Thule Easyfold XT2 - A good rack for ebikes and the best one if you have fenders

[Alaskan]

This rack has a total capacity of 132 pounds or 60 kilograms, sufficient for most if not all ebikes. Rather than hooking onto the tire in front of the fork, it clamps onto the frame which makes if far more secure on any bike with fenders. In addition the locking mechanism disables the tightening knobs rather than using an easily cut cable. It also has a folding ramp that you can deploy to roll the bike up onto the rack rather than having to lift it. The ramp stows in a compartment in the middle of the rack.

Here is a close up of the clamp on the seat tube showing the key slot on the knob. Once locked the knob just spins freely.

 

[Drew]

I watched a video showing off this rack and it does look very good. Very well thought out and I liked how easy it is to install the rack into a hitch receiver, and how easy it is to tilt the rack back, out of the way of the hatch.

However, it seems to me the bike locking system is easily defeated. The frame clamp arms are easily removed from the carrier. Here is the video queued to the point where the removal of the frame arms is demonstrated:

Is there something I am missing here @Alaskan ?

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Drew ...
The collar (black in my photo) that allows the clamping arms to be detached from the rack can only be slid up the silver extension arm without a bike attached.

At the very beginning of your video, note how the jaws are squeezed closed (impossible with a bike clamped in them) when the demonstrator first removes the attachment bar. It takes just a few seconds in the video:

• 4:00 - clamp attaching arm to rack locked by collar; jaws open
• 4:01 - clamp opens when collar pulled up silver arm; jaws close (impossible with bike attached)
• 4:02 - clamp left open but collar springs back allowing jaws to open again.

My photo is the equivalent of 4:01 in the video - the black collar has been pulled away from the bike rack to release the clamp (shown slightly open); as soon as the entire clamping arm is removed from the rack the collar will spring back (exposing about twice the amount of silver extension arm) and the big jaws below the tightening knob will open wide. (Photo taken with tightening knob fully unwound.)
... David

 

[Drew]

Thanks @David Berry !

 

[Over50]

I need some Subaru and Thule Easyfold advice. Perhaps from @Alaskan since I see a Subaru in the photo in this thread. In late 2016 I had my Subaru dealer install a hitch on my Forester (1 1/4"). I bought the Thule and have only used it a few times for hauling my bike to the shop just here on residential streets. It did seem to me the Easyfold didn't insert very far into the hitch and it gnawed at me that it just didn't seem as stable as it should. But I pulled and wiggled and wasn't able to remove it when clamped down so I went on about my way. Fortunately I never took to the highway.

I hooked it up this weekend anticipating hauling my bike to my wife's parking garage and riding from there. I got to wondering again about the hitch mount depth. So I re-watched the videos and confirmed they all seem to show the rack inserting much farther into the hitch than I can insert into mine. I downloaded the Thule user manual and checked. They have a diagram that shows if the hitchpin hole is not more than 1.5 inches on the hitch then you can't use the Easyfold. Mine is about .5 inches which the Thule manual clearly warns against.

Today I called my Subaru dealer. Not much help other than to say that is the only hitch rated for the Forester. Said maybe I could find something after-market but that might require having to modify vehicle suspension or other mods. Subaru dealer sells Thule racks but not the Easyfold. I figured maybe the dealer just installed the wrong hitch or I was missing an adaptor or something. But dealer said it is intended only for the racks that hang one or two lightweight bikes. Seems odd that Court can carry around e-bikes on a Toyota Prius but my Subaru dealer is telling me the Forester isn't rated for this?

Does this sound right? I've either got to figure out a new hitch option or a new rack option. I contemplated a 1-rack setup as I haven't needed to carry two bikes. If we do transport two, one will be the Vektron which will easily fit inside. Thanks for any advice.

