Wish I could give 10 stars. My fiancé and I were in a serious pinch! We needed a hitch installed so we could attach our 5x8 Uhaul to our car before leaving on a 3 day road trip from California to Chicago. Without a hitch, we would not have been able to move how wanted and would have had to pay triple what we were originally going to spend. The amazing people at Rack N Road were able to order the parts and install them for us within a day. They really came through for us. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS COMPANY. Superb job and excellent customer experience. Thanks again! read more

They have everything you will need for your rack system. Quality products, excellent professional staff. Can take a week or so to get scheduled but worth the wait! My daughter is very happy with her ski/surf rack. I would highly recommend. read more

I bought a hitch online and my son and I installed it. We were successful but to my horror one of the bolts touched the muffler. It would rattle and I was unable to resolve. I went by and described my problem. They were thoughtful and courteous and said the could help and that they are sure they could fix without much cost. I was skeptical but made an appointment and brought the car in. I couldn't be more pleased. They were able to fix it in less than an hour and charged me $75.00 which I feel is a reasonable price. I would recommend. I also noticed that the prices for their racks were on par with REI. read more

Helped me get the rack I wanted. Put on different racks onto my car to pick the right one.

I was looking for a roof rack solution that would be low profile due to my low clearance garage. I stopped by Rack N Road on my way to visit my brother in law and was helped by Chris. He was super knowledgeable and presented various options... After going through my options I went with Chris' recommendation. They were able to install my rack system right away and after a couple hours the rack was installed and ready to go. Chris showed me how to operate everything and handed me a plastic bag with all the extra components & manuals. Everything was installed to perfection and looking forward to my next ski trip to Tahoe! read more

Rack N Road - My new roof rack system. - Outdoor Gear Near Me - San Rafael, California

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Great staff excellent service. Had a tow bar installed and everything from scheduling through installation was handled smoothly

The team at Rack N Road in San Rafael is great! They installed a hitch and rack for me, which have worked very well. They are knowledgable, kind, and effective. When I had questions, I appreciated the option to send them text messages. When busy with other customers, they responded via text quickly and addressed all of my issues. I highly recommend this business. read more

The team at Rack N Road was very helpful and understanding in these Covid times. You could tell that everyone was working really hard and I appreciated them installing my hitch and Kuat rack for me. read more

Rack N Road - Rack N Road - San Rafael - Outdoor Gear Near Me - San Rafael, California

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Looking to replace my bike rack keys, not only did Tim have the correct replacement keys, he also spent a considerable amount of time to help me remove the rack for the winter! Thanks very much, Tim!!! Highly recommend these guys read more

Amazing staff who went the extra mile for me as well as how accommodating they were to the other customers in the shop. Excellent!!

So helpful, even though I don't live in CA anymore walked me through how to install new locks on my Thule for 10 minutes. Love this place.

I always start by saying I dont write a lot of reviews...but mad props to the guys at rack n road (ryan and chris!) for their super hookup of the box and bike racks for my x5. i had an old system on my x3 and called around and no one, even REI, would re-install on my new car, wanting to charge me for a whole new system. I brought it to these guys and we found out we just needed some adapters. I bought them online (it was faster) and they installed the whole system for me no problem. In addition i got a big new cargo box (i wanted a thule, but they talked me into the Inno box) and to be honest....great call. The Inno is WAYY better, opens on both sides, and is super high quality (and makes no wind noise). And...its looks good. Worth every penny! Thanks again guys! read more

Rack N Road - Outdoor Gear Near Me - San Rafael, California

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This is partially my fault for not asking more questions about it but the clerk when I ordered my crossbars and scheduled the appointment to install them SHOULD have been more forthcoming that it was going to cost me $300 to remove my old crossbars and put on the new ones. (According to the tracker on my car, it looks like the job took about 20 minutes too.) I had no idea it was that much until I got my actual receipt because the one the emailed me when I scheduled everything didn't have all of the information filled in because it "was an estimate." This place was recommended to me, and I foolishly trusted that source, but I wish I would have shopped around more. I would love an explanation of why a job that took 20 minutes cost me $300 in labor. UPDATE: Within half an hour of posting a 3-star review, I got a call from Chris who explained it was an error on their part (hiring lots of new people who are still getting on board with their training) and he arranged for me to get a refund of the extra charges. read more

