i've had tons of bike racks. this is the best one. it fits any bike without taking wheels off. it's not on the roof so you can enter and exit any garage without tearing the rack off. i've used this rack hard for over a year now.

the only issue i've had: when first putting this together we over tightened the front wheel tray screw.. and pop. it's broken. it's plastic and amazingly easy to do this. how do i know? i bought another tray, and while attaching it, and being as careful as possible.. pop. i broke the second one. it's super glued now - not good but it's been working and hasn't broken again.

this is the best carry system for DH bikes as well as any bike, its super easy to load, super sturdy, and locks your bike down in a aerodynamic spot, rather that on the roof which creates a huge sail effect.

There are a lot of bikes out there with many different shapes. Therefore, many bikes do not fit on some types of racks. However, this rack fits all bikes, and it is lower to the ground then others so it is easy to load and unload compared to other racks. It also folds up for parking or storage, as well as it has a lock option to secure the rack and bikes themselves.
A great call.

I used to have a truck, which is the quickest loading bike rack ever. But this is damn close. Here's some things I've noticed:
It's a heavy rack (I bet it weighs close to 45 lbs.), but it translates into sturdiness on the vehicle. Your bike will sway a tiny bit, but if the rack were completely stiff, you'd start getting little fractures.
The rack is ridiculously easy to load bikes into. My back is a XXL, so I had to adjust side to side on the rack, but after that, the bike goes on and is exactly where I want it to be.
The rack folds up close enough to my 4runner that I don't worry about it driving around town, but not so close that it hits my vehicle's rear hatch.
I find myself riding more because of the ease of loading and unloading my bike. I live a few miles from my usual rides, but in the shorter days, loading my bike up and driving means I'll get a little bit more dirt time, less asphalt time (drive home in the dark, right?).
Thule's QC sucks- I wish Yakima's rack were this well-designed (Thule's engineering may suck too- they bought this rack design from somebody else). All of the stickers on my rack, including the ones to help with side-to-side alignment on the crossbars were put on by somebody who simply didn't care. They're not even close to being level with the rack. Also, the weld on the hitch-nut on the inside of the hitch is not the greatest I've seen. I can see a pin-hole of light through it. They couldn't even get the Thule sticker right- It's got a ton of air under the sticker. I couldn't care less, but seriously- how do you screw that up so royally?
Thule charges way too much for their rack. The Yakima comes with the hitchpin lock, and a cable lock, for only a little more than the thule t2 alone. Good deal. That being said, I still bought the Thule, and the STL2 lock (hitchpin lock), instead of the Yakima, since my bike is so large and I needed to adjust it side to side.
If my bike didn't limit my rack to the Thule, I would have bought the 2009 Yakima holdup. It's a way cheaper rack if you buy it online, and I feel like it's probably just as good.
Have Backcountry.com price match another online retailer. Backcountry charges MSRP, which of course is a bend-over. However, Backcountry pricematches, and I'd rather do business with backcountry.com than any of my local shops. They're that easy to deal with!

The best platform hitch bike rack out on the market... I can't say enough about how easy it is to load and unload my rigs. You'll appreciate the smart tilt feature on this rack, it allows easy access to the rear hatch of your vehicle even with both bikes on the rack. Folds away nicely too. High quality components. A winner!!!

15,000+ miles hauling downhill bikes (with the 3rd bike add-on) - through 7 western states in 4 years. The rack is a testament to itself.
Can't be any easier loading/unloading. Even our youngest could load his own bike at the age of 10.
This rack has been on the back of a Navigator in the roughest desert and mountains we could find. It rides high enough to avoid dragging through the washouts!
I am sure ours will last for years -- but we just bought one for our son.
We have a locking pin for the receiver, but also use a cable lock.

Man, this would be a great rack if I could actually get one that was complete! The service from this site has been excellent but the first rack I was sent was missing parts and the second one had broken parts. Thule customer support is some of the worst I have encountered. So, 5 stars to this site and 1 to Thule. This sucker is reasonably heavy but manageable.

This is a great rack. It's on my 2000 Explorer all summer, and folds up nicely out of the way when I don't have my bike, but then in the matter of seconds you can fold it out and load/lock your bike. As a mountain biker I tend to drive down some rough roads to get to trail heads and because this mounts to the trailer hitch (and therefore the car frame) it is rock solid. For added stability use the Thule pin lock or a screw bolt instead of just a hitch pin. This pinches the rack to the hitch receiver and prevents any movement.

My new bike's frame dictated the need for a new rack, l went with the T2 and like it alot. EZ on and off, but LOCK your bikes at all times, a thief will have a bike in 5 seconds or less! A part was broken in the box but Thule custumor service was great and a new part is on the way. I would highly reccomend this rack, but catch it on sale because it is pricey.

