Just bought the Thule XT Easyfold for my Sportage and Ebike - Brilliant! [video]

[paul-g]

I bought this rack too and ended up returning it because that arm didn't fit my e bike. Also, it didn't work with two bikes. The arm wouldn't go through the first bike and couldn't reach the second one

what bikes did you have?

 

[Patledoc]

i bought this Thule xt from the bike store, but we were never able to fit the Levo Turbo... So I ordered a 1up from usa , plus add-on. excellent and light too.

 

[Tonybro]

Two Merida eOne Sixty's on the Thule VeloCompact 3 bike carrier: -

 

[Rahr85]

I think my only real concern with these is forgetting that the bike is wider than the car.

 

[paul-g]

Two Merida eOne Sixty's on the Thule VeloCompact 3 bike carrier: -
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yep same as mine fits can`t understand why people cant use theirs
bet they`ve not figured out how to unclip the clamps from the back bar
probably trying to clamp the battery
had a bit of a chuckle at the previous that coudn`t fix his or her Levo

 

[Zimmerframe]

Just stick them on the roof and shape to fit :

 

[The Hodge]

Two Merida eOne Sixty's on the Thule VeloCompact 3 bike carrier: -
View attachment 53635 View attachment 53636 View attachment 53637 View attachment 53638

Bloody good job its got a motor on it ..the saddle on that turquoise bike must be twice the weight of the bike itself..??

 

[Zimmerframe]

Bloody good job its got a motor on it ..the saddle on that turquoise bike must be twice the weight of the bike itself..??

I think it's one of those new fangled "Utility Saddles" .. a bit like saddle bags of old. One side opens up and contains a full tool set. The other side contains a spare tube and a usb powered tyre inflator.

I bet it's a bit like an arm chair !

 

[Tonybro]

I think my only real concern with these is forgetting that the bike is wider than the car.

The wheels only stick out as far as the wing mirrors on a 5 series. ?

 

[Tonybro]

I think it's one of those new fangled "Utility Saddles" .. a bit like saddle bags of old. One side opens up and contains a full tool set. The other side contains a spare tube and a usb powered tyre inflator.

I bet it's a bit like an arm chair !

It's the wife's! Need I say more? ?

 

[paul-g]

I think my only real concern with these is forgetting that the bike is wider than the car.

4 inch either side

 

[Mr President]

Just stick them on the roof and shape to fit :

View attachment 53652

oh not even funny

 

[The Hodge]

oh not even funny

A little bit of history there methinks ..

 

[paul-g]

A little bit of history there methinks ..

yea Hodge
it`s either the "garage"
or
"carpark" where ther is a high barrier to stop camper vans
you want 50p bet?
give you first dibs

 

[The Hodge]

I'll go for the car park option..but let's make it interesting ..what about a pint ( beer / lager ) ..if we ever meet up ?

 

[paul-g]

I'll go for the car park option..but let's make it interesting ..what about a pint ( beer / lager ) ..if we ever meet up ?

yea game for that mines a "nukie"
you`ll want a change i presume?
as you`ve had dibs you ask him

 

[The Hodge]

Err I'll pass on that I want to live to collect my pint ( and he sounded a bit angry ..)

 

[paul-g]

Err I'll pass on that I want to live to collect my pint ( and he sounded a bit angry ..)

how do you write angry?

 

[The Hodge]

The same way as you ..?

 

[Fiord]

I have the Thule 3 bike rack (largest non foldable version) with the 4th bike attachment and have nothing but praise for the rack. We fit 2 Specialised emtb, one non ebike and one kids bike on the rack with no issues.
I admit the first time it took a bit of time to work out the ideal bike , pedal and arm positioning, and was a good problem solving exercise, but now it is easy. The arms can also be positioned on the vertical part of the rack and on the vertical part of the bike frame under the seat, so there are other options on securing the bikes which I suspect some people dont realise.
The arms work brilliantly once you are familiar with them just tighten until they click.
With the larger version of the rack you can move bikes to the left or right a few inches so they fit together better, and dont forget to raise or lower the seats as required to accomodate the bars of the other bikes.
Somebody commented that the clamp to the towball is unreliable. I disagree. If the instructions are studied it is very clear that the correct towball must be used ie a 50mm high rise tow ball with a flat edge under the towball which 95% of tow balls dont have. These requirements are critical to allow proper clamping onto the towball. It is a very smart design but needs the correct towball to work.
My main concern is road grime on the bikes. I am not comfortable with using any of the covers available, despite some being very tough (see photo), due to the significant extra wind loading on the bikes and frame, when the rack is behind a car or SUV. Smaller individual covers for just the motors and chain rings (maybe suspension too) , which somebody will step up and start designing no doubt, would be ideal.

 

[BOTG]

We really like ours. My wife and I both have e-bikes with fenders and my wife's is a step-thru so most typical clamping methods don't work very well; this one works great! And for much of last season I was recovering from a back injury (not bike-related) and there was no way I could lift a 55-lb bike onto the rack. So when by myself I used the included folding ramp -- not as easy to use as expected, but it did the job.

