Online: www.REI.com
URL for this product:

From the U.S. and Canada — Call 1-800-426-4840
Mon. through Sun., 4 a.m. through 11 p.m. PT.
International — Call 1-253-891-2500
Mon. through Sun., 4 a.m. through 11 p.m. PT. English language only.

Thule Helium 2 Bike Hitch Rack

This item is currently sold out or unavailable online.

Or, may we suggest shopping for similar items:

Shop more Trailer Hitch Bike Racks Shop more Thule

This page is provided for reference to historical product information.

Show me:
Product Description,
Product Specs,
Reviews

The Thule Helium 2 hitch rack securely carries up to 2 bikes and offers an ultra-lightweight construction that's easy to handle when installing and removing.

Easy loading dual-arm design with narrow distance carries a wide range of bike frames
Tilt-down design with Hitch Switch™ quick-release lever allows fast rear-vehicle access
T3™ cradles lock down bikes and cradles while allowing complete adjustment along bike arm
Integrated locking cable secures bikes and stores conveniently in the rack's support arms; includes Snug-Tilt™ lock to secure your rack to the receiver
No Sway Cage™ anti-sway device prevents bike-to-bike contact
With included hitch adapter, the Helium 2 hitch rack accommodates both 2 in. and 1.25 in. receiver hitches

Please note: Thule products cannot be shipped to Canadian addresses.

Imported.

Item 799932

Oversize shipping charge ($15) applies.
Or ship for FREE with REI Store Pickup.

REI Membership

REI Membership $20.00

Thule Helium 2 Bike Hitch Rack Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews

Thule Helium 2 Bike Hitch Rack

4.0

(based on 12 reviews)

82%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

Easy to install (11)
Easy to use (11)
Lightweight (9)
Stable (8)
Durable (7)

Cons

Best Uses

Road bikes (8)
Small cars (5)
Mountain bikes (3)

- Reviewer Profile:
- Avid cyclist (7), Casual/ recreational (5)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (11)

Reviewed by 12 customers

Sort by

Displaying reviews 1-10

Previous | Next »

Nov

2012

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Great Rack, with few imperfections

By ActiveRVA

from Richmond, VA

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Durable
Easy to Install
Easy to Use
Innovative Lock

Cons

Cable Lock Rattles
Cable Lock Too Short
Sway Cages Not Integrated
Verticle Hitch Has Play

Best Uses

Road Bikes
Small Cars

Comments about Thule Helium 2 Bike Hitch Rack:

After some research, I decided to go with a hitch rack instead of a roof rack for simplicity. Roof rack looks cooler and more stable/secure in certain cases, but the versatility of being able to take off the hitch, drive in garages, take off for car washes, and fuel economy tilted to the hitch rack's favor.

It's solidly built, it's hard to imagine this is half the weight of normal hitch racks. As 25lbs is not light weight, I never had a hitch rack so I'm just not used to how heavy they usually are. Even though the tightening knob secures the rack the hitch receiver and allows no play once tightened down, the verticle part of the hitch still has some play. I think it's part of the tilt feature and it's probably hard to eliminate all play in there, no big deal.

If you don't use the cable lock, the lock itself will rattle as you go over bumps and such. The lock cable will rattle inside the verticle housing. When you're in store, try to shake the hitch up/down left/right a bit and you will hear the lock rattle. It was annoying in the beginning, once I figured I couldn't easily fix it, I'm learning to live with it, only noticeable at slow speeds, not high way.

I like the fact that I can take this on/off in about a minute's time for trips. Be warned, it's really only meant for 2 road bikes, and even then it's a tight fit even with moving the handles as far apart as I can. The sway cages are not integrated and take up a bit of room, plus anyone can come and just take them off, I wish they can improve this design in future and make it fully integrated.

If you need to carry 2 bikes all the time and they're not always road, consider the 3 bike version for the extra room. A mtn bike and a road bike might fit, but 2 mtn bikes will not be possible IMO without some frustration. Hope this helps. I'm mostly a roadie so I can live with that, if it becomes an issue will be exchanging it for the 3 version.

