Thule EasyFold XT Review 2022
Sep 23, 2022
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Toting an e-bike to fun ride locations is part of the fun of owning an e-bike. Who wants to ride the same roads or trails each week without variation? Not many of us, that’s who. The desire to take an e-bike and see new vistas is nose-on-face obvious.
Getting there can be a challenge, though. E-bikes tend to be rather heavy; it’s not uncommon for them to weigh more than 50 lbs. And a bike won’t fit in the back seat of a sedan or in its
trunk without taking both wheels off, which is a pain.
In our Thule EasyFold XT hitch rack review, we’ll take a look at what makes this such a great hitch rack for e-bike owners.
And there will be no shortage of things to evaluate. The Thule EasyFold XT is a feature-rich rack that is unique both in terms of how portable it is off a vehicle’s hitch, and the unique folding style you don’t typically see.
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Pro’s- Can accommodate 65lbs of bike per tray – which accommodates the majority of battery-removable e-bikes.
- Comes with a ramp to roll ebikes up, eliminating the need to pick up a heavy e-bike
- OneKey system locks rack to hitch and bikes to rack with a single key for simplicity
- Accommodates tires as large as 29 x 3 in. without needing an adapter. Additional strap kit holds up to 4.7 in.-wide tires.
- Max bike wheelbase length of 51 in. is long enough for even some cargo e-bikes
- Offers accessories for carbon frame protectors, longer ramp and even wider tires
- Fits both 1.25-in. and 2-in. hitch receivers, so anyone with an existing hitch won’t need to add or replace anything
Con’s- Does not fold flat against back of vehicle, which means it sticks out more than a foot from the bumper.
Generally speaking, a hitch rack is the way to go with e-bikes because they sit closer to the ground than any other sort of bike rack. The Thule EasyFold XT improves upon that by eliminating the need to pick the bike up at all thanks to an extendable ramp that allows the user to roll the bike into place. With the bike locked into position, the ramp folds away in the rack.
Each tray can hold up to 65 lbs. The majority of e-bikes we’ve reviewed fall between 55 and 70 lbs (with exceptions on both sides) so that makes it ideal for carrying all kinds of e-bikes. Many e-bikes can remove the battery which will shave off even more weight that you can just store in the car if you’re nervous about the weight limit.
The EasyFold XT has an unusual way of folding—like closing a book—that results in it sticking out from the vehicle even when not in use. Thule makes this less of an issue thanks to two wheels that allow it to be rolled into a storage spot when not in use, something eased by its surprisingly low weight of 45 lbs. When on the vehicle, the hitch pin locks to secure the rack to the hitch and that same key also secures the bike(s) to the rack.
The Thule EasyFold XT comes with an e-bike ramp that folds away inside the rack when not in use.
As the name implies, the Thule EasyFold XT folds up when not in use.
The clamping knobs are adjustable and lockable to make sure you can get a secure hold of the bike on the rack.
Accessing a vehicle’s rear hatch is simple thanks to the forward tilt feature..
Thule’s security is second to none. The clamping arms that secure the e-bike to the carrier feature locking knobs that prevent removal of either the arm from the rack or the e-bike from the arm.
The multitude of wheel sizes is so great that making one rack accommodate everything from 20-in. BMX bikes up to Fat Bikes with 5-in.-wide tires is nearly impossible, the EasyFold XT can handle most sizes out there and with an optional strap can take anything up to 4.7-in.-wide tires.
The Thule EasyFold XT we reviewed is more expensive than some other hitch racks, but its combination of weight capacity, ramps, broad compatibility, noticeable stability while driving and ease of storage make it a value-laden hitch rack for the e-bike owner going places. It’as easily one of the best car hitch racks you’ll find for e-bikes.
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You missed the best feature of the rack! The bikes are held upright by clamps that attach to the frame of the bike. Racks that secure the wheels are OK for lightweight bikes but with heavy e-bikes that puts a lot of stress on the wheel system, especially on rough roads. This is really the best way to secure heavy bikes safely.
On a security note – make sure to lock the bikes effectively if you are going to be leaving the bikes on the rack for any length of time. Either the plastic clamp or the aluminum arms that support the bikes to the rack can be cut fairly easily and then the bikes are no longer secured. Use a good lock.
This rack is quite nice for ebikes. By not having a center support bar, the bikes can easily be loaded onto the platform and then secured. I find it is also easier to remove the clamp bars from the rack before loading the bikes, then they can be ‘threaded’ thru the bicycle frame and re-attached after each bike is loaded. Spacing between the bikes is only 9″ so you may need to experiment on the best orientation when mounting 2 ebikes. For added security, remove the batteries and seats to further frustrate any scumbags that may want to rip you off.