Let me start by saying that the Thule T2 Pro XT bike rack is the best 2 bike hitch rack on the market. I will preface this by saying that I am not a bike rack expert but someone who is passionate about the world and cycling and going on bike trails. In this article, I share with you all the key reasons why I believe what I believe about this bike carrier.
Thule as a company focusses on creating the most user-friendly bike racks by design and is constantly innovating to improve this feature. The first-generation Thule classic bike rack was a great rack with amazing features they decided to make major improvements from classic rack to the pro hitch rack.
Over the years, I’ve researched a number of hitch mount racks to find the overall best rack, the ones with the features that I most appreciate, one that is; beautifully designed, easy to use and is value for money. The Thule T2 Pro XT 2 Bike Rack did not disappoint, it fits these requirements like a glove. The Thule T2 Pro Hitch two-bike carrier plus the 2-bike add on forms part of the company’s new premium range of hitch-mount racks.
The Thule 2 bike rack knocks the competition out the park and sets the standard for tray styled hitch mounted bike racks. According to, most of the authority review sites I’ve examined online and on amazon, I am not alone in saying that, the T2 Pro XT is the best hitch rack on the market. Check out some of the reviews on amazon if you don’t believe me.
What is so amazing about the Thule T2 Pro XT bike rack?
The T2 Pro bike rack come as standard with a number of smart features that most bike lover fell in love with at first sight. For example, the easy to reach tilt release handle at the end of the rack central backbone that makes tilting the rack as easy as ever.
The second loveable feature is the tool free design that makes mounting and connecting the bike onto the hitch super easy. Leaving us to do that we really enjoy, riding that faithful bike of ours.
The T2 Pro XT bike rack is versatile, the increased spacing between the trays and the increased lateral tray adjustments range is the main reason for this versatility.
The bike carrier is sturdy enough to handle the transportation of most bikes on the market, like my mountain bike and my electric bike.
The new design provides for extra spacing capability between bikes. The extra space provided between the bikes makes maneuvering the bigger bikes much better when transporting them.
The spacing on some other bike racks causes the bikes to rub against each other risking paint damage from scratches.
Thule also updated the color options available to buyer. Buyers are now able to choose the all new black color option. The finish has also been improved making it much better at resisting scratches than the previous colour and finish.
The remote tilt release handle and the tool free vehicle attachment system of the T2 Pro XT is one of the many features that I especially like over other rack systems.
Overall, the feature that most T2 Pro XT owners like over other rack is the tool free vehicle attachment system. I must say that this feature is one of my favourite features too.
Ease of Everyday Use of the Thule T2 Pro XT
The T2 Pro XT is, hands down, the most user-friendly rack release mechanism on the market that we’ve ever tested because of its ease of use and no tool assemble design.
The remote tilt release handle makes it super easy to tilt the bike rack down to access the trunk of the vehicle without removing the bike from the carrier system.
Thule was the first brand to bring a hitch rack with a remote tilt release handle to market. Yet another great reason for loving the Thule Brand.
It is super easy to load and unload your bike from the bike rack system. This makes it more convenient to get right to riding your bike instead of wasting time loading and unloading bikes.
The tilt mechanism is a contributing factor that influences the ease of everyday use of this rack.
Access to the rear of the vehicle is a breeze with this rack for bikes. It is such a great feature because I always forget something in the vehicle that I need to get out or forget something that I need to put in.
The low loading height and easy one-handed front wheel clamps make loading bikes simple and easy.
By design, Thule give you an extra 13 inches of lateral tray spacing that give you the greatest lateral spread possible. The 13″ of tray spacing afforded by Thule on this bike rack, is perfect so that your bikes don’t interfere with the positioning of the other bike and thus reduce the risk of damage caused by poor fit.
Ease of Removal and Storage
The first-generation Thule T2 Classic use a threaded hitch pin to prevent wobble. This threaded hitch pin requires a wrench for attaching and removing the hitch mount bike rack from the vehicle.
The threaded pin systems worked quite well but using a wrench was frustrating from some users especially since you done have a lot of space all the time to work on connecting the hitch resulting taking more time than is optimal.
