Utah is home to some of the world’s most popular skiing and mountain biking, but for years, people have been using imperfect — and sometimes unusual — means to get their gear to the mountains. University of Utah entrepreneurship student James Linton and co-founder Charles McNall, a professional engineer, believe they have the answer.
After seasons of experimenting with different ski and bike racks, Linton and McNall designed and brought to market a new, family-family adventure rack: the Chuck Rack.
“The idea is that a family can, with one lightweight and storable rack, carry six bikes or eight pairs of skis with a fully loaded vehicle to wherever they want to go,” said Linton.
The Chuck Rack is a modular trailer-hitch-mounted rack system designed to carry everything from skis to bikes to camping gear. Each part of the modular rack can be installed separately and each weigh less than 20 pounds — because those who’ve experienced it know that installing a 60-pound vertical bike rack is a pain.
The company shows no signs of stopping, and so far, consumers’ reception has been positive.
“It’s awesome to hear from people that get their racks, and they just love how convenient it is for them,” Linton said.
Linton and McNall hope to eventually compete with the likes of Yakima and Alta Racks as they expand their product line. Future ideas include attachments for van showers, surfboards, kayaks, and more.
More articles like this in ‘Student Innovation @ the U!’
Find this article and a lot more in the 2023 “Student Innovation @ the U” report. The publication is presented by the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute to celebrate student innovators, change-makers, and entrepreneurs.
