Thule EasyFold XT 2

The Thule EasyFold XT 2 has quietly built cult status within the Dutch e-bike community. Positioning: this is the premium folding tow-bar rack, aimed at people who want to take their Stromer, Riese & Müller or Gazelle Ultimate C380+ on an e-bike holiday in the Black Forest or Ardennes without a permanent metre of metal bolted to their tow bar. Even Thule's own VeloCompact does not fold; it lives loose in the boot and has to be fully reassembled each trip. The EasyFold XT travels in the boot like a suitcase until needed. On stability and loading the XT 2 is in its element with heavy e-bikes. Frame clamps cover tubes up to 85 mm — plenty for modern integrated-battery e-bikes with fat down tubes like a Specialized Turbo Vado or Stromer ST3. In practice the included ramp is the killer feature: anyone who has tried to lift a 26 kg Riese & Müller Supercharger2 to hip height understands why almost every buyer cites the ramp as the reason they chose this over an Atera Strada E-Bike M. The 60 kg total covers two heavy e-bikes; for a third bike you move to the XT 3, which weighs four kilos more and demands higher nose weight.

Against the Bosal Traveller II folding (cheaper, around €380) the EasyFold XT 2 immediately feels stiffer and better-built. Bosal uses steel tubing with powdercoat that develops visible flash rust along the weld seams after one Dutch winter; Thule's aluminium still looks clean after three seasons. Against the Atera Genio Pro, the XT 2 is simpler to use — Atera offers more adjustment for narrow boots but demands more screw-turning during fitting. For most owners Thule's click-and-go approach wins.

Honest take: €550 is real money for a two-bike rack, and if you only take one cycling holiday a year something simpler like a Menabo Naos Plus will also do the job. At 18.2 kg of own weight it is not light either; lifting it solo out of a tall Volvo XC90 boot, an extra pair of hands is welcome. Cargo bikes are out of the question — too long, too heavy. And for safety check your car's maximum nose weight: two 25 kg e-bikes plus the rack itself puts you at 68 kg on the tow ball, which exceeds the limit of many Renaults, Peugeots and compact Volkswagens. When in doubt, call your dealer or check the vehicle registration.