The T2 Pro XTR is Thule’s two-bike platform offering, available to suit a standard 2in square hitch. Ideal for carrying bigger travel mountain bikes and e-MTBs, the T2 Pro XTR differs to most bike racks on the market in that it doesn’t clamp to any part of your bike’s frame. Instead, a large adjustable arm clamps down on the front wheel, and a small tray at the back uses a ratcheting strap to cinch down the rear wheel. If you’ve ever battled with fitting your weirdly-shaped mountain bike onto a rack, or winced as you’ve clamped down on its lightweight carbon or alloy downtube, you’ll understand the appeal of the T2 Pro XTR.
Thule claims you can fit any wheelsize from 20-29in, and tyres up to 5in wide. It has a stated maximum load capacity of 55.5kg, so it’ll handle two hefty e-MTBs. If you need to carry more than two bikes, there’s an Add-On upgrade kit that’ll allow you to carry four bikes in total that sells for an additional $1049.
The Thule T2 Pro XTR is designed to fit a standard 2in hitch mount, so all we had to do was remove the towball and slide the new rack into place. Loading up bikes is straightforward and the whole thing feels very solid. A spring-loaded ‘HitchSwitch’ lever allows you to tilt the whole rack down, so you can access the car boot without having to remove the bikes.
However, it’s worth noting that the rack and bikes will obstruct the rear lights and number plate on some cars (like Wil’s), in which case you’ll need to add on a Thule Lightboard to ensure you’re street legal. Those Lightboards sell for an additional $199 AUD, making this a very premium option indeed.
