Every type of gear has a top of the line product. In golf, they feature labels like Calloway or Ping. In biking it’s Trek or Fisher. When it comes to the racks that carry those bikes, Thule is at the top of the list. And the Thule T2 represents the best of the best! Independent testing groups and happy customers concur: this is one fantastic bike rack! This hitch-mounted unit offers it all, from simple installation to quick, upright loading without removing wheels. And because there is no top clamp as in most hitch-mounts, the T2 handles any bikes regardless of frame size or shape. Mix and match on the rack, and there are no problems.
The T2 starts as a 2 bike unit, with a simple adapter available to double its capacity to 4 bikes and 160 pounds! Strength and durability go hand in hand, and the innovative securing clamps keep bikes right where you want them. The beauty of this style of bike rack is that it is a hitch mount rack and it keeps the bikes on the back of the truck where they are very accessible and easy to load on and off. The design also doesn't have any clamps or straps pulling on the down tubes so no scratching or issues there.
Simple to install, simple to load, extremely high quality all make this Thule hitch mount bike rack a winner.
Who Should Use the Thule T2 Bike Rack
The T2 is made for those who use their bike rack a lot, and carry high-quality rides that must be protected in transit. The price point is significant, but you get what you pay for in a rack that delivers industry-leading stability and long-lasting durability. If you own expensive bicycles then you know that lesser quality bike racks can wreak havoc on your paint and down tubes.
The design of the Thule T2 will not allow that to happen and will keep your bikes finish looking as fresh and new as possible. This rack is easy to load on and off and is a great choice for anyone who wants the best gear money can buy. If you buy online, chances are you can save enough money to make it worth it.
T2 916 Fits 2" Receivers (Most Common SUV style hitch)
T2 917 Fits 1.75" Receivers (Not quite as common but measure your hitch)
T2 918 Fits 1.25" Receivers (Light duty hitch typically on passenger cars)
The Thule 917 T2 allows for super easy bike loading and will accomodate just about any bicycle design, regardless of frame design, suspension or the size of the wheels. If you are concerned with not scratching your bike or having a clamp cranked down on your downtube then the Thule 917 T2 is a great choice for you.
2 bike carrier that Can expand to 4 bike carrier with addition of # 918 2 bike add on- sold separately
For 2" receivers only
Fits wheels 20-29" and up to 3" wide tires
Folds up for storage and down for rear vehicle access
Can be locked with 2 lock cylinders Not included
The ultimate in convenience and ease of use.
Review Date: July 20, 2007
Reviewer: Judith Blumhorst, SF Bay area, CA, USA
This is the BEST bike rack we've ever owned. It takes less than 30 seconds to load or unload a bike. It has changed the way we use our bikes. We take them everywhere now, even to the park for a 20 minute ride.
I leave it on the van all the time. It takes 5 seconds to move it out of the way when I need access to the rear of the van. There are no pins to remove, just flick the lever.
It took me about an hour to assemble it and put it in the receiver. I have had it for several months now and like it better as time goes on.
I have NO quality complaints about anything.
We used to have a two arm rack that swings out of the way. This one is much, much, much quicker and easier to use. We're out of the parking lot with our 3 bikes in under 3 minutes.
The best HITCH rack bar none!
Review Date: September 24, 2008
Reviewer: Auggie,
I researched exhaustively to determine the best hitch rack out there for me and my uber-expensive bike, and I finally settled on the Thule T2.
I couldn't be more pleased with the selection! Even the tools to completely assemble it are included (though the flat wrenches are a little painful to use when cranking down on them).
Easy of use, sturdy construction, adjustable rails both sideways AND fore/aft, tilt up for stowage AND tilt down for rear car access, none of the other brands out there can compare to all these features combined. Though not the most elegant looking rack, these are quality built and very functional. Even the plastic wheel well is very solid and thick, unlike the more flimsy, aluminum-strip backed Saris Thelma's.
Bikes load and unload ridiculously fast and easy that my 8 year old niece can do it all by herself. Only the wheels are touched, leaving the frame unmarred and unstressed. And if I need more capacity later, I can add on a 2-bike extension.
