Thule Epos Review

Swedish company Thule has evolved from a niche manufacturer into a global powerhouse in the automotive rack industry. Our team has relied on their gear for nearly three decades, consistently impressed by the brand's ability to marry aesthetic elegance with high-performance utility. Their latest innovation, the Epos, represents a bold departure from traditional hitch rack design by prioritizing effortless removal and compact storage, making it an ideal solution for those who want premium bike transport without a permanent commitment to their vehicle's rear profile.

Ease of Everyday Use

The Thule Epos really prioritizes ease of use. The rack uses independent, telescoping arms for each bike that can grab just about anywhere. Unlike traditional racks with fixed-position arms or hooks that are difficult to maneuver around odd-shaped frames, the Epos features independent arms that extend, retract, and pivot in any direction. This allows you to secure a bike by the frame, seat post, or even rear wheel. A stated upside of this design is that you needn't worry about the order in which you load your bikes. Thule says that removing the innermost bike without unloading the outer one is possible, but we found the clearance on the vehicles we used far too low to make that possible.

Mounting the rack to your car is exceptionally easy. The Epos uses Thule's tool-free AutoAttach lever to simplify mounting the rack to your hitch; no tools or hitch pins are needed. Thule integrated small transport wheels at the bottom of the rack, allowing you to roll it like a cart. This isn't the first rack to have wheels, but the Epos isn't designed to stay on your car when you're not using it, so the wheels are especially helpful.

Loading bikes is fairly simple, especially with the optional ramp. Ratcheting wheel straps and buckles are designed for quick, one-handed operation, and for the most part, they can be used with one hand. The wheel straps are exceptionally long, letting you haul everything from skinny-tired road bikes to massive five-inch fat bike tires. Since the mounting arms are independent and move through a full range of motion, it's relatively easy to find an attachment point on each bike. Unlike other racks, you have to decide where to mount the arm every time you load a bike; there are no saved settings.

The Epos has a completely different approach than most racks; it doesn't fold from the hitch assembly, it folds from the rear of the rack. The foot-pedal tilt mechanism allows the rack platform to tilt away from the car, even when fully loaded with bikes, giving you access to the trunk or tailgate without heavy lifting. When not in use, the rack folds into a remarkably compact square that is easy to carry with integrated handles and small enough to fit in most trunks or on a garage shelf. We love this about the rack, BUT you can't drive around with it on your car if it's unloaded. The rack doesn't lock into place in either the up or down position. So when you're not hauling bikes, you need to remove the rack from the vehicle. I can't think of another rack with this feature / limitation.

The Epos feels engineered for those who do not have bike-centric lives and want the occasional rack experience, rather than a semi-permanent fixture hanging off their car. The ability to load in any order, quick-hitch mounting, and portable rolling wheels make the rack easy to use but very different from most racks.

Ease of Removal and Storage

Thule's AutoAttach System is an interesting interface that works with 2" and 1 1/4" receivers. Instead of a standard hitch pin, the pin is permanently attached to the rack and latches into the hitch pin hole on your receiver. The AcuTight handle adjusts an internal wedge that eliminates wobble at this interface and allows 180-degree articulation. When you've tightened the handle enough, simply fold it inward, and it locks into place on the rack. Sounds simple, but the folding handle sits too close to the rack, making it difficult to fully tighten. However, it can be pulled outward and repositioned to achieve a snug fit. The Thule Verse uses the same handle, but since it's a semi-permanent attachment, you don't remove and reinstall it often, as you will with the Epos.

Once removed from the hitch, being able to roll the rack is an awesome feature. The ergonomics of rolling it aren't great, but it lets you avoid lifting it. If you'd rather carry it, the rack is light enough that most people won't have trouble lifting it. The folded rack has an incredibly small footprint and, since it doesn't stay on your vehicle when unloaded, it can fit in the trunk of most cars.

If you live somewhere with a non-biking season, it will probably make sense to store the rack in a garage or even a closet, something you can't do with most hitch racks. The folded rack measures 30 x 10.5 x 27" and stands up on its own.

To remove the Epos from the vehicle, you unlock the AcuTight handle and spin it out. The handle doesn't ratchet but can be repositioned to provide better leverage. One loosened in the receiver, you can grab the rack by its handle and lower it to the ground. This is a one-person job; the 2-bike version of the Epos weighs a smidge over 38 pounds. If you're exceptionally short, rolling the rack will come easily; for the rest of us, it requires a somewhat awkward, hunched position to engage the wheels without dragging the hitch attachment.

