Saris Thelma

Saris came out with a new rack they call Thelma. Not sure about the history behind the name but if I find out I will let you know.  

Thelma is a receiver rack that carries up to two bikes.  What I like about Thelma is that the bikes sit on the rack versus hanging from it. This is nothing new in the car rack world but it reduces the height that you need to lift the bikes to get them onto the rack.  

What is great about this rack is that nothing that secures the bike actually touches the frame. An aluminum arm surrounded in plastic comes up and grabs/cups the wheel. Then you use a few ratcheting straps to secure the bike in place. To remove the bike you simply roll it out of the front of the rack and you are all set to go. This clamping method is ideal for carrying women’s bikes as it eliminates the need for a top tube to secure the bike to. 

What brought my attention to Thelma was the weight of the rack. She ways twenty-six pounds compared to around forty pounds for a standard hitch mounted rack. My Mom was complaining about the weight of her existing hitch rack and how it was hard for just her to get her rack on the car. Further making the rack easier to use is that the frame of Thelma is constructed out of aluminum in a U shape. This allows someone to walk in between the rack to load the first bike. No fumbling to work the bike over other parts of the rack to secure the bike. Simply walk up the rack and sit in your bike, secure the straps and you are all set to go. 

When not in use Thelma folds up against the back of the car. When in the folded position it appears that on most cars none of the rack will obstruct the view out of the rear window.  Just don’t forget that Thelma is tagging along when you drive!  

The clamping mechanism of the rack will handle both 26in wheels and 700c wheels but not smaller sizes. I’ve heard unofficially that you can get a 29er wheel to work as well. The down side is that as of right now there is only the option of carrying two bikes. So the rack may not work for everyone.  

Thelma is going to be an ideal rack for someone that doesn’t want to have to lift a bike very high to secure it to a rack. It is light and easy to handle making it easier to handle when it is not on your car. When not mounted the rack is very flat which should make it easy to find a place to store when not in use.  

Thelma is available for both receiver sizes a 1 1/4 and 2 inches and retails for $249.99.