From the Easyfold user manual - the one on the right resembles mine:

 

[Drew]

@Over50 I think you can solve your problem by using a hitch extender such as this:

https://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Adapters/Brophy/hes6.html

 

[Chic Lasser]

Looked seriously at this rack, just did not work well for us with two bikes. I felt the pkatforms could be a bit longer to give a wider platform and that the bar that the clamps are on could be a taller so more room with two bikes. After much thought and shopping bought a Yakima holdup 2 evo. Writing this response from Florida where we used the rack to travel 1300 miles and I must say worked very nicely. Like everything in life I would make some changes for my personal bikes but overall great experience for much less money. Check it out.

 

[Dewey]

Today I called my Subaru dealer. Not much help other than to say that is the only hitch rated for the Forester. Said maybe I could find something after-market but that might require having to modify vehicle suspension or other mods.

I have a 2007 Subaru Forester and went to U-Haul to have them fit a 1 1/4" hitch, my pin hole is at least 1.5" back and looks like the image on the left not the one on the right, it was this model Drawtite 36311. I use a different brand of platform rack and it fits on solid.

 

[Alaskan]

I put a Curt class 1 trailer hitch on our Subaru Tribeca. I had the work done at a local truck/rv accessory shop, not the Subaru dealer. The hole on mine is about 3 inches forward of the rear edge of the receiver, so it has a good hold on the tongue of the rack. I would not use that extension. It does not really solve the problem, as the adapter would not be inserted far enough. In fact it introduces a new potential issue putting the rack even further back from the point of attachment of the hitch, giving the bike unwanted extra leverage against the car's frame.

I would consider drilling another hole deeper into the receiver, as deep as the tongue on the rack will allow. With three years passage it is way too late to ask Subaru to put a proper hitch in place and drilling it out in place would not be an easy task but that is the only thing that can be done short of putting a new hitch on the car. I think mine cost around $300 installed. Also U-Haul is a great place to get hitches installed at a reasonable cost. You might go there and see what they can do.

 

[Alaskan]

By the way I always use a Curt support strap to attach the cross bar on the rack to the top edge of the rear hatch. This takes some of the strain off of the hitch. For $15 a very good precaution.

https://www.curtmfg.com/part/18050

 

[Dewey]

U-Haul is a great place to get hitches installed at a reasonable cost.

Yep, I paid just under $200

That Curt support strap looks useful, thanks @Alaskan

 

[Dionigi]

This rack has a total capacity of 132 pounds or 60 kilograms, sufficient for most if not all ebikes. Rather than hooking onto the tire in front of the fork, it clamps onto the frame which makes if far more secure on any bike with fenders. In addition the locking mechanism disables the tightening knobs rather than using an easily cut cable. It also has a folding ramp that you can deploy to roll the bike up onto the rack rather than having to lift it. The ramp stows in a compartment in the middle of the rack.

View attachment 22632

Here is a close up of the clamp on the seat tube showing the key slot on the knob. Once locked the knob just spins freely.

View attachment 22633

We miss our Thule EasyFold, back in Pittsburgh, as we travel to Southern California to witness the Super Bloom. It’s replacement is a rented Dodge minivan. The van fit is challenging, both bikes’ front wheels and fenders have to be removed. Photo of Mount Figuera full of spring wildflowers near Los Olivos California

 

[Dionigi]

By the way I always use a Curt support strap to attach the cross bar on the rack to the top edge of the rear hatch. This takes some of the strain off of the hitch. For $15 a very good precaution.

https://www.curtmfg.com/part/18050

View attachment 31763

Agree, I use two straps that greatly reduces the downward load on the hitch.

 

[Alaskan]

Since last night I'm seeing ads for hitch extentions everywhere. Don't have one don't want one. Go ahead a waste your money.

 

[Dewey]

Since last night I'm seeing ads for hitch extentions everywhere. Don't have one don't want one. Go ahead a waste your money.

Yeah, the one's that convert a 1 1/4" to a 2" don't seem like a good idea as most hitch manufacturers say don't use them, won't warranty if you do, and it seems risky for heavy ebikes.