Versatility

The telescoping arm design of this rack is generally versatile, and the rotating head allows you to clamp a variety of places on a bicycle. The top tube, seat tube, seatpost, or even the seat stay can be clamped, allowing you to carry a wide array of frame designs. The trays are spaced 9.8 inches apart and, in theory, far enough from your vehicle that you can get between the bumper and bikes. This is advertised as a feature that helps you unload the inboard bike before or without unloading the outer bike. In practice, we found the fit to be too tight to allow adequate access.

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Long wheel straps allow you to carry bikes with up to 3.2" tires. If carrying fat bikes is on your list, Thule sells longer aftermarket straps that fit tires up to 5" wide. Have fenders? No problem. A rack and frame bags? The Epos can accommodate. Heavy e-bike? You might want to spring for the optional loading ramp, but as long as your bike is less than 75 pounds and has a wheelbase less than 53", you'll be fine. Big wheels, small wheels? The Epos doesn't care. Unlike most racks that can fold down to give you access to the rear of the vehicle, the Epos folds outwards.

You can load up to 140 pounds on this rack, and when fully loaded, returning it to the upright position is a bit of a challenge, but that's true for almost all hitch racks. The Epos can be used on 2" and 1 1/4" receivers and

Security

Starting with the basics, the Thule AutoAttach system locks the rack to your vehicle with a hitch pin that can't be lost. The key to that hitch pin also locks the ratchet straps on the telescoping arms to your bike. While the straps may appear dubious, they are steel-reinforced and won't easily be cut from your frame. The wheel straps do not lock, but Thule sells an aftermarket cable that you can wrap through the wheels and lock to the base of the rack.

That's not just a plastic strap; a steel belt adds enhanced security to this rack.   Credit: Joshua Hutchens

The Thule Epos uses this locking hitch expander handle to keep the rack steady and secure.   Credit: Joshua Hutchens

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This is the type of security that made us feel comfortable running into a deli post-ride to grab a bite. We did this several times and felt like the locks on the rack were at least keeping honest people honest. The amount of security you need differs greatly based on where you're parking your loaded car and the value of your bikes. In our relatively safe, small mountain town, I still felt uncomfortable leaving bikes on the rack out of sight after dark. The locks are functional, but can likely be defeated quickly with hand tools.

Ease of Assembly

What assembly? You can see in the video below that there isn't much to do but take the rack out of the box and insert it into your hitch. Our rack showed up with the adapter for 2" hitches already installed, but adjusting it for a 1 1/4 hitch takes only a minute to unbolt the adapter. Even the most complex bike racks take less than an hour to assemble, and the fact that Epos is fully assembled is confidence-inspiring and very user-friendly.

Durability

We generally don't rank racks with excessive amounts of plastic very highly for durability, but the Epos may be an exception. Since the rack isn't designed to sit on the back of your vehicle when not in use, it may not need to be as UV- and road-grime-resistant as a rack that bolts on and stays mounted year-round. While the base of the rack is all metal, the Epos relies on a tremendous amount of plastic for its wheel trays, straps, and ratchets. The upside of the plastic construction is the rack's low weight, which is central to keeping the rack easy to install and uninstall.

We spent about 4 months testing the Epos before posting our review, and no parts showed signs of wear. We were critical of the amount of plastic used on the Thule Verse, but again, that rack is designed to stay on the vehicle while not in use. Knowing that Thule backs the rack up with a limited lifetime warranty gives us some reassurance that this won't be a purchase we regret. We spent a moment wondering if people would try to leave this rack on their vehicle when not in use, and after driving with it unloaded once, and reading the user forums online, it's pretty clear that it isn't a good idea, and many people didn't understand this limitation when purchasing the rack.

Should You Buy the Thule Epos?

The Epos is kind of in a class of its own; there aren't any other high-capacity hitch racks on the market that are this lightweight and compact. We're not sure how big the market is for racks that need to be removed after each use, but we probably wouldn't recommend this rack to most people. That's not because it isn't a solid option for toting your bike around, but at this price, you could get a far more durable rack that doesn't necessarily need to be removed from the vehicle. Thule sells several versions of this rack, including a three-bike model, as well as accessories such as taillights, a loading ramp, a carrying case, and even an arm that supports your bike for repair on the rack. A 3-bike rack with lights and a loading ramp costs over $1800, and that seems like a poor value.

What Other Hitch Bike Racks Should You Consider?

If the idea of folding the rack and storing it on your trunk or on a shelf in the garage sounds appealing, take a look at the 1Up Quik Rack. It folds up small when not in use, and while it's a bit heavier than the Epos, it has all-metal construction and is made in the USA. The 1Up racks use a wheel tray-and-holder design that does not clamp your wheels or your frame. This design won't damage fancy carbon frames or wheels or scratch your paint.