They refused to honor their $50 promotion card, which contained no expiration date and no conditions regarding its utilization. I was alarmed at this business practice and wanted to voice my concern. When I went into the store to use the card, the employee in charge made an illogical case that the card was useless but clearly acknowledged that it their store created the card and that it had no expiration date. He proceeded to have a 20 minute phone call with a supervisor yet provided no rational explanation as to how I could properly use their card at their store. I was then reassured that I would receive a phone call from a manager about the situation but it has been a couple months and I have never received a follow up. I hope that the business will address this situation with their employees. read more

I love this store and have always found them to be friendly, helpful, generous with there time and a great resource for spare parts and new Thule racks for each car I've purchased over the past 20 years. I will keep going back and telling others to support this local business. read more

I tried to work with this shop but the communication problems were persistent. Starting in March 2021, I requested the installation of a trailer hitch, a gear box, and a bike rack on the rear of my camper van. I paid around $2500 for the parts to be ordered. In April I brought the van in, left it for the day, only to be told at the end of the day that the wrong hitch had been ordered and they hadn't been able to do the installation. I was assured they would reorder the correct part and get back in touch with me soon. I never heard from them, and over the next 2 months, I attempted to get in touch with them repeatedly. They rarely answer the phone and their voice message says it's best to come into the store for any requests, which is obviously not convenient when just trying to schedule an appointment. In late June I finally got in touch (still hadn't been contacted by the shop) and was told that my parts were now available (unclear how long they had been in the shop). I was also told that I owed another $1700, but when I asked for the breakdown of that unexpected amount, it was clear that it included wiring for the hitch which was already factory installed and had been noted on the first (failed) visit. Installation finally happened on July 6th. Everything seemed fine when I picked the van up, other than a bizarre conversation where I was told that they wired the hitch for me for free, me explaining that it was already wired by the factory, and them showing me some additional wiring they had performed which was not connected to anything, but could, if I wanted, be hooked up to lights. When I asked where and why I might want lights, it was unclear other than I could illuminate my license plate or attach lights to the gearbox. When I asked if that was required by law for visibility, I got a bizarre speech about how if I get pulled over for my license plate not being visible I can just ignore the police because they're all just on "power trips" anyways. I couldn't get a straight answer about the lights, type or function. They finally admitted that this additional wiring had been performed in error, and that's why it was "free." However, on July 14th, when packing for a 1 month long road trip, we realized that there were no lock cassettes present on the bike racks. There are approximately 5-6 other lock cassettes installed on various other parts of the assembly, but none on the bike locks. Not having time to contact or visit Rack N Road, we made do with a cable lock for the rest of the trip. I emailed the shop, but did not receive a response. Upon returning to the Bay Area, I emailed the shop again (again, can't get through by phone), and received a return phone call this morning. I was told that the bike locks aren't included, given a long explanation of how the catalog lists included parts for all the different components I bought (a catalog I wouldn't have had access to), and told I could return to purchase them for $40. As I was never told that the bike locks were extra or offered the chance to purchase them before leaving the shop, I consider this to be an avoidable oversight. Having spent over $3500 for the system, I expected it to be complete and fully functional. I know this shop is struggling with an increase in demand, a problem with supply, and is looking for more staff. I appreciate how difficult the past 1 1/2 years have been for businesses. However, there are systematic communication problems that need to be addressed and that is the reason for my poor rating and long rant. read more

