Thule T2
Analysis:
Weight:
The 1 1/4″ version of the T2 rack weighed in at 48 lbs via our Ultimate Support hanging scale.
Dimensions:
- Height when deployed - 7.9″ (measured from the receiver arm to tray deck level)
- Length when deployed - 34.3″ (how far behind your car the rack sticks out)
- Width when stowed - 60″ (arms fully retracted)
- Distance between hitch pin and front wheel cradle when stowed - 3.5″ (bumper clearance)
Rack folds up tight against the car
Ample rear access once loaded
Adjustability:
This is where the T2 shines as a rack. By loosening the 4 bolts of the tray clamp the tray is able to move front to back along the center support as well as side to side. Thule has made sure to give guidelines on how exactly far the trays can be offset in order to make sure the trays are still safely leveled while offering maximum clearance capability.
If you desire to run only a single tray the T2 allows for this quite easily but simply loosening the clamp and sliding off the rear tray.
4 bolt clamp for attaching the tray to the central support strut
The front arm is fully adjustable in order to allow the securing of small wheels as well as large wheels. We had no trouble getting the arm to ratchet down safely in order to secure the front wheel without touching the fork or frame. The rear wheel assembly is fully adjustable as well, freely traveling the length of the tray. In order to stop the assembly from falling off the tray there is a stopper at the end. The rear assembly ratcheting strap itself is adjustable in order to accommodate the large rim heights of mountain bikes as well as thinner rim heights of road bikes.
By choosing the upper or lower position on the assembly the strap can be correctly tensioned in order to secure a wide range of bikes.
Construction quality:
The T2 was constructed with quality materials and hardware. The receiver piece as well as the trays both felt solid and had no issues with flex when bearing a full load. The receiver hitch is noticeably heavy and built strong. The piece that fits into the receiver hitch is full solid steel while the rest is large hollow box tubing. While the receiver is notably hefty, the trays are relatively light and easy to handle when installing or adjusting. When installing or adjusting the trays you will notice Thule has applied removable strength thread lock to the bolts that secure the trays to the support. This is a nice touch for added security against the trays coming loose.
Solid receiver bar with full threads
Form and Function:
The T2 won’t win any awards for being a beauty queen but the rack does work very well. The retention devices ratchet securely allowing for the mounting of a wide range of bikes. The stow and tilt function of the receiver hitch is a great feature and works quite easily. Instead of having to remove a safety pin each time you want to stow the rack you simply pull on the release lever and rotate it into position. I am glad there is a safety pin for putting the rack in the tilted down position. It would not be a pretty sight to be going 70mph and have your rack dragging the ground because the mechanism popped loose.
Notice the safety pin below the middle notch in the receiver to prevent rack from tilting down during travel.
Receiver in tilted position
While slightly tedious to loosen all 4 bolts per tray, it is very handy to be able to adjust the trays to fit your load. Anyone who’s tried to carry a combination of bike styles knows that things don’t always exactly work out when it comes to clearance issues.
Notice the QR on the road bike touching the arm. By simply loosening the 4 clamp bolts this problem is quickly alleviated by adjusting the tray to either side.
Price:
MSRP: $369.00
| Click to navigate | |
