Thule Epos 3-Bike Platform Towbar Bike Rack

The Thule Epos 3-Bike Platform Towbar Bike Rack is a versatile and well-constructed design that can carry bikes of all sizes, including e-bikes. It boasts a clever folding design for easier storage and a tilt function that allows access to the boot, even with bikes mounted. However, while its performance and features are difficult to fault, the exceptionally high price makes it a significant investment and may be hard for many of us to justify.

Check out our best bike racks for cars buyer’s guide for more options.

> Buy now: Thule Epos 3-Bike Platform Towbar Bike Rack for £1099.99 from Thule

Technical details

Thule is a brand widely recognised for its towbar-mounted bike racks, and many would consider it the market leader in Europe. The Epos sits at the top of its range, offering a generous load capacity along with thoughtful features that make it particularly appealing for families and e-bike users alike. These include a tilt mechanism for easy boot access and folding sides that help to minimise the storage space the rack requires when not in use.

The Epos 3 measures 91 x 126 x 22.1cm when unfolded, and folds down to 90 x 26.9 x 74.9cm with the sides raised. A dedicated storage bag is also available as an optional extra.

With a total load capacity of 60kg and a maximum individual bike weight of 30kg, the Epos is well equipped for carrying a pair of heavier e-bikes or a combination of adult’s and children’s bikes. That said, it’s important to check that the combined weight of the rack (23.3kg) and bikes doesn’t exceed your vehicle’s towbar nose weight, which can sometimes be as low as 50kg.

It’s straightforward to mount the rack: it’s secured to the towball using a large, lockable lever, while each bike strap also features a lock, with all three using the same key for convenience. The rack features a 13-pin electrical socket, with a neat location on the rack where it can be stowed when not in use. If you have a seven-pin socket on your vehicle, adaptors are common and cost less than a tenner.

The Epos caters for a wide variety of bike types, with standard compatibility for tyres up to 3.2in wide, main clamp tube diameters from 22-90mm, and it can also hold carbon frames. For fat bikes or wider-tyred e-MTBs, Thule offers XXL wheel holders for £12.99, which accommodate tyres up to 5in wide. Other useful accessories include a loading ramp, ideal for heavier bikes, and the Thule Santu, a towbar-mounted cargo box that takes the place of two bikes, offering additional storage for family outings or holidays.

In use

At 23.3kg, this towbar-mounted bike rack isn’t the easiest to manoeuvre, whether folded or ready for use. To address this, Thule includes two small wheels that can be attached to the end of the carrier. These add stability when the rack is folded and stored, and they allow you to roll it along rather than carry it. On solid ground over longer distances, it makes transporting the rack from storage to the vehicle significantly easier. The ability to fold the wheel supports also helps reduce its overall size, making handling and manoeuvring the rack more manageable.

Mounting the rack to the vehicle is straightforward. It’s simply a case of lifting it onto the tow ball and, for the initial fitting, turning a dial to achieve the correct tension before clamping the lever to secure it in place. The lever itself is long and generously sized, making it easy to apply the necessary force. Once clamped down, it locks securely with the supplied key. Removing the rack is just as simple, involving a small release catch underneath that’s pressed while lifting the lever.

While the wheels are a welcome addition, their positioning caused an issue. Despite adjusting the angle of the rack during fitting, the location of the small wheels blocked access to the 13-pin electrical plug on my vehicle. While I doubt our car’s tow ball and electrical connection are especially unusual, this won’t be a problem for all vehicles. Even in cases like mine, the rack can still be used with just one wheel attached, although it’s less stable when wheeling it around.

> How to transport your bike by car – check out our simple guide

The rack is highly adjustable, accommodating machines from kids’ bikes to full-suspension mountain bikes. It supports wheelbases up to 1350 mm, and although there’s no stated minimum, it handled a 20in-wheeled bike without issue. The wheel trays themselves are fixed, but the attachment straps can tilt and swivel to suit different geometries.

During testing, I mounted bikes with wheel sizes ranging from 20-29in, both individually and with the rack full. In every case, the straps provided ample reach and flexibility. When not in use, each strap clips neatly into its own storage point. A small but notable advantage is that these storage areas are not ratcheted, making it much easier to hold the bike in place with one hand and attach the bike with the other.

The main vertical supports are telescopic and rotate through 180 degrees, allowing each bike to be clamped in the most convenient position, typically on the frame. That said, many of Thule’s promotional images show bikes clamped by the rear wheel and seatpost, which could prove handy for bikes with carbon tubing, awkward or crowded front triangles, or those fitted with frame bags. The frame straps accept diameters up to 90mm with a cushioned contact point and use a ratchet to tighten, with a lock for added security. Releasing the clamps is easy, and I found loading and securing bikes to be quick and intuitive.

With other towbar racks I’ve used, I’ve often needed extra padding to protect frames or prevent contact between bikes, but the Epos offers so much adjustability that I never felt this was necessary. On the road, the bikes always looked secure in the mirror, reassuring when your pride and joy is hanging off the back of the car.

With bikes loaded, you can tilt the rack away from the vehicle to access the boot. This function is easily activated with your foot, and even with three bikes fitted, I found the action smooth, especially when using a handlebar as a lever to balance the weight. Tilt functions are common among high-end racks, so it’s no surprise to find it featured here.

Value

There’s no getting around it: the Thule Epos is significantly more expensive than most other racks out there.

Peruzzo only makes a two-bike version of the Atlantis, which costs £525. And While Richard was impressed, I know from experience that the attachment method, with all the main attachment points pinned to the rear of the rack, can be a puzzle when you’re trying to attach multiple bikes. But Peruzzo also makes the Zephyr, which is designed to carry three e-bikes. It also has a tilt function and costs £675.

The Pendle W2 is a solid design, but lacks the easy adjustment and installation, though at £400 it is a fraction of the price of the Thule.

Conclusion

The Thule Epos 3-Bike Platform Towbar Bike Rack is extremely easy to use, with neat touches that make it simple while also being very versatile with the size and weight of bikes it can accommodate – but then you’d expect nothing less given the price. The sole, and small issue is the location of the wheels to aid in moving the rack when it isn’t mounted, the location of which almost seems like an afterthought. In terms of bike attachments, the Epos rack is simply the best rack I have used. With the ability to fold for reduced storage space, plenty of adjustability, and ease of use, this is probably the best towbar bike rack you can buy.

Verdict

Compact, highly adaptable and ideal for varied bike types – but this comes at a very high price

> Buy now: Thule Epos 3-Bike Platform Towbar Bike Rack for £1099.99 from Thule

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