Tow bar cycle rack

[Mac5]

We are a family of 5 (only 3 cycling at the moment - trailer bike and trailer for the youngest) and are looking to get a tow bar mounted bike rack.

What are your recommendations? We would ideally want a 4 bike one as we could fit 1 in the boot of the car in later years!

We are willing to spend a bit more for something that will last.

Thanks

Clare

 

[summerdays]

We have a tow bar mounted one but I can't remember what make it is (not much help am I), we also are a family of 5 and yes put the smallest 20" bike in the car for now.

I would say that ours tilts down towards the rear meaning that it almost grounds on a few corners. I think we need some kind of metal shim? well triangular shaped thing to correct this. I think its a German make.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[John the Monkey]

Mac5, you could do a lot worse than talk to the people at the roofbox company - they're very helpful, and should be able to advise on somethig that will meet your requirements.

http://www.roofbox.co.uk/

 

[shimano]

I used a 3 bike carrier from Halfrauds that used webbing straps to secure it to the hatchback. If you take your time to adjust it properly there's no problem with them.One one memorable occasion following a bit of a multiple pile up on a trip out I had six bikes on it. Four squeezed onto the arms and two tied on horizontally on top! Wouldn't have fancied it for much more than the two mile journey I did it for though!

 

[Mac5]

Roofbox recommended the Tradekar (£149) or the Atera Strada (£300). Was yours a Atera, Summerdays? They are German.

Shimano, we have a Halfords carrier for our other car, but as this one is a Lucida, it doesn't fit properly with the flat back, which is why we're looking for something else. We're planning on taking the bikes to Somerset so I wouldn't fancy it for that journey!

 

[shimano]

Mac5, unless you have the rear spoiler on your Lucida it should fit ok - I cut notches in the upper edge of the spoiler of a Previa I had to allow the straps through. The key to fitting it is to have all six web straps under tension so the rack can't bounce around - it's important to check them all again after loading the bikes. Mine has four rubber blocks on the horizontal bars which help it stay in place against the metalwork of the tailgate.

 

[summerdays]

If anything looking at those pictures I would say it looks like the Tradekar 11437, or looking at the roofbox page I would say this one:
http://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehsel4.php?query=TR437&vptype=&emulate=accgen&qty=1

And looking at a photo of our rack we bought it from the bike.carriers.co.uk, which redirects you to the roofbox.co.uk.

 

[Mac5]

Unfortunately we do have rear spoiler which we don't really want to remove, so it does interfere with the Halfords one. Hubby spent a very frustrating afternoon trying every which way to make it fit but to no avail. I'm not sure he'd want to cut notches in the spoiler.....I will suggest it, but I'm not sure he'll go for it!

 

[shimano]

Mac5, I'm talking subtle notches here - can't be seen from ground level, just enough to slip the flat hook underneath it. - the alternative is to remove both straps from the rack, feed the ends down under the spoiler from above, hook onto the tailgate and then re-secure the webbing to the rack. A bit more time consuming but do-able for more infrequent use.

 

[Night Train]

I use a Witter ZX88 which I have had 4 adult bikes on. The top of the pole is attached with one strap to the top of the car tailgate or hatch back. It does need a bolt on tow ball though and you might need slightly longer bolts.

I find it very adaptable and have used it to carry other things and have also added a roof bar extension so I can have, effectively, three cross bars on my roof for long loads.

Another advantage is that Witter also sell a wall mounting bracket, ZX64, to take the rack so that it can be installed indoors or in the garage for bike storage.