Most boot racks use fabric straps to pull the frame up against the car. Thule’s ClipOn High takes a different route, using metal top straps that must be matched to your car’s model.
The two lower hooks are on threaded legs that can be adjusted in length to suit and a cam lever adds tension to the rubber-coated lower legs to squeeze the rack onto your car.
Initial setup is fiddly thanks to woolly instructions and care is needed not to fracture the two plastic clips, but afterwards the rack goes on and comes off in seconds.
The bikes sit in adjustable wheel trays with integral straps, similar to a towbar rack. This gives a better fit for full-sussers and 29ers.
Auxiliary clamping arms hold the top tubes and the outer has a built-in key lock that’s good enough to prevent the casual theft of both bikes.
As the bikes are held high up on the car, you won’t need to buy a lighting board. Visibility through the rear screen is good, too.
Best of all, both the rack and bikes are rock solid on the road, there’s no sway when you hit speed bumps and you can accelerate up to motorway speeds without worry. Off the car, the Thule is bulky but folds flat to store.
Also check out: Thule InDoor 592 – carries two bikes inside your estate/multi purpose vehicle (MPV) for £100 less.