Comparing Thule EasyFold XT and Kuat NV 2.0 Bike Racks for 50 lb Specialized Como 4.0 E-Bike

Question:

I have been reading lots of reviews, specs , etc from your website. Given my needs, I have narrowed my choices to theNuat NV 2.0 2 bike hitch rack and the Thule Easy Fold X -T. I am a 72 year old single woman and who needs to be able to install and take off the rack when not needed as well as load my 50 lb Specialized Como 4 e Bike. I don’t have a lot of upper body strength , so have identified a loading ramp as a need. My impression over all , given all that I have read tells me that the Nuat is a much better built rack than the Thule, and one can buy a loading ramp separately for it, which puts them pretty close to the same price. I have read that the Thule loading ramp is flimsy, but I like that it is stored in the rack. . The weight of the Nuat appears to be a about 8 lbs heavier than the Thule and some comments are it is pretty heavy and hard for one person to install. I don’t envision having to put on and take off often, but I do need to be able to do it myself. I have seen no negative reviews at all about Nuat, and have found both negative and positive reviews about the Thule. Since both are expensive, I need to make the best choice . My car which is. 2015 Suburu Outback already has a 11/4 hitch for my regular Thule rack and I know that both of these racks fit a 11/4 hitch. I would sure appreciate your advise as to which of these racks you think would be better for me. Thank you,

asked by: Mae N

Helpful Expert Reply:

Great questions! I can really tell that you've been looking into this. I will address all of your questions in order to help keep things organized, but first I'd like to throw all of the part numbers in a list to make things easier to read:

Thule EasyFold XT - # TH903202
Extra-Long Loading Ramp - # TH933402

Kuat NV 2.0 Gunmetal Gray - # NV12G
Kuat NV 2.0 Metallic Black - # NV12B
Kuat NV 2.0 Base Matte Black - # BA12B (no integrated bike repair stand)
Access Ramp - # ANVBRB

I will start off by saying that the NV 2.0 is my favorite bike rack and while it is a little easier to load a bike (using the ramp) than the EasyFold XT, for your sepcific situation I believe you will be happier with the EasyFold XT for your Specialized Como 4.0 E-Bike.

When it comes to ramp coparison it is true that the Kuat version is a little more robust and it has an overall extended length of 53-1/2" when compared to the 36" ramp that comes with the EasyFold XT. With that being said, the EasyFold ramp is aluminum when compared to the Kuat ramp and it has some protedtive plastic ends to help protect against scratches whereas the Kuat ramp doesn't.

You can definitely upgrade to the 53" Thule ramp which you'll need to store in your 2015 Subaru Outback Wagon as it's too big for the rack, but Thule has said that most people just toss the regular ramp in their vehicle once the bike is loaded anyways since it's quicker that way.

The EasyFold XT is a little lighter and is a little easier to load than the NV 2.0 since you can fold it up like a suitcase. It also has a spring-loaded hitch pin which means you won't have to move the bike rack back and forth to get the pin lined up with the hitch pin hole; it snaps into place and stops you right where you need to be.

In addition to the EasyFold XT being lighter, it does fold up like a suitcase which makes it easier to move around (as noted above) plus it takes up less storage space when compared to the NV 2.0. It also has integrated wheels so you can simply move it from the stored spot in your garage to your Outback Wagon with minimal effort.

As far as reviews go, usually the only complaint that I've seen is that the ramp isn't long enough to suit the needs of a specific bike type. Thule now has the longer 53" ramp that helps to remedy that plus if you end up having tires over 3" wide then you can use the Adapter Kit # TH985101 to accommodate up to 4-11/16" wide tires.

So in conclusion, while it might be a little easier to load a bike on the NV 2.0, it isn't THAT much easier. At least not enough to sacrifice the ease of loading and moving around for the EasyFold XT especially since you said you'll need to install/remove it on your own.