Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer
installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Rating: 
25 reviews
Code: TH9025
Retail:$399.95
Price:$359.95
Shipping Weight: 40 pounds
Shipping Special
This premium rack's cradles absorb road shock to protect your bikes. The tool-free installation uses a built-in hitch pin and knob to eliminate rattle. Folding, arced arms hold bikes at varying heights, and the arm length gives bikes more space.
Features:
Specs:
The sleek and stylish Thule Apex is just what the name says - the apex of all hitch-mounted bike racks. With unique arching arms, shock-absorbing cradles, and tool-free installation, this rack takes transporting your bikes to the next level.
The Apex features an innovative EasyMount system that lets you quickly and securely install the rack in a 1-1/4" or 2" trailer hitch without any tools. You'll no longer need to find a hitch bolt and clip to hold the rack in place or a wrench to install it. And best of all, you'll no longer need to take a knee while doing it. Once the integrated hitch pin snaps in place after you have slid the rack into your hitch receiver, simply turn the easily accessible knob to activate the anti-rattle. This takes all of the play out of the hitch-and-bike-rack connection. You can even lock the rack in place with the same key used to secure the cable lock.
The Apex also introduces Thule's new Hold Fast anti-sway cradles with Road Dampening Technology (RDT), designed for use with carbon-frame bikes. RDT is composed of two layers. The inner layers of the cradles are made of soft "fingers" that flex to absorb large shocks and jolts from the road. The second, upper layer is composed of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), a gel-like substance that gently but firmly cups your bike frame and enables the cradles to both absorb road shock and reduce vibration for a smoother ride. The cradles also include No-Sway Cages that provide a third contact point for the bike, preventing sway and bike-to-bike contact. The cages also have TPE bumpers that protect your bike frames from scratches.
The arching dual arms of the rack stagger the Hold Fast cradles so that the bikes hang at varying heights. This is just one of the ways that the Apex prevents pedals and handlebars from hitting each other when you are loading your bikes and during transport. In addition to allowing different bike heights, the rack arms on the Apex are longer, adding more space between the cradles than standard dual-arm racks to protect your bikes even better. The arching arms, just like standard dual-arm racks, give great bike support, and it's less likely that you will need a bike adapter bar. However, adapter bars might be needed for smaller, alternative and women's frame bikes.
The upright bar - or mast - of the rack is taller than standard hitch-mounted racks and is arced slightly to offer your bikes greater clearance from both the ground and the back of your vehicle. A built-in handle in the mast also makes it easy to transport the rack to and from your vehicle and to install it in your hitch receiver.
The Apex includes ergonomic quick-release levers (HitchSwitches) that enable you to fold the rack in two places. The rack body tilts forward to allow easy access to your vehicle's rear cargo area (after the bikes have been removed), and the arms can be folded down for storage. Also, the levers audibly click to reassure you that the arms and mast are locked in place.
For security, the Apex offers a built-in cable lock along with the locking mechanism on the hitch connection. The cable secures to the end of one arm, locking all your bikes to the rack, and it stores inside the mast when not in use. Both locks use Thule's One Key System lock cores that make it easy to key all your Thule locks alike.
Video of Thule Apex 4 Bike Carrier for 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer
installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Today we are going to be reviewing the Thule Apex 4 Bike Carrier, Part No. TH9025. We'll start off by going over some of the special features of this bike rack. It carries up to four bikes, for Class 2 and 3 hitches, but only two are recommended for class 1 hitches. It can be switched from a inch and a quarter, to 2 inch shank, with the use of the mounting plate. It also requires no tools when installing it into the hitch, thanks to the EasyMount system with the integrated locking hitch pin.
The bike rack has quick-release levers, enabling you to fold the rack down in two places. You'll notice the arc design in the arms and the mast of the rack. This allows fast and easy bike loading for the arms, greater ground clearance, plus clearance from the rear of the vehicle. The bike rack also has two locking points. The Anti-Rattle adjustment knob, and the integrated lock near the arms of the rack.
