Thule’s Stout Launch: Vero Hitch Bike Rack Is Ready for Heavy E-Bikes and Everything Else

A new option has hit the market for heavy e-bikes and versatile riders. Introducing the Thule Vero hitch bike rack, which joined our testing ring this season. The Thule Vero hitch bike rack is engineered to bridge the gap between heavy-duty e-bikes — and virtually any other bike. Gravel bikes. Road bikes. Fat bikes. Kids’ bikes.

“The primary goal was to create the ultimate bike rack, capable of carrying virtually any bike type while remaining easy to use,” Oliver Berg, Thule’s international product manager for bike racks, told GearJunkie.

That it is.

In short: The Thule Vero ($1,300) is an adaptable and high-weight platform hitch bike rack. It’s designed for maximum versatility, durability, and ease of use. Boasting a large 80-pound-per-bike capacity, it provides a transport solution for everything from heavy cargo e-bikes to featherlight roadies. Each bike is secured with two ratcheting wheel straps and an innovative telescopic arm — that can attach to the back tire, top tube, down tube, or seat tube — which has an integrated metal-core strap to deter theft.

A folding crank easily tightens the anti-wobble knob, and there’s an integrated receiver lock. The platform is designed to adapt to pretty much any ride, from mountain bikes and road bikes to kids’ models, wide fat-tire bikes, and bikes with fenders.

Scope out the market’s leading bike racks in our Best Hitch Bike Racks buyer’s guide.

Field Testing

Throughout the first half of summer, my ride partner and I tested the two-bike Vero rack on a GMC Sierra 1500. We loaded up one full-powered and one lightweight electric mountain bike, a total of 94 pounds. We road-tripped locally and regionally, typically on paved or bumpy double-track service roads.

Based on the platform, it was apparent that this rack was built for a variety of geometries and tire sizes. What immediately stood out to me was how broad and easy to use the release handle is — it’s one of the favorites I’ve tested. I really appreciated the ratcheting wheel straps, which worked smoothly to tighten down the hold. I also liked the folding crank, which easily tightened the anti-wobble knob in the hitch.

The tradeoff for the ultimate adaptability, we found, is that attaching the bikes to the rack is a little bit more finicky than the process on other hitch racks we’ve tested. More on that below.

Heavy-Duty Weight Capacity

The headliner of the Vero is its heavy-duty weight capacity. With the capability to carry up to 80 pounds per bike, this rack is purpose-built to handle the heaviest bikes. That includes electric bikes, touring rigs, and even extended longtail cargo bikes. Its wide tray spacing prevents bikes from knocking handlebars or bumping frames.

Your setup’s wheelbase needs to be within 55 inches, otherwise, it exceeds the rack’s trays. My partner and I tested the rack with Specialized e-mountain bikes — with S3 and S4 frame sizes — and both fit. We measured from the center of each bike’s front wheel to the center of the rear wheel to check compatibility. For context, the wheelbase of the Specialized Globe Haul LT electric cargo bike is 53.4 inches.

The rack handled the total weight of both bikes, nearly 94 pounds, like a breeze.

If you have a longtail cargo bike, you’ll need to swap out the stock straps for the Thule Extra-Long Wheel Strap (sold separately) to secure the rear tire.

Telescopic Arm: Extends, Pivots, Rotates

With the Vero, the three-point attachment system is one variable for the rack’s stability and high weight capacity, Berg told GearJunkie.

First, the rack utilizes innovative telescopic arms that secure each bike. The telescopic bike arm — originally featured on the bestselling Thule Epos bike rack — can secure different bike styles and frame geometries. An additional benefit is independent bike loading: Users can load or unload the back bike without having to remove the front.

The arm can extend, pivot, and rotate, which allows it to attach to various points on the frame — including the top tube, down tube, or seat tube — or the back tire. Riders can secure their bikes depending on the frame design, accessories, and personal preference.

“The telescopic arm helps control fore-and-aft movement, preventing the bike from moving toward or away from the vehicle. The wheel straps secure the wheels in the trays, limiting side-to-side and vertical movement,” said Berg. Plus, it’s “one of the most versatile retention methods available.”