For all its functionality, it is a bit heavy (50 lbs), so it is a chore to install and remove if you must do it every time you ride (which I do since I bike almost every evening after work but don't want to keep the rack mounted during work). Finally, the included anti-wobble bolt has the potential to loosen and fall out since it uses both a flat and lock washer. I recommend not using the flat washer (meaning your receiver side will get chewed up from the lock washer digging into it) or buy the optional Thule STL2 locking hitch pin which locks on the end of the bolt thereby trapping the bolt completely on the receiver.
Rear tire clamp mounts are not safely secured to rails when not being used (at least, no guidance is provided in the instructions; I figured out a way to wrap the strap through the front tire arm). Low ground clearance means the lower tube hitting pavement on deep gutter crossings when hitched to a low profile car/mini-van.
Regarding security, lets be realistic: NO bike rack is theft-proof. ALL security measures can be defeated, given a determined and well-equipped thief. So degrading the rating of this rack to the lowest for having supposedly "no security" is not a fair assessment.
With that said, for the price, I feel this thing SHOULD have included at least lock cylinders for the arms as an out-of-the-box theft deterrent for the grab-and-go low lifes out there; having to buy them separately blows.
Regardless, you should add a cable lock that threads through both wheels, the frame(s) and to the hitch itself. Even then, I would never leave my bikes unattended, out-of-sight for any extended periods of time, no matter which brand of rack it was on (even though I have insurance that would cover the bike).
No rack is perfect. Each have their pros and cons. But the T2 has the best overall quality, durability, functionality, adjustability, ease-of-use, expandability, accessories and features. Overall, if you are hauling any worthy bike(s) of value on a carrier and have a receiver hitch, this is the rack to get. In fact, at a local trail I noticed that almost all of the hitch racks I saw in the parking lot were the T2.
As I ordered this through Amazon, I placed it on a Sunday for two-day delivery and it arrived the next day! That was simply AMAZING service! Thanks Amazon!
This is the BEST of the BEST (from a former Yakima owner!)
Review Date: September 20, 2007
Reviewer: S. Stubblefield, Seattle, WA USA
This rack truly is the best of the best. I've owned:
After being "married" to Yakima products for over 10 years, this is the first Thule product I've ever purchased and I'm very pleased. Bikes load easily and are stable when transporting. Accommodates almost ANY type frame and most importantly... the frames aren't scratched or damaged on long trips. Yakima's Full Swing would pinch the shift cables against the frame thus scratching the frame.
I'm an avid cyclist and my bikes are precious to me. The Thule T2 lets me transport my bikes without damages associated with other racks. Also, these racks are VERY similar to the racks used on Seattle City Buses.
I highly recommend this rack. I'll be purchasing the optional "add-on" rack (adds 2 more bike holders) in the near furture.
One of the best bike rakes on the market
Review Date: September 10, 2008
Reviewer: Cheng S. Chan, Portland, OR USA
I give this product a 5 stars rating not because it is perfect but it is the best ones available on the market could be found.
I was on the market for several months, and tried and owned a few brands and models (thanks to REI's total customer satisfaction guaranty). All bike rakes have minor design issues. I needed one bike rake which could carry 4 bikes in different designs and sizes. I ended up with this Thule 916 and 918 combo. I would say this is the one with best designs on the market for carrying up to 4 bikes, and am very happy with the quality as three months passed by.
If you are looking for a bike rack for carrying only one or two bikes, you may find any traditional bike rack design with double tubes holding bikes from the top would do a fine job. However, this type of bike rack won't hold 4 bikes as they claimed unless all 4 bike are in similar design and sizes (such as 4 road bike). I couldn't load our two hardtail, one BMX and a 16" kid's BMX onto a Thule 948 no matter how hard I tried (several attempts).
People are complaining about the locking system. This is only a minor problem to my opinion. Yes, it is terribly engineered. Please just don't spend your money on the locking system; instead, buy a few good cable locks for short term security. You should never leave your bikes on the street for too long since there is nothing could prevent a theft stealing your bike(s) untended.
Look out for Yakima and Sarris for similar rakes if you'd like to try other name brands.
Durable, easy-to-use rack
Review Date: December 26, 2008
Reviewer: C. Kennedy, Norman, OK
We have owned this rack for about two years now and it is amazingly easy to use. The rack isn't light, so expect to work a bit to get it onto your hitch, but once on, it is very convenient. If you have a rear hatch, you can fold the rack down and get things out of the back without removing your bikes (not that it would be hard to take them off and put them back on, putting both bikes on the rack takes about two minutes at the most.
The ultimate in convenience and ease of use.
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