This ensures security, both to your vehicle and of the bikes themselves. The built-in handle makes it easy to carry, install and remove the carrier. It has Hold Fast Cradles, offering road dampening technology, and detachable Anti-Sway arms. Our vehicle is equipped with a 2-inch hitch, so we are going to go ahead and install the 2-inch adapter. We will need the adapter plate, the two 8 mm by 30 bolts, and the included Allen wrench.
First, we will pull the hitch pin out of the way, we will then set the adapter plate into its place, then go ahead and screw in the two bolts. With that, we are now ready to install it on our vehicle. We'll simply align the shank of the bike rack with the hitch, pull the lever out and slide the bike rack in, and the hitch pin will snap into place. At this point we will install our first lock cylinder on our Anti-Rattle Device. We'll use a screwdriver to turn the plug 90 degrees, to remove it.
Then we will take our provided lock cylinder, with the master key installed, and put it into place. Hold the lock cylinder in place and remove the key. With that installed, we can now use our regular key to lock and unlock the knob. When it is locked, you will notice the Anti-Rattle knob spins freely, and doesn't tighten or loosen. So we'll unlock it to secure the bike rack to the hitch. It's a good idea to wiggle the bike rack a bit, while tightening, to ensure that the Anti-Rattle Device works its way into the corners of the hitch. With a quick shake-test we show the bike rack is secure, and we'll go ahead and lock the knob. At this point we'll go ahead and show cargo access, we'll pull the hitch switch at the bottom of the bike rack, which will allow us to tilt down the bike rack and open the cargo door. Now we'll go ahead and fold the bike rack back up, and fold the arms out into position. Thule's new Hold Fast Cradles, with Road Dampening Technology are designed for use with carbon fiber bikes. RDT is composed of two layers: The inner layers of the cradles are made of the soft fingers that flex to absorb large shocks and jolts from the road. The second layer is composed of thermoplastic elastisomer, a gel-like substance that gently but firmly cups your bike frame and enables the cradles to both absorb road shocks and reduce vibrations for a smoother ride. The cradles will also include a no-sway cage, that will provide a third contact point for the bike, preventing sway and bike-to-bike contact. These cages also have TPE bumpers, to protect your bike frames from scratches. The cradle straps will allow you to strap down either this side or the cradle or the opposite, whichever you prefer. The anti-sway device also has a strap that will lock it to the seat post of the bike. With our cradle straps out of the way, we can go ahead and load our bike. For demonstration purposes we are going to load our bike on the outermost cradle, but remember, when loading your bike racks, you do want to start from the closest cradle to the vehicle, and work your way out. We will now install the second lock core, located on the end of the bike rack arm here. Repeating the installation process from before, this lock will be for the integrated lock cable, located at the top center of the mast here. We will put it up and over the bike, setting the lock clamp into place and using the key to secure it. Now the bikes are safe from theft. Now we will go ahead and move our bikes to the innermost bike cradle, and we'll take it on a road test. And that will complete our review of the Thule Apex 4 Bike Carrier, Part No. TH9025.
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Average Customer Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars (25 Customer Reviews)
by: Brandon E.06/04/2012
Is this review helpful?
You can tell that this carrier is of high quality just by removing it from the box. Once installed, it carried the bikes beautifully with no obvious sway or bounce. My wife drove the Highlander with the carrier on it, and I followed behind in another car during our move, and the bikes were rock solid on the carrier the whole time. Great rack that is worth the extra money that it costs in my opinion.42700
by: Rob04/23/2012
Is this review helpful?
Thule 9025 bike rack is fantastic, worth the extra money for the locks and accessories. Easy and quick to install on my hitch and the hitch and bike locks are a snap to use, giving me complete peace of mind. Not only does it look sharp but held our 4 bikes tightly during our long haul.Holds all four bikes albeit a little tough configuring them all on the rack but was able to do it.Shipping was bang on with delivery time estimate and easy to follow it's progress with the tracking info through UPS. Etrailer were very helpfull with any questions I had and even emailed me a copy of the instruction pamphlet when I lost mine. Most grateful for their support and professionalism. Thank you etrailer38048
by: Tony D04/17/2012
Is this review helpful?
