Thule T2 Pro X Bike Rack Review

The Thule T2 Pro X is exceptionally easy to use, fits a wide variety of bike types, and strikes a nice balance between features and price

Author: Erik Nilson / Last Updated: December 22, 2023

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Thule T2 Pro X Bike Rack

The Bottom Line

The Thule T2 Pro X is a high-quality bike rack that meets the needs of most cyclists. The T2 Pro X is very easy to use, it securely holds bikes no matter the condition of the road, and it has a durable build that will last through many seasons of heavy use. Perhaps best of all, it undercuts most of its competitors in terms of price while giving up very little in return. Overall, the Thule T2 Pro X is a smart choice for discerning riders.

Not the rack you’re looking for? See our detailed list of the year’s best bike racks or best tailgate bike pads.

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Thule T2 Pro X Performance

Overall Ease of Use

The Thule T2 Pro X hitch rack excels in terms of ease of use, making it a very convenient option for daily use. Loading and unloading bikes is a simple and straightforward process, taking less than a minute to accomplish. The tilt lever stands out as one of the best in the industry and is always conveniently within reach. Additionally, the T2 Pro X offers tool-free removal and installation, a nice feature not found on all bike racks. Finally, assembly and installation are a breeze, and you’ll be up and running in about 30 minutes. In summary, the Thule T2 Pro X proves to be one of the more user-friendly hitch-mounted bike racks on the market and is a pleasure to use.

Unboxing and Assembly

Unboxing and assembling the Thule T2 Pro X is a straightforward affair, taking me only about 25 minutes from start to finish. Thule provides all the tools necessary to get your T2 Pro X up and running, and the instructions are clear, concise, and easy to follow. Having assembled dozens of bike racks over the past 15 years, I find the T2 Pro X to be one of the easier platform models I’ve come across.

Loading and Unloading Bikes

Mentioned above, loading and unloading bikes on the Thule T2 Pro X is a cinch. The process goes something like this: prepare the rack for loading by undoing the rear wheel strap and swinging the ratcheting arm into the open position. Next, lift your bike onto the tray, swing the front ratcheting arm up and over the front wheel, and tighten it down. Complete the loading process by securing the rear wheel with the plastic strap. To unload the bike, simply reverse the process. It is incredibly easy and takes less than 60 seconds from start to finish with a little bit of practice.

Thule T2 Pro X Weight Capacity

The Thule T2 Pro X is rated to carry two 50-pound bikes, allowing for a total weight capacity of 100 pounds. While this figure was standard a few years ago, it’s a bit lower than what is commonly seen with other premium hitch racks today. Comparatively, other popular models like the Kuat NV Base 2.0 and the Thule T2 Pro XTR boast a 60-pound per bike rating. The necessity for an increased weight capacity is largely attributed to the growing popularity of heavy electric bikes, which can easily exceed 50 pounds. Despite this, the Thule T2 Pro X remains more than adequate for most users. If you own a particularly heavy e-bike, I recommend checking out my in-depth review of the Yakima StageTwo, which boasts an impressive rating of 70 pounds per bike.

Will my Bike Fit on the Thule T2 Pro X?

One of the main benefits of platform-style hitch racks like the Thule T2 Pro X is their ability to accommodate a wide range of bike sizes and styles. Specifically, the T2 Pro X fits everything from 20-inch kids’ bikes to 29-inch mountain bikes with tires up to 3 inches wide. Thule also offers a fat bike kit for the T2 Pro X (more details below), further enhancing its versatility. I personally tested the T2 Pro X with carbon fiber gravel bikes, as well as both electric and analog full-suspension mountain bikes, all without any issues.

Build Quality and Durability

I purchased my first Thule bike rack 15 years and hundreds of thousands of miles ago, and I have always been impressed with their build quality and durability. The same holds true for the T2 Pro X. The rack features a stout metal frame that feels thicker than other popular models, such as the outgoing Thule T2 Classic, and the plastic wheel trays are thick and don’t feel brittle in the slightest—even in sub-freezing temperatures. I also found the hardware to be heavy-duty, and it hasn’t shown any signs of rust, despite being left outside 24/7. All in all, the Thule T2 Pro X is a high-quality bike rack.

