We’ve had a Thule ReVert 4 in regular use for around a year now, and in that time it’s carried everything from 20-inch kids’ bikes and old 26-inch mountain bikes through to modern 27.5 and 29-inch MTBs and full-size e-bikes.
It’s been on family riding trips, done shuttle days, lived on the back of our Amarok, spent time on a Pajero, and picked up a few battle scars along the way.
Better still, when it’s not being used by us, this particular rack lives in the Stoke Equipment Co. showroom as our display model. We’ve loaned it out to a number of customers who wanted to try one before buying, and so far they’ve all come back impressed enough to purchase their own.
So rather than another spec-sheet review, here’s what the Thule ReVert 4 is actually like to live with after a year of proper use.
3 e-bikes on the ReVert 4 during a weekend ride.
Why We Chose the Thule ReVert 4
The main reason was simple: we needed to transport four bikes.
A four-bike platform rack gets very long, very quickly. Once you add multiple e-bikes into the mix, you also start running into weight and practicality issues.
The ReVert solves that by carrying the bikes vertically. Instead of four bikes stretching a long way out behind the vehicle, they’re stacked upright in a relatively compact footprint.
For our use, that made a lot more sense than a large platform rack or adding a +1 extension to a smaller carrier.
Vertical loading keeps the overall footprint much shorter than a four-bike platform rack.
What Bikes Have We Carried?
Mostly mountain bikes.
Over the past year the ReVert has carried 27.5-inch and 29-inch MTBs, full-size e-bikes, some vintage 26-inch bikes, a 26-inch pump track bike, and our kids’ bikes as they’ve moved from 20-inch up to 24-inch wheels.
Adult mountain bikes are definitely where the rack feels most at home. Smaller kids’ bikes still work, but because they’re too small to simply wheelie into the rack in the same way, loading them takes a little more care.
Their handlebars can also end up quite close to neighbouring adult bike frames, so when you’re mixing kids’ bikes and larger MTBs it pays to think about the loading order.
Loading the ReVert 4
Once you’ve used it a couple of times, loading is very easy.
With the rack tilted down into the loading position, you simply lift the front wheel into a wheelie and roll it into the wheel basket. Strap the bike in, then repeat.
Even with a heavy e-bike, the process is much easier than it first looks because you’re not trying to lift the entire bike high into the air.
One thing we learned pretty quickly is to load from left to right. If you start the other way, handlebars can clash as you add more bikes.
We also leave the wheel straps hanging on the rear edge of the crossbeams. With the rack tilted down, you can stand between the vehicle and the rack and reach all of the straps easily, rather than trying to reach through a row of loaded bikes afterwards.
The assisted tilt system is what makes loading heavy bikes genuinely easy.
The Tilt Assist Is the Best Part
This is the feature we’d miss most if we changed racks.
Without the assisted tilt mechanism, loading multiple heavy bikes vertically would become a chore pretty quickly. With the ReVert, you load the bikes while the rack is tilted down, then bring the whole rack back upright.
It works extremely well.
Occasionally, there can be a little load sitting on the latch mechanism and the lever won’t release immediately. A slight push upwards on the rack takes the pressure off the latch and lets it move cleanly.
The tilt mechanism has remained one of our favourite features after a year of use.
Driving With Four Bikes
On the road, the ReVert has been trouble-free for us.
There’s a little movement when four bikes are loaded, which we’d expect from any large hitch-mounted carrier, but we haven’t had any rattling or anything that’s made us nervous.
Ground clearance has been good and we haven’t had any bad experiences on rougher roads or during shuttle days.
Rear visibility is obviously reduced with four bikes hanging off the back, and yes, parking sensors absolutely lose their minds.
Our ReVert has seen everything from family rides to shuttle days.
Vehicle Access Can Depend on What You Drive
We’ve mainly used the ReVert on our Volkswagen Amarok, where it has been a very good match.
We also used it on a Mitsubishi Pajero with a rear-mounted spare wheel and swing-away rear door.
The rack itself fitted fine, but access to the rear door was a pain. The spare wheel and swing-away door meant the whole rear access setup became awkward with the rack fitted.
That’s worth keeping in mind if your vehicle has a large rear-mounted spare or an unusual rear door arrangement. Hitch compatibility is only one part of the equation.
The rack fitted the Pajero, but the rear-mounted spare and swing-away door made access to the back impossible.
What Is It Like to Live With?
The ReVert is a fairly substantial rack, so it isn’t something you’re going to tuck under your arm and forget about.
It has some weight to it, but removing it from the vehicle isn’t difficult. Ours spends most of its time at work when it isn’t on the Amarok, where it doubles as our showroom display rack.
There is also one very important ownership lesson: if it’s folded behind the vehicle, remember it’s there when you walk past.
Your head will thank you.
