Helium Pro Bike Rack - 3 Bike
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Quantity
Why We Like The Helium Pro Bike Rack
Incredibly lightweight and unbelievably easy to use, the Thule Helium Pro Bike Rack has a strong, yet featherweight aluminum construction and quick-release Hitch Switch to make sure installation and loading and unloading bikes aren't a fifteen-minute-long cursing session.
Easy, breezy, no-tool installation saves you tons of frustration, and once it's on, fiddling between rides is kept to a minimum thanks to the aforementioned Hitch Switch system, which folds down and tilts away from your car for easy rear access. The industry-leading seven-inch spacing between bikes ensure protection on the road, while confident stability and fit comes with the integrated anti-sway design that prevent bike-to-bike contact and even folds away when not needed. Narrow cradle arms accommodate a wide range of bikes from your child's beginner bike to your off-road rig, which are safe during pit stops thanks to the integrated, retractable cable that easily locks the bikes down to prevent theft.
Details
- Seriously light, convenient hitch bike rack for three bikes
- Aluminum construction saves weight while retaining strength
- Fast, tool-free installation for speed, stability, and security
- HitchSwitch system folds neatly away for tailgate or trunk access
- Integrated anti-sway design keeps bikes locked-in place
- Seven-inch spacing between bikes eliminates contact
- Integrated cable lock secures your bikes with confidence
- Carries up to three bikes (112.5lbs total)
- Item #THU009B
- Bike Capacity
- 3
- Compatibility
- [hitch] 1.25in, 2in
- Locks Included
- yes
- Part Number
- 9043PRO
- Claimed Weight
- 20lb
- Manufacturer Warranty
- limited lifetime
Reviews
Q&A
What do you think about this product?
Overall Rating
3.5 based on 40 ratings
Review Summary
Fits True To Size
Screen reader users: the following list provides a visual scale to illustrate the product fit. Please refer to the heading above for the fit type in text.Here's what customers have to say
The bike rack has a mix of positive and negative reviews. Many users praise its lightweight and easy-to-use design, as well as its sturdy construction and ability to securely hold bikes. However, the main complaint is about the ratcheting straps used to secure the bikes, which some find difficult to use, especially in cold weather, and worry may damage bike frames. Some also report issues with the straps coming loose and bikes moving around. The instructions and manual are also criticized as unclear and unhelpful. Overall, the rack seems to work well for some users, but the strap system is a major point of frustration.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews.
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Selecting an option will reload the available reviews on the pageAugust 16, 2025
Wanted to like it……
Lovely light bike rack, but very disappointed. The “holders” slide around on the arms of the rack. Whether there is 1 bike or more on it, there is sliding that happens.. I know another person with this same design of the Thule rack that ha the same issue. Had to rig better ties to transport bikes. Ended up purchasing another rack. When I brought it to my local bike shop (where I bought it) to get some advice, they were stumped too.
Originally reviewed on thule-us-ca
August 4, 2025
Pluses and Minuses!
I have always counted on Thule for many racks etc. over the years and when I picked this rack I was looking forward to using it instead of my old roof racks because my current car is higher and a rear rack is so much easier to use. Although the assembly instructions weren't the best I figured it all out and got the rack together. It was easy to put onto my car and it was easy to get my bike on (I started with just a single bike, in the forwardmost position). This is where the trouble began--I started on a long drive at highway speeds and after about an hour when I looked back it looked like my bike was cockeyed, so I pulled over and took a look. What I found was that the cradle on the left (the "rear cradle" which holds the seat post and the rear of the top bar) had (due to wind on the rear tire presumably) moved about 2" backwards. Picture attached. I had a heck of a time getting it back in place because the round-head screw that is supposed to keep it from doing that was there (this is a star screw and I don't carry star bits or drivers with me) so I had to force it back over that (which I was able to do using a handy stick I found by the side of the road as a punch and a rock as a hammer). Luckily I had some bungee cords with me which allowed me to connect the seat tube tightly to the vertical section of the bike rack above the trailer hitch to keep the rear of the bike from moving; but when I got to my destination I found that the cradle at the FRONT of the bike had moved forward over the round head screw that's supposed to hold it in place (presumably having been leveraged by a twisting motion centered on the now "locked" rear cradle). Picture attached. So this is just a very bad design flaw: a round headed screw is like a ramp, and you can't stop something from sliding with a ramp, you stop something from sliding with a wall! The screws are 8-32 so I stopped at the hardware store and bought some 8-32 x 38" socket cap screws (which have vertical sides on the head rather than a round head) as well as some longer 8-32 screws and some 1/4" aluminum spacers and put them on and they of course prevented any further movement of the cradles because the offer a positive vertical "block" against movement. Pictures attached. I have no idea why Thule isn't using this type of setup in lieu of the round head screws which just can't hold the cradles in place. I would have trouble recommending this product unless this design flaw was fixed. NOTE- I spoke with Thule about this and was told that, given that my bike does not have a completely horizontal top bar (which results in the rear wheel being higher than the front wheel), the rear wheel somehow will catch more wind than if the bike had a horizontal top bar which may be what caused the movement, and that the resolution would be to buy the Thule Frame Adapter which would get the bike to be level. But whether or not that is the case, it just seems obvious to me that using round headed screw to stop the cradles from sliding horizontally is absolutely the wrong approach and that they should be using some sort of vertically -sided screw (like a socket cap screw) to provide an absolute positive lock against sliding.