Vehicle Access

While rear vehicle access is never great with hitch-mounted bike racks, the T2 Pro X stands out as one of the better options. The key lies in the ease of using the rear tilt feature, allowing you to quickly engage and drop the rack out of the way. Even with bikes on, the tilt lever is easy to use. However, for the best rear vehicle access with a platform hitch rack, see our in-depth review of the RockyMounts AfterParty, which features a built-in swing-away feature.

Removing and Storing the Thule T2 Pro X

Thanks to its toolless design and easy-to-operate attachment mechanism, removing the Thule T2 Pro X from a car is a breeze. With a bit of practice, it’s possible to have the rack off the car in less than 30 seconds. Simply loosen the anti-sway knob, pull out the hitch pin, give the rack a little side-to-side wobble to loosen things up, and slide it out of the receiver. However, storing the Thule is not quite as user-friendly. Hitch-mounted bike racks are big and bulky, taking up a fair amount of space in a garage or shed, and the Thule T2 Pro X is no different.

How Much Does the Thule T2 Pro X Weigh?

The Thule T2 Pro X weighs 50 pounds, placing it right in the ballpark of other platform hitch racks. Similar models, such as the Thule T2 Pro XTR (52 pounds), Kuat NV Base 2.0 (51 pounds), and 1UP USA Heavy Duty Double (46 pounds), all weigh within a couple of pounds of the T2 Pro X.

Key Features of the Thule T2 Pro X

Ratcheting Arms and Rear Wheel Strap

The T2 Pro X uses a tried-and-true system to secure bikes to the rack platform. The front wheel ratcheting arm is easy to adjust for different wheel sizes and cinches down tightly on the tire, holding bikes securely with minimal side-to-side wobble. It’s not quite as robust as the more premium T2 Pro XTR version, but it’s more than adequate for most users. For the rear, Thule chose a simple and effective plastic wheel strap and cradle to hold the tire. The wheel strap accommodates everything from skinny road tires to 5-inch-wide fatbike tires.

Thule HitchSwitch Tilt Lever

Thule wisely opted to incorporate the same HitchSwitch tilt lever found on their premium XTR model into the X model reviewed here. In short, it’s one of the smoothest operating tilt levers and one that I use as a benchmark against most others. It is conveniently located at the end of the rack, always within arm’s reach, and remarkably easy to engage–traits not shared by the Kuat NV Base 2.0 or 1UP USA Heavy Duty Double. Even when loaded with two heavy electric bikes, the tilt lever on the T2 Pro X is easy to use.

Locks

Thule includes one lock with the T2 Pro X, integrated into the anti-sway knob, which effectively secures the rack to the car. However, there are two additional lock locations on each of the ratcheting arms for securing the bike to the rack, which Thule did not include with the T2 Pro X, which is clearly a cost-cutting measure. To fill these empty spots, you’ll need to purchase additional locking cores at an extra cost of $50.

Anti-Sway Knob

The Anti-Sway knob on the T2 Pro X is one of the more user friendly designs out there. The triangular shape is easy to grab and twist, it does a great job of eliminating any swaying back and forth, and the integrated lock helps eliminate theft. Finally, there are no special tools to keep track of to remove the rack from your car, which is something I always appreciate. With its simple and effective design, there isn’t much more you can ask for.

Popular Accessories for Thule T2 Pro X

Thule T2 Pro X 2 Bike Add-On

If you want to expand your carrying capacity from two to four bikes, then the Thule T2 Pro X 2 Bike Add-On is what you need. The add-on easily bolts onto the main frame of the T2 Pro X rack, effectively doubling how many bikes you can carry. It retains the same great front ratcheting arms, rear wheel straps, and tilt lever that are found on the base rack.

Thule T2 Pro X Hitch Extender

One downside to a rear hitch rack is that they can sometimes interfere with your vehicle–which is especially true for Jeeps with rear spare tires and vans with very vertical doors. For those with clearance issues, then a hitch extender is worth a look. Thule’s version can extend your rack another seven or nine inches further, which should solve most people’s problems.

Thule T2 Pro X Fat Tire Holder

In stock form, the T2 Pro X can carry bikes with tires up to 3 inches wide, which isn’t bad. However, if you plan to carry fat bikes, then you’ll need to pick up their Fat Tire Holder kit. This kit replaces the front tire cradles and can carry tires up to 5 inches wide. No additional parts are needed as the rear strap can adjust to fit these wide tires.

