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Body of water OTTER Classic 2010 – Thule has updated their popular T2 hitch-mountain bicycle rack to be more uniform with 29er mountain bikes.  In the process, they've added lock cores to the ratchets, which volition now come standard on all new T2s.

If you're recollect, they've had a very vocal opponent of the T2 rack, creating a video that I'm sure Thule wishes would disappear.  The customer's video claims that the design is inherently faulty, and goes on to evidence what happens when a large mammal (or, presumably 70mph winds) vigorously assaults the rack. I spoke with Karl, Thule's marketing guy, about the issue and he said that as long every bit the rack is assembled properly (which is pretty important for well-nigh things to work right, don'tcha know), it works perfectly well.  The reason for the blueprint is actually pretty nifty, and I'll explain why after the break so you lot tin brand your own opinion…

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Lock cores now come standard on the wheel ratchets, providing light security without cables.

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The Thule T2 uses two metal brackets to attach the cross bars to the main bar.  Unlike models from Yakima, Kuat, etc., that bolt the cantankerous bars directly into the chief bar, Thule's design allows for fore/aft and left/right adjustment.  This lets you infinite the bikes equally far autonomously every bit you demand to, and lets yous adjust their entanglement by sliding them left or correct.  This is especially of import if you regularly acquit two similarly sized bikes whose saddle and brake levers like to wrestle for space.

The potential upshot is that if y'all don't properly tighten down the bolts on the brackets, the cross bars could slide backward. On newer models, Thule has added a stop-spiral to the bottom of the main bar at the rear, so even if they exercise slide, they'll  stop against the screw before coming all the way off, only Karl says if they're adequately tight, they won't move. He added that of the thousands upon thousands of T2 racks they've sold, they've had virtually no customer complaints.  For what it's worth, I shook the rack and it didn't budge.

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