Nose Weight and Tow Bar Mounted Cycle Racks

[DavePat]

Here is my problem and I am hoping someone can give me some sound advice.

I have a 1.7 TDCI Hyundai IX35, manufacturer says the nose weight/ tow bar load max is 50kg, the 2 litre's is 80kg.

I want to carry 2 e bikes, I guess 50 kg in total, and propose to fit a tow bar and buy a Thule Europower 916 rack, 18 kg. So the total load on the tow bar is 68kg.

As I understand it I should not do this as I am exceeding the manufaturer recommendations which I assume were taking towing into consideration rather than a tow bar mounted cycle rack.

Am I going to have to change the car to carry 2 bikes?

 

[funkylyn]

First ...do your bikes weigh 25kgs each without the batteries ? ?

Lynda

 

[jackhandy]

I wouldn't exceed the manufacturer's rating: It's all your insurers need to decline a claim.

Something to bear in mind, is that a towball-mounted rack doesn't exert a vertical downweight - it exerts quite a bit more force as it's cantilevered about the fixing point.

Maybe taking off the batteries would help.

 

[funkylyn]

I wouldn't exceed the manufacturer's rating: It's all your insurers need to decline a claim.

Something to bear in mind, is that a towball-mounted rack doesn't exert a vertical downweight - it exerts quite a bit more force as it's cantilevered about the fixing point.

Maybe taking off the batteries would help.

I agree.....but presumed DavePat was going to remove the batteries of course, hence my wondering if they actually weighed 25kgs without them lol

Lynda

 

[SRS]

I wouldn't exceed the manufacturer's rating: It's all your insurers need to decline a claim.

Something to bear in mind, is that a towball-mounted rack doesn't exert a vertical downweight - it exerts quite a bit more force as it's cantilevered about the fixing point.

Maybe taking off the batteries would help.

What sort of claim do you think that might be? A couple of cyles on a tow hitch rack will make no difference what so ever.

Compare that arrangement with a 1000kg caravan wagging the rear end and there is no comparison.
I think manufacturer reccomend a specific figure to give people a resonable idea and not to hold one precisely to it.

 

[jackhandy]

Please tell me you're not serious:

Since when has it been necessary for any circumstance to be relevant for a claim to be refused?

Towbar loading is rigidly adhered to when a claim is investigated - Even fitting of a spacer has been used to avoid paying-out.

 

[SRS]

Please tell me you're not serious:

Since when has it been necessary for any circumstance to be relevant for a claim to be refused?

Towbar loading is rigidly adhered to when a claim is investigated - Even fitting of a spacer has been used to avoid paying-out.

I was serious. Like I said, what sort of claim are you talking about?

 

[BAH48]

weight on the towbar is relevant when towing a heavy load - many forces at work -and overloading the towbar may well be construed as negligence which reduces the insurance liability. However, compare a couple of bikes on the towbar with 5 or 6 bags of cement in the boot (not an uncommon occurrence for me) and a few Kgs over is of little consequence. People seem to think that insurance companies go to any lengths to avoid paying a claim, but really? Not in my experience, all my claims have been dealt with fairly and honestly.

 

[DavePat]

Thanks for all of the comments, everyone in agreement as usual.

I got in touch with customer service at Hyundai as the whole scenario is a bit daft really and this is their comment which I hope is helpful to anyone else with a similar query.

The nose weight of a 1.7cc IX35 is 50Kg and a 2.0cc is 80Kg, however this is in relation to towing.

The nose weight calculation is worked out on the trailer weight the only reason the 2.0cc IX35 nose weight is 30Kg more is because it can tow more and this is due to the engine size, everything else is the same.

As your are not towing, the load on the tow bar hitch can be increased, 60Kg will be fine.

So out with the scales to weigh a Sirocco CD and AVE CH tour without the batteries. Just need some advice on a Tow Bar cycle carrier, maybe the Thule Europower one is more than I need but I suppose that is another topic.

 

[funkylyn]

Glad you got that sorted then DavePat, I wouldnt bother weighing your bikes.....they certainly dont weigh over 60kgs without batteries.

now then......the cycle carrier debate......

Lynda

PS.....if you feel like adding helmets into the melting pot, I will grab some of Jerry's popcorn

 

[jdallan]

So out with the scales to weigh a Sirocco CD and AVE CH tour without the batteries. Just need some advice on a Tow Bar cycle carrier, maybe the Thule Europower one is more than I need but I suppose that is another topic.[/QUOTE]

I use the Thule Europower 916 to carry 2 ebikes on the removeable towbar which I had fitted to my Skoda Yeti. It's a superb piece of kit and I would thoroughly recommend it. Hope this helps.