Each wheel strap (and the strap on the telescopic arm) includes a protective rubber pad, which is designed to help prevent cosmetic damage to carbon rims or the frame. That said, if grime is on the surface, the rubber pad will rub against it.

Telescopic Arm: Field Use

While attaching the arm to the frame was secure, we didn’t want to risk scratching the frame, especially after muddy rides. We typically opted to attach the arm to the back tire instead. The other two attachment points are ratcheting wheel straps.

While I really liked the ratchet, which was smooth and easy to use, I missed having a sliding track for the rear wheel holder, which is featured on the Yakima StageTwo hitch rack. The Vero’s manual adjustment requires more fiddling with the straps. That said, removing a sliding track makes the platform more stable and capable for heavier loads.

Ergonomic, Easy-to-Use Handle and Loading Ramp

One of my favorite features is the Vero’s ergonomic HitchSwitch handle for smooth tilting, which lifts the platform into a vertical position when not in use. When loaded, it can also slightly lower the rack out of the way to access your truck bed. Technically, the stinger, center beam architecture, and tilt handle were mirrored from the Thule Verse, one of our team’s favorite hitch racks. (If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.)

The rack itself weighs 56 pounds, so Thule added integrated wheels to the base. Riders can use them to transport the rack, like rolling luggage. Made of composite plastic and relatively compact, they roll smoothly on hard surfaces like concrete or asphalt (which we do not have). Plush rubber wheels would roll better over unpaved surfaces such as gravel, grass, and loose dirt.

There’s an optional loading ramp, making it effortless to roll heavy bikes into place. However, the foldable loading ramp ($120) is an aftermarket upgrade that you’ll need to pay extra for.

A Few Critiques

While the Thule Vero is a powerhouse for heavy bikes, we found that the three-points-of-contact loading/unloading process and setting up the telescopic arm was a bit more time-consuming than other racks. It wasn’t hard to use, though it requires extra steps. We counted 10 per bike, due to the modularity of the system.

For instance, a slender housing holds the strap on the telescopic arm when it’s not in use, but the housing location is not adjustable. To slide the strap into the housing, the arm needs to be collapsed, adding steps to the loading/unloading process. Other platform racks offer two points of contact and are speedier to use.

Albeit optional, we didn’t like attaching the telescopic handle to the bike frame. After rides, especially muddy ones, we needed to wipe the frames first to be sure our bikes wouldn’t be scratched. The tradeoff seems to be that the centered arm stabilizes a heavy load.

When facing the rack, and holding my bike with one hand, I felt that the telescopic arm was not the smoothest to extend with a single hand.

I wonder if adding a release button would make it easier for riders like me, but there would be tradeoffs. Namely, increased part count, complexity, and potential wear points, said Berg. As is, the telescopic arm incorporates a toothed mechanism and internal friction that prevent it from extending until the rider actively pulls it out.

Additionally, while the convenient loading ramp option seems like a game-changer for some riders, it’s an add-on accessory that requires an extra investment.

Conclusion

The Thule Vero enters the market as a premium, robust option for riders hauling heavy rigs, electric bikes, and everything in between. The rack looks clean and easily folds up when not in use.

How does it stack up against Thule’s own lineup? Currently, the Thule Verse is one of the most well-rounded hitch racks tested by GearJunkie. At a few hundred less, the Verse ($1,000) is a highly refined flagship platform rack. It’s loved for the zero-frame-contact front-wheel hooks and crowned ergonomics.

However, the Verse caps out at a 60-pound weight limit per bike. That can be a bottleneck for the heaviest modern e-bikes and cargo rigs. Furthermore, if you’re looking for fork-free contact, the Vero offers it. And wheel-only retention systems, such as traditional J-hook racks, do not easily accommodate bikes with fenders, of which many electric cruiser or cargo bikes have.

By jumping up to a class-leading 80-pound capacity per tray and introducing telescopic arms, the new Thule Vero offers a solution where the Verse falls short. If you want a minimalist-looking, highly capable, durable, and accessible platform rack that can handle the absolute heaviest e-bikes on the market, the Thule Vero is a stable choice for year-round use.