not for use with bicycles with long front fenders (most enduro style fenders are fine, as seen in our photos)
- Black Only
Click Here For The BrassKnuckles Fitting Instructions
Loading Your Bike Onto The Carrier
Loading and securing the bike to the carrier takes under a minute.
- Unclip both wheel straps and hook the loops onto the spikes.
- Pivot the wheel chock upwards
- Rotate the locking arm forward and extend it fully out.
- Lift the bike onto the main rail, ensuring the tyres sit in the centre of the rail.
- Pivot the bike upwards and then backward so the front wheel moves into the wheel chock.
- With one arm holding the bike, lift the locking arm upwards and as close to the forks as possible (without touching)
- Slip your fingers into the Brass Knuckles, press the button, and pull down hard.
- Pull wheel straps over the rims and cinch down.
- Lock it!
Some handy pre-travel tips:
- Once the bike is loaded onto the rail and the locking arm is secured, line up the ratchet and loop connectors at six o’clock on the wheel rims, this ensures a secure hold. If the ratchet loop connectors are at different positions on either side of the rim it can end up in a less than perfect hold.
- Check the locking arm isn’t touching your fork as this can cause paint rub. Re-position if needed.
- Ensure the front wheel is right back into the wheel chock.
- Do a wobble test to ensure everything is cinched down, and you’re ready to go.
Conclusions
The RockyMounts Brass Knuckles is a tough, reliable, and brutishly good-looking roof carrier with a low-profile design that reduces air drag when not in use. An exceptionally high-quality and burly design ensures your bike will be safe and secure.
Featuring a front wheel locking arm design that eliminates frame rub, the capability to carry skinny road bikes to burly 20kg downhill rigs, and wheelbases from 800mm to 1200mm, it is a bike carrier that can accommodate a wide range of frames.
If you’re looking for confidence in a bike carrier, then this is it.
Hit the road with confidence with the RockyMounts Brass Knuckles roof carrier.
Price / Where To Buy
- RockyMounts Brass Knuckles: $339.00AUD
- Find out more at the RockyMounts Australia website for a list of Australian dealers and distributors.