Picking up from the dealer:
View attachment 53622

Included folding ramp? They are extra arnt they? I didn't get 1

 

[BOTG]

I have the Thule 3 bike rack (largest non foldable version) with the 4th bike attachment and have nothing but praise for the rack. We fit 2 Specialised emtb, one non ebike and one kids bike on the rack with no issues.
I admit the first time it took a bit of time to work out the ideal bike , pedal and arm positioning, and was a good problem solving exercise, but now it is easy. The arms can also be positioned on the vertical part of the rack and on the vertical part of the bike frame under the seat, so there are other options on securing the bikes which I suspect some people dont realise.
The arms work brilliantly once you are familiar with them just tighten until they click.
With the larger version of the rack you can move bikes to the left or right a few inches so they fit together better, and dont forget to raise or lower the seats as required to accomodate the bars of the other bikes.
Somebody commented that the clamp to the towball is unreliable. I disagree. If the instructions are studied it is very clear that the correct towball must be used ie a 50mm high rise tow ball with a flat edge under the towball which 95% of tow balls dont have. These requirements are critical to allow proper clamping onto the towball. It is a very smart design but needs the correct towball to work.
My main concern is road grime on the bikes. I am not comfortable with using any of the covers available, despite some being very tough (see photo), due to the significant extra wind loading on the bikes and frame, when the rack is behind a car or SUV. Smaller individual covers for just the motors and chain rings (maybe suspension too) , which somebody will step up and start designing no doubt, would be ideal.

View attachment 53689

View attachment 53690

View attachment 53691

View attachment 53692

Your car creates a draft so wind is not really an issue.

 

[Fiord]

Your car creates a draft so wind is not really an issue.

Yes it does create a draft but the cover would still catch a certain amount of wind around the edges. How much I am unsure. But with the maximum weight already being tested I am concerned about any extra wind loading. With some racks and bikes being worth more than some cars you wouldn't want your insurance company to turn down a claim. It would be interesting to know what Thule's position on this is as far as warranty goes.

 

[paul-g]

I have the Thule 3 bike rack (largest non foldable version) with the 4th bike attachment and have nothing but praise for the rack. We fit 2 Specialised emtb, one non ebike and one kids bike on the rack with no issues.

Yes it does create a draft but the cover would still catch a certain amount of wind around the edges. How much I am unsure. But with the maximum weight already being tested I am concerned about any extra wind loading. With some racks and bikes being worth more than some cars you wouldn't want your insurance company to turn down a claim. It would be interesting to know what Thule's position on this is as far as warranty goes.

nice one at least this shows the disbeleivers, conspiracy theorists ( i`ve said that quiet Zimm)
who think that Thule don`t make racks to do the job intended.
but the escence of the story is (your quote)
"I admit the first time it took a bit of time to work out the ideal bike , pedal and arm positioning, and was a good problem solving exercise "
as we all did who have solved the problem.
brilliant racks

 

[Mr President]

yea Hodge
it`s either the "garage"
or
"carpark" where ther is a high barrier to stop camper vans
you want 50p bet?
give you first dibs

actually neither. I've never carried bikes on the roof, because if I did I know I would forget about them at the wrong time.
I have a friend who used to race back in the 70s with his brother. they were coming back from a race with their bikes upside down on the homemade roof rack of their morris minor. they stopped to pick up a couple of mates who were riding home from the same event. Going over a compression in the road the rack broke free, flipped over and the bikes wheeled away down the road. there was no damage! However, as they tried to reassemble the rack on the roof their passengers decided might be wise to cycle home.

 

[The Hodge]

actually neither. I've never carried bikes on the roof, because if I did I know I would forget about them at the wrong time.
I have a friend who used to race back in the 70s with his brother. they were coming back from a race with their bikes upside down on the homemade roof rack of their morris minor. they stopped to pick up a couple of mates who were riding home from the same event. Going over a compression in the road the rack broke free, flipped over and the bikes wheeled away down the road. there was no damage! However, as they tried to reassemble the rack on the roof their passengers decided might be wise to cycle home.

Cheers Mr.P ..at least you have saved me the price of a pint ?

 

[paul-g]

actually neither. I've never carried bikes on the roof, because if I did I know I would forget about them at the wrong time.
I have a friend who used to race back in the 70s with his brother. they were coming back from a race with their bikes upside down on the homemade roof rack of their morris minor. they stopped to pick up a couple of mates who were riding home from the same event. Going over a compression in the road the rack broke free, flipped over and the bikes wheeled away down the road. there was no damage! However, as they tried to reassemble the rack on the roof their passengers decided might be wise to cycle home.

that`s buggered a pint up either way now, can`t you tell a little
porky and hope Hodge doesn`t see it

 

[The Hodge]

Too late friend ..got there before you !?

 

[paul-g]

Cheers Mr.P ..at least you have saved me the price of a pint ?

bloody hell Hodge you`re quick
you stuck to this like "sticky the stick insect"
didn`t want to part with a ny cash did you

 

[The Hodge]

I've been awake all night worrying about it ..mind you ..yer no slouch either ?