WANTED - Towbar mounted bike carrier for 4 bikes.

[bikingdad90]

I’m on the lookout for a bike carrier that mounts on a standard towbar ball and can take four bikes.

 

[si_c]

I've not seen many, but I know Thule do one, doubt it would be cheap though.

 

[Ridgeback Roller]

The Roofbox Company do a good range of 4 bike carriers towball mounted carriers, expect to pay around £250-£350.
I've been using an earlier version of this one for several years. It's remarkably robust and stable - no problems at all fully loaded with 4 bikes on journeys to Provence and The Pyrenees. I've found them a good company to deal with, over the years I've purchased roof bars , roof mounted cycle carriers plus 2 & 4 bike towball carriers. The racks that support the wheels are IMHO far the best.

https://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/r...rack_no_brp334/Qx@w,6M42VAwp3@Rb{~cC4ure7ya0z

 

[Dag Hammar]

I am strongly in favour of tow ball mounted bike racks, I owned and used one for more than twenty years until I no longer had a car with a towbar.
One thing I would question regarding the OP wishing to carry four bikes, do towbar manufacturers specify a maximum ‘nose’ weight ? I should imagine that with the weight of the rack itself plus four bikes the whole package is going to weigh rather a lot and might over stress the structure.

 

[bikingdad90]

It’ll be used to carry two adult bikes and two kids bike so will be below the 60kg rack limit and below the 75kg nose weight capacity. I’m going for a good quality flange witter tow bar on my scenic. The max of each bike is 15kg.

 

[Buck]

I have a Thule tower bike rack which is actually a 3 bike one but the official attachment makes it a 4 bike carrier.
Similar to this https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/tow-b...ikes-7-pins/_/R-p-X8176979?mc=8176979&c=BLACK

It fits 4 adult mountain bikes on no issues. I actually got this of eBay as an Amazon return for a decent discount.

As @si_c says, they are not cheap but are top quality and I would recommend it.

Just check the Pin connector on your towbar electrics - 7 or 13 to make sure you get the right one or whether you need an adaptor

 

[bikingdad90]

Daft question. If I get a standard flange towbar fitted I don’t need to worry about compatibility ability, it’s only if I get an ALKO towbar for towing a caravan with a stabiliser it could be a problem with a bike carrier?

 

[Buck]

Standard tow bar will be fine. Not sure about an Alko one.

The Thule one is a lever lock that is tension adjustable and lockable.

 

[GeekDadZoid]

Don't know where you are but this just popped up on Facebook near me.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/586913372495995/

 

[figbat]

I have a Thule tower bike rack which is actually a 3 bike one but the official attachment makes it a 4 bike carrier.
Similar to this https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/tow-b...ikes-7-pins/_/R-p-X8176979?mc=8176979&c=BLACK

It fits 4 adult mountain bikes on no issues. I actually got this of eBay as an Amazon return for a decent discount.

As @si_c says, they are not cheap but are top quality and I would recommend it.

Just check the Pin connector on your towbar electrics - 7 or 13 to make sure you get the right one or whether you need an adaptor

I have the same one (although don't have the 4th bike add-on). I picked it up on Facebook Marketplace, which is where I also picked up all my roof carriers too - all have been in good condition for a fraction of new price.

Daft question. If I get a standard flange towbar fitted I don’t need to worry about compatibility ability, it’s only if I get an ALKO towbar for towing a caravan with a stabiliser it could be a problem with a bike carrier?

I'm not sure why an AL-KO towball would be a problem? They have a longer neck to accommodate the depth of the AL-KO hitch stabiliser but the ball will be the same dimension and the extra length shouldn't impact the Thule (or other) carrier mounting. FWIW I use the Thule one on a Volvo deployable swan-neck, no problem. I also have a wall-mounted 'tow hitch' ball that I use to store the rack when not in use.

 

[GeekDadZoid]

There is this on the CTC forum if your further south.

https://forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic.php?t=151115