Atera Strada E-bike towball mounted rack

[Rumik]

I bought an Atera Strada E-bike towball mounted rack but cannot get it locked onto the towball. The locking handle will not move down far enough to reach the rachet that enables it to lock. With the handle down as far as great force will shift it the rack feels solidly immovable but the handle is still sticking up at about 45° and the mechanism is not locked.

I have been in contact with the supplier who has been very helpful offering advice and they even sent me a new bolt-on towball to change the towball from a normal to an extended neck type but to no avail. The supplier did mention that they have had some returns citing the same problem but they claim that when they try them they have no problem.

It looks like I'll have to return the rack - a pity because it is very well made and suits what I want. Just thought I'd post on here to see if a) anyone else has experienced a similar problem and b) anyone got a solution?

Mike

 

[Fat Rat]

Has it not got any tension adjustment
My Thule rack has a dial by the front for adjustment of the lock

 

[Rumik]

Has it not got any tension adjustment
My Thule rack has a dial by the front for adjustment of the lock

Sadly there seems to be no adjustment possible. This would appear to be the one major drawback with this rack.

Mike

 

[Fat Rat]

Sadly there seems to be no adjustment possible. This would appear to be the one major drawback with this rack.

Mike

bugger

 

[wheeler]

I bought an Atera Strada E-bike towball mounted rack but cannot get it locked onto the towball. The locking handle will not move down far enough to reach the rachet that enables it to lock. With the handle down as far as great force will shift it the rack feels solidly immovable but the handle is still sticking up at about 45° and the mechanism is not locked.

I have been in contact with the supplier who has been very helpful offering advice and they even sent me a new bolt-on towball to change the towball from a normal to an extended neck type but to no avail. The supplier did mention that they have had some returns citing the same problem but they claim that when they try them they have no problem.

It looks like I'll have to return the rack - a pity because it is very well made and suits what I want. Just thought I'd post on here to see if a) anyone else has experienced a similar problem and b) anyone got a solution?

Mike

I take it you are remembering to depress the trigger on the handle when you start to move it down to the locked position?

wheeler

 

[GLJoe]

I take it you are remembering to depress the trigger on the handle when you start to move it down to the locked position?

Yup. And also remember, you need the key in the handle to allow the trigger to be depressed - AND the key needs to be turned to the right position .. AND the key can easily turn a little when inserted!
Sounds like a faff, but its not really when you remember what to do.

But I also will add that you need a fair bit of oomph to press the lever down. If you're at all timid, or a bit of a wimp, I can imagine it would be very easy to not be able to press the thing hard enough because either you're convinced you're going to break the lever, or you don't have enough strength to do it!
From the manufacturers/distributors comments that they've had these issues before, but when they test the returns they seem to be ok, I'd be checking this aspect!!

 

[mike killay]

Yup. And also remember, you need the key in the handle to allow the trigger to be depressed - AND the key needs to be turned to the right position .. AND the key can easily turn a little when inserted!
Sounds like a faff, but its not really when you remember what to do.

But I also will add that you need a fair bit of oomph to press the lever down. If you're at all timid, or a bit of a wimp, I can imagine it would be very easy to not be able to press the thing hard enough because either you're convinced you're going to break the lever, or you don't have enough strength to do it!
From the manufacturers/distributors comments that they've had these issues before, but when they test the returns they seem to be ok, I'd be checking this aspect!!

Not exactly user friendly.
Seems like very poor design/thinking.

 

[Fat Rat]

Not exactly user friendly.
Seems like very poor design/thinking.

Got to agree
It shouldn’t be that hard

 

[GLJoe]

Not exactly user friendly.
Seems like very poor design/thinking.

Other than the key being able to rotate a little too easily in the lock (which is often because the user has knocked it when manhandling the rack itself!) then needing to have the key in is actually a fairly sensible design decision, as it ensures security by default.

 

[wheeler]

Not exactly user friendly.
Seems like very poor design/thinking.

Not sure about that, my Atera rack is fine and locks on quite easily.

Apparently a lady can do it.

wheeler

 

[Jimod]

I bought an Atera Strada E-bike towball mounted rack but cannot get it locked onto the towball. The locking handle will not move down far enough to reach the rachet that enables it to lock. With the handle down as far as great force will shift it the rack feels solidly immovable but the handle is still sticking up at about 45° and the mechanism is not locked.

I have been in contact with the supplier who has been very helpful offering advice and they even sent me a new bolt-on towball to change the towball from a normal to an extended neck type but to no avail. The supplier did mention that they have had some returns citing the same problem but they claim that when they try them they have no problem.

