Thule GateMate Pro Tailgate Pad
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Offering padded protection for your rig, the Thule GateMate Pro tailgate pad lets you carry multiple bikes over the tailgate of your compact or full-size pickup truck.
Shop similar products- Foam padding covered by ultra-durable heavy-duty vinyl protects both bike and truck tailgate
- Integrated Knock-Blocks prevent bikes from sliding on the tailgate and causing damage to your vehicle or the other bikes
- Handle hood allows for convenient access to tailgate handle without pad removal
- Bikes are securely held in place with integrated strap anchor points
- Pad securely fastens to tailgate via sturdy nylon straps
- Medium size is 54 in. long and fits compact trucks; Large size is 62 in. long and fits full-size pickups
Imported.
View all Thule Truck Bed Bike Racks| Best Use | Cycling |
|---|---|
| Number of Bikes | 6-bike |
| Material(s) | Nylon |
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Customer Images
Fine pad but pictures are misleading
This pad is fine but the pictures are very misleading. They make the bumpers appear much larger and the entire pad to be made of a stiffer material. It is loose and essentially just like any other basic pad. The vinyl is nice compared to some of the soft fabric ones but there are many pads that are the same for $50-$100 less. Decent pad but expected more, actual pictures of the product instead of renderings would help avoid unpleasant surprises like this for customers.
Top notch quality
I've only used it twice for right now and I love the quality of Thule products. My only downside, but it still works, is that it's just a little to wide/long for my tailgate (2001 ford ranger xlt) but still works. Another downside but still works is the straps. The straps are ment for bigger bottom tubes on bikes. Probably trail/downhill but I don't own one to see. My road bike/ BMX bike have smaller downtubes so I have to use three velcro spots to make sure the bikes don't go anywhere. But again it works for me so it should work for you as well.
Not as pictured
We looked at several options and chose this one because it looked the most up to the job. After 2 weeks of no shipping confirmation, it finally shipped. Once recieved and we opened it, it wasn't exactly the same one as pictured. We thought it was maybe a different model. One the top where the 90 degree angles are on the ends were not on the one we recieved. We didn't bother calling or sending it back - It seems it will work just the same. Just disappointed its not the one we thought we were going to get. I usually recommend Thule for other products as I have the snowboard racks and a few other products.
Doesn't secure bikes enough
the bike tie down straps don't hold bikes well enough. I expected the straps to be snug around the frame but there is enough room to stick my hand in the loop. If getting the rack, you should expect several inches of lateral movement where the frame hits the rack. Given how close the bikes are, this is enough for them to hit each other on short drives. If you have really chunky tubes on your bikes, it will fit much better. Because this rack has no stabilization at the rear tire, I expect the bikes can shift at the rear during transport. My guess is that a bit more Velcro on the straps would solve the problem so that bikes with smaller tubes could have the strap tight enough.
Not as pictured
I bought this knowing that Thule products are of the highest quality. It seems to be made very durable. Problem is, in looking at the picture, it looks like the top is squared off and that the pads are rubber. This isn't the case at all. The pads are just foam filled pillows. It's hard to get it to sit on the top of the tailgate flat as it's not sqare at all, it folds over the top. It still does the job is nothing like it is pictured. Securing it is a bit of a pain as well. It doesn't cover the entire tailgate either.
Great way to transport bikes in my truck bed
I’ve installed this GateMate Pro in my F150 Lightning. The gate is a couple of inches too wide to cleanly fit inside the frame of my Retrax tonneau, but because the GateMate is flexible I’m able to squeeze it in enough to close the tailgate. I might trim a bit off the sides to fix this. The product materials are strong and seem like they’ll last a few years. I like the pouches where I can store small items like gloves or bike tools.
Not as pictured and not easy to install
As others reviewed, there is no 90 degree bend at the top, so it curves over the tailgate, causing slipping. The straps are on the outside of the tailgate, so you have to feed them up through the opening, as opposed to letting gravity do the work from inside the gate to outside. Since there is not a 90 degree fitted bend, the tailgate can close on the strap cinches, crushing them.
Solid and Easy to Use
It took no time to set this product up. We took it on an RV trip, and it worked seamlessly. The bikes didn’t move or jostled at all being strapped in and it was easy to get them on the Thule. The product was very sturdy, and made with very good material. When not in use it folds away very easily. I only wish that the straps were able to have a little more Velcro to them.
Works Great
Took a trip to Las Vegas to ride our bikes and stopped by a shop and purchased one of these since my bikes were not that secured inside my truck bed. I am reading the reviews and i gotta say these people are not strapping there bikes correctly. I did struggle at first but then i figured it out. The bikes do not move and are secured. Worth the money.
Poor design!
My wife and I purchased the GateMate PRO a few months ago at the same time we purchased new bikes. We have had great experience with other Thule products in the past and this seemed like a great way for us to transport our new bikes. However I find it challenging to install the GateMate. The straps are positioned so that you need to thread them from the outside upward under your truck gate. It seems like it would be way simpler to use gravity and thread them from the other way. The plastic buckles are located at the bottom of the inside section and I find it challenging to keep the GateMate from slipping and getting the buckles broken while trying to close the talegate. At first I thought this was just me so I went back to the bike shop and they found this design extremely challenging. I have seen many other similar products on a recent trip out west. I am not sure they are any better but I would not purchase this particular product again.
Thank you for sharing your feedback on the Thule GateMate PRO. The buckles of this product are on the inside of of the tailgate for two reasons. This limits the overall exposure to the elements by keeping them away from direct contact with particulate that could kick up from the road, and also acts as a mild theft deterrent by keeping the access system out of direct line of sight. The positioning of the buckles themselves usually is dependent on the vehicle they are attached to. If there is an issue with the buckles catching in the tailgate, it is possible the incorrect size of the Thule GateMate PRO is being used.