Great place to get trailer hitches, racks, and overhead carriers for gear. I got a Saris EX 3 bike carrier rack for my 2019 Mazda 3 4 door hatchback. Good service but the guy had no time to show me how to use it. ($40 extra). It was not easy for me to learn to use as I am rather challenged with complex systems. (I'm used to a vintage bike rack with tons of bungee cords). Since I was going off on a trip without my long-suffering and extremely helpful partner, he had to show me how to put it on. He went to the Internet to read all the comments and advice from others. He went out and got these extra straps and foam blocks to protect the car. We will also be ordering some skins for the car to protect the paint. REI has the same rack for a dollar more but it was not available in the store. So... if you are not in a hurry, your experience will be better. If you are handy and already experienced with bike racks and roof racks and such, you will find it great. If you need a trailer hitch - go to Rack and Road and NOT U-Haul. These guys know their stuff. I didn't need one but I could see that they do install them. My ex had them install one on one of his cars and said it fits his bike rack exactly. I made it up to Tahoe from Oakland with bikes intact. Had to take everything off the car in dark conditions so if you have to do that, you might want to have someone hold a flashlight or wear a head lamp. The Saris is fantastic! The bikes never budged. read more

We have been a returning customer to Rack and Road for a number of years. They are incredibly knowledgeable and professional, and have an immense amount of integrity, These folks really understand customer service and know their business well. We continue to travel from Oakland to San Rafael if we need anything relating to our bike racks because we know they will take the best care of us. if you need anything related to a bike rack; the hardware, installation or repair this is the place in the Bay Area. Cannot say enough good things. Ryan is the best. \ read more

These guys are the best! Super friendly and knowledgeable about their products. Helped me find exactly what I needed. It was easy to get an appointment to install the truck rack system and they did an amazing job. I couldn't be happier, highly recommended! read more

The hours posted on google say open at 9am, store opens at 10am. A little person runs the store and appears "put out" in trying to help you select a rack system or with answering any pertinent questions. In fact, it almost felt like he did not want to sell me anything. I purchased KUAC bike rack for $600.00 and he treated me like I was buying a pack of spearmint gum and offered no support with or was willing to accommodate me with any same day set up appointment. He also charged me an additional $40.00 for the showroom model. An associate named Luis was extremely helpful, assisted me with ensuring my rack was put on correctly, he apologized for his colleague's behavior and understood my grievance. This is a good shop and always has been. Don't let this salesperson turn you away. read more

If you need a rack system or repairs, go here. From any distance it is worth the trip. I had a Thule Ski system and needed the keys and installation fixed. I stopped by the San Rafael Rack n Road, and the helpful crew, and Ryan, were able to get everything sorted out quickly. They have a great product selection, and sell/service many brands of racks. It is not often that you find superb customer service, but I found that at Rack N Road San Rafael. read more

Excellent service. Found a kayak rack quickly and the person behind the counter checked my car to make sure the rack would fit. Highly recommend! read more

I have used Rack and Road to install trailer hitches on two of my previous SUV's. I have also purchased bike and ski racks from them, so they were my first choice for my wife's Macan when it needed a class 3 hitch. I went in and discussed the price and install with them, and said that the car may be wired for a hitch, as it had one installed by the previous owner (who removed the hitch). They said they would take a look and let me know when they were doing the hitch install. Next, I got a call that the hitch was installed and ready for pick up, but that it wasn't wired for lights. I asked - so, you installed the wiring...? No, I hadn't asked to have the wiring installed, but in fact, WE had discussed that I needed a flat 4 connector when we originally discussed the installation...? I told them I could not use the hitch without the appropriate wiring. They called back and told me they would need the car till the next day, and that the wiring install would be an additional $350...which was fine. When I came to collect the car, the wiring install was $450 dollars - when I asked why, they said that the wiring kit was an additional $100...I guess in my world, when you say that installing something costs X, that's all in. The person I worked with said he didn't know the cost of the wiring kit when he spoke to me, but he might have mentioned that the kit would be additional cost? By this point, I was just frustrated with the confusion and lack of clarity and wanted my car. When they pulled it forward, I asked where the wiring connector was, because in EVERY OTHER INSTALL they did for me, the connector is next to the hitch, but this time, the connector is inside the car (photo below). The connector has to be hung out the back of the car, with the hatch closed on it, which is not what I was expecting. I said, that connector should be next to the hitch - to which I was told that to do that they would need to drill a hole to make that happen.... Well, this was never mentioned before, and frankly, if given the option, I would have been happy to have the wiring mounted properly, even if it required a hole. And, the wiring they installed doesn't even reach down to the hitch...? (see photo below) (I've also included a picture of a Macan with trailer that clearly doesn't have wiring hanging out the hatch). This installation cost almost $1,200! In summary, disappointed in the clarity of the transaction, and disappointed in the result. Rack and Road was always great before...maybe they are under new ownership. tim I have revised this review to 4 stars because Ryan, the business owner, very cordially reached out to me and apologized for any mis-communication and offered to make things right with me, giving me an extension to the wiring so that it would reach the hitch. I would advise that when you get a hitch from Rack and Road, be sure to ask if the quote includes parts and labor, and whether the wiring will be installed inside or outside of the vehicle, and if you have a choice, what will need to happen to have the wiring installed outside the car (I chose not to go ahead with having the wiring mounted outside the car, even though Ryan offered to do that for me, because it sounded like a number of holes would need to be drilled in my Macan, and that sounded a bit sketchy from a corrosion standpoint...). Thank you Ryan for the excellent customer support. tim read more

