Thule’s new premium hitch rack combines security, convenience and revolutionary new cradles with Road Dampening Technology (RDT) making it the most complete hitch rack on the market.
The Thule 9026 Apex five-bike hitch mount carrier transports up to five bicycles securely at the rear of vehicles, while allowing access to rear door hatchbacks by leaning the carrier back when not loaded. The carrier is compatible only with 2" hitch receivers. Additional features include: an integrated hitch pin, an arc bike arm design for easier bike loading and carrying performance, increased mast height, Thule Hold Fast cradles and no-sway cages, the ability to fold arms down flat, bike and rack security from theft with included hitch and cable locks, and an integrated carrying handle.
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Five-Bike Hitch Receiver Carrying Capacity
The Thule 9026 Apex five-bike hitch mount carrier is designed for frequent cyclists and/or families that want the stability, and functionality of a hitch receiver carrier that can be left on vehicles when bikes are not loaded without interfering with hatchbacks. The carrier is compatible with 2" hitch receivers and has a five-bike carrying capacity managed by its two retractable arc bike support arms. The naturally supportive arc design of the bike arms allows for easier bike loading and carrying performance. Thule Hold Fast cradles are installed on the arms. They feature a soft, rubberized cradle with a groove design that accommodates bike cables, cushions bikes and secures them during transport. To provide maximized bike stability, bike arms also feature patented Thule no-sway cages. No-sway cages are rigid rubberized bike rack components that attach to the lower edge of the bike arm, hanging below the bike cradle (one for each bike). As the top tube of bike frames rest on the carrier arms, the no-sway cages attach to the vertical tube section of bike frames with included straps. This holds bikes firmly in place without the need of a heavy wheel tray sometimes used on hitch mount carriers. Bikes can be locked to the carrier along the driver's side bike arm with a cable lock (included). The cable is retractable, pulling out of the mast section when needed, and automatically stowing there when not needed. The carrier itself can be locked to a vehicle hitch receiver using a hitch receiver lock (included).
Access to the Rear of Vehicles
The 9026 Apex ensures easy access to hatchbacks is available through its leaning functionality, and its easy-to-use hitch switch. With a pull of the lower hitch switch -- located at the rear base of the carrier -- the upright mast of the unit leans to the rear of the vehicle. The carrier should be unloaded before it is leaned to the rear to avoid unnecessary strain on cradles and no-sway cages, or damage to bicycles. The upper hitch switch, located at the top rear of the carrier, controls the ability to fold bike arms down into a vertical position when the carrier is not loaded. This minimizes the possibility of driving and parking issues when the empty carrier is left on a vehicle.
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Integrated Hitch Pin and Locking Functionality
Another valuable feature of the 9026 Apex five-bike carrier is its integrated hitch pin, referred to as an auto pin. This pin provides the main connection between the carrier's 2" hitch and a vehicle's 2" hitch receiver. The auto pin is spring loaded and built into the stinger section of the carrier, terminating in the carrier's hitch. To install, simply lift the auto pin slightly as the carrier's hitch section enters the vehicle's hitch receiver. The auto pin can then rest and move along the surface of the hitch receiver. and will click into the hitch receiver's pin hole automatically. The carrier's locking knob can then be twisted tight to secure the connection further, and locked into place with the knob's embedded lock (included), securing the carrier to the vehicle.
Key Features
- Hitch mount carrier for transporting up to five bikes
- Compatible with 2" hitch receivers
- Hold Fast RDT (Road Dampening Technology) cradles absorb the shock of the road protecting your bike during transport
- Snug-Tite receiver lock virtually eliminates hitch rack movement in receiver and locks the hitch rack to the vehicle
- Arc design of the arms gives bikes greater clearance off the ground and provides greater distance between bikes preventing contact
- Increased mast height for improved ground clearance
- Patented Thule No-Sway cages to prevent bike to bike contact
- Heavy-duty integrated lock with cable allows you to lock the bikes to rack and stores in the hitch rack when not in use
- Separate hitch switch levers allow the arms to fold when not in use, and tilt the carrier down for rear of vehicle access
- Integrated handle for easy carrying and handling
Specifications
- Capacity - Five bikes
- Hitch receiver compatibility - 2" only
- Weight limit - 150 lbs. (68 kg.)