This bike carrier is much better than the other 2-4 bike styles and roof racks.

Loading bikes is quick, and removing the rack it fast too.

It does allow you to get in the back of the van while loaded.

We added the extension to make it a 4-bike.

We have it on a Honda Odyssey.

I stepped up to this model and I am happy as can be with the ease and quality of the T2. It is much quicker and easier to use and secures my bikes better than the other Thule carrier.

Best hitch mount rack I've ever used. Easy to load the bikes and it can dip down to access the rear of the vehicle. Don't forget your lock keys....it happened once after we were getting picked up after a stage race....but we were still able to put the bikes on their sides and strap them on the rack to get them home. Stable too...the bikes don't move around and get dinged or scratched up.

We got this rack for my wifes car a few years ago - it has served her well since. When I got a new car and decided to go with a hitch mounted rack instead of a roof rack this past summer, I decided to look at what was available on the market again, and I settled on the Yakima Hold-Up. The two main selling points for the Hold-Up over the T2: the swing arms on the hold-up clear a 29er tire, while the T2s do not, and the Hold-Up folds down to a smaller size when it is not in use. However, the T2 does have one notable advantage: you can slide the two trays relative to one another to optimize the positioning of the trays when carrying two bikes. This has never been a problem for me, but I can see where it would be advantageous for other people. Otherwise, I love this style of bike carrier because it doesn't require removing a front wheel, and because I can use the bike rack as a pseudo-repair stand at the trailhead. If you have a 29er I'd strongly recommend the Hold-Up; otherwise the T2 is a solid option worth considering.

Despite the fact that assembly took about an hour and that the rack is a bit heavy to take on and off by myself - it is a great rack. The tilt feature is great. I would recommend purchasing the lock for the hitch and the lock cylinders. I did purchase the extension to carry 4. It sticks out very far on my SUV. Be careful backing up. Overall great bike rack.

A great rack! It fit onto my 02 Civic with just a little mod on the front wheel tray. (Had to shave it a bit with a drummel to clear my bumper) The best bike rack on the market - no stretching, reaching or straining required. Combined with the Snug Tite Lock and lock cylinders, all is secure. A must have.

Hard to find any problems with this rack. Easy to load, easy to unload. I really like the fact that it has a setting that actually drops it down past horizontal so that I can fold my pick-up tail gate down while the rack is still on. I can haul it out of the garage solo and put in on / take it off, but smaller folks might struggle - it ain't light.

This is my first bike rack and I based my purchase on all the positive reviews for the Thule T2. Overall, I love the rack - its simplicity and speed of setup to hitting the road probably can't be beat, but I have a few minor complaints that may be crucial for some (depending on your POV of course). First, the quality of some of the materials, not all by any means, seems a bit cheap and "plasticky" for the price. For example, the ratcheting front wheel arms are insanely quick and easy to operate but the plastic release "button"/lever feels like it could loosen over time and gradually decrease reliability. One of the important features, in my decision to purchase, was how easily one can fold up the rack when not hauling any bikes. This worked as designed but with one catch; depending on your vehicle, the rack may not fold up entirely and lock into place because your bumper will be in the way! If the rack can't fold up entirely and lock into place it negates that entire feature. The plastic wheel wells, in which your front tire sits, could hit your bumper before it locks into place. I was able to make this work by, ever so gently, grinding down the plastic wheel well by about an inch so there was enough clearance between it and the bumper when folded up. Watch out for this if this is an important feature for you. Thule could have had simple solution to this if they simply followed the design of the rear wheel clamp...it slides back and forth. If the front wheel wells were not fixed and slid, I could have moved this piece entirely to the edge when not hauling bikes. Oh well...picky I know. Still love the simplicity, design, and speed at which my wife and I can load two bikes onto this puppy.

For now the best of the tray types...seen them all.
Easy to put together and use. Very solid (and heavy) and strong.
It is heavy and large so really not intended to be removed often.
Fits all bikes. Not perfect if you have a swing out back gate as you won't have full access...though it does give more access than all the rest except for the swing away types. Lots of clearance if you have a rear mounted spare too.

I shopped the competition's racks for a good hitch rack that would accommodate 29er mtb wheels and not hang the bikes by the frames, and this one stood out as the best deal. It's stable and easy to use, and the folding mechanism is solid and helpful, both upwards and down for hatch access. I use a cable lock to secure all four wheels and both frames, instead of the Thule designed locks.

