Thule Apex XT Bike Hitch Rack

A little bit heavy, so be prepared to do some weight-lifting, but it is because the product is built to last. I managed to fit 3 bikes comfortably in the rack. It is very safe as you have the key to lock and I didn't see any risk of loosing the rack while driving (I am always afraid of that). Great value for money to carry 4 bikes all together - if you compare against similar products, you can only carry 3.

This is an extremely well-made and versatile product. You don't need an extra locking kit to hold it to the car or a cable and lock to keep the bikes from being stolen. It has its own locking mechanism that attaches it to the car that locks/unlocks with a key and its own locking cable built in. It will tilt or swing away from the car, if needed, to allow trunk access (not needed for my sedan). It holds the bikes very securely. I've had many racks through the years and the less expensive ones are definitely a step down. Very, very happy with it.

Easy to install and everything works great. Picture only install instructions aren’t perfect. Had to call Thule for some help and they were great.

Bought this for my daughter and only unboxed and put on her vehicle. The unit seems sturdy and well-built. We scratched our heads a little bit before installing on just how it fastens to the hitch receiver. Basically slides in then wedges itself in with screw threads. A bit sceptical at first, once tight it held nicely and has a secondary pin that goes into the normal hitch pin hole. So once the smoke cleared, it installs solidly into your hitch so that you don't have the worrying wobble or movements if held in with just a thru-hitch pin which always has some slop. And looking in your rearview to see your bikes wobbling around is never confidence-inspiring. So, while that is all the experience I have, I like this. I'd buy one for my own use. Also the bike attachment stuff looked confidence inspiring as well, just didn't try it!

I love this bike rack! I use it to transport a Bob brand jogging stroller, not bikes, and it has exceeded my expectations in almost every way. It’s a bit heavy, so it takes a bit of an effort to slide it into the hitch, but once it’s on, it doesn’t move. It’s solid, and can hold a lot of weight.I love the tilt feature because I have a large dog that rides in the back of my Outback. It is heavy to tilt with the stroller attached, but I manage alright.The only problem I have is with the plastic straps that cinch down the bike frames. I find it difficult to squeeze the sides while loosening the straps, especially in the cold weather. Otherwise, I really like this bike rack.

The quality of the product for the price paid is abysmal. I picked this over Allen Sport bike rack which is less than half this price and lasted longer than this product. The metal sheered at the bottom and luckily I was able to see that before my 4 bikes would drag on the freeway. Never again this brand.. The design is not good for a 5 bike rack.. I would give 0 star but the rating requires atleast 1 star selected

Great, sturdy, high quality bike rack. Easy to set up and use.

LIKE:1) like the ease of placing it on my hitch2) swaying mechanism to access trunk - very easy and seems to be sturdy3) locks: hitch lock and bike lock4) stable - no swaying when mounted and fully loaded5) seemingly a good quality (time will tell)DISLIKE:1) fixed (screwed on fixed) positions of bike holders - no way to move them around to address different configurations. By screwing them on THULE is addressing the previous model issues where they slid across the rack during the drive. I expect such solution from my local carpenter, but from a reputable company I expected more.2) straps that secure biked to bike holders. #THULE really dropped the ball hon these straps .- Straps are not that flexible (they are more plastic-ky than rubbery) making sliding the bike across straps a big hassle as they are on the way (perhaps THULE expect us to remove straps completely every time and only place them when the bikes are on ,but that would take time and it would likely result in lost straps.- To secure the straps across bike frame is very easy. But., to unlock the straps to remove the bike - phew, it is hard and it takes multiple tries. Perhaps it will get easier with time, but I doubt it as it is evident that design is flawed : to push the strap locking mechanism to unlock one has to secure the strap from moving bu the strap easily spins as it slides across bike's metal. Three hands are needed.BOTTOM LINE:I am thinking about returning it. They over-complicated the strapping mechanism. resulting in frustration. When I want to go biking I want my bikes on and off in quickly- -not to spend 10 minutes unloading them .The previous version had bike holders sliding but the straps were easier to use (my neighbor has it) . I also have have a cheapo ugly looking Bell bike hitch rack ( worse quality than Allen that can be found on Amazon ) but it still works. and it is much easier to mount/dismount your bikes . I can't use it anymore as it sways to much when driving. Oh well, I didn't know that hitch mounted bike rack is so difficult to perfect.For the money paid I am rating it 3.5 stars. If I decide to keep it and straps get easier or something changes I will give an update.