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When I purchased a car accidentally without the trailer hitch I assumed came standard, I called Ryan. He quickly found me just the right hitch to haul our family's trailer with room to grow. Every service member was friendly and helpful as I navigated new waters. We had quick turn around, everything was installed to perfection and couldn't be happier with our new found freedom to travel anytime! Thanks Rack N Road! read more

Oh man! I don't know where to start, I mean from the great customer service, to going out of the way to ensure satisfaction. The story starts with a Thule fit kit and my brother found this store and got a hold of Ryan "The owner" he helped us overnight the item but surely Thule toke their time to deliver it. I was amazed on how Ryan and his team give me a good discount, daily updates on my order and then additional discount and not to mention that Ryan delivered it to me in Concord, CA. What else do you want to hear as a consumer? I give these guys big thumbs up and I anything I can do to help them grow and refer anyone I know. Sorry for being 10 minutes late to meet you Ryan "Wink" read more

Fantastic service, very patient and super knowledgeable. I was able to confidently purchase my full package, hitch and rack. Tim and Schuyler were the best! read more

I was looking to add a trailer hitch to my Subaru Forester and researched a few dealers that sold and installed hitches in the Bay Area. Although I live in the East Bay, I decided to drive across the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge to purchase and have the hitch installed at Rack N Road in San Rafael. I appreciated the shop's price-matching policy and the customer service from Rack N Road's staff. The quality of the installation was perfect; I only wish there was a waiting room available but I found refuge at a nearby auto dealership during the install. Many thanks to Ryan and his staff for providing great service! read more

Jace and his team are top notch. I would've bought my roof storage bin long ago if I'd know the purchasing experience was so easy. These guys are a class act. read more

A hitch rack for my bike was my first experience here & it was so excellent I returned years later for a roof rack surfboard carrier & Thule lock box. From the friendly sales staff to the amazing installers, my cargo & I couldn't be happier! read more

Rack N Road - Great rack. - Outdoor Gear Near Me - San Rafael, California

Needed a spare part today. Totally impressed with their knowledge, professionalism and attention. It is obvious why so many customers trust them with their vehicles and gear. They helped me get a working part for my Thule cargo box even though it is over 10 years old. This made me really comfortable leaving for the mountains on time. read more

Customer service that was excellent. Pulled into the store, trying to buy some missing stabilizer bars that had torn off my Tule bike rack. Because of Covid, Chris at the store told me the wait would be pretty long until the ordered part came in and he told me of a quicker resource (the Tule website itself). Putting the customer first impressed me. To top it off, when I expressed embarrassment that I was having trouble removing the rack from the hitch (apparently it had rusted solid over the years), he worked intently for 15 minutes with his trusty can of WD-40 until he succeeded (no charge!). I recommend wholeheartedly Chris and this store for its honesty and knowledge read more

