Thule Ridgeline Hitch Carrier w/Retractable Locking Cable - 4 Bike - 2010 BCS

This rack works great for long and short bike trips. It is extremely stable and holds bikes as if they were welded to the frame. The integrated locking cable is nice as then you do not need to remember another and the anti sway cages work well. Build quality seems excellent overall with the only improvement that I would make being that the anti-sway cages have rubber where they meet the bike frame. This would provide some more stability and also protect the paint of the bike.

I have used the Thule Ridgeline for almost 3 years now and am impressed with all its features.
1) It provides a solid connection to the car's receiver. I use it on a Prius and an SUV. The 1 1/4 inch connection allows the rack & bikes to bounce a bit on rough roads but I've never had any cause for concern about the bikes being safe. The 2" connection is very solid with no bounce.
2) The bike to rack connection is also solid. With 2 or more bikes aboard there is zero sway due to the downtube stabilizers of the Ridgeline. I do tie the bikes together to keep them from rubbing. With one bike up the bike tends to sway backward at freeway speeds on the Prius due to the small wind shadow created by the car.
3) The cable lock is a wonderful feature. I use it when I park to deter theft. One must be careful to use the included cable retainer when the rack is not in use or you will soon need to replace the passive end of the cable due to dragging on the road. Note that this lock system is not bulletproof and if a thief knew that it is held in place by one pop-rivet, your bike would be history. Fortunately most thieves will just move on to the next bike when they see the cable.
4) The rack is easily installed. The initial assembly is simple and has detailed, understandable instructions. Removing the bike from the receiver is simple (with a 3/4" wrench or socket) and quick. I can move to the other vehicle in about 5 minutes. I particularly like that the bolt to fasten the rack to the car's receiver features a lock.
5) The key can be purchased from any Thule dealer by giving the dealer the id number. You can also have other Thule products keyed alike so you only need to carry a single key for all of their products.
6) The tilt mechanism of the rack works great. I can open the hatch of the Prius without tilting the bikes back. On the SUV I can easily tilt the rack with bikes aboard to open the hatch.
7) My wife appreciates having her bike within easy reach unlike a roof-top unit. One caveat: I don't especially like or trust the optional Thule top-tube mechanism needed for some mountain bikes. I fiddled around with one bike to make it mount to the rack without this extra bar.

That's it. A great rack with easy access and many good features. I recommend it.

Tom