Comment on this review

Aug

2012

5.0

Excellent

By GreeneStar

from Indianapolis, IN

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Durable
Easy to Install
Easy to Use
Lightweight
Stable

Cons

Best Uses

Mountain Bikes

Comments about Thule Helium 2 Bike Hitch Rack:

Very easy to construst and install. I appreciate that I can leave it on my hatchback vehicle at all times due to the lever function. Great purchase for me!

Comment on this review

Jul

2012

(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Which bike rack is best?

By 1Rowmom

from Fairfax, VA

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy to Install
Easy to Use
Lightweight

Cons

Best Uses

Road Bikes
Small Cars

Comments about Thule Helium 2 Bike Hitch Rack:

Everything was packaged nice and neatly. The instructions were easy to follow and the set up to the receiver was easy. The only thing I don't like is the pin-it's hard to get into the hole. Once you have it in position and tighten the knob NO PROBLEMS!!! I do take the rack off my 2012 CRV when I'm not using it, and it's very easy to do. I've used it several times so far and I like the blue belt they give you to secure your bike to the rack for a little extra sense of security. I plan on taking the bike to Delaware this summer, so that will be the real test. I have problems with the strength in my arms, and I don't have any problems getting my road bike on/off the rack.
You can drive yourself crazy reading all the different reviews, but trust yourself and go with what you think will work for your needs.

Comment on this review

Jul

2012

3.0

A little nervous

By J-Tode

from Minneapolis, MN

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy to Install
Easy to Use
Lightweight

Cons

Best Uses

Road Bikes

Comments about Thule Helium 2 Bike Hitch Rack:

LOVE this rack and it is easy to handle. However, I carry one bike, and the right saddle slides toward the vacant saddle, near the end of the rack. This causes the bike to hang diagonally rather than horizontally. This also allows for the front of the bike to jump its saddle and lie on the bar, rather than the saddle. I have had to stop on busy highways in order to move the saddle back to where it should be and strap it carefully to hold that saddle in place. I am returning it for a new rack - hopefully, I will not have this issue with the new one. It's not safe standing on a busy highway!

Service and delivery comments:

This product came with NO instructions inside the box. I had to go online and figure out where to find a downloadable installation manual. The other items were sealed and bagged, but not one manual was to be found in the delivery box. That was very frustrating and I used it wrong until I was able to find the manual online.

Comment on this review

Jun

2012

4.0

Great Lightweight AND solid hitch mount

By Range Rover

from Seattle, WA

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Durable
Easy to Install
Easy to Use
Lightweight
Stable

Cons

Short Arms for 2

Best Uses

Road Bikes
Single Bike rack

Comments about Thule Helium 2 Bike Hitch Rack:

The Helium 2 hitch bike rack is a nicely constructed rack that doesn't sway or bounce around. All of the features fit well and construction is excellent. It is easy to mount and unmount being just 21 pounds.

The difficulty is in fitting 2 bikes on the short arms and keep them from touching/rubbing. The only way of mounting two regular commuter bikes was to place the deralieur side of each bike facing away from the other bike. Otherwise the fork of each bike will bang against the rear deraileur of the other bike.

With the deraileurs on the outsides they just fit with about 1.5 inches of space between the bikes. They do lock down tight enough to keep them separated and we locked front to rear tires with velcro for the trip. This puts rubber to rubber together and steadies the bikes.

It is too bad that Thule didn't add about 2 inches to the arms as that would have made loading two bikes much easier and more useful. As it is it carries one bike great and for the weight it's great even as a solo. If you are carrying two mountain bikes, or a combination of mountain and city bikes, you may want to go with the Helium 3 in order to have enough separation between bikes to keep them from rubbing and banging together.

I returned the 2 and will by a 3 as I want to carry 2 bikes most of the time and the 2 is a bit short in the arms.

