( 10 reviews )
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Posted: Aug 17 2009
I got this rack when I got a new (small) SUV, and the old trunk-mounted bike rack wasn't compatible. We wanted something a lot sturdier anyway, and this is definitely it. I have complete confidence in the Thule brand -- we didn't even consider another. And this particular rack is the one that works well for us. It's easy to install and remove, and it's very easy to mount your bikes. A couple of well-placed levers make it easy to fold the rack section down when not in use and to slant the whole device back (without the bikes mounted) so you can open the hatch of the SUV. (You can buy longer hitches that keep the bikes farther away from the back of the vehicle if you have a larger SUV.) This is a solid piece of equipment. I did two hours of highway driving with the bikes secured to the rack -- they didn't move! No wobbling, no wheel spinning -- nada! I feel very secure with this rack, and of course, love the fact that we don't have to deal with the inconvenience of a roof rack. Bear in mind that you need to have a trailer hitch. And if you're going to be leaving your bikes unattended for any length of time, I would definitely recommend locks for the bikes AND for the rack. It's so easy to remove the rack, that a thief could very easily take it and the bikes with very little effort.
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Posted: Apr 8 2009
Easy to put together and very versatile. One of the clips to lower the bike arm was busted during the shipping, which PO'ed me since I just paid big bucks. Delivery came in original box and should have been repackaged or boxed in another box. Otherwise, I would have given 5 stars.
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Posted: Sep 10 2008
This bike rack is a very good buy. It's very stable and is built solid. The rubber straps that hold the bike down don't seem cheap and seem like they will last for a while. The rubber that the bike sits on is soft and wont scratch your paint. The bikes sway when you drive and the front wheel turns. To counter that there is a cinch strap that comes with it and I strap the crank to the rack and then take the excess and tie the front wheel off and stick the excess in the trunk door. I took an old inner tube and wrapped it around the vertical part of the rack so the pedal doesn't scratch the paint.
