Thule T2 Pro Rack - Review
Tray-style racks that bolt into a receiver hitch are one of the most common ways to transport a bike. While there are a load of different rack manufacturers to choose from, Thule is undoubtedly one of the most familiar brands, thanks in part to their nearly 75 years in business. The Swedish company's original T2 debuted back in 2005, and it's still one of the most commonly seen hitch racks, but after ten-plus years, Thule wisely chose to give it an update.
The result is the new $549.95 USD T2 Pro that, while sharing a similar name, is an entirely new beast altogether compared to the standard T2.
The result is the new $549.95 USD T2 Pro that, while sharing a similar name, is an entirely new beast altogether compared to the standard T2.
T2 Pro Details
• Folding hitch-style rack
• Fits 2'' and 1 1/4'' recievers
• Two-bike add-on (2'' only)
• Tool-free expanding wedge
• Locking receiver connection
• Integrated locks
• Wheel trays fit road to fatbike tires
• Independently adjustable trays
• T2 Pro MSRP: $549.95 USD
• Two-bike add-on: $399.95 USD
• www.thule.com
• Folding hitch-style rack
• Fits 2'' and 1 1/4'' recievers
• Two-bike add-on (2'' only)
• Tool-free expanding wedge
• Locking receiver connection
• Integrated locks
• Wheel trays fit road to fatbike tires
• Independently adjustable trays
• T2 Pro MSRP: $549.95 USD
• Two-bike add-on: $399.95 USD
• www.thule.com
The new T2 Pro features a much beefier folding mechanism compared to its predecessor.What sets the new T2 Pro and standard T2 ($399 USD) apart? The former features entirely different construction in every regard, but most notably when it comes to the rack's folding mechanism. The older T2 employs a normal looking hinge and safety pin layout, similar to what you'd see on most racks out there, whereas the T2 Pro's mechanism has a much wider stance, and the release handle is on the end of the rack rather than the base. This means that you don't have to reach over or under a bunch of dirty bikes to access it.
The T2 Pro attaches to the receiver without any tools thanks to an expanding wedge system, and its folding release handle is in an easy to reach location at the end of the rack.The rack's ratcheting arms also differ, with a new release button and a sturdier looking setup on the T2 Pro, as well as individual spring-loaded cable locks that extend out from the end of each arm. The rubber-coated cables are threaded through a bike's front triangle and then looped back on itself, where the simple lock latches onto the end of the cable. A motivated and prepared thief with a set of cutters could obviously make short work of them, but the locking cables limit the chance of a crime of opportunity, and they're more flexible than the standard T2's optional locking cores.
Thule also made sure that the key that locks and unlocks both cables is also the same one that locks and unlocks the tool-free wedge that tightens the T2 Pro into your car's receiver.
The new ratcheting arms are each home to a short cable lock.Installation (but not assembly) is a tool-free process, with a hitch wedge that tightens into your vehicle's receiver. The 'AutoAttach' expanding wedge system is accessed from the underside of the rack, and the dial itself is protected from the ground and debris by a skid plate. No more wrenches, sockets and fighting to get the rack and hitch connection to be wiggle-free, as tightening the wedge should take care of it. Thule has also included a steel 'stinger' of sorts that clips into the hole in your car's receiver that's usually reserved for a locking pin. You don't need a locking pin, remember, because of the AutoAttach dial's locking core. The idea with the stinger is to add a bit more safety, just in case someone forgets to tighten the wedge, or if there's a worst case scenario.
The 'stinger' bar adds a bit of safety.
The trays on the T2 Pro are much larger in size than the standard T2, and are home to folding arms that now have more clearance, along with front wheel trays that are shaped to work with everything from 23mm wide road bike tires to huge fat bike rubber. An adjustable and multi-position strap for the rear wheel is equally accommodating.
Road bike, fat bike, and anything in between will fit into the T2 Pro's trays.My number one complaint with most racks is how little clearance they afford in almost every regard, be it between the bikes themselves or between the rack and the ground, and it seems as though I'm not the only one out there who thinks that. Thule has added an extra inch between each tray that should limit the chance of contact, and the trays can also be slid laterally (but not horizontally relative to each other) to provide more clearance between the bikes. This isn't an on-the-fly job as it requires loosening four bolts per tray to make the adjustment, but it should only need to be done a single time.
