Weighing a mere 20 lbs, this Thule hitch bike rack is easy for one person to lift and install in a trailer hitch receiver. Anti-sway cradles fold up, so they're out of the way while you're loading your bikes. Tilts with bikes unloaded.
Features:
Specs:
Note: The distance from the center of the hitch pin hole to the face of the hitch must be 1-1/2" or greater to use this rack.
Dual Folding Arms with Anti-Sway Cradles
The Thule Helium has dual arms that provide excellent support for your bikes. They slope up to provide ground clearance for steep driveways and bumpy roads.
To fold the arms down, pull up the HitchSwitch lever at the top of the mast. This leaves a smaller footprint, so you can keep the rack on your vehicle to park in your garage. And when stored in this configuration, it doesn't take up as much space in your garage.
HideAway anti-sway cradles with rubber straps hold your bikes firmly in place. Each set of cradles has two straps that secure your bike along the top tube and one that secures the seat post or downtube. This multi-point contact helps keep your bikes from rocking back and forth, reducing bike-to-bike contact. The soft rubber cradles rotate around the rack's arms to accommodate bikes of different styles and shapes.
The cradles have grooves on the surface that prevent your brake and shifter cables from getting pinched.
Ratchet straps hold your bikes firmly in place on the cradles. You can remove the lower straps and fold the cradles up against the arms to make it easier to slide your bikes onto the rack.
Easy Tilting for Cargo Area Access
The rack tilts down without your bikes loaded. This means you won't have to remove the whole rack to access your cargo area for grocery runs and other errands.
To tilt the rack down, pull up the HitchSwitch lever at the base of the mast. When you're ready to go, lift the rack up until it snaps into place with an audible click.
The Helium is made of lightweight aluminum that weighs less than 20 lbs, making it one of the lightest racks on the market and one of the easiest to install. All you have to do is slide the shank into your hitch and turn the knob until snug. Turning the knob deploys an anti-rattle wedge in the shank to help take play out of the hitch connection. It also sets the integrated SnugTite hitch pin into place, securing the rack to your receiver.
You can install the rack in a 1-1/4" hitch or in a 2" hitch. To use it in a 1-1/4" hitch, simply remove the adapter with the included Allen key.
The lock on the hand knob secures the rack to your vehicle. Once locked, the hand knob will spin freely so a would-be thief can't operate it.
The integrated cable lock threads around your bikes' frames and inserts into the lock at the end of the left arm. The cable stores inside the mast when not in use. The locks are keyed alike, so you only need to use 1 key. Additional One-Key System locks (sold separately) let you make all your Thule products keyed alike.
Available Adapter Bar
If you have a women's bike, kid's bike, or any other bike without a straight, horizontal top tube, you will need an adapter bar (sold separately) to properly mount your bike. The bar fits between the seat post and handlebar stem post of your bike to create a top tube so your bike hangs level on the rack.
California residents: click here
Typical excellent Thule quality. Very solid.
Best products best service best information. Best company I do business with!!!
As expected
This item is awesome!!
Emma was great to deal with had a great experience.
Great product and fast shipping. Loved the videos showing the different options
Works great!
Lightweight and easy to install.
Great website and company offering outstanding products
Lightweight yet sturdy. Easy to hook up. Excellent design. Very pleased with this purchase. Thanks.
The hitch itself is fine. It's the straps that are terrible. They come loose causing me to stop and retighten multi times when transporting. I now have to use other means to add to the strapping of the bike on the hitch. Would not recommend because of the straps. Tried contacting Thule, no response.
etrailer is always a reliable source for quality products at great prices, and very speedy delivery. Also their instructional videos are the best!
Product arrived on time in great condition, and after we figured out the diagrams, it was easy to install. Very good result
Love this bike rack. Half the weight of my last bike rack. Very easy to use.
The bike rack arrived in 1 day as promised. It was exactly what I needed and was an easy install on a Audi Q7. It tilts back for easy access and is light enough to easily take on and off. Michelle at etrailer was very helpful to make it all happen!! THANKS!!
This bike rack is perfect! Lightweight and easy to put bikes on/off. Two bikes fit perfectly. Highly recommend!
This is the second Thule Helium rack that I have purchased. I plan to gift this rack to my daughter. I have been using a Thule Helium rack (for 3 bikes) for a few years and found it to be an easy-to-use, easy-to-install/un-install and lightweight bike rack. This is the best rack that I have owned. It folds up compactly and stores easily.
Awesome bike rack. So easy to remove and install. Lightweight and sturdy. I’ve actually owned three and keep replacing them after selling them before moving.
Although I had to wait a month while it was on backorder due to COVID-19, the rack is really great...much lighter than my old one and some nice features like the lock for both the hitch and the bikes, and the tilt feature for access to the back of my Xterra without having to remove the bikes or the rack.
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