The Toaster is claimed to be the world's most portable bike rack and from the looks of things, that may very well be the case. It folds flat when not in use, and can accommodate up to five bikes of almost any wheel size.
Manufactured by Atlanta, Georgia-based startup AHHA, the Toaster is made of powder-coated aluminum with stainless steel fasteners, and it reportedly tips the scales at 14 lb (6.4 kg). When folded down, it forms a 30 x 32 x 2-inch (762 x 813 x 51-mm) rectangular package.
Setting the device up is a matter of just laying it flat on the ground, pulling its wheel-slot section up so it stands vertically (perpendicular to the base), then flipping a hinged hook on the base to lock the Toaster in that configuration. It can then play host to as many as five bikes, rolled in from either side.
If those bicycles are mountain bikes – with their relatively fat tires – the Toaster is used as is. The slots are 2.79 inches wide (71 mm), so fatbikes will have to look elsewhere.
If the bikes are of the skinnier-tired road or gravel variety, optional recycled-plastic sizing grommets are slid into the top and bottom of the slot(s) as needed. A set of two pink grommets reduces the width of the slot to 34 mm (for road bike tires), while a set of blue ones reduces the width to 51 mm (for gravel bike tires).
Although the Toaster is designed mainly for use at trailheads, starting lines, or other away-from-home locations, it would also serve as a nice, unobtrusive means of storing bikes in dwellings where space is limited. And if there are more than five bikes to park, multiple Toasters can be daisy-chained together via optional side connectors.
It should be noted that the Toaster was the subject of an unsuccessful Kickstarter campaign last September. That said, the device will be showcased next month at the Sea Otter Classic cycling festival in California, and it can now be ordered through the company website for US$399. The grommets are listed as "coming soon," and cost $45 a pair.
A demo of the setup process can be seen below.
Source: AHHA
