Allen Bike Racks Allen Racks Universal Locking Hitch Pin 501L - Car, Truck

The Allen 501L Universal Stainless Steel Locking Hitch Pin for 2-Inch or 1 1/4-Inch Receiver Hitches functions to lock and tighten all 2-inch and 1-1/4-inch receiver racks. (It should be noted that this device, unlike the 500L-model hitch pin, will not work with Allen receiver racks.) The solid brass locking cylinder and cylinder case are durable and work to prevent bike theft. The lock is further secured by the internal O ring and water-tight cap, which protect the locking mechanism. The device also integrates a stainless steel nut, which tightens the rack inside of the hitch, eliminating bike wobble. The set includes 3 keys. What's in the Box? 501L locking hitch pin and three keys About Allen Bike Racks In 1967, after a few years of working on the aerospace technology for the Apollo missions, Dick Allen was out of a job. Government cutbacks led Allen, a Harvard-trained physicist, to transform his garage hobby into a new industry. A cycling enthusiast, inventor, and family man, Allen had a personal need for a bike-carrying device. On weekends, he would take his sons and wife to Cape Cod or the White Mountains of New Hampshire. What proved difficult time and again was the transport of his family?s bicycles. Rather than fight through inconvenience with twine and a dinged car, Allen sought an answer for himself as well as a market in which he foresaw major growth possibilities. Always a pathfinder, Allen took to work in his Lincoln, Massachusetts garage in search of a more efficient way to transport bikes. Drafting designs during the day and constructing them throughout the night, he put together a model made of electrical conduit, metal strapping, and fire hose casings (for padding). At first, the Allens? tested the prototype on weekend excursions. Finding the first trunk-mounted rack to be a success, Dick started Allen Bike Racks. Dealer acceptance came quickly, and by 1971 Allen Bike Racks were sold nationally through a number of major bicycle distributors. Today, the company owns over three dozen patents and offers a versatile product line of bike racks while Dick?s son Alex now owns and operates the business. What started out as a small garage run operation now operates three warehouses nationally, two factories abroad, and has products sold in more than a dozen countries around the world.  more