It looks like I'll have to return the rack - a pity because it is very well made and suits what I want. Just thought I'd post on here to see if a) anyone else has experienced a similar problem and b) anyone got a solution?

Mike

When putting it on, hold the rear end and as you lower the lever, gently raise the rear of the carrier and see if it finds a sweet spot that allows the lever to go down fully. I own a Thule and if the rack isn't sitting at the correct angle to the towbar the lever won't go down.

Jim

 

[MikeS]

When putting it on, hold the rear end and as you lower the lever, gently raise the rear of the carrier and see if it finds a sweat spot that allows the lever to go down fully. I own a Thule and if the rack isn't sitting at the correct angle to the towbar the lever won't go down.

Jim

Yes - if my Thule is slightly too angled the lever won't press down. Can't work out why. However, you quickly do find that sweet spot even when first using the Thule so it's unlikley that this is the problem for the original poster
Mike

 

[Rumik]

Thanks for all the input. Problem is now solved with lots of help from the supplier (Roofbox).
Yes - I was doing everything right with regards to key position and pressing the button. Yes - the rack was sitting correctly on the towball.

The final solution was to change the towball to an extended neck type and then literally stand on the handle to get it to reach the first locking position. Apparently the latest production of these racks are not 'pre-stretched' like they used to be so the first few uses require a lot of force to get the handle to lock. I probably fall into the wimp category of user at 65 kg and of retirement age but having to put all 65 kg on the handle was a surprise.

Whilst I'm happy that I've now got a useable rack it seems very poor that the customer has to do what seems to me should be the final part of the factory production process.

The supplier was very helpful in enabling me to solve the problem and I feel sorry for them that they probably have to provide such help to almost everyone that buys one of these racks.

Mike

 

[wheeler]

Thanks for all the input. Problem is now solved with lots of help from the supplier (Roofbox).
Yes - I was doing everything right with regards to key position and pressing the button. Yes - the rack was sitting correctly on the towball.

The final solution was to change the towball to an extended neck type and then literally stand on the handle to get it to reach the first locking position. Apparently the latest production of these racks are not 'pre-stretched' like they used to be so the first few uses require a lot of force to get the handle to lock. I probably fall into the wimp category of user at 65 kg and of retirement age but having to put all 65 kg on the handle was a surprise.

Whilst I'm happy that I've now got a useable rack it seems very poor that the customer has to do what seems to me should be the final part of the factory production process.

The supplier was very helpful in enabling me to solve the problem and I feel sorry for them that they probably have to provide such help to almost everyone that buys one of these racks.

Mike

Glad you got it sorted, if my experience is anything to go by you should find that it's a good rack.

wheeler

 

[Fat Rat]

Thanks for all the input. Problem is now solved with lots of help from the supplier (Roofbox).
Yes - I was doing everything right with regards to key position and pressing the button. Yes - the rack was sitting correctly on the towball.

The final solution was to change the towball to an extended neck type and then literally stand on the handle to get it to reach the first locking position. Apparently the latest production of these racks are not 'pre-stretched' like they used to be so the first few uses require a lot of force to get the handle to lock. I probably fall into the wimp category of user at 65 kg and of retirement age but having to put all 65 kg on the handle was a surprise.

Whilst I'm happy that I've now got a useable rack it seems very poor that the customer has to do what seems to me should be the final part of the factory production process.

The supplier was very helpful in enabling me to solve the problem and I feel sorry for them that they probably have to provide such help to almost everyone that buys one of these racks.

Mike

It sounds like a bit of a botch job really and a bad design when it could have been easily solved with a tension adjuster like a Thule rack has
Jumping on a handle with that much pressure is a bad design and asking for a breakage
Not a lot of R and D went into that rack from an outsider reading up on it

Glad you have a useable rack now thou

 

[Rumik]

It sounds like a bit of a botch job really and a bad design when it could have been easily solved with a tension adjuster like a Thule rack has
Jumping on a handle with that much pressure is a bad design and asking for a breakage
Not a lot of R and D went into that rack from an outsider reading up on it

Glad you have a useable rack now thou

 

[Rumik]

Just as an update for anyone reading this thread - I've fitted and removed the rack half a dozen times now and it has become much easier to lock it on. I am now completely happy with the rack. Thanks for everyone's advice and interest.

 

[Fat Rat]

Just as an update for anyone reading this thread - I've fitted and removed the rack half a dozen times now and it has become much easier to lock it on. I am now completely happy with the rack. Thanks for everyone's advice and interest.

Thanks for the update much appreciated

It lacks a lot on the internet with posts with no conclusions just left open ended for people to guess what transpired
Glad it's all worked out for the best