Thule Freeride 532

Thule is the first name most people think of when it comes to good quality bike racks.  Thule offer 3 models of roofrack; the FreeRide, the ProRide and the OutRide.  Today we are looking at the FreeRide 532, which is the cheapest model in the range.

OVERVIEW

The Thule Freeride 532 is the latest model in the FreeRide range and replaces the Thule FreeRide 530 model.  Thule claim to have improved the design as well as the aerodynamics of the the original model.

The FreeRide attaches to your roofbars.  Attachments secure the bike wheels to the carrier and a dual post attaches to the frame, securing the bike.

The Thule FreeRide 532 can be bought in single, double or triple packs, with the triple giving the best value.

EASE OF INSTALLATION

A few people have found that the instructions could be better.  However, they all found that installation was obvious enough and generally installation is quite simple and painless.

The use of the double arm has proven a bit tricky for installing some bikes, but nobody has said that they couldn’t fit their bike, just that it was difficult.  Speaking of the double arm, if you have a tall car, like an MPV; or if you are of shorter stature, then you should be aware that the lock that secures the bike to the carrier is at the top of the arm, so you may have a stretch.

One good thing about the FreeRide is that it can be fitted to either the left or the right side of the car, by changing some components around.  This is a big plus, so well done Thule.

Ease of Installation: 80%

 

BUILD QUALITY

Build quality is up to the usual Thule standard, although a few users have complained about some of the plastic parts being a bit weak.

Build Quality: 80%

 

DESIGN

Having the lock up at the top of the bar has its good points and bad points.  This is the securest place for it, in order to stop potential thieves removing your bike from the frame.  However, it does make it harder to fix the bike to the car, especially if you have a tall car.  Thule have obviously weighed up both sides of the coin and the ProRide 591 has gone the other way, with the lock at the bottom.  This gives consumers the choice as to which is more important to them – ease of installation, or security.  As this is a subjective choice and as Thule have obviously thought about it, I’m not going to mark down the rack because of that.

The bike is attached to the carrier at the wheels by use of a ratchet strap.  this makes it very easy to secure it, but if you have quick release wheels (particularly expensive ones) then it means that it is possible for a would-be thief to remove the wheel, without taking the bike.  This is easily solvable though, by using a spare cable lock to lock the wheel to the bike – something that I would advise for any cycle rack.

The racks themselves are of a nice slim profile and the biggest aerodynamic drag will come from your bike anyway.  Removal of the rack is simple enough when you are not transporting a bike and the racks are slim and straight enough for storage to be easy.  They are a bit too long to fit in most cars though, so you would have to leave them at home/wherever you are staying.

Design: 90%

 

PRICE

As we’ve seen before, Thule often aren’t the cheapest brand out there, but the FreeRide 532 is very reasonably priced – particularly when you start looking at the multi-packs.

You need to factor in the need for roof racks, but by shopping around, these can still be quite reasonable.

Price: 80%