Thule isn’t one to rush into things, often delaying new hitch racks to put them through longer, more rigorous testing. It’s why we’ve basically never had a problem with anything we’ve tested from them, and why their racks often seem overbuilt.
It’s also why they are (almost) the last major rack brand to enter the vertical hanging bike rack category. Come Fall, that’ll change with the new Thule ReVert Vertical Bike Rack. And it introduces a clever new feature to make it super easy to lift and lower.
Available in 4-bike ($899) and 6-bike ($1,099), it’s off-road rated and carries up to 55 pounds per bike. For the 4-bike model, that’s a total of 220 pounds, and the rack itself weighs 73 pounds.
The 6-bike rack has a maximum load of 250lbs, so if you have it fully loaded, your per-bike weight allowance will be a bit lower. Rack weight is 88lbs. For four bikes, though, the limit easily allows it to carry lightweight eMTBs.
The unique feature is the Dual TiltAssist Damper, which makes it extremely easy to lift and lower no matter how many bikes you have on it.
The gas shock is so strong you’ll need to physically pull the rack down to lower it, where it’ll stay put while you access the back of your vehicle or load bikes. Then, just give it a nudge and it basically lifts itself up, even when fully loaded.
It’s operated with a large paddle lever near the top, so it’s easy to reach even if the rack is fully loaded. Pull it down to release it and pull the rack down, and then pull it again and let go and it’ll lift the rack for you.
The wheel trays are carefully angled so as not to put too much of a twisting force on the wheel, fork, or frame. They say some racks they tested ended up damaging the wheels on big bumps because the angle at which they’re held is too severe. But they needed a little bit of an angle to help the handlebars nest together.
Wheels are held in place with thick rubber straps bolted into the cross bars. They’ll have adapters available to fit smaller wheels for carrying kids’ bikes, too. Available in September, it has attachment points for their looped cable lock (sold separately).
Thule Santu Hitch Rack-Mounted Cargo Case
The new Thule Santu cargo case adds 11 cubic feet of storage to their Epos bike racks. It’s rated to carry up to 100 pounds. A locking lid keeps your goods secure.
It straps around the beams on the Epos Rack, making it relatively quick and easy to install. Thule says it’s easy enough to be practical, but not so easy that someone can quickly unstrap and steal it…it takes just enough work to make it an unlikely victim of crimes of convenience.
It covers two bike trays, so it’ll leave one bike spot open for your bike closest to the car on a three-bike rack.
The straps are bolted to the case from the inside, where you’ll also find tie-down straps to secure the cargo inside. MSRP is $799, available in August 2024.
