Thule Bike Rack FastRide Review: Delivers on the promise

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After a stint at a dirt bike school, my son got a bit of a bug for off-road riding, but without the budget for a motocross bike, trailer, and all of that gear, we decided to hit some mountain bike trails. Unfortunately, our car, a 2007 Audi A4 Avant, isn’t big enough to easily stow both our bikes in the trunk (his fits easily enough, but mine was a pain to get in and out), and I was not a fan of a hatch-mounted bike rack we owned, so we reached out to Thule for some suggestions.

Thule FastRide fork-mounted roof bike rack

With my A4 Avant already sporting roof rails and cross bars, and its lowered height making access fairly easy for me, a roof-mounted rack made sense, and given the option between a wheel-mounted rack and fork-mounted rack I chose the fork-mounted Thule FastRide option.

Thule FastRide Key features

The pivotal feature for me was the fork-mounted front that would allow very secure connection. While my ride is a fairly standard mountain bike (GT aggressor) with quick release front wheel, it does have disc brakes, and the Thule FastRide accommodates bikes with disc brakes and standard 9 mm axles, but can also handle thru-axle bikes with nine to 15 mm axles. If you have anything more extreme, you can get an adapter for 20×110 mm thru-axles.

What I didn’t realize when I requested the FastRide is how much I would appreciate the large, easy to grip “AcuTight” handle that clicks when you have sufficiently tightened the fork in place. Another neat little perk is if you decide you want the rack closer to the driver side instead of passenger side, it’s easy to release, slide it across the cross bars and re-secure.

Like many of Thule’s bike racks, you can buy adapters that make for easy locking so you don’t have to stress about parking in public spaces and leaving it vulnerable to theft.

Thule FastRide Specs

Before I walk you through the installation and use of this Thule bike rack, let me hit you with some of its vital stats:

• Load capacity: 18 kilograms (40 pounds)
• Dimensions (LxWxH): 135 x 22 x 9.2 centimetres (53 x 8.7 x 3.6 inches)
• Weight:  3.3 kg (7.3 lbs)
• Max tire width: 3 in.
• Max wheel size (diameter): 29 in.
• Max wheelbase: 1250 mm (49.2 in.)

Installing and Using the Thule FastRide

Thule is a well known and trusted brand in bike racks and roof racks, and it didn’t take long to figure out why. Despite looking a bit bulky in pictures, the primarily plastic construction meant it was surprisingly lightweight in parts and assembled.

Assembly was also shockingly quick with the two main component snapping together and the screws and clamps to secure it to the roof rack all clearly identified in the instructions and big grippy handles to twist and lock them into place. Those handles and clamps are also easy to release if you want to switch which side of the vehicle from which you want to load a bike.

It took a bit longer to assemble than it took you to read the paragraph above, but not by much.

Because the Thule FastRide is a fork-mounted bike rack, first you have to remove the front wheel from your bicycle, and make sure the pegs at the front of the bike rack have lots of space on either side so the fork will drop in easily. The hardest part for many will be lifting the bike high enough to get it over the car and over the bike rack – if you own a taller crossover or SUV, consider a step ladder to allow easy control while positioning the bike, especially if you have a heavier bike.

To get the bike onto the roof rack, lift the bike into place and position the rear wheel in the channel, then slide the bike forward and lower the fork over the pegs on either side of the front mount. The big, grey lever is dubbed AcuTight by Thule, and provides good grip and a click when you’ve tightened it enough.

Once the front fork is secured, you have to strap in the rear wheel with a ratcheting strap, which is on a sliding bracket that you can move forward or back to get centred under the rear wheel. The strap also has a rubber sleeve to both ensure a no-slip grip and to avoid scratching or damaging rims. However, unlike the front AcutTight handle, this strap was a bit awkward to tighten and secure.

With my bike secured, it was go time. When driving to the trail, I couldn’t detect any vibrations or noise coming from the roof, so it was a good, secure attachment, which I much prefer to a hatch-mounted bike rack I own. The again, that hatch-mounted rack could carry four bikes, while the Thule FastRide is only designed for one bicycle.

Pros:

✔ Light

✔ Strong

✔ Easy to assemble and use

Cons:

✘ Expensive for one bike

✘ Locking attachments cost extra

Alternatives:

There are a wide range of other bike racks on the market, with other roof-mounted versions, hitch- or tailgate-mounted racks for multiple bikes and everything in between, but here are a few other popular models that you could research

Yakima ForkLift Rooftop Fork Bike Mount

Another well-known brand in bike and ski racks is even pricier than the Thule fast ride, and very similar in features and function

Rhino Rack MountainTrail Bike Carrier

The Rhino Rack option is about the same price as the Thule FastRide, and has a built-in locking feature.

RockyMounts Switch Hitter

The Rockymounts SwitchHitter is a very streamlined design at a median price point with very good owner reviews.

Kuat Trio Fork 1 Bike Roof Mount

The Kuat Trio is another neat design at an affordable price that receives excellent expert reviews on various sites.

Swagman Standard Fork Mount Rooftop Bike Carrier

I own a Swagman bike carrier that I bought last summer because it was the most affordable option I could find, but you get what you don’t pay for, which is a less sturdy design, more difficult assembly process and a slightly worrying rear wheel strap.

Price and value for money

The Thule FastRide certainly isn’t cheap at $299, but it delivers on the expectations of a pricey, brand name bike rack. Assembly and instructions were a breeze compared to the budget model I own and it works well to keep the bike locked in tight front and back. That being said, there are options that are cheaper and accomplish the same task, and I for one would spend the money on a premium roof rack and lock only if I had a bike that cost twice as much or more.

Where to buy Thule FastRide: Amazon | Sail | Realtruck | Outdoorplay

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