Customer reviews from thule-us-ca
Thule - Epos 2-bike platform hitch bike rack with lights- Easy trunk access- Fully foldable - Black
Average customer rating
4.5
(18 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 18 reviews
5 Stars
13
4 Stars
1
3 Stars
4
2 Stars
0
1 Star
0
88%of customers recommend this product.
(
15 out of
17)
Customer Reviews for Thule - Epos 2-bike platform hitch bike rack with lights- Easy trunk access- Fully foldable - Black
Posted by: Cb61
from Billings, Missouri
Gender:Male
Verified Purchase:Yes
Just used it for the first time. It was very simple to install in my Silverado truck. The bikes were easy to put n the rack and locked down good. I felt that my bikes were safe going down the road and love the extra safety from having lights back there.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting thule-us-ca
Posted by: studiopeg
from Boston, MA
Verified Purchase:Yes
This is my second Thule hitch bike rack. First one was a T2 Pro XTR which I loved, but I bought an E bike and needed a rack that worked with a walk-up ramp. The Epos 2 is that rack.
It's very easy loading my heavy e bike which is what I needed since I can't lift the weight I used to. The strapping system takes time - you have to figure it out and get the pedals the right way and it's sometimes not easy. Once secured, there are no worries.
Since this sticks out so far, the lights (to me) are a necessity for safety.
However, it is a severe detriment that this rack - sticking out as far as it does - does not fold up when not in use on the car like my other Thule did. In my eyes, this is a major disappointment and is not safe. People see the rack when bikes are on it. With no bikes on it, people do not see it sticking out as far as it does. I literally have to try to find a parking spot near no one, or where I can back up with woods behind me.
It's hard to believe they did not make this rack able to be folded up against the rear of the car like their other racks. Had I known this, I would not have bought it. So do your research.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Response from thule-us-caBy Thule Customer Support, September 26, 2023
Thank you for taking the time to contact us and leave your feedback on the Thule Epos.
I am glad to hear that the bike rack is effectively meeting your ebike transport needs. I can understand how the design of the rack can cause some inconvenience when finding parking. While the rack does not fold up to the vehicle for transport, the Thule Epos is intentionally designed for maximum safety and usability, though this may have been at the expense of some convenience features found on other bike racks.
A major reason why the Thule Epos does not fold to the rear of the vehicle is because the wide, flat bottom of the rack would obscure the license plate and tail lights of the vehicle, making it unsafe to travel with. Other bike racks like the Thule T2 Pro XTR you mentioned have a more "skeletonized" design which allows for greater visibility, which allows them to be transported in the stowed position. The lights on the rack also comply with all safety regulations used for towed trailers, so visibility should be similar while driving.
The Thule Epos was designed to be as easy to remove as possible from the vehicle, and is the easiest-to-store Thule bike rack yet with its small footprint, transport wheels and carry handles. Thule always recommends removing bike racks from the vehicle when not in use to reduce unnecessary wear and tear on the rack and to increase the safety of the driving experience.
I am glad to hear that the bike rack is effectively meeting your ebike transport needs. I can understand how the design of the rack can cause some inconvenience when finding parking. While the rack does not fold up to the vehicle for transport, the Thule Epos is intentionally designed for maximum safety and usability, though this may have been at the expense of some convenience features found on other bike racks.
A major reason why the Thule Epos does not fold to the rear of the vehicle is because the wide, flat bottom of the rack would obscure the license plate and tail lights of the vehicle, making it unsafe to travel with. Other bike racks like the Thule T2 Pro XTR you mentioned have a more "skeletonized" design which allows for greater visibility, which allows them to be transported in the stowed position. The lights on the rack also comply with all safety regulations used for towed trailers, so visibility should be similar while driving.
The Thule Epos was designed to be as easy to remove as possible from the vehicle, and is the easiest-to-store Thule bike rack yet with its small footprint, transport wheels and carry handles. Thule always recommends removing bike racks from the vehicle when not in use to reduce unnecessary wear and tear on the rack and to increase the safety of the driving experience.
