It's that time of year again, when planning and talking about bike riding often takes precedence over actual saddle time, thanks to the often rather unpleasant weather outside.
Goal setting and event planning often come near the top of the list, with rides in faraway places an especially tantalising idea on a cold and wet winter night.
There is also the question of how you plan to get there. If you're going abroad, you might be looking at packing your bike into one of the best bike boxes and on to a flight; but if you're staying closer to home, you could well be looking at driving as an option – in which case you're going to need a bike carrier.
In which case, you're in luck, because we're seeing some great deals on industry-leading Thule racks this Black Friday.
Of course, you might be able to fit a couple of bikes inside the car itself, but having spent 400 miles last year wedged between the rear door and a saddle with a mind of its own, that is very much no longer my favourite mode of transportation.
It's also not ideal if you prefer the plush interior of your vehicle not to be plastered in mud and oil, or if the idea of metal-on-metal contact between your bike and the one you lay on top of it (despite being super-careful) and the resulting paint loss. Yes, both of these have happened to yours truly, too.
Enter the Thule Epos 2 with lights, which has a hefty 20% ($300) discount this Black Friday, down from $1,499 to $1,199.
When Tyler reviewed it, he said it was "both the most feature-laden bike rack I’ve ever encountered (it has wheels!), and also the most compact in storage mode."
He added: "In use, the rack works very well," but thanks to its ability to fold away, it was "arguably even more impressive off the car".
It will pivot downwards to allow trunk access, but, as we pointed out in our review, not upwards to store away vertically.
Boucher did mark it down for price, though, which is where this deal comes in. The Thule kit is market-leading in terms of quality and usability, and doesn't come cheap, even on the used market. If you're in the market for a car rack to facilitate your adventures next year, this weekend's deal on the Epos 2 with lights could well be worth taking advantage of.
It carries two bikes (there is also a three-bike version available) that can weigh up to 75lb (34kg) each, so even if you have a heavy-duty ebike, you should be covered. It also accommodates tyres up to 3.2in (or 5in with an accessory - not included).
As well as built-in lights, it comes with a license plate holder so you can head out to your event safe in the knowledge you're decidedly on the right side of the law.