- Bike to carrier locking functionality - Yes (cable lock included)
- Carrier to vehicle locking functionality - Yes (hitch lock included)
- Fits most bikes with disc brakes - Yes
What's in the Box
- Thule 9026 Apex five-bike hitch mount carrier
- All necessary assembly hardware and tools
- Integrated hitch pin
- Hitch lock and cable lock, with lock keys and lock cylinder change key
- Buckle strap
- User's manual/instructions and warranty information
Limited Lifetime Warranty
Thule will warranty all Thule brand car rack systems and its accessories manufactured by Thule during the time that an original retail purchaser owns the product. This warranty terminates if a purchaser transfers the product to any other person. No warranty is given for defects caused by normal wear and tear, cosmetic rust, scratches, accidents, unlawful vehicle operation, or modification of, or any types of repair of a load carrier system other than those authorized by Thule.
About Thule
Thule was founded in 1942 by the Thulin family, when Eric Thulin, a true lover of the outdoors, put the Thule name on a pike trap he designed and began to sell in Scandinavia. It wasn't long before he added other practical items to the company's portfolio. By the 1960s, the company began to concentrate on car-related products, including its first roof rack. The Thulin family sold Thule to the publicly listed company Eldon in 1979, and it has continued to grow both organically and through acquisitions ever since. The Thule Group is a world leader in providing transport solutions for an active life.
With so many on offer these days, it is great to have a name you can trust. This item is certainly that and will be a perfect buy. The distributor have added some great touches and this equals great value.
You can trust this review, i hope you can try to buy this product and then you know this product good or no. Next time you can make a review for another people.
Great rack for a family of 5
This rack is built with obviously higher quality materials than most of the other racks out there. We have used it for two separate two day trips and it worked very well for our family and saved us a large sum of money over renting/paying for a shuttle. A couple of recommendations though. If you have a woman's bike or large girl's bike you should purchase the tube adjuster bar that connects to the seat post and handlebars so that it is a hundred times easier to hang on the rack. Also pay close attention when mounting the hitch adjuster (it comes made for 1 and 1/4 inch but for a 2 inch hitch it has an adjuster that fits around it) be certain that it is oriented correctly or the safety pin will not fit into it correctly.
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Great Family Rack
We purchased our Thule Apex 5 from HumblePower for about $350, it was shipped free to our home.
The Snug-Tite receiver is a improvement over the prior generations of Thule racks. The arched arms and increase the mast height and gives our bikes a little etra clearance off the road. I like the improved integrated lock that allows us to lock bikes to the rack. The arms fold down when not in use, the the previous generation, and I think this model has improved corrosion resistance.
A great product!
My daughter and I decided to purchase this bike rack when we learned that it would cost less than renting bicycles for our two week Florida vacation in late October, early November. We were planning to carry three adult and two children's bicycles nearly 900 miles one way. I have to admit we were skeptical. We planned an hour the night before we were to leave to load all five bikes. We loaded the larger bikes first and used bike carrier bars (an added expense) on three of the bikes. It took a little longer than we had planned and we did use a ratchet strap to pull everything together. The instructions were a little difficult to understand but by going step by step we were able to put it all together. On the way down to Florida from Ohio we lost a couple of the small components that were to provide stability, but loading to come home went very quickly and we didn't really miss the pieces. There was no damage to any of the bikes either going or coming home. Let me add that the carrier...
Product Features :
- 2" hitch mount carrier for transporting up to five bikes, that leans back when unloaded, allowing access to vehicle hatchbacks
- Bikes lock to carrier, and carrier to vehicle using the included cable and hitch locks
- Integrated auto pin functions as hitch pin, and moves into place with an audible click
- Hold Fast cradles absorb the shock of the road protecting your bike during transport and patented No-Sway cages prevent bike to bike contact
- Top-oriented hitch switch lever allows the arc style bike arms to fold down when not in use
Rating : 4.6
List Price : $429.95
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