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Transport your bikes without giving up the convenience of full rear vehicle access
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Technical Details
- New Improved swing away design for rear vehicle access- Hitch Switch quick-release lever for fast storage of bike carrier arms
- Carries up to 4 bikes- 2" hitch only
- Integrated locking cable stores conveniently in carrier
- No Sway Cage prevents bike to bike contact
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By Dan Weaver (charlotte)
This is a solid, durable bike rack and the swing feature is great. Every major component of the rack is excellent and up to the Thule standard - EXCEPT ONE. The anti-sway component is a poorly engineered, cheap, piece of junk that will damage your bike. I have three bicycles that carry scars from the antisway accessory. Unfortunately you need the antisway so that your bikes do not rock and bang into each other on the rack. I strongly suggest that you never strap a carbon frame bike to the anti-sway. At the point(s) where the bike frame touches the antisway I have a brand new Cervelo P3 that has a dime sized area with no paint on it. My road bike, TT bike and my son's aluminum frame road bike all have scars from this rack.
I cant afford a new rack so I've glued felt to all points on the rack that touch the bike frame. This looks terrible but it is protecting my bicycles. You can also use an old inner tube as a protective sleeve over your frame. It's a shame that Thule ruined an otherwise excellent rack with such a poorly thought out anti-sway device. I guess the idea is to save $2 at the risk of damaging a bicycle frame that costs $'000s.
If you take good care of your bikes, I would look for another option. If you dont mind the missing paint, it's a solid rack.
By COBiker (Denver)
I spent a lot of time researching various brands and styles of bike racks. I settled on a hitch mount rack since loading three bikes on top of my Toyota Highlander would be a chore for me, and for my wife, impossible. I finally bit the bullet and spent $400 at REI for the rack.
This is a very solid and heavy rack. It weighs about fifty lbs. Construction is excellent. It is easy to assemble. There are two pivot points on the swing arm which allow the rack to move out of the way of the vehicle tail gate. I put light layer of wheel bearing grease on these before installation, though the manual did not call for it. The pins look like they might have a teflon coating, however, the grease will help repel water in the future. Everything moves easily with a full load of bikes. I also applied thread locking compound to the nuts on the pins, they have plastic lock washers on the nuts, however, road vibration can eventually work these loose (I used to be an automotive engineer, btw.) The nuts and bolts are 19 mm, using a socket wrench and a box wrench during installation will be much easier than the wrenches supplied with the rack.
Loading the bikes is simple. Thule also provides four very effective anti-sway brackets to keep the bikes from rocking. A nylon strap comes with the rack as a final measure to secure everything. The rack comes with an integrated locking cable for the bikes which tucks neatly into the frame. As another reviewer mentioned, this will probably slow down a thief not prevent one who is intent on stealing your bikes so you may want to invest in a Kryptonite lock and cable.
The rack mounts to 2" hitch receiver. Make sure your car has a 2" hitch or an adapter before buying this rack. Now here's the tricky part: the rack is bolted into the hitch. The bolt goes through the hitch and threads into the rack. It is very easy to improperly align the bolt and the threads, thus ruining the bolt/threads. I almost did this. Just be careful lining everything up. The bolt should thread with little resistance. If the bolts is in slightly and you are having trouble tightening it, take it out and check to make sure the threads are not boogered up.
Do not underestimated the convenience of a swing out rack! This is worth the extra $100 to $150 you pay for this rack. The first time you leave something in the back of your car you will be glad you have this feature. Enjoy.
By J. Escasan Leal (San Diego, CA)
We just did a long trip to Utah on the family mini-van and this rack was perfect, traveling with kids was very convenient to be able to open the mini van back door without needing to unmount the bikes. The only issue, as with all racks other than roof racks, is that the bikes can scratch a lot , I removed one of the bike supports to convert it in a 3 bikes rack instead of 4 bikes. That way i was able to protect better the bikes, doing this I avoided the bikes touching each other. I have a rav4 with roof racks but I just ordered a hitch for it to use this rack as well on it, this way now I can carry 6 bikes securely on my car on group weekends rides and enjoy friends even on the ride to the trail and load gear on the back of the car without dismounting bikes every stop to pick up a rider
By JWO (California)
I purchased this item from Amazon retailer, Rack Attack. PROS: 1) After using this item on a recent camping trip and a 10-day vacation, I wouldn't even consider a bike carrier that didn't swing-out and provide access to the rear hatch of my SUV. I used the swing-out feature numerous times during both those trips and while loading/unloading vehicle., 2) IMPORTANT! The swing-out feature also allowed me to store and secure my bikes conveniently on the carrier when not in use. Indispensible during the overnight and for those daylong sightseeing trips., 3) When not in use, the rack's fold-down feature is both functionally and aesthetically pleasing., 4) Well designed. CONS: 1) Price. However, the swing-out feature definitely justifys the extra cost. Amazon's competative pricing, no-sales-tax and free shipping sealed the deal and softened the blow. A definite "feel good" moment during these troubled economic times. 2)The built-in Thule cable lock alone is no match for a pair of bolt cutters. I ramped up the security with two Kryptonite Cables and three Kyryptonite U-Locks securing the bikes' wheels AND frames to the carrier's hitch post. Although time consuming and tedious, my bikes were still on the carrier every time I walked out to my vehicle., 2) Bulky. The carrier may require a dedicated space of its own in the garage. In conclusion, this item is well designed and a must-have for those who enjoy traveling with their bicycles. For those who don't...the Thule 964 Revolver 4-Bike Strap/Hitch Carrier might just change your mind.
By Sharon M. Martin
Bike rack is very user-friendly. I love that we can open the back of the vehicle while bikes are attached...huge plus! Much more convenient than a roof rack. Highly recommend it. It's worth the price.
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