Jim

 

[martin@onbike]

The best Towbar cycle carrier i've ever come across is the Westfalia BC60-it is an electric bike specific(60kgs) foldable and lockable carrier-very good!

 

[JimB]

This is the one I have;

Atera STRADA DL 2 to 3 bike carrier (UK lights) no. AR2602.

...which does exactly what it claims.

I see they have one promoted for electric bikes now;

Atera STRADA E-bike 2 bike carrier (UK lights) no. AR2686.

..which looks exactly the same as mine but probably can't be extended to 3 bikes (not that you would try to put 3 electric bikes on the back!).

Easy to fit and remove and will tilt back easily even with the bikes on to allow easy access to the boot.

Click through to the fitting video.

Jim

 

[DavePat]

Thanks to all for the comments and suggestions.
I had a Witter towbar fitted which has shown no problems of being picked up by the parking sensors. The removable one would have been an extra 100 quid.

The company I used do an Internet price match for the Thule 916 so I bought that one, the others were a bit cheaper but convenient to pick it up when the car was done.

Lynda, it is not just the weight of the 2 bikes you need to consider for the towbar loading but the cycle rack too, which is 18.4 kg.
The Woosh Sirocco CD weighs in at just over 24 kg without the battery which weighs 4.4kg if that is of interest to anyone.
Hopefully off to the peak district this week to give everything a good try out.

Dave

 

[funkylyn]

Glad you got sorted out Dave, those Thule bike racks are very good....enjoy your holiday, looks like the weather is staying good

Lynda

 

[RobF]

Presumably, the only problem with weight bearing down on the towbar is it may lighten the steering, which is why the bigger, heavier engine is rated higher.

Might be an idea not to load too much in the boot as well until you've tried it out.

Sounds like a good set-up to me - most people say the towbar carriers are streets ahead of the clip-on ones.

 

[arthur49]

This is the one I have;

Atera STRADA DL 2 to 3 bike carrier (UK lights) no. AR2602.

...which does exactly what it claims.

I see they have one promoted for electric bikes now;

Atera STRADA E-bike 2 bike carrier (UK lights) no. AR2686.

..which looks exactly the same as mine but probably can't be extended to 3 bikes (not that you would try to put 3 electric bikes on the back!).

Easy to fit and remove and will tilt back easily even with the bikes on to allow easy access to the boot.

Click through to the fitting video.

Jim

Yes, the Atera in your second link is the one I have and I love it

Arthur

 

[alemanyorks]

Yes, the Atera in your second link is the one I have and I love it

Arthur

I have one these too, get 4 normal mountain bikes on (extender kit) on the back of our Honda Jazz. Been to France a couple of times, no issues at all, recommended.

 

[DavePat]

I did not give any feedback after my Peak District trip after first using the Thule Europower back in June.
Well the nose weight I was concerned of complying with was not a problem in the slightest, there was no handling issue with the IX35 which handles like a boat in any case. The towbar is heavy though as is applying the clamping force, my friend Pam is not confident of using the towbar on her own with her car because of both these points. She has an AVE Tour.
But the rack is sturdy and strong and gives you confidence on the road.
A little niggle is the wheel strap on the rear picks up oil from the chain every time and you end up with black stripes on you hands when you forget.
There is only one locking cross bar clamp but luckily I had one on an old thule bike rack so now both lock, different keys of course.
I wonder about the security of the towbar clamp as it uses a standar Thule Key and I wonder how many variations of that there are?

Dave

 

[barrycoll]

I have just had 3 weeks in Spain with a Thule Euro 928 with a KTM machina Race, and a Machina Cross on the tow hitch of a Prius....a bit less than 40 kgs with no battery, + 12kg for the rack

New Prius Bike Rack - Hybrid / Toyota Prius - Toyota Owners Club - Toyota Forum

the pics are on this site, and the ability to be able to drop the rack backwards to get access to the boot hatch was a real boon

I had a Witter cow horn rack previously, but this is light years better, lockable onto the tow bar, with the same key for the arm locks....bikes are kept securely apart from one another, and rock solid
as the bikes were a bit pricey, I threaded a cable through the cars towing eye, and through the quick release wheels......plus a D lock, through the frames
cant be too careful in Spanish motorway services!!