GuruUno
Well-Known Member
I've been using for many years the Thule XT 2-bike rack on my cars to transport various e-bikes.
However, since the acquisition of my wife's 2022 Como 5.0 and my 2022 Vado 5.0, I have been extremely challenged to find that perfect "sweet spot" to mount the bikes on the XT rack so that they do not touch.
I alway had to wind up squeezing in a piece of foam or cloth towel between the fork and frame of each to inhibit banging, scraping, damaging the finish of the bikes.
Unfortunately, at one time or another the foam wiggled loose and I got a blemish on the fork. Oh my, it's not perfect anymore, I'm so deflated
.
The design of the Thule XT rack is with specific spacing for the bikes in the grooves/tracks of the rack as well as the length of the arms to hold them.
The long arm (1500052414) is 342mm (13.46"), if it was 1" longer would work fine.
Another Thule arm is available but only in Europe (1500052596) (373mm/14.64") for a different Thule rack and inexpensive ($45), and the shipping is $145 from Germany, Italy, etc..
Thule wont sell EU parts to US customers.
So, I went and got the new Thule Epos 2 rack which was just released June 15th this year.
Telescopic arms, wider spacing, both bikes fit perfectly.
See: https://www.thule.com/en-us/bike-rack/hitch-bike-racks/thule-epos-2-_-903210
I did not buy the one with the lights ($250 additional), but it can be added later as an optional accessory to purchase. If I were to do a long road trip/vacation, I'd maybe buy it and then have to get the special ZCI Circuit Protected Vehicle Wiring Harness w/ 4-Pole Flat Trailer Connector and Installation Kit for over $200 so as not to splice into wiring, etc., etc., and quite frankly as stated, unless I was planning a lengthy road trip, I'm not sure it's really worth all the trouble and expense.
I did buy (order) the Abus 5' lock accessory, that seems like a nice secure theft deterrent.
Anyway, here are some photos of the new rack on my VW GTI.
However, since the acquisition of my wife's 2022 Como 5.0 and my 2022 Vado 5.0, I have been extremely challenged to find that perfect "sweet spot" to mount the bikes on the XT rack so that they do not touch.
I alway had to wind up squeezing in a piece of foam or cloth towel between the fork and frame of each to inhibit banging, scraping, damaging the finish of the bikes.
Unfortunately, at one time or another the foam wiggled loose and I got a blemish on the fork. Oh my, it's not perfect anymore, I'm so deflated
.The design of the Thule XT rack is with specific spacing for the bikes in the grooves/tracks of the rack as well as the length of the arms to hold them.
The long arm (1500052414) is 342mm (13.46"), if it was 1" longer would work fine.
Another Thule arm is available but only in Europe (1500052596) (373mm/14.64") for a different Thule rack and inexpensive ($45), and the shipping is $145 from Germany, Italy, etc..
Thule wont sell EU parts to US customers.
So, I went and got the new Thule Epos 2 rack which was just released June 15th this year.
Telescopic arms, wider spacing, both bikes fit perfectly.
See: https://www.thule.com/en-us/bike-rack/hitch-bike-racks/thule-epos-2-_-903210
I did not buy the one with the lights ($250 additional), but it can be added later as an optional accessory to purchase. If I were to do a long road trip/vacation, I'd maybe buy it and then have to get the special ZCI Circuit Protected Vehicle Wiring Harness w/ 4-Pole Flat Trailer Connector and Installation Kit for over $200 so as not to splice into wiring, etc., etc., and quite frankly as stated, unless I was planning a lengthy road trip, I'm not sure it's really worth all the trouble and expense.
I did buy (order) the Abus 5' lock accessory, that seems like a nice secure theft deterrent.
Anyway, here are some photos of the new rack on my VW GTI.
