Thule T2 Pro XT 2 Hitch Bike Rack (2"), Black, Model: 9034XTB

We are taking our rack for the first time on a trip to Big Bear this weekend. The assembly was fairly easy, and following the instructions, I had been driving around with with the rack (without bikes) for about 200 miles already before the first use fully loaded. Last night we set it up with bikes, and it was really easy to secure a bike on it. There are multiple YouTube videos out there, if you need assistance with assembly and setup. The rack is super well made. Very durable material, and very easy to set up and use while allowing for trunk access when loaded. That was the selling point for me. It folds up for easy transportation when not in use, and it folds down for trunk access when loaded with bikes. I will get an additional lock to secure the rack to the hitch in addition to the built-in lock, which probably works just fine. But since we are traveling with it and leave it in front of a hotel at night, I’d rather have the additional security of an extra Kryptonite lock securing it to the car hitch. We also bought the extension, which we will put on tonight. I’ll review that as well. From what I have seen so far, this is one of the best bike racks I have seen out there. Should it not hold up to standards, I will revise this review after our trip this Memorial Day weekend.

So far so good. Only used it to transport our bikes a few times so far but we based our purchase decision off video reviews and have found our purchase to be expensively worth it if your NOT riding on cheap bikes ($1000+). Integrated bike locks and attachment method is a vast improvement to other bike racks. Holds equipment firm. Instructions are visual only (no language indications so some mechanical aptitude may be necessary). Fits both my 29er and girlfriends road bike just fine. Can accommodate fat tire bikes too. Overeall great but with easy and quick mounting abilities.No major pieces are plastic so not the lightest of racks either but definetly dependable. Comes with multiple sets of keys (unsure if purpose to to re-key locks?).Our bikes aren't cheap and better to hold carbon frame bikes by wheels than frame. Fits my 2" truck hitch and girlfriends Subaru just fine. The fact that it folds not only up but slightly down to obtain gear from truck bed/trunk makes it highly convenient. If you want to purchase something that's lasts and only once go this route, you won't be disappointed.

We have two e-mtb which are heavier than normal bikes. This rack is very stable and easy to put on and off. I sold my Yakima rack where the bikes hung from their crossbar. It was scratching up my bike frames and possibly damaging the carbon fiber frames. This rack is easy to setup and take the bikes on and off. The security feature is ok but I wouldn't leave my bikes on without keeping an eye on the car. One scary time my son put the bike on and forgot to check. The arm fell off and the bike was dragging behind the vehicle. Fortunately the back strap held and didn't completely release my bike onto the highway. It damaged the handlebar but otherwise unscathed. I think the bar wasn't fully locked down and a bump caused it to release. Since then I'm very careful to triple check the locking mechanism and use the safety lock feature as an extra measure. This would be my only complaint.

You want to know the cons first, don't you? Course you do.So beyond the fact that jesus did I really have to spend $700 for a bike rack...Instructions are bad. Some report receiving booklets with blank pages; even complete ones are better left to one side. Just watch an install video on YouTube. It actually doesn't take that long to get it right and ready to use. Depending on how much you fiddle with it and what your hitch situation is, should take 30-60 minutes.You might need a hitch extender (you can see mine in the side photo). That increases the cost. I needed it to clear my spare tire.Other than that-- pretty good rack! At first I thought they didn't give me bike locks, but they did. You can lock each bike you carry through a lock on the arm.I put it together myself and just needed a little help from someone to tweak it. That was moreso because I am putting a recumbent bike on it, as you see from the photos. The instruction manual explicitly says it does not work with recumbents, but I guess Thule has not met the Cruzbike. It has full size tires and isn't your average recumbent.

I've spent hours researching a platform type rack for my plus size tire mountain bikes. Thule meets all family requirements. It supports all bike sizes out of the box, from 20" kids bikes and up to adult 29" fat tire with 5-inch wide tires. Works with road bikes the same way. There's nothing extra to purchase. No additional tinkering, it just works.The built quality is like everything Thule. High end materials, good looking design, well-thought in every aspect. I've been choosing between Saris Superclamp EX, Kuat NV 2.0, and this Thule. Almost ordered Saris for being the most compact for four bikes carrier, but was worried about hitch wobbling in its construction and multiple reviews with complains about it, the other thing about Saris was wheel cages that are hanging baskets vs Thule having them mounted on top of the metal base, which is much more reliable, in my opinion. I've seen reviews about Saris wheel cages breaking and cracking under the weight of the bike.Kuat was a nice choice as well, but had some issues with extra adapters needed for far tires and kids bikes support. Overall, the best platform racks for me were Kuat and Thule with Thule being more universal and Kuat having a sleek design and similar built quality. Thule won the competition. It feels durable and is going to last for years.