The pro version of the bike rack corrected those short comings. The T2 Pro uses a tool-free system to secure the rack to a vehicle.
After you slide the hitch into the 2-inch hitch receiver you rock it from side to side and tighten the know at the base of the rack. By tightening the know it removes the wobble and securely fasten the rack to the hitch.
Installation of the Thule T2 Pro
Watch this installation video that give a good demonstration of how to install the Thule T2 Pro bike rack.
Just slide the rack into the hitch receiver and release the stinger pin, which drops into the hole that traditionally would hold the locking pin. Then, a knob is turned on the body of the rack that secures the rack to the vehicle and prevents wobble. The included keys are used to secure the knob, preventing theft.
Storage
The T2 Pro XT takes up a lot of space when stored, and moving it around on a regular basis is not all that enjoyable since it weighs 51 lbs. Fifty-one pounds is a bit heavy for the typical rider.
Versatility
The T2 Pro XT is one of the more versatile racks we tested. Wide V-shaped tire trays effectively hold any tire, from skinny road tires up to monster 5″ fat bike tires.
The individual trays are adjustable laterally on the main mast arm of the rack, making it easy to avoid bike clearance issues by straddling the trays.
The first-generation Thule T2 Classic feature trays that are adjustable both laterally and fore and aft.
The T2 Pro XT has more clearance from the back of the vehicle to the inside tray which decreases the likelihood of vehicle clearance issues.
Ease of Assembly
The T2 Pro requires tools for assembly. The trays must be attached to the main support mast, and some work is also required to attach the plastic front wheel baskets and the rear wheel straps.
We were able to assemble this model with one person, using the included tools except for a Philips screwdriver.
Security
Securing your bikes during transport is a major concern for most riders, and the ability to secure the rack you’re using to transport the bikes is equally important.
The T2 Pro attaches to your hitch receiver with an expanding wedge that is forced against the inside portion of the receiver tube, this prevents wobble and prevents the rack from falling out of the receiver.
The knob on the T2 Pro is turned to expand the wedge that holds the rack in place can be disabled by turning a lock within the knob. Once the lock is secured, the knob just free spins and it’s impossible to release the wedge.
The T2 Pro also comes with cable locks to secure bikes. The cables are housed in the front wheel clamp arms and can be pulled out to wrap around a bike in the rack.
While this system is straightforward to use, the short length of the cables only allows you to loop around the front fork on most bikes.
The main benefit of the cable system on the T2 Pro is ease of use but the thin diameter of the cable may just sever as a minor deterrent because it seems easy to cut through. I did not test this bit.
Durability
We felt that the first version of the T2 Pro was exceptionally durable, and the new XT version improves on the design with a bombproof black paint that was impervious to scratches during testing.
The previous version had a silver finish which scratched easily. The overall construction of the T2 Pro is stout, and it feels that way too at 51lbs.
The T2 Pro has some plastic pieces that are prone to degradation from sun exposure. The moving parts are almost entirely made of metal, and despite some pretty serious abuse, the T2 Pro functioned flawlessly during testing. If anything, we would describe the T2 Pro as being overbuilt, if durability is high on your list of required attributes, then the T2 Pro should be on your short list.
Best Applications
The T2 Pro is well-suited to carry nearly any type of bike, from a 15lb road bike to a 40lb downhill machine. It’s best suited to those who intend to leave their rack in place, due to its weight.
Thule T2 Pro XT 2 Bike Add-On
Add on the Thule T2 Pro XT 2 Bike Add-On and this becomes our favorite 4-bike hitch rack. You can buy this Thule T2 Pro XT 2 Bike Add-on on amazon.
Conclusion
The T2 Pro is the one of the best bike racks on the market and it is the most loved by most bike enthusiast. The ease of use of this rack is must better than the competitors, plus it is durable and reliable.
The T2 Pro XT has many features that are loved, for example, it’s easy-to-use tilt lever, sturdy ratcheting arms, built-in locking system, and ability to carry almost any type of bike. Most importantly it is wrapped in a beautiful package that is designed to be awesome.
