Thule Euroway G2

Thule are the Rolls Royce of bike racks. Yes, they may be more expensive, but you tend to get a bike rack that is fit for purpose and stands up to the hardships that we cyclists tend to put them through. So does the Euroway G2 live up to the reputation that precedes it?

OVERVIEW

The Thule Euroway G2 Cycle Carrier attaches to your towbar on the rear of the car. There are 2 or 3 bike versions available (called the G2 and the G3 respectively). The bikes are supported in adjustable plastic cups, and secured using ratchet straps. A pivoting arm then secures the frame onto the bike rack.

Security is provided with a lock that locks the bike rack to the tow ball, as well as a lock that locks the outermost bike to the Thule Euroway G2. The bikes are positioned such that the outer bike stops the inner bike being removed. This being a Thule bike rack, it is compatible with the Thule One Key system and you can also buy extra locks for the other bikes. This isn’t included in the asking price though, which is a shame.

There is a tilting mechanism that allows access to the boot of your car, even with the bikes still attached.

EASE OF INSTALLATION

Installation couldn’t be simpler. Just lift on, tighten up the mechanism and you’re away. The unit comes mostly assembled, with only the uprights needing to be attached. Most people are reporting installation times of about 10 minutes. A few reviews have reported that the bike rack is a bit heavy to lift on, but they recognised that they weren’t the strongest of people.

Instructions are reported as being simple. The only criticism is that the instructions don’t explain that the wheel support straps can be moved.

Ease of Installation: 90%

 

BUILD QUALITY

The Thule Euroway G2 is as sturdy as you like. It’ll certainly take a few bumps and knocks. The only negative review about the build quality was that there are some small plastic hooks used for closing/opening the carrier platform. The reviewer’s child stood on one of them and broke it. In fairness to Thule, these platforms aren’t designed for standing on and if you do abuse the design then it is likely to break. There are no other reports of build quality issues.

Build Quality: 100%

 

DESIGN

The Thule Euroway has been designed superbly. With 2 and 3 bike models available, that should cover most needs. The Thule One-Key system is top notch and saves having to carry round a multitude of keys for all your bike security.

Once removed, the Thule Euroway folds down small enough to fit in the boot of most cars (at least most cars that are big enough to warrant a tow bar being installed). With installation and removal being so simple, it makes it easy to stow away once you have removed your bikes for a ride. This will stop any unwanted attention and the local “yoofs” messing about with it.

Using the Thule Off Road Adapter 9202, you can fit the Euroway to a bike with a rear mounted spare tyre. The only drawback of this, though, is that you lose space to carry one bike.

The wheel cups can be adjusted to fit most sizes of bikes and the ratchet mechanism is a simple, yet effective design.

The only downside, and this is a downside of towbar bike racks in general, is that they interfere with rear parking sensors. There is nothing that can be done about this though, so I am not going to mark the Euroway down for that.

Lights are also included with a 7-pin adapter.  There is also attachment for a number plate.

Design: 100%

 

PRICE

This is far from the cheapest option on the market, coming in at round about the £300 mark (at the time of writing).  I would argue, however, that you get what you pay for, so it is a fair price.

Price: 80%