According to Thule, they've increased the gap between the rack and the vehicle by a claimed forty percent, and this number, along with the claimed thirty-five percent increase in clearance when the rack is folded down to provide access to the back of your car, should make life easier.
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Performance
The T2 Pro comes mostly disassembled in a big box, and it takes about fifteen minutes to get it all set up with the included hex keys. It's not a difficult job by any means, and anyone who can read, or even follow along to some illustrated instructions, should be able to bang it out pretty quickly. Fitting the three locking cores - one for each cable lock, and one at the AutoAttach expanding wedge system - took a few extra minutes with the supplied loading key, but it's all pretty simple. Also, no annoying locking pin required.
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The AutoAttach expanding wedge system is pretty easy to use; you just turn the dial until everything snugs up, and then lock the core that gets slid into the end of the knob. There's zero rattling or play from the get-go, and the "stinger" clip adds some extra security. I backed the wedge off and tried to pull the rack out of my van's receiver, and while it was obviously loose, it wouldn't fall off and deposit my bike onto the road if I did happen to drive away while it was loose. But don't drive with it loose, though.
Bikes load the same as they do on any other tray-style rack, with the T2 Pro's ratcheting arms coming down firmly over the front wheel and the strap being fed over top of the rear wheel and ratcheting tight. The arm does make contact with the fork's front brake guide, or the fork itself, if you push it right up against the front of the bike, but you can leave an inch or so of space and have zero issues. The rear wheel strap is also long enough to easily snug down over any massive tire.
With the trays in their stock, centered position, your bikes will likely see some handlebar and seatpost contact, but sliding each tray in the opposite direction by a few inches will alleviate this. The bikes feel very secure, with the ratcheting arms holding them firmly enough that I doubt any 4X4 road would be able to dislodge them, no matter how rough. The ratchets never backed off over time, either, and when it did come time to remove the bikes, they didn't ever jam up and become hard to release. I've used other racks that actually forced me to deflate my front tire a bit in order to relieve some pressure on the ratchet and release the arm's death grip on my bike, but not so with the T2 Pro, no matter how hard I pushed the arm down over the wheel.
The folding mechanism is also still free of any free play, and the release handle on the end of the rack is a nice touch that makes things a bit easier, especially if you have your hands full with dirty gear or a bag of groceries. It's the little things, right? And speaking of little things, I never got a chance to see how the cable locks stood up to a criminal, but they sure are easy to use. You do need the key to lock them, not just unlock them, but they don't rattle inside of the arms when they're stored away, and they're there when you do need them.
I have just two grumbles when it comes to the T2 Pro's performance. First, I mainly ride alone (if you met me, you'd realize why) and therefore it was the inner tray and arm that saw the very large majority of use. Now, after over six months of packing bikes around, the arm is noticeably looser than the outer arm that sees much less action. It's not going anywhere, but there's a bit of rattle to it. And secondly, the rear wheel strap for the same tray is looking a little worse for wear, only because of the amount of soot and diesel smoke that is shot out of my van's tailpipe from less than two feet away. The strap itself is also curling at the end a bit from the heat and smoke, which also makes it kinda hard to thread through the ratcheting buckle. This is my neglected van's fault, no doubt, but it's worth noting since I'm sure the T2 Pro will end up on similar vehicles, and I haven't seen this issue with any of the other racks I've had on my van.
Pinkbike’s Take:
 | Choosing an expensive hitch rack is like choosing a partner for a long-term relationship - it has to be dependable, since it's going to be with you for years and years, and you'll probably never trust it again if it lets you down once. The ultra versatile T2 Pro held every bike I loaded onto it without complaint or issue, and, most of all, it's very easy and convenient to use. When it comes to bike racks, it's as close to being a long-term partner as I've ever found. - Mike Levy |
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@billybobzia: The reason why Thule can offer such a good deal is because it is all cheap molded plastic and cheap metal. Their markup on it is crazy. Now when you compare to 1UP racks, there is literally hardly any markup because of the quality materials they use. I'm a mechanical engineer and I know the labor costs associated with machining all of the parts required for the rack.
Why do the bikes not rub on the 1Up but they do rub on all the other racks?