I cannot say enough about this place and Ryan. I came here with some questions about what cargo carrier to buy for the top of my SUV. Ryan took the time to talk me through the options, measure my racks and advise me. I wound up buying the case in Southern California so I wasn't able to buy the case here but when I was having a little trouble with the fit, I brought my car in to see if Ryan could help me. He had told me in our first meeting that he could adjust the clamps that secure the carrier to the racks if I was having trouble opening my rear hatch door all the way. Even though I didn't purchase the case here, Ryan once again took the time to help me out, spending nearly a half hour adjusting my clamps and making it so my rear door can open all the way. Exceptional customer service, awesome selection. I 100% will be coming here for any and all future needs. Thanks guys!! read more

This is a very good shop. They stock a lot, so it will probably be one-stop-shopping for you. Or, if you're like me and you have a mish-mash of Yakima parts dating from 1988 to more recent acquisitions... they will keep it all going and fitting your vehicle. Over the years they have helped me on a number of fittings, most recently, they helped me coordinate my locks so one key would do everything instead of three. After buying the cores, she showed me very clearly how to install since it had been a couple decades... (Yakima themselves have helped me too, they totally stand behind their products no matter how old.) Also, Tim set me up with something I've never had, a noise-reducing spoiler- it works awesome! I really didn't think it would do much, but my car went from uncomfortably loud on the highway to silent up to 60, barely noticeable at 70, and not bad at 80-85. With three bikes on the roof, I mostly kept it down to 70 - 75 on I-5 just to save fuel economy. Couldn't have done our road trips without the proper setup. read more

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I had another positive experience with RNR this week. They installed a stealth hitch on my Tesla Model 3. While a bit pricey, they always do high quality work. Only challenge is their lack of parking right at the store, which is not a new thing. read more

These folks are great, came here about a year ago to install a hitch with wiring. A the time I did not add the brake wire, came back one year latter, the folks remembered my vehicle and took care of me. Didn't feel like I was overcharged for anything and they hooked me up with reinstalling a ball hitch that I didn't even get from them. I am a big fan of REI because of the dividends, but I will always come here if I have to make a big investment on roof top boxes, or other carriers for our outdoor toys. I highly recommend this place if you don't know anything about hitches or are an experienced towing operator. read more

Rack N Road - Outdoor Gear Near Me - San Rafael, California

Excellent customer service and quick installation!! Bike racks. Roof racks. Yeti coolers and tumblers. read more

They were very helpful over the phone, explained what I'd need and offered recommendations since I knew nothing about surf racks whatsoever, and they let me purchase the rack over the phone before my appointment to ensure they wouldn't be out of stock when I came in. When I came for my installation appointment, they were friendly and efficient, even parked and backed my car out of the narrow garage for me and helped me reverse into traffic on the busy street by stopping traffic! I was super grateful for that help. Rack looks great! Glad I found them! read more

Well, Rack N Road came through again. I needed a hitch for my 2019 Subaru Forester Sport. Since the redesign of the Forester, finding a hitch was not going to be easy. However, Rack N Road knew what I needed and special ordered the hitch. Once it arrived ( Torklift Eco Hitch), it was installed and looks outstanding. The only part visible is the receiver and the hitch looks really clean when the bike rack is not attached. Was it "cheap"? No, but far cheaper, and installed by a very knowledgeable technician, than if it had been installed by the dealer. Subaru also does not have a 2" receiver option, but Rack N Road was able to install one. The quality of the work is second to none. This is my third different hitch installed by Rack N Road and I simply would not let anyone else install a hitch on my vehicles. True professionals. read more

Ryan went above and beyond delivering a pin for a bike rack directly to my home in the East Bay. He took the time to explain how to install the pin and worked with me to find the correct model . I also was impressed by how quickly and easily I was able to schedule the installation of my hitch . There had been some previous issues with an old hitch interfering with my Toyota's truck closing but the team worked around this and everything works perfectly . Would definitely recommend this shop ! read more

These guys and gals are great! I've had a good experience every time I've ordered equipment and/or had it installed. They are good people and I trust them to do the job right and with integrity! read more