I got this rack as it could be installed/removed without tools. Overall it is a great rack. The tilt down feature allows easy access to the trunk of my 2012 Equinox. I've only loaded 2 bikes so far but there is zero bike sway and zero rack jiggle even with highway driving. It fits my hard tail mountain bikes very well. I'm not sure how well top tube mounted suspension frames will work. It is very well constructed and heavier than it looks. 37471
by: RAB05/06/2013
Is this review helpful?
Great product and easy to assemble right out of the box! A high end bike rack made for the newer carbon fiber bikes and doesn't require special holders to keep from damaging the bikes. And etrailer made it easy with free shipping which we received ahead of schedule! RAB - Chapin, SC79097
by: Amit S.05/03/2013
Is this review helpful?
Worked as described. Very sturdy. A little heavy but manageable. Very easy to install. 78783
by: Jeff04/18/2013
Is this review helpful?
I was very happy with the service I received from etailer.com. The Apex 4 bike rack is very easy to assemble. Depending on the size of your bikes, you may have to attempt a few configurations when trying to carry 4 bikes. Once you figure out how you want to arrange the bikes on the rack the product works great. I like that the rack is able to lock on to the vehicle hitch as well as having the ability to lock the bikes to the rack with the security cable. Overall I think this is a great bike rack and I would recommend it to others in need of a means to transport 4 bikes.76698
by: David02/12/2013
Is this review helpful?
Expensive but it will make things easy. I've seen complaints about the lock not being too secure but it will allow me not to worry when I park my car for a few minutes and run into a store. This is my second delivery from eTrailer. For both cases the customer service and speed of delivery has been better than any other online vendor I've dealt with. 65930
by: CHARLES02/01/2013
Is this review helpful?
I recently ordered a Trailer hitch and a Thule Apex 4 Bike Carrier for 2'' hitch. All arrived in time and in good order. I have installed the trailer hitch and looks terrific. I am waiting for weather to improve so that I can mount the Carrier!. Will definitely post pictures!. My Overrall experience with ordering and delivery has been great. I will highly recommend E-trailer to anyone who wants to buy items from here.64763
by: Teddy01/20/2013
Is this review helpful?
Excellent product! It comes 99% assembled, great quality, and easy to use. It's only been a couple of days but so far -- no rattles or wobbles. I was worried because some reviews mentioned the "easy mount" design caused the rack to not lock as tight as with the regular bolt, that doesn't seem to be the case. Watch etrailer's video on how to tighten and lock this rack, to make sure you do it right. It's a little heavier than I expected, but I guess that makes it sturdy and so I'm fine with it. As a buying experience, etrailer is AWESOME. My shipping was upgraded at no cost, and was shipped out the same day even though I placed the order late in the day. I called a couple of times before ordering because I was comparing to other Thule products and other brand. Knowledgeable staff, great website, and good pricing. Thank you guys!63586
by: Les S01/08/2013
Is this review helpful?
Great product with easy lever operation. Fast shipping over Xmas holidays. Was upgraded from standard ground shipping to 3-5 day service at n/c.62615
by: Jon M.01/03/2013
Is this review helpful?
Setting up and using the Thule Apex 4 Bike Carrier went very smoothly. Thanks for shipping it to me so quickly. - Jon M.62428
by: Greg W11/18/2012
Is this review helpful?
Easy assembly. Easy Install. Good Quality. I really like the ease of install and removal. Mountain Bikes may offer an extra challenge but that's the case with all racks of this type. A bike adapter may be required. eTrailer service was impeccable. 59625
by: Scott09/25/2012
Is this review helpful?
The bike rack came a day before our 1-week vacation and it worked quite well. Easy to use and setup.55742
by: Dan-NY08/13/2012
Is this review helpful?
Great bike rack - just having issues with the lock arm that does not lock in place any more but is still pretty secure.51532
by: Steve O.07/27/2012
Is this review helpful?
