Bike Rack?

[raspo]

When transporting bikes is it better to put them on the roof of the car or at the back?

Generally we pop them on a rack on the back of the car if using them at the weekend. However, I am intending to take two bikes away, one being my new agutta (if it arrives) this summer when caravanning. This means our estate car will not only be towing a smallish 2 -berth caravan, there will be 2 labradors in the back of the estate and 2 bikes somewhere!!

Being a mere female and my husband not a keen caravanner I can only assume that bikes and dogs at the rear of the car plus the nose weight of the van will possibly be too much.

Can anyone give me some advice in simple understandable language.

Raspo

 

[Ian]

I would prefer a heavy bike on a rear rack rather than the roof. Roof racks are OK for lightweight unpowered bikes but 26 Kg with a high centre of gravity doesn't sound like a good idea (especially when it comes to lifting it up there!) Towbar mounted racks are available that slot in to a fitting mounted between the towball and the towbar flange, they are very secure and can be used while towing, unfortunately they cannot be used with swan-neck towbars. (The type where the ball is an integral part of the towbar).

It would be advisable to lighten the bikes as much as possible by removing the battery, saddle, QR front wheels and anything else that will come off easily. You should also consider moving things in the 'van to reduce it's noseweight so that that plus the bikes weight doesn't exceed the cars limit.

The dogs will be further forward so the effect of their weight won't be as great and so shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Robin]

er... put them in the caravan?

 

[Erik]

er... put them in the caravan?

Caravans are "always" overloadad so this would be a bad idea.

 

[UrbanPuma]

My advice would be to buy a couple of folding electric bikes

 

[Ian]

er... put them in the caravan?

A nice idea but anyone who has tried will tell you it's virtually impossible without damaging anything. The narrow door entering into a narrow gangway, usually with fitted furniture up to ceiling height makes it very difficult to load a full size bike.