Transporting an Electric Bike

[JAD]

Hi, just bought an electric bike that weighs 28kg. It is ok on the towbar rack (by itself, with battery removed) but needs to go elsewhere when I'm towing our caravan.
Option 1 is inside the 'van.
Option 2 is on the car roof rack. If I remove wheels and battery it weighs about 19kg which isn't much more than a regular bike (13 - 14kg?) but still heavy.
I'm looking at using one of those upside down carriers (Paddy Hopkirk Eiger) where the handlebars are gripped and the seat sits in a cradle so it's a broad based triangle. The two issues are can I lift it (my problem) and how unstable might it be with the weight of the motor quite high up?
Has anyone any experience of this?

And just as an aside, on a multi-day tour someone has to carry the battery charger

Thanks, John

 

[Drago]

I'm a big ruffty feller and even I find it rather onerous to lift my ebike onto the roof, and without battery that weighs a bit less than yours. I side the tin tent might be the easiest method.

 

[richardfm]

It's hard enough lifting my wife's Gazelle Paris in to the caravan. It weighs about 22kg, I wouldn't dream of lifting it on to a car roof unless I had one of these
https://www.roofbox.co.uk/dropracks/#uses

 

[JAD]

I'm guessing the problem is the difficulty of actually lifting the bike rather than its security?

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I find I can get my bike into the back of the car if the back seats are down

I do have a a rear rack that goes on the tailgate and I have carried an ebike on this with no problem - but I can;t use it on this car as the tailgate is mostly glass so I am not sure it is structurally good enough

 

[richardfm]

I'm guessing the problem is the difficulty of actually lifting the bike rather than its security?

Yes, it's a heavy old thing and awkward to manoeuvre

 

[richardfm]

I find I can get my bike into the back of the car if the back seats are down

I do have a a rear rack that goes on the tailgate and I have carried an ebike on this with no problem - but I can;t use it on this car as the tailgate is mostly glass so I am not sure it is structurally good enough

We got my wife's bike in the back of the car with the front wheel removed when we bought it, but that isn't an option when we are going away with the caravan, there is too much other stuff.
I have one of these for when we don't have the caravan
https://www.driveden.com/product/thule-xpress-2-970-towbar-mount-2-bike-carrier-6392

 

[peterhopkins]

I use a Thule towball bike rack. Thule offer an alloy 'ramp' (extra) which hooks onto the channel for the e-bike wheels, so you can trundle it up into place. I'm 87 & have heart disease, but I can manage it. It's best done by reversing the bike up the ramp, but you need to be careful to keep everything lined up straight as you manoeuvre it into place. (The e-bike weighs 21kgs with the battery removed. Max capacity on my rack is 24kgs)

 

[gzoom]

If I remove wheels and battery it weighs about 19kg which isn't much more than a regular bike (13 - 14kg?) but still heavy.

That's one heavy eBike!! Mine with battery, wheels, etc is under 13kg .

I use towbar clip on rack 2-3 times a week as I drive for school drop off and than leave the car at the school and cycle into work.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

That's one heavy eBike!! Mine with battery,

Not really, many are over 20Kg, I use a Thule towbar mounted one with battery removed, however that's no use with a caravan on the back, as for the roof, I'm 6ft & I don't like even putting my 'normal' bike on the roof.

https://www.practicalcaravan.com/awards/best-caravan-bike-racks has options

 

[chris667]

Inside the van for me. That's a lot of thing to fall off the back of a van.