 

[ebikemom]

With a conversion there might be a tongue weight rating issue? Tongue weight rating is something I learned to check from one of the members here. Let's be safe.

 

[Drew]

The hitch extension I linked is 1 1/4" to 1 1/4" and is for Class I and II hitches. The extension itself is rated at 175# TW (tow weight), which is the rating to be concerned about when using a hitch-mounted rack.

When using a hitch extension, it is necessary to de-rate the hitch rating by 50%. If the hitch rating is 350 pounds (as is common, although not universal, for vehicles with a Class II hitch) then the tow weight ratng would de-rate to 350 x 0.5 = 175 pounds, which happens to be the rating of the extension.

That 175 pounds has to include the weight of the bike rack as well as the bikes. The XT2 rack weighs 45 pounds and is specified to carry two 65 pound bikes for a grand total of 175 pounds. That may seem like a strange coincidence but it really is not: the manufacturers all know the most common specs and target them as the "sweet spot" for most customers.

I will add that etrailer.com is a tremendous resource for working out the details of a particular application. They sell the XT2 rack and there is all sorts of fitment information about it on the website:

https://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Bike-Racks/Thule/TH903202.html

A call or email to their customer support will quickly help zero in on a safe solution for a particular vehicle (if there is one).

I am not affiliated with etrailer.com, just a satisfied customer.

 

[Over50]

Perhaps Friday if I get time I might head back to the Subaru dealer. Its really hard to believe they would sell and install a hitch that is really useless. I also might call etrailer.

@Alaskan - good idea on drilling a hole - that occurred to me too. Seems if the hitchpin hole was another inch into the shaft of the hitch then it would have appropriate. I just checked the specs on another Thule rack that holds two bikes and is only rated for 70 lbs total (DoubleTrack Pro 2) it has the same diagram I posted above. So the hitch I have currently can't even support a rack rated for 70 pounds? Doesn't seem right ...

 

[kingtermite]

I'm going to pick up an Easyfold XT 2 tonight.

 

[gadgetnut]

I recently needed to replace a hitch mounted bike rack which had served me well since the 1990s. The old rack was beginning to rust out and by design did not accommodate the fatter tires of my Specialized eBike.

Based a recent ride with friend @Alaskan, I was intrigued by the Easyfold XT2. I got one last week, and I'm surprised and delighted. For a couple years I've been using a Küat NV, it's well made, heavy and strong but I've moved that to my RV and plan to use the new Thule Easyfold XT2 on my every day driving vehicle along with the Curt support strap @Alaskan references above.

By comparison, this Thule is quick and easy to mount and dismount from the vehicle hitch, it's lighter weight and when folded is compact enough to fit in the back of the vehicle, if needed. It is a different style, for sure, and has a number of smart features such as built-in spring loaded integrated hitch pin, pump/ratcheting wheel straps with built-in storage when not in use, locking clamps instead of locking cable, big reflectors, ramp for rolling the bike up if you don't want to lift it and, best of all, the release to fold the rack + bikes is foot-operated, perfectly located, and leaves both hands free. The comfortable handles and rolling wheels make it easy to move the rack around between deployments.

An additional advantage has been transformative in the way I can use the vehicle for bike and big dog transport. The different style of this rack allows my dogs safe access to the back of the SUV while the rack is installed. With the Küat rack installed I was lifting my 85 pound German shepherds in and out as I was afraid a dog jumping in or out could get entangled among the many metal cross bars going the full vehicle width. The slender vertical style of the Thule rack leaves either side of the tailgate completely open for easy access for me and them. The dogs are happy and so am I.

It's a pricey rack, for sure, but the many thoughtful features add up to value for me. This rack does have a lot of plastic pieces and I hope it will be long lasting. I'll followup again after I get more experience with it.

Meanwhile I had a very favorable customer service experience with Thule right off the bat. My new rack arrived with the short arm clamp slightly damaged. I called the Thule 800 number and without asking for a receipt the rep shipped me out a new arm the same day and it's already installed.