Thule License Plate Holder

For those concerned about blocking their license plate with the rack mounted, Thule offers a License Plate Holder for the T2 Pro X. The kit easily attaches to the rack and can flip up or down depending on the position of the rack. While I’ve never had a problem with a blocked license plate, it might be worth it to some.

What is Thule’s Warranty Policy?

Thule offers a limited lifetime warranty on all their bike racks, which is pretty common among most major brands. It’s always a good habit to verify on your own, but Thule’s warranty covers any manufacturing or material defects that may occur over the life of the product. I don’t have any concerns with the build quality or durability of the T2 Pro X but it’s nice peace of mind for such an expensive purchase. Yakima, 1UP USA, and Kuat all have similar policies.

Issues with Thule T2 Pro X

Over the past few months I’ve been putting the T2 Pro X through its paces on the road, and it’s passed with flying colors. I’ve subjected it to snow-covered mountain passes, miles and miles of rough dirt roads, and it’s seen its fair share of general around town use as well. In that time I haven’t had a single issue with the Thule and everything still operates just as it should. As always, I’ll continue to use the rack and report back if something comes up.

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How Does the Thule T2 Pro X Compare?

Thule T2 Pro X vs. XTR

The Thule T2 Pro X and T2 Pro XTR share a lot in common. Both racks are very easy to use on a daily basis, hold bikes very securely, and each model works well with a wide variety of bike types. They also share the same tilt lever, which is a very good thing. So why is the Pro XTR $150 more than the Pro X model reviewed here? There are four main differences between the two that buyers need to be aware of.

For starters, the T2 Pro XTR has a max load rating of 60 pounds per bike and is the better choice for heavy e-bikes (the Pro X has a max load rating of 50 pounds per bike). Second, the Pro XTR comes with three locks–one at the end of each ratcheting arm and another in the anti-sway knob–whereas the Pro X only has the one lock at the anti-sway knob. Another difference is that the ratcheting arms of the Pro XTR are slightly easier to operate and are a little more robust, however, the Pro X’s are pretty darn good, too. Finally, the Pro XTR’s built-in wheels make moving it around the garage a breeze. These refinements of the Pro XTR make it the better rack overall. However, the cost saving of the T2 Pro X is not insignificant and it’s still a very good rack. In the end, it’ll come down to your budget and if you plan to carry heavy e-bikes.

See our in-depth review of the Thule T2 Pro XTR for even more info.

Thule T2 Pro X vs. Yakima StageTwo

Another popular hitch-mounted bike rack is the Yakima StageTwo, which shares a lot of similarities with the Thule T2 Pro X. Both racks can carry a wide variety of bikes and receive high marks in terms of build quality and durability. However, there are some important differences between the two.

The Thule T2 Pro X is about $100 less than the StageTwo, is lighter and easier to move around off the car, and it has a tilt lever that is more streamline and smoother to operate. However, the Yakima has a few tricks up its sleeve. The StageTwo is rated to carry two 70 pound bikes and has an optional loading ramp, which makes it my top recommendation for e-bike owners. For ease of use and to save a few dollars, go with the Thule. But for those of you who regularly haul electric bikes, go with the Yakima StageTwo.

See our in-depth review of the Yakima StageTwo for even more info.

Thule T2 Pro X vs. Kuat NV Base 2.0

One final consideration is the Kuat NV Base 2.0, another premium hitch rack I’ve spent a lot of time using. Just like the Thule T2 Pro X, the Kuat NV Base 2.0 is quick and easy to load, works with a very wide variety of bike types, and holds bikes securely no matter the condition of the road. Advantages of the Kuat include a 60-pound weight capacity per bike, integrated cable locks for each bike, and subjectively better looks compared to the Thule.

Having said that, the Thule wins out when it’s time to tilt the rack and in terms of price. For about $100 less than the Kuat, the Thule’s tilt lever is much easier to reach than the Kuats foot-activated style. If you need the extra carrying capacity for heavy electric bikes, go with the Kuat. But if you are looking to save some money and will never carry e-bikes, choose the Thule T2 Pro X.

Shop the Thule T2 Pro X at:

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