Up until now, an upright bike loading platform rack was only available on hitch mount bike racks. However, the Thule Raceway 9003 trunk mount bike rack from Thule is the market leader in its category and is a one-of-a-kind product.
Therefore, combining the two provides a few benefits that would not otherwise be available. It features the practicality of a rack that can be attached to the trunk, making it simple to transfer from one car to another. In addition, because it is a platform rack, using it to load and unload bicycles involves the least amount of physical effort possible, and it offers the most robust method of bike connection. Bikes that are to be transported while loaded are placed in trays, where they are secured at both the frame and the wheels, preventing them from being able to move around and collide with one another or the back of the vehicle.
Now that we have that out of the way, let’s see if this rack lives up to its potential.
The rack will always have a perfect fit on the trunk of your car thanks to Thule’s unique FitDial system, which measures the distance between the rack and the vehicle. You can always put the rack in the same position because the ratchet dial has a preset specifically for your car.
The Thule Raceway 9003 Platform is equipped with four patented Sure-Tight reinforced cables. These cables first hook onto the trunk or tailgate of the vehicle, and then they are ratcheted tight and locked in position for secure fastening that cannot become dislodged.
Because the cables are locked with a key the rack is secured onto the back of the vehicle and can’t be removed so it provides security from thieves (unless they are carrying heavy-duty wire cutters!)
The rack is secured to the rear of the vehicle by means of rubber pads, which prevent any markings or scratches from occurring on the paintwork of the vehicle.
Putting your bicycles on the rack is a straightforward and speedy process. Each wheel of the bicycle is held in place by a tray, and the trays themselves are secured with ties to prevent any twisting. The frame is then secured to the rack using a bike clamp, which grabs the frame and presses it firmly against the rack to prevent any movement or swaying.
Because each of the clamps is lockable, any bike can be secured to the rack, and the rack itself may be locked to the vehicle.
A distance is kept between each bike to guarantee that there will be no collisions between them while they are being driven.
When the rack is not being used, it can be folded up neatly on the back of the car and left there because it is latched on, or it can be swiftly removed and stowed because it is removable.
Features of the Thule Raceway 9003 Platform Trunk Mount 2-Bike Rack:
- Transports up to a pair of bicycles.
- The tray mount design allows for easy loading at a low level and requires very little lifting.
- Ratchet cables from Sure-TightTM ensure a safe and secure closure.
- The FitDialTM from Thule provides the perfect fit for your automobile.
- Paintwork is shielded from scuffs and marks by the rack’s molded rubber pads, which also provide a stronger grip thanks to the form of the pads.
- The bikes are held in place securely by bike frame clamps, which also maintain a space between them to eliminate any possibility of harm.
- Easy storage thanks to the rack’s ability to fold down flat.
- Included are locking bike clamps to ensure that your bicycles are securely fastened to the rack.
- Included in the package are the locking cables that secure the bike rack to your vehicle.
- The platform trays may accommodate tires up to 3 inches wide.
- No-sway cages keep space between bikes
- Will fit the majority of bicycles, including those with disc brakes.
Thule stands behind this rack with a guarantee that lasts a lifetime.
Are Platform Bike Racks Better?
Upright bicycle carrying has its advantages
Bicycles are carried on a platform bike rack in an upright posture, standing on the platform itself. The overwhelming majority of them are hitch mount bike racks like the Hollywood Racks HR1400 Sport Rider. However, Thule Bike Racks have released a trunk-mounted platform rack; however, here at bestbikerackreviewsite.com, we are still waiting for judgment since we haven’t been able to try it ourselves and there aren’t enough user reviews as of yet to get a comprehensive enough image of how it performs.
A platform bike rack provides a sturdy and safe means of transporting bicycles.
It is generally accepted within the industry that a platform hitch mount bike rack does, in fact, boost the carrying stability or, at the least, makes it simpler to stable the bike while it is being carried.
Because the bike is already standing upright, which is a good place to begin, and because both wheels give two points of contact with the rack, it is simple to tie and secure the wheels of the bike. In point of reality, the wheels are contained inside a tray that offers the structure an additional degree of steadiness. To accommodate bikes of varying lengths and widths, the trays that hold the front and rear wheels may be adjusted to be wider or narrower as necessary.
The next point of contact is the frame, which is tightened down. This has the tremendous advantage of actually firmly stabilizing the bike, which is an important goal. The bicycle is immobile in all directions, including up and down, forwards and backward, and side to side.
The final result is a very sturdy and secure connection that does not swing about in any manner, which prevents any possibility of harm to the bike while you are driving.
The design of the platform bike rack allows for simple bike loading.
Because it is located at the rear of the car, the rack makes the back of the vehicle the most ideal place to stand when loading your bike into the rack. However, even more significant than that is the fact that the bike only needs to be lifted up a few inches in order to place the wheels in the trays; once this is done, you can let go of the bike and use the free hands you have to adjust the clamp that is holding the frame down. This is a much more straightforward process than lifting the bike up several inches.
It truly is as easy as putting one foot in front of the other, thus the whole operation is quite fast and simple, requiring very no lifting. That can only be considered positive news.
Exist any potential drawbacks to this? From our perspective, the bike attachment method and steady carrying are about as excellent as they can be, so no, the platform bike rack system does not have any drawbacks. Rather, it is one of the best options available.
When compared to racks that are mounted on the roof or trunk, hitch mounts have a few advantages, but they also have some disadvantages. When compared to transporting items on the top of the vehicle, transporting items in the trunk of the vehicle comes with both advantages and disadvantages.
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