Originally reviewed on thule-us-ca
July 10, 2025
Good Rack
I love how light this rack is, which makes it easy to remove when I’m not using it. It’s very stable. I was worried about the straps since some reviewers complained about them jamming, but do far I’ve been careful and had no problems. The crack doesn’t block my car’s backup camera. If I used my rack very frequently I’d probably have gone for a tray style rack, but this suits my needs well.
Originally reviewed on Backcountry.com
March 15, 2025
Light weight- easy to assemble
I purchased this a month ago and can’t wait to go mountain biking
Originally reviewed on thule-us-ca
December 30, 2024
Nice,just more detail..
Nice rack,just need the bike to be more stable on rack,plastic brackets??
Originally reviewed on thule-us-ca
September 25, 2024
Mission Accomplished - Light Weight Rack
I was looking for a light bike rack that I could easily install and take off by myself. The Helium delivers against this objective. It is very light weight and easy to manage. The bike(s) seem secure. The only issue, which is minor, is related to the strap. I assume the primary purpose is to keep the front wheel from swaying/moving. The strap is too long, especially when only hauling one bike. Three short (1 for each bike) would be far more manageable. Again, this is a small point and overall I am very happy with the product.
Originally reviewed on thule-us-ca
August 29, 2024
Thule missed the easy part
Overall design i think is good, but the ratcheting straps, as others have noted, are TERRIBLE. I spent 45 minutes trying to get them off. They were not overtightened, just snug, but the tab you push down doesn't go far enough to liberate the ratchets. This strikes me as the easiest part to engineer, but they flubbed this one big time.
Originally reviewed on thule-us-ca
June 16, 2024
Secure, safe, & rad looking
Works perfectly for three bikes, highly recommend!
Originally reviewed on thule-us-ca
May 7, 2024
Great lightweight bike rack, but straps need work.
I have a Saris two bike hitch rack, which worked great but was very heavy and cumbersome to install on my 2 inch receiver. I wanted something more lightweight for my solo rides. The aluminum hitch rack is great; well engineered. The supports tilt down out-of-the-way when your bike is not mounted, and the vertical part can tilt away from your SUV so the hatchback can open, which are all nice features. Also, there is a significant weight savings which I appreciate. I had read the reviews prior to purchase and realize there were numerous complaints over the straps. This is all true. The straps are suboptimal. They tend to jam, especially the one that goes around the seat post. I think the key is to keep them lined up perfectly and not tighten them on any sort of angle. If they get jammed, they’re extremely difficult to remove. I could foresee a situation where you may need to actually cut one. I guess that’s why they sell strap kit separately. I think Thule should do their homework and design a better system that will be retrofitted to the existing racks that are out there. Sort of a shame to let the crummy straps take the luster off of an otherwise great bike rack.
Originally reviewed on thule-us-ca
January 13, 2024
Nice structure and looking
Overall the structure , stability and good performance of the system is a good indicator of the quality materials used to make it .
Originally reviewed on thule-us-ca
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