I'll buy a T2 Classic too. I didn't even bother to read this review as I already read that it was crap compared to the classic, plus it cost at least 150 more!! (cad)
Also, I believe they do sell a hitch pin for them on their website.
Mostly though, I like having no plastic to bake in the sun. Cruising down the freeway with expensive toys out back is not a good time for plastic to fail.
You didn't experience it once with all those racks? How did you avoid it? I have made a adjustments laterally and it still hasn't fixed it.
Bike groups in one state (I forget which) managed to lobby for a bill to allow bike racks with a second paper plate (like a temp tag) attached to the back window. The problem is that in many other states, unless your rack is for a handicaped rack(like for a wheelchair) they won't give you a second plate, forcing you to remove the plate from your car to attach it to your rack. Which sucks if you ever take your rack off.
However, the story I told about the patrol car license plate readers being blocked, causing better enforcement of the law is based on a conversation a coworker had with a cop that pulled him over a few months ago. The way he explained it is that they're focusing on the issue now, not issuing tickets, but pulling people over & explaining the law, & that it will be better enforced now that they have a real test of visibility. Before, the law basically just said "it has to be visible" which means you could argue all sorts of stuff about how you can read it through the bike. For instance, my plate is pretty much visible between the downtube & fork if I only have one bike on the rack.
Now, however, the law(at least in AZ) has been amended to read that any plate that can't be read by an automated scanner doesn't meet the standard for "visible." Which means pretty much any plate that isn't mounted completely clear of obstruction.
At least where I'm from, this is a problem that's going to boil over sooner rather than later.
> The problem is that in many other states, unless your rack is for a handicaped rack(like for a wheelchair) they won't give you a second plate, forcing you to remove the plate from your car to attach it to your rack. Which sucks if you ever take your rack off.
This surprises me, here in the UK at least you can just buy an extra number plate from a garage (I even got one off eBay), you tell them your reg number and they'll make you up a plate while you wait. What happens if you break a plate? Or it falls off your car and you lose it while driving or something?
Love a good soulmate vehicle.
Not a huge issue, unless I'm on a week long trip to Moab and one of the bolts gets a lil loose...for some reason I never remember to bring my SAE Allen wrenches with me...
Their roof racks are nice though...
First thing I've done with every rack is to add a locking pin to ensure it stays in my possession until I decide to sell it.
I have a van set up for camping and the only problem is that my rack with bikes blocks access to the rear door where most of the gear is stashed. I could put the bikes on a roof rack but as the van is probably 6' high or so without good rails to stand on, that's difficult for me and impossible for my shorter wife. Plus it hurts my already questionable aerodynamics.
Anyone know of anything that's somewhat affordable?
I just picked up a T2 Pro, and that's my biggest complaint at the moment.
It has a tiny bit of wiggle room when up. Usually my music is on, so I don't even realize it though.
I'de say 9/10 after a few months of use. The versatility to go from my BMX setup to my Ibis HD3 is pretty rad!
Will carry 4 XC/AM rigs or 3 DH! I love it, got a removable Tow bar hitch too so when I'm not using it you can't even tell my car has a tow bar.
@Garpur44 the arms of the rack going through the frame of a full suss bike is a pain in the @ss
I replaced my old Atera strada (3+1 bikes) with the Saris Euro Freedom 2 bikes (no ratcheting arm, only 2 bikes and no add on kit available).
I have not been able to find a tow ball to hitch converter (I did found hitch to tow ball) or adapt a tow ball lock on the 'hitch side of the rack'
some light on this subject would be very welcome
@wisey I've not had any issue with the bike rubbing. You may need to raise or drop a seat post here or there but no issues to date.
A few pics in action
www.pinkbike.com/photo/14109832
www.pinkbike.com/photo/14109831
www.pinkbike.com/photo/14109829
It has been my procedure the last 7 years, but since I have to replace the rack and in the market are available ratcheting type. It is quite frustrating that I can not use it due a technical standard issue
www.isi-carriers.com and www.1upusa.com looks great
Bästa kund,
Tack för ert e-mail och ert intresse för våra produkter.
This Product is only available on the American market, not on the European market.
Om ni har fler frågor är ni välkomna att kontakta oss.
Vi önskar er en trevlig dag.