My only wish is that for those of us who like to use cable locks, rack companies would incorporate a small metal loop or something on the rack, through which to pass the cable, so that the rack is secured to the car as well. I know Thule sells a locking pin, but using a cable could do the job, or provide backup. Maybe I'll have a friend weld one on.

Concerning the post below about this rack not being 29er friendly... my front wheel is a wide rim Stan's Flow, with a 2.55" WTB Weirwolf mounted. It takes some wiggling to get the arm over the tire, but I can get the arm to engage 3 clicks without releasing pressure from the tire, and am pleased with how it holds. It is certainly 29er friendly, for tires up to at least 2.55".

I'm very pleased with the rack, and recommend it. Easy, durable, well-designed.

If I'm not in my pick up this is the only way I roll. I love this rack. Makes it easy when the Wife shuttles me in the SUCV. I would not trust the locks for the bikes, i bet some one could slash a tire and slip off the wheel chock in a sec. Cable lock through frame-fork-wheels to hitch solves this easily. Hands down best rack out.

Absolutely a great bike rack. I have it mounted on the front of my F350 4x4 for when I have my camper on & am towing a boat. Great quality & functionability.
No bike yet to put on it, but I have one coming.
Unreal price. Nearly 40-45% off what I could get it for in Canada, including shipping & all costs right to my door.
Greg or Craig or David (I can't remember his name now) was just terific!! I can't say enough about him. Got the job done for the best price. I will shop here again for sure.

Positives: holds bikes so securely you never have 1/ to worry about bike clanging together or falling off. 2/ Super good quality in all parts, bike don't sway or move almost at all. 3/ Holds bikes higher than most other racks so it keeps them out of car tire spray and saves bike bearings in the process. Negatives: 1/ A bit expensive by Backcountry had a great deal. 2/ Only holds 2 bikes, need a fairly expensive add-on to hold more. 3/ Bikes can be stolen even with locked arms, try putting rear wheel into wheel tray for better security and/or use a cable lock.

Excellent rack. No sways or bobbing, keeps the bikes sturdy and well protected. Loading the bikes is easy and quick. Not a big fan of the price though. Too expensive for a 2 bike carrier, and you still need to shell out extra $ for locks and hitch bolt that I think should be included in the package/price. The extension cost just as much.

this site did a great job, Thule made an even better rack. Assembly was fine, Would like to find a way to lock the rack so it cannot be removed from my vehicle though. Don't see the Thule locks as being necessary, just a cable through the vehicle frame and a Masterlock.

Great bike rack. Recommend to anyone. Good service.
Thanks to all.

Some draw backs.

1. You have to assemble the rack. The instructions are good, but it still takes about an hour or so.

2. The swing bar does place some pressure on the front break of road bikes.

3. The rack is a little heavy. Taking it on & off of the vehicle is much easier with 2 people.

4. The rear hitch racks are notorious for leaving bikes with road grime after long trips - especially in the rain. (however, they are shielded from summer bugs a little better then the top racks)

5. Locking the bike is questionable. We have to methods of lock down.

a. Light lock down - going into the grocery store - We bought the two additional locks & the snug tight locks. This allows one to lock the "arm" in place over the front tire. This is all fine for keeping the good people honest, but come one. I can quick release the front wheel & get the whole bike free.

b. If we are going on long trips we purchased a 8' long cable with a heavy duty lock. We run this thought the bikes frames & wheels then lock it to the rack - which is locked to the car. Again, this is not full proof, but I don't really care, b/c our bikes are insured & I would always enjoy getting a new bike.

Some things that I like about this rack:

1. The rack has a very nice "not in use mode" where a quick depression of a lever allows the rack to be placed in a vertical position.

2. Loading the bikes is lightning fast! I can load 2 bikes in about 2 minutes. No wheel removal or storage. Also, this rack can handle my heavy duty mountain bike with disk breaks (becoming more & more standard) that most top racks have issues with. Plus I hate removing the front tire on my mountain bike. This is important - going biking takes long enough without taking 15 minutes to load & unload your steed.

3. The rack allows for the movement of the bikes so that you can see the tail lights through the wheels. Also, you can arrange the bikes so that the handle bars & seats don't hit each other. ( a common problem on rear hitch racks)

4. The bikes don't swing at all - or very very little. The bikes are loaded in a very fast solid manner with out additional straps that swing or slap in the wind.

5. If you go for the 2" inch rack, the 2 bike add on is very nice. I think that it even comes with a rear break light that can plug into the trailer lights for additional security. I would do this, but it is not recommended for the 1 1/4 hitch weight load. I have considered doing this because they are usually covering their ass - as some down hill mountain bikes (made for riding lifts) & the growing popularity of electric bikes - can now weigh close to 60lbs each.