Putting on the hitch was a breeze. First, you need to review the installation videos. This was the key to installation! Thanks to the reviews made by others who gave some helpful tips. Took about 30 minutes to install! Used 2 new bolts on the muffler side since they were longer and easier to fit the hitch and the muffler bracket in. Used two of the old bolts on the other side as they were tapered and easy to put in. Did not need to jack up my 2010 Prius. Recommend 2 people. One to hold one side of the hitch while the other installs. Products arrived when they said they would. Would recommend anyone who wants to install a hitch, get it through trailer!49567
by: Mike G07/24/2012
Is this review helpful?
I purchased the Thule TH9025 4-bike carrier and it is very high quality. I wanted anti-sway, a way to lock the carrier so it couldn't be stolen, as well as the bike lock and this had it all plus lifetime warranty. Also includes adapter to go from default 1-1/4" to 2" square receiver. Works great on my 2012 Sienna which has a Class III (2") hitch. I also purchased the Draw-Tite 24787 hitch receiver which was installed on my 06 Accord and worked out very well (easy install) and handles the 4-bike carrier very nicely. E-trailer was great to do business with and provided very fast shipping. Will definitely be a repeat customer with e-trailer.49225
by: Dr. G07/10/2012
Is this review helpful?
Hitch arm does not lock 47442
Per your order notes, the TH9025 cannot be used with 2.5 inch hitches. Due to the larger size of the collar and hitch tube, the pin on the rack is not able to close all the way and if it cannot close, it cannot be locked properly.
Patrick B - 11/27/2012 by: Brian K07/06/2012
Is this review helpful?
This bike rack is a very solidly built quality product that will last our family for years. It is easy to install and can lock to the vehicle as well as lock the bikes down when traveling. Bridget A was incredibly helpful in describing the available racks that would work for our Acadia and helped us choose the right product for our family! The price is competitive and the shipment came so quickly. We would definitely order from etrailer in the future!46950
by: Mike S06/29/2012
Is this review helpful?
Bike carrier was simple to set up and mount on hitch. The video on etrailer about the carrier was clear and helped answer most of the questions which I had about the product. Rack is much more stable on the bumper hitch than the previous one which I gave away. Love the security of the rack -- both in the way that it locks to the hitch and how a locking cable holds the bikes to the rack. It's a keeper.46189
by: Josh06/07/2012
Is this review helpful?
Overall it's a good rack, it does need some improvements. The supplied hitch lock system seems a bit weak, I was disappointed in the locking unit. I really would have liked to use my 2” hitch receiver lock, which is a lot more reliable and sturdy. I wouldn’t leave any bikes or the carrier on the back over night if you’re in a questionable area. It wouldn’t take much for a thief to break the Thule key system. I haven’t noticed any rack jiggle. I was expecting more from the anti-sway arms, however it does the job. The rubber dampening units are good, it’s questionable how long the rubber will last before it starts to wear and break down from sun and use. Etrailer had fast shipping and I was impressed with the follow-up email from them, notifying me that my shipment was delivered to my door step. 43166
by: Lifelong customer06/06/2012
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Product was shipped with a faster method than what I paid for, everything was as I expected and the price was right.43034
by: Lucho05/22/2012
Is this review helpful?
Very good, it does everything that is in the description but the locks look very weak, and the cap where the cable is secured is too weak (I'll never trust my bike on it) it is attach to the arm with one little rivet only. The arms and the pole has a small movement to forward.41378
by: MSG Beilhart, US Army05/11/2012
Is this review helpful?
Just received the product yesterday here in Germany, so first off, thank you E trailer for the rapid delivery here to Europe.....This was a very easy piece of equipment to install. so far our Military Police station loves it. it allows us to throw the bikes on the rack and drive out to some remote locations to patrol and make our presence known in our community, making our Soldiers and family member feel safe. Thanks.40030
by: Glenn L04/26/2012
Is this review helpful?
I am very happy with my first experience with etrailer.com. Their prices are the best I could find and they delivered as promised. I am very impressed with all the tutorials and videos they offer. Seeing the actual rack I wanted being mounted on a vehicle similar to mine made me very comfortable with my purchase. I would recommend them to everyone.38492
by: Ed K04/15/2012
Is this review helpful?
Easy assembly. Easy to use. 37267
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Installation Details
