Thule Apex XT Bike Hitch Rack

Great bike rack. Solid, and very easy to use.Advice: Write down the 4-digit key number as soon as you get this product. You *will* lose the keys at some point, and you need that key number to get additional keys from Thule. I learned this the hard way... >:\

A little bit heavy, so be prepared to do some weight-lifting, but it is because the product is built to last. I managed to fit 3 bikes comfortably in the rack. It is very safe as you have the key to lock and I didn't see any risk of loosing the rack while driving (I am always afraid of that). Great value for money to carry 4 bikes all together - if you compare against similar products, you can only carry 3.

This is my second Thule bike hitch rack. A good product, in my opinion, but. . .I am not an engineer, but the straps provided to secure the bike to the rack appear to not be anywhere near sturdy enough. On my first use of the product, I could see in my rear-view mirror while on the freeway that one of the straps had come loose--I was able to pull over in time because the second strap held. The strap that did not hold appeared to strip/pull right through from the buckle--which is a plastic type material. I have remedied this situation by using ball-type bungee cords to reinforce the bike to the contact point on the bike rack. So, in addition to the strap provided by Thule, I use 2 additional bungee cords to secure the bike to the rack. Since then it appears to be safe and secure. On my old Thule rack, I would use bungee cords also to reinforce the rubber straps that came with the old rack. On this new one, however, I was assuming that the straps were new and improved and that reinforcement would not be necessary.

For years and years, I've used a roof rack and bike trays to carry my bikes. They've served me well and never once gave any problems. When I recently bought a Subaru Forrester, it became a pain in the butt to lift and fasten my bikes to the much higher roof than a regular car. So, I had a trailer hitch installed and bought the Thule Apex XT 4 bike carrier. The Thule is built like a tank and is almost as heavy as one! There is no doubt in my mind that it won't last forever. However, when test-fitting a bike, I could not, for the life of me, open the straps to remove the bike. After about an hour, I finally got the straps released and removed the bike. I thought to myself, "if it's going to be this hard, why not just continue using the roof system." The genius who came up with the instructions should be immediately terminated. Diagrams are sometimes helpful but some written hints and tips would have saved me (and others) from frustration and achy fingers. After about 30 minutes of searching for alternative ways to strap in the bikes, I discovered that the ratcheting mechanism needs to be CLICKED into the bike mounts. Kudos to all who figured this out from the supplied instructions! Once these pieces are clicked into place, the straps release as they should and I breathed a sigh of relief. For those who still have the instructions, look at 6C. You will see the word "click," but what does that mean? A short sentence would have clarified that. Everything else was pretty much self-explanatory and easy to accomplish.There's just one more con that everyone should be aware of: please, please, please do not entrust your valuable bikes with the supplied cable lock. A determined thief can get through that thin cable in a matter of seconds. In reality, there's no lock available that can stop a thief intent on stealing a bike, or anything else, if they want it bad enough.So, I really do love this rack despite the two cons mentioned above. I wanted to give a 5-star rating but deducted one due to the lack of adequate instructions and the rather worthless cable lock. If you're on the fence about buying a bike rack, I'd put Thule #1 on your shortlist. The positives far outweigh any negatives.

Using it for second year. We have 4 bikes and we love this rack. Locking mechanism is perfect, working without issues. I like everything about it. Amazing quality, no missing parts, perfect size and weight

Quick shipment and reasonable cost.

I am very dissatisfied with the way my new bike carrier fits into my 2” trailer hitch. The assembly requires an adapter that doesn’t seem very secure. It jiggles excessively.Not acceptable!!!!

I've had many bike carriers over the years. Cutting to the chase, this is by far the best carrier I've owned. It's advertised as a 4-bike carrier - that, however, I'd like to see. It does mount 3, large bikes fairly easily (with a little creative nudging and fudging) - but it is possible. Four bikes? I just can't see it.Nevertheless, this unit mounts rock-SOLID (no "dancing" bikes) and has a safety cable that's EASY to use. So, no bikes are going to be flying off the back of your carrier (as did one of our bikes just a few weeks ago using a different brand of carrier!)The ergonomics of this carrier are phenomenal - well thought-out and engineered. Easy access to the vehicle's rear door / tailgate, etc. via an easy-release lever. Also the arm (on which the cradles are mounted) folds down and locks into place neatly when not in use.The bike cradles are a bi-mount format that lock the bike securely to both the cross-bar and center post, so no bike swaying.Compatible with both 2" and 1.25" receivers - no adapter needed due to ingenious design.I love it - don't bother looking further, this is the one!

Gran calidad, fácil de colocar y tiene gran seguridad.

Eve though slightly expensive, a good quality product

After researching a lot of bike carriers I came to the conclusion to go with this one.Peace of mind with Thule knowing it is the best. Easy to install (no tools)... easy to mount bikes... I only put 3 on but no problems... adult men's mountain... youth women's mountain... and BMX... bmx was tight and had to wrap with cloth as brake wires are under top of frame.Locking to trailer mount... and one for bikes also. I misplaced my keys...lol... so the guys at "rack attack" took care of that for a price... but my negligence. Stuck on trailer hitch until I went and got key.Went 300km with carrier... no issuesI find I am constantly looking at other carriers... and very happy I got this one... appears to be the strongest.Yakama would have been my other choice.Would have been better if was only 2" for two hitch... and Thule made another for 1.25.But from Thule point of view - I get itAdapter us metal and strong.

Excelente producto, construcción muy robusta. Perfecto para 4 bicicletas aún con suspensión trasera ya que está complicado el ponerlas pero aún así, se puede.

What an amazing hitch bike rack. It holds all our bikes perfectly and doesn't not have any movement or shaking noises while driving. I love Thule products and have a whole suite of them for our family adventure.It's worth the price!