Bike carrier parts and accessories

Repair or upgrade your bike carrier

A bike carrier can last ten years; its straps and rubber parts won't. This range brings together wear parts and accessories that extend the life of an existing bike carrier, rather than making you buy a new one.

Order by part number, not model name

Thule parts have a part number (51242, 52623, 34368…) specific to a model or model family. A VeloCompact strap is not the same as an EuroRide strap. You'll find the part number in the manual and often on a sticker on the bike carrier: check it before ordering, as the model name alone isn't enough.

Parts that wear out

• The wheel straps stretch and fray. There are also XXL for wide tyres and fat bikes that the original straps cannot fit around.
• The rubber frame clamp straps dry out and snap, especially on hanging bike carriers left outdoors.
• The frame clamp arms can be replaced individually, in short or long versions to suit the bike's geometry.
• The wheel holders and the wheel strap buckles can break if you load the bike roughly.

Fit one more bike

Several bike carriers can take an extra bike adaptor — a fourth bike on a VeloCompact, or an extra bike on a VeloSpace XT or EasyFold 3. It costs far less than a second bike carrier, but you still need to recalculate the total weight: the adaptor does not increase the towball's permitted load.

Electrics and security

• The 7-to-13-pin adaptors (and vice versa) solve the common problem of the car's towbar socket not matching the bike carrier's plug.
• The lockable knobs and lock barrels secure the bike carrier to the towball and the bikes to the carrier. These are two separate locks, often confused with each other.
• A carbon frame protector fits between the frame clamp arm and the tube: clamping directly onto carbon can crush it.
• A loading ramp means you don't have to lift an electric bike by hand.

Before a long journey

Check that the straps are secure after the first few miles, remove anything that could fly off (bike computer, lights, panniers, bottles), and consider a protective cover if you'll be driving in the rain or on the motorway: road spray and insects can do more damage to a bike than a whole season of riding.

To find out more: Bike carrier regulations in Europe

See also: Car bike carriers · Bike travel bags · Bike protection