Thule Epos II: Versatile bike carrier for all types of bikes

Anyone who often travels by car for a bike tour or takes their bikes on holiday will be familiar with the problem: the first bike can be easily mounted on the bike rack. But with the second bike, the patience game begins: Where does the bracket fit through the frame of the first bike? Is there even a suitable mounting position? Loading is particularly tricky with angled frame constructions or voluminous tubes. The first beads of sweat start to roll even before you set off. Thule wants to remedy this with the new Epos.

Thule Epos bike carrier: facts and figures

• Optionally for 2 or 3 bikes
• High load capacity: 30 kg per bike / 60 kg total load
• Variable gripper arms: suitable for pipe diameters from 20 mm to 90 mm
• Rail spacing: 250 mm, also suitable for wide forks and rear triangles
• Wheelbase: maximum 1350 mm
• Wheel sizes: 16" to 29"
• Tyre width: maximum 3.2", with optional retaining straps up to 4.7"
• Dimensions: 69 x 126 x 22 cm / Folded dimensions: 69 x 27 x 73 cm
• Weight: 17.3 kg

Price: 999 euros for 2 bikes / 1099 Euro for 3 bikes

Thule Epos: easy loading

With the new Epos bike carrier, Thule wants to put an end to the annoying bike tetris. To do this, the Swedes have developed a new, clever type of bike holder. The gripper arms are not attached to a bracket at the rear of the bike carrier, as is the case with conventional bike carriers, but are located between the rails for the individual bikes. The frame holders can be swivelled and are designed to offer a particularly wide range of options for attaching the bikes to the carrier.

Attaching the bikes should therefore be very easy: Fold up the telescopic holder, lift the bike onto the carrier and secure it with the ratchet strap. The process is exactly the same for the second or third bike. This eliminates the annoying task of guiding the retaining arms through the frame. The order in which the bikes are loaded no longer plays a role either.

Holding arms on the Thule bike carrier are height-adjustable and rotatable

The holding arms on the new Thule bike carrier can be adjusted in height using a simple ratchet system and swivel on the attachment to the carrier. In the transport position, they lie horizontally at the height of the rails. The heads of the support arms are also adjustable in angle. They are equipped with ratchet straps that Tube diameter between 20 and 90 millimetres include. They also have rubber protectors, which are primarily intended to prevent excessive pressure on carbon frames. The mounting arms of the Thule Epos can be attached not only to any position on the frame but also to the rear wheels. This results in a particularly wide range of mounting options.

Load capacity up to a maximum of 60 kilos

Like most modern bike carriers, the Epos can also be Each rail with a maximum weight of 30 kilograms load. This means that even heavy bikes can be transported with ease. Because the total load capacity for both the double and triple versions is at 60 kilograms however, at least the payload is limited to three e-bikes.

Tip: The maximum possible load also depends on the approval of the towbar. Before buying, you should take a look at the vehicle registration document and check the permitted drawbar load. This is noted in the registration certificate part 1 ("vehicle registration document") under item 13.

The Thule Epos can be folded down on the coupling using a practical foot pedal, which ensures access to the boot even when loaded. The folding angle of the bike carrier should be sufficient for most standard cars. On buses or vans, however, the rack does not fold back far enough. In this case, access to the boot remains blocked.

Generous space on the Thule bike carrier

With a rail spacing of 250 millimetres, even bikes with massive forks à la Fox 38 and protruding rear triangles should easily fit on the new Thule Epos. In addition, the 1350 millimetre long rails of the bike rack also accommodate bikes with long wheelbases. The ratchet straps fitted as standard secure tyres up to 3.2 inches wide. With the optionally available longer straps, fat bikes with tyres up to 4.7 inches wide can also be secured.

Thule Epos: Ready for use out of the box

The Thule Epos comes completely pre-assembled out of the packaging and looks very tidy at first glance. The 13-pin plug rests on a specially designed holder. All ratchet straps are also located in separate eyelets. Nothing rattles, nothing hangs loose.

With its 17.3 kilos the Epos bike carrier is no lightweight, even in the 2-seater version. However, when folded, the two rails form a practical and convenient carrying handle. This makes it easy to transport the Thule from its storage location to the towbar and set it down on it. To secure it, simply press the large, easy-to-grip lever down until it clicks into place. Fold down the rails. Connect the plug. Insert the licence plate. Finished.

Unfortunately, there is no indicator to signal that the carrier is securely attached to the coupling. This is a pity, as very few people will be able to feel the 47 kilos with which the carrier has to be fixed to the clutch. If in doubt, the clamping jaws should be a little tighter. The clamping force for this can be adjusted very easily using a knurled wheel underneath the handle.

Extremely easy bike mounting on the bike rack

Securing the bikes on the Epos is actually as easy as Thule describes in its press release: The support arms can simply be positioned at the desired angle. The length can be varied simply by pulling without a lever or ratchet. The head of the support arms can also be rotated by around 270 degrees.

This means that the ratchet strap can always be guided around the frame at the optimum angle. The ratchets are easy to reach and easy to operate. It would be nice to have a torque limiter, as is familiar from other manufacturers or from the classic clamps on other Thule bike carriers. But even so, the rubberised straps are much gentler on carbon frames than classic clamps.

Variable mounting points on the Thule Epos

The different options for adjusting the length or angle of the support arms mean that there are countless positions for attaching them. Even badly angled frames posed no problem during loading in our test. The rails easily accommodate even 2.6 mm tyres. Only with very long wheelbases do the standard ratchet straps for the wheels reach their limits and you have to align the bike precisely on the rack to be able to close them. In addition, the second mounting arm may collide with the pedals of the first bike, meaning that the desired mounting angle can no longer be set.

Practical accessories

The range of accessories from the Swedes naturally includes the now obligatory access rail for heavy bikes (69.95 euros). It can be easily attached to the sides of the rails and folded up small when not in use.

A particularly useful addition is the high-quality cable lock developed in collaboration with Abus for greater protection against theft. The robust cable has a length of 150 cm and a thickness of 1.2 cm. The lock is firmly connected to the bike carrier and therefore always travels with you. Price: 69.95 euros.

Conclusion: If you are still looking for the right transport system for your bikes just before the holiday season, the new Thule Epos is the perfect choice. It combines solid workmanship with extremely comfortable handling and generous space for all types of MTBs. The mounting of the support arms between the rails is particularly clever, making the Epos especially easy to load. The flexible support arms allow many clamping positions and are gentle on carbon frames thanks to the ratchet system and rubber protection.

Plus

• Very cleverly designed bike mounts
• Very variable mounting options
• Practical carrying handle
• Solid workmanship and tidy appearance

Minus

• No display for secure clamping on the clutch
• High purchase price