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Review on ๐Ÿšฒ Thule Helium Pro Hitch Bike Rack: Lightweight and Durable Bike Carrier for Hitch Mounts by Elijah Balzarini

Revainrating 4 out of 5

Good posture - bad ratchet strap system.

I love every aspect of the frame except for the ratcheting system used on the tote bags. They are flimsy and flimsy and I even bought a set of spare straps as I expect the straps to fail prematurely. What I didn't expect was the failure of the anti-sway ratchet system, which almost cost me my bike on the Autobahn! While driving at 70 mph, the anti-sway ratchet system failed and the bike wobbled and "fly" parallel to the road surface. Luckily the top two legs held up and I didn't lose my bike. The malfunction is due to the clip (tab) snapping into the teeth of the belt. The strap tightened the clip so that it rotated 180 degrees and lost contact with the strap's teeth. Obviously, wind resistance on a bike puts a lot of pressure on the strap and plastic clip. When I put the strap through the clip and pull the strap towards the clip, it flexes to the point where I can force the clip to rotate 180 degrees and release the strap. Now I have to use velcro straps to attach the bike to the rack frame. My previous Thule rack's old system had 200% better rubber straps. Thule has stated that you cannot upgrade to the old rubber strap system. The poor design is very disappointing given the $400 price tag.

Pros
  • Comfortable
Cons
  • No weapon