Gear Review: Thule Prologue Pack roof rack

November 8, 9:56 AMSalt Lake City Outdoor Recreation ExaminerJared Hargrave

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Thule Prologue Pack roof rack system
Image courtesy REI.com

The Thule Prologue Pack is a roof mounted bike-rack system that includes two fork mount platforms with locks for under $200. Most rack systems by Thule or Yakima can easily run over $600, so the Thule Prologue Pack is a steal, though there is a catch. Your vehicle the rack will be mounted on must already have a factory roof rack in place. So unless you already have a factory rack on your car, the Thule Prologue Pack roof rack doesn't provide the same amount of savings. But if you do have a roof rack, there is no better system you can buy at this price.

Why buy the Thule Prologue Pack? Easy installation on any vehicle with a factory roof rack. Plus it works great. Driving all over the state, on city streets to trailheads in the Wasatch, gunning it to 80-mph up Parley's Canyon to Park City, and even on a long drive to Fruita, Colorado, the Thule Prologue Pack kept the bikes secure and got them to the mountain bike trail in one piece. Plus you can't beat the price.

Anything bad about it? Like most roof-mounted bike racks, the Thule Prologue Pack has a cinch strap that locks down the back wheel. The strap is made from a cheap-feeling plastic and after only a couple uses, it no longer ratchets down. Manually pushing the strap through the ratchet will still keep the wheel tight on the platform, but it's disheartening to find such an important part could have problems so quickly.

What is included in the pack? The Thule Prologue Pack roof rack includes two 38 inch load bars with universal mounting hardware, locking skewers and clamping levers that fit all standard and carbon forks, wheel trays that fit tire widths up to 2.6 inches, and a One Key System lock that secures the bikes to the carrier. All of this only costs $199.95.

For more information, visit the Thule website.