Thule or Yakima Hitch bike rack | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Thule or Yakima Hitch bike rack

bcskimiller

New Member
Joined
August 10, 2017
Messages
4
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4
City, State
Hollywood, FL
Year, Model & Trim Level
2013 Explorer Limited 4wd
Good Day All,
I've been on and off of this forum for years, but just finally joined! I have a 2013 Limited with a tow package. Quick question, I'm looking to get a hitch bike rack and am looking at the Thule T2 (classic or pro) or the Yakima Holdup. My biggest question is if anybody has it with the stock tow package and how the bikes fit when it's tilted down, ie can you actually open the hatch with a mountain bike on either one?! I've seen the videos on etrailer.com and they only use a road bike and it's in an aftermarket hitch. Both are great racks and I'll get either, just want the one with the most clearance! I've got roof racks currently that I'll still use when trailering, but excited to get the bikes off the roof!

Thanks!
Bobby
 



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Hi Bobby,

Funny you should ask - just last week, I took delivery of the Thule T2 Pro XT for our '17 Platinum with the standard tow package and couldn't be happier.

Assembly was quick and easy and it's fairly simple to install into the hitch. Once locked into place, the bikes go on with plenty of clearance between the two of them. Tilting them away from the hatch is also very easy and I would estimate that the inside mountain bike's handlebars cleared the gate by five or six inches - plenty of leeway. I was also able to move around it on either side to load and unload the back without having to do any gymnastics.

All in all, I love the rack as it feels sturdy and safe. It's quick enough to install/uninstall both the rack and the bikes to not deter you from taking a last minute, local trip somewhere. And the locking feature on both rack and bikes is a very nice feature (though the bike locks won't deter the serious bike thief with the serious tools, but you can say that about most bike locks out there).

One tip I learned after using it for the first time: the backup sensors don't like hitch bike racks as it emits a constant beep as long as you're in reverse. But if you have parking assist, just press the 'Cancel Parking Assist' button below the Sync unit and it kills the beeping until you restart the car.

Hope that helps.
Paul
 






Good Day All,
I've been on and off of this forum for years, but just finally joined! I have a 2013 Limited with a tow package. Quick question, I'm looking to get a hitch bike rack and am looking at the Thule T2 (classic or pro) or the Yakima Holdup. My biggest question is if anybody has it with the stock tow package and how the bikes fit when it's tilted down, ie can you actually open the hatch with a mountain bike on either one?! I've seen the videos on etrailer.com and they only use a road bike and it's in an aftermarket hitch. Both are great racks and I'll get either, just want the one with the most clearance! I've got roof racks currently that I'll still use when trailering, but excited to get the bikes off the roof!

Thanks!
Bobby
Welcome to the Forum Bobby.:wave:
Using the handy 'Search' feature in the upper right, I found this existing thread. Might be some info there for you.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/index.php?threads/bike-racks-roof-and-hitch-mounts.379557/

Peter
 






Paul, thanks for the reply, that's exactly what I was looking for! I'd seen the other forum and it hadn't answered the million dollar question.

If anybody has any feedback on the Yakima Holdup, it would still be much appreciated, I've had Yakima racks for years, including locks etc, but I might be fixing to spread my loyalty!
 






I have a Yakima Holdup and use it regularly. Like it a lot and would buy it again...
 






I have a Yakima Holdup and use it regularly. Like it a lot and would buy it again...
Jello4, thanks! So assuming you can open the hatch with the bikes loaded?
 












We have the Thule hitch mount and love it. Quality unit.
Only thing the wife dislikes is not knowing how to disable the backup alarm when the bike rack is attached.
 












I use a 1UP rack. Costs a bit more but made in the USA and it's incredible. You can get it in a black finish and it blends well with dark colored cars. It automatically locks into the hitch receiver using an exclusive key/wrench. It tilts, it folds up into a pretty compact package when not in use, no wiggle, great security for the bike/s. You can add additional carriers if you have more bikes.
 






Thanks for the feedback everybody! I just dropped the wad of cash on the Thule T2 XT Pro, and while I didn't want to spend that much money, with the myriad of different bikes we have from kids to full suspension mountain bikes and beach cruisers, the hanging racks were going to be a hassle. I was going with a cheaper one originally but I routinely do 1,500 mile road trips so I need ready access to the back of the car, hence why the tilt function is vital. And the beauty of the Thule T2 collection is you can buy the 2 bike now and then when my kids are big enough, I can get the add-on and carry 4 bikes without having to get a different rack (the only fault of the 1UP and why I didnt go with that is that you cant get a 4 bike version and I have 2 kids and a wife that rides...). Cheers! Bobby
https://www.thule.com/en-us/us/bike-rack/hitch-bike-racks/thule-t2-pro-xt-9034xt-_-1691037
 






I bought a swing away rack, the Thule 9031 XT Swing Away, has locking cable for your bikes, you have to buy the hitch lock separately though. The swing away definitely helps a lot. Right when I got the rack, I ended up having to access the tail gait because of a flat tire.
 






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