Thule Passage vs. Thule Gateway Pro 3-Bike Trunk Mounted Rack

Products Featured in This Question

Thule Passage 3 Bike Carrier - Trunk Mount

(956)

$199.95

Hollywood Racks Bike Frame Adapter Bar for Women's and Alternative Frame Bikes

(508)

$39.99

Thule Gateway Pro 3 Bike Rack - Trunk Mount - Adjustable Arms

(84)

$349.95

Question:

I have a 2012 Honda Accord SE and I’m looking at the Thule Passage or Thule Gateway Pro bike rack. My daughter and I each have a Women’s, 26 inch, Huffy, Nel Lusso Classic Cruiser Bike. My son has a road bike. Most of the time it will be his bike alone being transported or the two of ours, but occasionally I would like to transport all 3. What would be the best bike rack for this?

asked by: Tami

Expert Reply:

So you'll need a 3-bike trunk mounted rack for your Accord since you occasionally want to transport all 3 bikes, and the best option between the Thule Passage 3 Bike Rack # TH911XT and Thule Gateway Pro 3 Bike Rack # TH78VR, the best option, by far is the Gateway Pro # TH78VR.

There are a number of reasons for this, and ease of use is chief among them. The process of just securing your bikes to the rack is made so much easier for the Gateway Pro over the Passage because the Gateway uses ratcheting straps so they are exactly as tight as needed around your bikes. The Passage has straps with holes in them at set points and can really be a pain to get just right.

The Gateway Pro also gives you more distance between the bikes than the Passage during transport so they won't run into each other, and comes with a cable lock to secure your bikes to the rack, which the Passage does not. Really, the only thing the Passage has going for it is it's less expensive, but this is a case where the value isn't there, and I highly recommend going with the Gateway Pro # TH78VR.

The only other thing you will need (with any trunk-mounted rack), is a bike adapter bar to give your two women's bikes a horizontal mounting point; for that use Bike Adapter Bar # HRBA-PRO.