Written by a customer while visiting thule-us-ca
Customer Rating
3
Doesnt fold up and lock in.
on June 3, 2024
Posted by: Mhornee
from Los angeles
Gender:Male
Although a previous review and respons from thule about the fold up feature doesn't exist due to safety reasons, the rack isnt wider than most vehicles and doesn't obscure the lights, only the license plate. Unfortunately the design is somewhat flawed, in my opinion, because everytime you use the rack you have to relocate your license plate. For an active bike user that's not practical at all. Parking with an SUV with the Epos 3 unfolded isn't even possible in any parking space at all whatsoever. The rack either sticks out 3 feet or the front of your vehicle sticks out 3 feet. Vision from the side of the vehicle for incoming parking lot traffic is obscured because most people aren't looking for a rack. Everytime you park and unload bikes the rack and plate needs to be removed and relocated. That's 4 times every time you go out to one location. Install at house, remove at destination, install at destination, remove at house for storage again
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Written by a customer while visiting thule-us-ca
Customer Rating
3
Carries bikes, fails at everything else
on July 18, 2024
Posted by: Mikei
from CT
Having used the bike rack for the past 4 months I'll agree that the loading, securing, and fit for e-bikes is excellent. Unfortunately everything else is an epic fail, especially for a very expensive bike rack. Starting with trying to attach the rack to your hitch, you had better have a lot of patience and a lot of strength to put this into your receiver. Does it fit snugly after it's seated? Absolutely. Is it a complete pain to put in and take out? Absolutely. It's designed to expand once placed inside the receiver, however getting it into the receiver is an exercise in patience. Flipping the lever over to shrink the receiver is supposed to allow the bike rack to smoothly slide in, but even after greasing the receiver, it is still very very difficult to slip in. Which echoes when you try to pull it back out. Rocking back and forth 20-30 times before you can actually extract the rack is really unacceptable. Secondarily and frankly most important to me is that the light kit is not properly engineered to signal my Jeep that the lights are actually working. Every time I tap the brakes or turn on a turn signal, I get a warning from my Jeep saying that the lights are out. Of course, Thule is pointing fingers at Jeep and Jeep is pointing fingers at Thule. Meanwhile, I'm a distracted driver who spent hundreds diagnosing at my dealer only to end up with this problem persisting. And finally, whomever created that cover should be shot. I really enjoy after wrangling with my bike rack for a half hour to get it off the hitch spending another half hour trying to put that darn cover on it. Does it carry bikes? Well yes. Does everything else cause me to wish I never bought it, absolutely.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Written by a customer while visiting thule-us-ca
Customer Rating
3
Good except for one issue
on April 2, 2025
Posted by: Nc skibum
from Charlotte, nc
Gender:Male
I like the rack and the lights but don’t understand why they didn’t build in a way to lock the rack up against the car while not loaded. I can use the tongue release to raise the rack while out riding but nothing holds it in place so I could have it up and make grocery runs while traveling.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting thule-us-ca
Posted by: PaulV
from Byron Center, MI
Gender:Male
Verified Purchase:Yes
I had a bad experience last summer with a bike getting loose on the carrier and due to the velcro straps on the tires, it was the only thing that saved the bike and any cars behind us on I-75! I have been hauling our Pedego bikes in my van and it was very challenging. I opted to go with this carrier and I am very pleased.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting thule-us-ca
Customer Rating
5
I keep it in the hatch/trunk
on June 19, 2025
Posted by: ttocs
from newburgh indiana
Gender:Male
It folds up so compact that I keep it in the hatch of my impreza. This makes set up super easy as I don't even have to carry it out to the car or find a place in the garage to hold it and anytime I need it, it is there.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting thule-us-ca
Posted by: Pat L
from Michigan
Gender:Male
Verified Purchase:Yes
After extensive research, this bike rack stood out as the best and it wasn’t even close. Extremely well designed and engineered, it is also very easy to use. We travel cross country with e-bikes and this is the only rack I would use. Expensive, but well worth the extra money.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting thule-us-ca