Wear and Tear After Around 12 Months
Ours has had a reasonably hard life.
Along with regular family use, it has done shuttle days, been used as a shop demonstrator and been loaned out to customers.
There are now a few cosmetic battle scars. Pedals have marked the centre upright and the tilt lever, and brake components on some of the kids’ bikes have left marks around the upper wheel baskets.
Most of that comes down to paying attention to pedal position when loading multiple bikes. With four bikes packed fairly closely together, crank position matters more than you might expect.
There’s also a small amount of play developing around the main pivot bolt after a year of fairly hard use. It hasn’t affected our confidence in the rack, but it’s something we’ll keep an eye on.
The expanding anti-wobble mechanism at the hitch could also benefit from an occasional clean and light grease, particularly if the rack sees plenty of dust, dirt and wet weather.
A year of real use has left a few cosmetic marks, but nothing that has affected how the rack performs.
What We Weren’t Super Stoked About
There honestly isn’t much we dislike about it, but there are a few things worth knowing before buying.
-
No integrated bike lock as standard. Thule’s compatible cable lock is sold separately.
- It's fairly large and heavy. An unavoidable trade-off for carrying four bikes in this format.
- Small kids’ bikes need more thought. They fit, but loading and handlebar clearance can be a little more awkward than with adult MTBs.
- Cosmetic marks are fairly inevitable. If you’re regularly loading multiple muddy bikes, pedals and brake components will eventually leave a few scars.
ReVert vs a Platform Bike Rack
If you only need to carry one or two bikes, we’d still usually point most people towards a platform carrier such as the Thule Epos, EasyFold 3 or OutPace, depending on the bikes being carried.
Platform racks keep the bikes lower to the ground, are very easy to load and often include integrated lights and a number plate holder.
Once you regularly need to carry three or four mountain bikes, though, the ReVert starts to make a lot more sense.
A four-bike platform rack becomes very long, adding a +1 extension isn’t our favourite solution, and multiple heavy e-bikes can introduce further limitations.
The ReVert gives you four-bike capacity without turning the back of the vehicle into a small trailer.
| Feature | Thule ReVert 4 | Platform Rack |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | 3-4 MTBs / e-bikes / family riding | 1-2 bikes / general use |
| Loading height | Higher, but assisted tilt makes loading easy | Lower to the ground |
| Overall rearward length | Relatively compact | Can become very long with 3-4 bikes |
| Lights / number plate holder | No | Often integrated |
| Multiple e-bikes | Very practical | Depends on rack capacity and total weight |
Who Is the Thule ReVert 4 Best For?
We think it makes the most sense for families, regular mountain bikers, shuttle crews and anyone who needs to move three or four bikes on a regular basis.
It’s particularly good if your bike mix includes heavier e-bikes, because the tilt-assisted loading system takes a lot of the pain out of getting them onto the rack.
If you only carry one or two bikes, a platform rack may still be the better everyday choice.
Would We Buy the Thule ReVert 4 Again?
Absolutely.
If ours disappeared tomorrow, we’d replace it with another ReVert 4.
After a year of carrying everything from kids’ bikes to full-size e-bikes, family trips and shuttle days, we haven’t found a better way to easily transport four mountain bikes.
The rack has picked up a few scars, there are a couple of quirks, and there are definitely lighter and more compact options if you only carry one or two bikes.
But for regular three- or four-bike transport, the ReVert’s combination of vertical storage and assisted loading just works.
That’s ultimately why ours is still on the back of the Amarok a year later.
Shop Thule Bike Racks
Need help choosing between the Thule ReVert, Epos, EasyFold or another bike rack?
Get in touch with us at Stoke Equipment Co. and we’ll help you work out which option makes the most sense for your vehicle, bikes and how you actually use them.
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Thule ReVert 4 FAQs
Is the Thule ReVert 4 suitable for e-bikes?
Yes. We’ve regularly used ours with full-size mountain e-bikes. The assisted tilt system makes loading heavier bikes much easier than the vertical layout might suggest.
Can the Thule ReVert 4 carry kids’ bikes?
Yes. We’ve carried both 20-inch and 24-inch kids’ bikes. Smaller bikes can take a little more care to position, particularly when mixed with full-size adult bikes.
Does the Thule ReVert 4 lock the bikes?
Not as standard. A compatible Thule cable lock is available separately.
Does the Thule ReVert 4 wobble?
There is some movement with multiple bikes loaded, which is normal for a large hitch-mounted carrier. In our experience it has remained stable and confidence-inspiring on the road.
Is the Thule ReVert better than a platform bike rack?
It depends on how many bikes you need to carry. For one or two bikes, a platform rack is often the simpler option. For three or four mountain bikes, especially if e-bikes are involved, we think the ReVert is one of the most practical solutions available.