Med vänliga hälsningar
Emma
Thule kundservice
I ended up with the Saris Euro Freedom 2 bikes (no ratcheting arm, only 2 bikes and no add on kit available).
I'm tempted to buy another Freedom 2 and hack the damn thing. But it will void any CE marking
@LuisCR I know you already bought a new rack, but if you do want all those features you listed, 1up USA makes one that has everything you wanted, & sells a plate holder + light attachment.
@meph They have 2 websites for some reason, with different stock on each. One address is hyphenated, one isn't. I can't browse the hyphenated one from work for some reason, but browse through the stuff here & you should find it. www.1up-usa.com/product-category/accessories
Michigan: www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2016/09/ask_a_trooper_bike_rack_block.html
Pennsylvania: www.harrisburgbicycleclub.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=937:bike-racks-and-visibility-of-vehicle-license-plate&catid=1:latest
Nevada: www.reddit.com/r/BurningMan/comments/3dv4me/advice_on_bike_rack_covering_license_plate
Arizona: forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=53098 (additionally, my coworker was pulled over in a Tucson suburb.)
Missouri: mobikefed.org/FightTheBikeRackTicket
Pretty much every state in the union has a law requiring your plate be "plainly visible and legible." Bike racks block them. Pretty much every rack for a wheelchair has a plate holder on it, do you think they did that just for funsies? The difference is, many states won't issue you another plate for your rack like they do for wheelchair racks.
Bike rack companies have gotten away with selling them through blind luck, & maybe saying "it's a temporary rack" but they've pretty much all been illegal since the get go, but enforcement is stepping up because they interfere with automated plate readers. Glad I could spend time googling for you that you could have done yourself, & retyping what I already said in another comment, that you couldn't be bothered to read.
So again, people: this dude doesn't know what he's talking about. Don't trust me, research it yourself, read my links or go find your own info, but bike racks that do not display a plate are illegal, & enforcement is stepping up.
Oh, & your insinuation that I'm a shill? A for effort, F for it being a logical fallacy, & another F for it not even making sense. You can get plate holders for lots of racks, nothing I've said favors 1up in any way.
Unlike your hunting down stories on the internet, I stopped in and spoke with the Highway Patrol 4 years ago and this was discussed in depth.
Keep in mind there's also quite a difference between a tray style rack flipped up behind a car and a vertical rack with a minimalistic design right from the start.
I'm done here, you sound crazy and I have no time for crazy. Gotta get back to shipping out these ticket magnets...
I'll leave you with this: License plate readers being ubiquitous on cop cars? Not something that was happening 4 years ago. Maybe somebody in the business of building bike racks should pay attention to how the law relating to their legality changes more frequently than once every 4 years.
www.etrailer.com/search/Plate+Holder
www.isi-carriers.com
After having several bike racks, nothing even comes close IMHO
Here is the faults reviewss leave out.
A. the rack can only cary fatbikes with 170 rear spacing any thing wider like most fattire bikes the arm tahat holds the front wheel with push agains the rear axcel of the second bike. The bikes for Fattires the second 3 /4 need to be half inch futher..
Even with 148 it tight. even if you move the racks to extraam opisits sides that they can slide.
B the rear sliding brakets with straps are awesome but the little screw that prevents thm from sliding of the arms should have lot bigger screw head or stick out longer for they can slide off.
I Had been rear ended and this is the strongest rack in the market I have the photos to prove it. Next the service and suport then to get parts is amazing and what a pleasure.
I know bought new Kuat and I miss the Thule every day . The kaut don't come close when coms to streanth although looks strong to the Thule. Next the Kuats straps for fat tires are after thoughts and disgrace for that pprice rack. The Kuat arms also are not as good position ast the thule. I had a Fttire bike that got puncher and had to pump it every hour but obvoisly on 1500 mile journey you don't and it still due to the shape of the arm held the bike safely inplace the whole way.
Here the Thule outshines the Kuat again. Even in diffrent tire sizes the shape of the arms part that go over the wheel is lot better designed.
If you don't have 2 or 4 fat tires . This the best rack on the market. I not owend a ONEUP so apart from expericae with that I owend pretty much all the rest.
Never had an issue with the rear wheel clamps coming off the end of the trays, but good to note.
I bought it knowing this issue, but only because I was able to get a pro-deal on this rack and not on any other brand.
Say what?