Is The Thule 591 ProRide Bicycle Carrier Roof Mounted Support As Secure And User-Friendly As It Sounds?
The Thule 591 ProRide Bicycle Carrier Roof Mounted transport system has plenty of interesting aspects to its specification, such as the use of an aluminium tray to make it more lightweight and easy to manage and the fact that the bikes can be secured on both the frame and the wheels.
According to the makers of this product, this is “the most elegant way of carrying your bike on the car roof”. This is an odd word to use as elegance isn’t a big concern; what buyers really want to know is if it is reliable and easy to use.
Some Noted Features of the Thule 591 ProRide Bicycle Carrier Roof Mounted
- Fits most car roof bars
- Bikes Are Secured on both frame and wheels
- Lockable – Carrier to roof bars and bike to carrier
- Fits all wheel dimensions
What benefits are buyers talking about in their reviews for this Thule Bicycle Carrier and are they seeing reliability?
The most commonly mentioned benefit in reviews of this product is the speed in setting it up into the racks of the car and then fitting the bikes. It takes very little time at all to get the system attached because of a number of key features, such as the improved, self-adjusting frame holder and the ability to secure the bike at roof height.
This convenience is enhanced further by the fairly simple instructions, which means that this speed can be achieved from the first attempt, and the fact that the product is designed to fit “most” roof bars. The other benefit being cited is that the product is generally of a high quality but there are some that question the strength and longevity of the construction.
Why is the construction a possible problem and does this Thule 591 ProRide Roof Mounted Bicycle Carrier have any other flaws in its design?
There are some concerns being expressed over the security of the bike while it is on the bars, both in terms of the potential for theft and the strength of the mounted support itself. In one instance, the wheel holders fractured when the car went over a level crossing, which suggests it would not hold up well on a bumpy road and cannot take much force.
As for concerns over stolen bikes, it is possible to lock the bike to the carrier and then lock the carrier to the roof bars but some buyers have suggested using an extra padlock just to be sure because there have been incidents of theft.
Summary: is this Thule ProRide Bicycle Carrier still a recommendable option?
There is sense that this product can really take the hassle out of fixing bikes to a car roof and this is why most people would recommend the product; however there is the security issue to consider too.
This Thule road bike carrier is perhaps not recommendable for riders with top-of-the-range, expensive bikes that need the very best in secure transportation but it should be more than convenient enough for the average rider.
For most, this will be nothing more than a nice, quick and simple solution to the problem of transportation and the general quality of the construction will be enough to give them peace of mind – which is all that most buyers will ask for.
Click here to look at the Thule 591 ProRide Bicycle Carrier Roof Mounted on Halfords…