6. My wife can quickly & easily load the bikes by herself. She normally couldn't & wouldn't want load then on top of the vehicle by herself. (This is a huge plus)

The best feature for this type of rack is how easy it is to load bikes onto it. I can load or unload a bike in 20 seconds. Everything feels really stable. Also, here's a trick I did to the rack, I reversed the bars on the rack so that bikes sits lower on the rack, and I have better viewable area from the rear window of my car. The rack also is further away from the car when the rack is folded up, and it makes the trunk more accessible, so it's win-win for me.

I've used several receiver hitches before but this one is the mutts nuts! Easy to assemble, install (no trouble doing it myself) and operate, and it fits my XTerra perfectly. Loading and unloading bikes is much easier now and it'll even hold Dirtsurfer downhill inline boards (mount facing backwards).

I have to also commend Backcountry.com on their sterling customer service. I'm a military member living in Germany and unlike most online vendors they shipped my rack free of charge to my APO box and gave me a discount to boot!

Do not hesitate to order this rack from Backcountry.

the rack works great. no problems.

The Thule T2 is an excellent bike rack. Loading of the bicycles is a breeze - even our 7 year old can do it with ease! Assembly was not a problem either. I can't wait to get the add-on to carry 2 more. Thanks Backcountry.com for offering great products and service!!

This bike rack costs more than most, however, in this case you get what you pay for. For each bike you want to put on the rack there is a mounting unit just for one bike. So you can customize your setup. I have gone over some rough dirt roads with this rack and the bikes are held securily even though they are dancing around behind my truck like crazy. The bikes are placed in the rack quickly and securily. The rack itself can be flipped down for good access to the back of truck door. Also I have purchased a locking hitch pin that works and I like the screw-in hitch pin because it tightens up the connection to the trailer hitch on the back of my truck. Good engineering.

Best Rack made; well worth the little extra money that it cost.

Even though my bike costs less than a grand it's still scary having it outside the car attached buy a few jumbles of design. With the Thule Transport T2 after one trip to the trail I was satisfied knowing that my bike wasn't going anywhere and was safe behind the car instead of atop ready to be slammed into a garage. 29er tires barley fit but they do the arm just skims the tire until it is in place by the fork.

This rack is great. I love the fact that it doesn't have any chrome on it. The "other" brand has chrome that starts rusting quickly. It goes together well if you follow the directions. The below review is correct about over tightning the bolts. Don't do it. They don't need to be extremely tight.

The arms are almost not long enough for my 29r with the big tires. This is no big deal though because it can be worked around. You just have to play with it a little. My small tire 29r is no problem at all.

I like the way it can be lowered almost to the ground. This lets me open my rear hatch with the bikes on.

Here is a couple of ideas for Thule in case one of their people read this. First, weld a loop of steel somewhere on the rack so there is a place to hook a lock. This would be a simple thing to do and would really help when using a cable to lock the bikes on. Second, come up with a way to lock the rack to the hitch. Yeah I know it is bolted but anyone could easily take that off. One way would be to make the rack extend through the reciever enough to put a pad lock on. A hole drilled in the tube would make it easy to snap a lock on if it extended through the tube enough. Another solution would be to make a locking system for the bolt that holds the rack on. Again, this would be easy.

So with all that being said, I love the rack. It looks great and work great. I am so glad I bought it.

I hate to make superlative comments like the title of this review, but in this case I can't help it. With the hitch version of this rack, you can load 45lb DH bikes without throwing out your back, and do it in under 10 seconds. Plus the rack is rock solid stable, no bike sway while driving. Even off-road this thing is amazingly stable. Just get one. Trust me.

The T2 was easy to put together and install. It clears the back tire on my Jeep Rubicon with the spare attached to the back and lowers just enough to open the door and window in the rear. The best thing is that it takes 15 seconds to load/unload a bike! The best rack I've ever used for biking. Although it's expensive it is totally worth it!

I have been using this rack for a while and it has worked great. You can buy lock cores to match any other Thule racks you have. Highly recommend the Snug Tite Lock, which prevents someone from stealing the rack. I also have the 2 bike add-on(only for the 2" model). The only issue I have had was driving on Road 18 in Fruita when it was wet, the sand/dirt got up into the wheel holder. This caused it to not click when pushed down, solved by spraying a powerwasher into the assembly. I don't think there is a better rack for the price.

This is the best bike rack we've had. It is SO EASY to get the bikes on and off the racks. You don't need super human strength or a PhD in rack assembly to put it together or use it.

The best and easiest to use bike rack on the market. Also one of the few racks on the market that will fit 29" mtn bikes. For the price it would be nice if it included the hitch lock...