cycle carriers and tow bars

[fabes]

Hi

Done a search and cannot find much on this (which did surprise me)

I need to move up from a 3 to a 4 bike carrier as little'un is growing up and am looking at one mounted on a tow bar.

Roofbox.co.uk seem to have all the information and some good prices for carriers, so I am now looking for reviews for carriers and recommendations on tow bar fitting service (I will not be installing it)

This isn't going on the Merc, but onto the Zafira

Any and all help appreciated

Cheers

 

[A210AMG]

I had mine fitted by a mobile specialist came to the house so no messing about dropping the car off.

Towsure may have price etc..

Do you want fixed, removable, twin electrics single etc?

 

[fabes]

Thanks

Removable would be great, but I know that they are expensive, so what the heck its only a Zafira!

The wheel carrying carrier I am looking at works on a fixed, so that'll do me

Single electrics for the lights will be fine as well

(keeping the cost down as its only going to get used a dozen times a year and NO trailers)

Who was the mobile and how 'mobile' is he/they?

 

[Dieselman]

I have a Thule 3 bike jobbie.
So far it's been very good and doesn't move at all when on the car.
The only issue was the last moounted bike tended to swing backwards int he wind so I realised to strap the lower part of the frame to the rack. It appears that the tilting ones already have a strap fitted.
A four bike version is available.

Keep an eye out on ebay, they do crop up here and there.

 

[A210AMG]

Hello

I just googled it, think he was North West based but their will be more.

I had a Westfailer (original Merc) removable towbar fitted with twin drop down electrics and the bypass relay all in for £330.

I would think £150-£200 fitted for single fixed?

Fitting the actually towbar looked easy and you could probably do that then just get an auto electrician to wire it in to save costs?

 

[verytalldave]

Roof mounted would be better. Only remember the extra height when going under low overhanging trees.....................

 

[Dieselman]

Roof mounted would be better.

Is there a reason why you suggest that, only my experience is the opposite. With the rack on the back you don't suffer the wind noise and drag associated with a roof mounted rack.

 

[A210AMG]

Roof mounted kills MPG though..

and depending on your bikes / type or carrier it can be hard to get them up there.

OOh and on a people carrier that could be quite high...


Thule do some great bike carriers however

 

[verytalldave]

Only that 4 bikes is quite a weight and to have that lot hanging off the back of a tailgate is pushing the design limits I would guess. Trailers are best avoided.

 

[A210AMG]

4 bike granted is heavy,

But then we attache a caravan to our towbar

Check the nose weight of the Towbar (it should say in handbook)

 

[Dieselman]

Only that 4 bikes is quite a weight and to have that lot hanging off the back of a tailgate is pushing the design limits I would guess. Trailers are best avoided.

I think that's why he wants a towbar mounted rack, so the tailgate isn't compormised.
Our hotelier in Newquay said he once lost a rack off a tailgate with 4 bikes on when on the motorway. Oops..

 

[Dieselman]

But then we attache a caravan to our towbar

Now there's no need for that now, is there..

 

[fabes]

Tradekar Take Four

This is the one I am looking at as I (or the missus) only has to lift the bikes a foot off the ground and the bikes are tucked up flush behind the Zaffy rather than up on high sapping the precious jungle juice

With 4 bikes and it, its around 78kg (about a me!) and I am told this is within the weight limit of a properly fitted tow bar. Will check any limit on the car tonight

My interest is how, being only secured on the ball, does it not tilt, rotate and generally stay on. Its obvious they do, but still, you look at it.....

I am looking round for a good, but not expensive supply and fit and will try towsure as well as Indespension as two nationals.

So, has anybody got or used these

 

[BTB 500]

With 4 bikes and it, its around 78kg (about a me!) and I am told this is within the weight limit of a properly fitted tow bar. Will check any limit on the car tonight

I think the Zafira has a trailer noseweight limit of 75 kgs.

 

[st13phil]

Our hotelier in Newquay said he once lost a rack off a tailgate with 4 bikes on when on the motorway. Oops..

I was unfortunate enough to get caught up in the near carnage that a poorly secured bike rack caused whan it detatched from the rear of a Zafira on the M40 northbound one evening about three years ago. The fact that nobody was killed in the incident was pure luck. The bikes were first hit by an artic and the mangled bits of wreckage flew all over the place and were then hit by a multitude of other frantically swerving vehicles. And all because some donut didn't secure the thing properly in the first place

These things now petrify me and I make every effort to ensure I quickly get infront of any vehicle with one on the back, especially if I'm on my motorcycle

 

[fabes]

I think the Zafira has a trailer noseweight limit of 75 kgs.

Hmmm, the hand book does sayeth that the permissable rear axle load may be exceeded by 90kg, and the GVW by 75kg

Theres a plate I need to look at, but sounds as though I'll be on the limit - though two of the bikes are kids ones, so I'll look again at the guidance that each bike should be estimated at 15kg

So nobody got one of these tow bar mounted ones then????

 

[A210AMG]

My neighbour has and uses it on a Rav 4 as his wife struggles to get them on the roof.

He's away at the mo on holiday but sure its a Thule one as his roof rack was and his roof box is...seems to like the make me thinks

 

[Dieselman]

And all because some donut didn't secure the thing properly in the first place

I don't wish to diminish the importance of your post and it sounds a terrible situation, but is your comment actually correct.?

The ones that mount with straps and hooks tend to work loose and so can come free. Ones that clamp onto the tow ball don't.

 

[BTB 500]

Hmmm, the hand book does sayeth that the permissable rear axle load may be exceeded by 90kg, and the GVW by 75kg

Theres a plate I need to look at, but sounds as though I'll be on the limit - though two of the bikes are kids ones, so I'll look again at the guidance that each bike should be estimated at 15kg

So nobody got one of these tow bar mounted ones then????

The noseweight limit will be in the handbook (near the maximum braked trailer weight). That's the maximum downward load allowed on the towbar - partly to do with the rear suspension, and partly to do with the towbar attachment to the bodywork.

I haven't got a towball mounted bike carrier because I'd only want to use it while towing!

 

[st13phil]

I don't wish to diminish the importance of your post and it sounds a terrible situation, but is your comment actually correct.?

The ones that mount with straps and hooks tend to work loose and so can come free. Ones that clamp onto the tow ball don't.

I understand what you're saying, but a bike carrier that can work loose just shouldn't be used (or sold, for that matter). If the manufacturer sells it then presumably it can be installed and used safely - hence my "some donut" comment. Also, if someone uses one and notices that it comes loose in use then in my eyes they're culpable if the thing falls off.

Glad to hear that the tow ball mounted ones are more secure. I'll still continue with my perhaps irrational fear of bike racks on the back of cars & people carriers though. If one of the following vehicles in the incident I witnessed had been a motorcycle then I'm pretty certain there would have been a death that day. I will do everything I can to make sure I'm not that motorcyclist.