Comment on this review

Jun

2012

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Did not fit my 1.25 in receiver

By Traveling Mark

from Fairfax County, VA

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Durable
Easy to Use
Stable

Cons

Hard to Install or Use

Best Uses

Small Cars

Comments about Thule Helium 2 Bike Hitch Rack:

I replaced a year old Yakima Hi-lite (white) with this rack as it has a lower travel profile and did not obstruct my rear view as much without bikes and rack arms down. Issue: the rack would not fit in the same 1.25 in receiver that the Yakima rack easily fit. I struggled with it and end up pounding the rack into the receiver. Later I could not remove it without help from my car dealer. I returned the rack to my local REI and they initially told me that my hitch receiver was out of tolerance. No, I stated, it's not, as this rack replaced a Yakima rack that fit fine without the problem I was having with the Thule. We attempted another Helium rack and it had the same problem. The bike tech suggested I bore out the hitch receiver on my car. I did not like that idea. He then suggested I file down the front end of the Thule rack which I did. The rack is made from aluminum so it filed nicely. It now fits as designed. Evidently, the outer lip of the receiver insert was flared and larger than 1.25 inches making it very difficult to fit in or remove from my hitch receiver. The Thule is also quite a bit heavier than the Yakima. I chose the Yakima and also the Thule for ease of use and lightweight (portability), hoping it would be easier to put on and take off. It is now but it took considerable and extra effort and its not as light as I had hoped.

Comment on this review

Jan

2012

(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

1.0

Won't take 2 bikes!

By MLM

from Ashland, OR

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy to Install
Lightweight

Cons

Unstable

Best Uses

Comments about Thule Helium 2 Bike Hitch Rack:

This rack was easy to put together and mount on the car, and I loved the lightness of it. But it will not hold 2 road bikes or a road bike and a commuter without them rubbing. It is because of the stabilizer cups which attach to the rack arms and take up too much room. Thus the front bike saddles won't go far enough forward to make room for the second bike. They should use the integrated bike tube saddles which have the stabilizer cups built in. This is a fine rack if you only ever want to carry one bike.

Comment on this review

Jul

2011

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Very Pleased with Purchase

By Elvis09

from Minneapolis, MN

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy to Install
Easy to Use
Stable

Cons

Best Uses

Road Bikes

Comments about Thule Helium 2 Bike Hitch Rack:

I just picked up this bike rack for use on my 2011 Honda CRV. The rack was simple to install and my bike fit on easily. After years of using a trunk mounted rack I was so happy to have a solid rack that didn't move around while on the road.

Comment on this review

Jul

2011

5.0

LOVING it so far.

By Nat the adventurer

from Connecticut

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Durable
Easy to Install
Easy to Use
Lightweight
Stable

Cons

Best Uses

Large Cars
Mountain Bikes
Road Bikes
Small Cars

Comments about Thule Helium 2 Bike Hitch Rack:

This is the first hitch rack I've owned and I did some heavy research before buying it. I was not disappointed. My first outing with it was driving across the country to my new home and I am happy to say that I was nothing but happy with it. Love the lock features and the fact that, by folding it down, I can leave it on my car (and my bike on it too, if I need to!) when I have to open my hatchback. And most importantly, I feel really comfortable letting my road bike ride along on it.

Comment on this review

Jan

2011

(0 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Too low

By mntbighker

from Sunnyvale, CA

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy to Install
Easy to Use
Lightweight
Stable

Cons

Doesn't Fit My Car
Little ground clearance

Best Uses

Large Cars

Comments about Thule Helium 2 Bike Hitch Rack:

Awesome rack. But on my Golf the receiver is too low. This rack has a plastic knob that will be the first thing to get bent or destroyed exiting a driveway or going over a large speed bump. I may replace it with a theft deterrent allen bolt if I can find one. The rack still hangs way too low but then again any receiver rack probably would. I don't like roof mounted bike racks or hatch mounted ones. The cable lock rattles in the tube when retracted. And it's a simple matter of removing the 2 bolts to bypass the lock. On a different vehicle I would say this is a VERY well engineered product but I'm not impressed with the anti-sway device. It needs more leverage against movement so I use the strap included.