February 23, 201511 yr Hello fellow pedalars and throttlers Anyone here used a car tow bar bike carrier with their ebikes? Especially the Thule type.
February 23, 201511 yr I have the Cykell one, which Battribike distribute. It costs about £500, which is probably more than most of my bikes, but it's so good and easy to use. You can get them from South Yorkshire Electric Bike Centre. The owner, John, has a very soft heart. If you give him a sob story about why you're so poor, you might get a good deal out of him. I had the Wilko one before that was about 1/4 of the price. It worked, but it was a lot of messing about to fit, and also a lot more messing about to get the bike/s on it.
February 23, 201511 yr Author Thanks for your prompt reply d8veh. I'm at the opposite end of the country to you though. A Wilko one?! I will look into it but agree with you, it is expensive. Thanks again. Anyone used a Thule one or another type?
February 23, 201511 yr Thanks for your prompt reply d8veh. I'm at the opposite end of the country to you though. A Wilko one?! I will look into it but agree with you, it is expensive. Thanks again. Anyone used a Thule one or another type? i use a thule easybase - it doesnt have an easytilt function (you know step on a lever and tilt it forward to open the hatch of the car) and most definitely isnt as simple to load as d8veh's, but it's very rugged and has survived numerous (very severe) overloadings and (violent) dings and scrapes. it can carry many other thinsg than bikes. the only criticism i could level is that on a very small car(fiat panda) on an autobahn above 85 mph or so with two large bikes and a recumbent it can induce sway, believe it or not.
February 23, 201511 yr Hi Penny Farthing, I use the Thule 916 https://roofracks.co.uk/thule-europower-916/ , they are rather expensive but very good. I bought one slightly used a few years ago, it has now had a lot of use and has been great, mine came with the ramp but I havent used it. I can't see why the Cykell is so expensive? There is a Thule on eBay right now, it's the older version the same as mine. http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=thule 916&_sop=2
February 23, 201511 yr I've got a Thule tow bar carrier it's a Thule 929 EuroClassic G6 3-bike towball carrier http://www.freeborn.co.uk/thule-929-euroclassic-g6-3-bike-towball-carrier?gclid=CMmPg6eflLsCFUzHtAodzBcA-A I've carried my Kudos and my wife's Woosh with no problems. It can carry 3 bikes up to 60K @ 20KG per bike. It fits on the towbar in seconds and can be locked on. The bikes fit on quickly and can also be locked to the carrier. The carrier tilts to allow access to the tailgate of the car. It comes with a 13 pin plug and I had to but a 13 to 7 pin adapter. I believe the newer model now comes with better clamps for the bike which click when the optimum grip is reached on your bike. It's not cheap but it's good.
February 23, 201511 yr Tow ball carriers are reckoned to be the best solution. No doubt Thule will be as good as any. I know two people who use them regularly - not sure which brand. Both told me it's a faff to secure the bikes, particularly if you follow the instructions and deploy all the various straps and fixings. Which, of course, you should do. Another mate, who probably worries too much, adds a few thick cable ties for long journeys.
February 23, 201511 yr Tow ball carriers are reckoned to be the best solution. No doubt Thule will be as good as any. I know two people who use them regularly - not sure which brand. Both told me it's a faff to secure the bikes, particularly if you follow the instructions and deploy all the various straps and fixings. Which, of course, you should do. Another mate, who probably worries too much, adds a few thick cable ties for long journeys. Cable ties are a good secondary method for securing, as for being a faff, my one is easy peasy. You can lock the clamps, but if I leave a bike unattended on a carrier I use a heavy duty lock too. More often than not these days I transport bikes inside a vehicle.
February 23, 201511 yr I use a Thule euroclassic G6 2 bike version rated for 25Kg per bike. It works well. It's easy to put on the car and take off and it's fairly easy and quick getting the bikes on and off.
February 23, 201511 yr , as for being a faff, my one is easy peasy. . I agree, the Thule is so easy to load a bike on.once the rack is on the car it wont take more than a minute to load a bike on an lock it to the carrier. For those who are unable to lift an ebike up the few inches to the carrier, you can even buy a small ramp to wheel the bike up.
February 23, 201511 yr The Thule 916 will accomodate 2 bikes and has a load limit of 60Kg. or 30 Kg. per bike.
February 23, 201511 yr Hello fellow pedalars and throttlers Anyone here used a car tow bar bike carrier with their ebikes? Especially the Thule type. We used a Thule 916 with two ebikes - it was a dream to fit and we used a simple ramp to load the bikes. Then J needed a trike and we swopped for a Thule Easybase - bit of a faff to fit but very easy to load. We bought 3 sets of wheels channels to guide/secure the wheels. The 916 sold easily and for a good price on Ebay. Both carriers rock solid up to 70mph (of course we don't ever go faster!)
February 23, 201511 yr I'm another who has a Thule 928 Euro Classic G6 LED. I have only just recently bought it from a company that was selling them on Ebay for £220.00 delivered. I haven't used it yet, as we don't even have a tow bar fitted, but figured that at that price it was worth buying. If it helps, this was the seller . http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/autowarehouse/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from= As an aside, I also bought four of these to slap around the tyres/wheels. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201075388043?_trksid=p2060778.m2749.l2649&var=500256118131&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT . Edited February 23, 201511 yr by EddiePJ
February 23, 201511 yr We use the Thule Europower 916 for carrying two ebikes and can definitely recommend it. Jim
February 24, 201511 yr I have a westfalia carrier which is really good. It's a ball hitch one which can tilt if you need to open a hatchback. Has attachments which lock so handles just turn freely and will not release the bike. Carries my Haibike and wife's Kalkhoff with ease. Cheers! Robbie
February 24, 201511 yr Sure all the previously mentioned racks are great if you can afford them, and no doubt necessary if you need to carry two or three heavy bikes. I only need to carry one so I use the Thule 2 bike hang on tow hitch carrier using just one position. Carries up to 30kgs, you can lock the rack with a padlock so it can't be taken off, and you can lock your bike to the rack Takes me around 3 or 4 mins to load bike, secure straps and secure a lighting board. Best of all ................ just over £50!! http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001N3L4D0/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=569136327&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B002SATTYS&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=0KEF91RW8TMW88GZJ3AE
February 24, 201511 yr the only criticism i could level is that on a very small car(fiat panda) on an autobahn above 85 mph or so with two large bikes and a recumbent it can induce sway, believe it or not. Much like towing a catamaran (behind the same car) at 110 kph! Mine was the first generation Panda, 700 kg soaking wet... Tony
February 24, 201511 yr Cable ties are a good secondary method for securing, as for being a faff, my one is easy peasy. I work with cable ties a lot and although I see their value, you can snap them with a short sharp shock. I prefer ratchet straps despite cable ties providing some peace of mind
February 25, 201511 yr I work with cable ties a lot and although I see their value, you can snap them with a short sharp shock. I prefer ratchet straps despite cable ties providing some peace of mind Hi Steve, I also work a lot with cable ties and am quite familiar with their properties. I was only suggesting their use in addition to clamps and ratchet straps and not as a primary method of securing a bike.
February 25, 201511 yr Much like towing a catamaran (behind the same car) at 110 kph! Mine was the first generation Panda, 700 kg soaking wet... Tony yes, i was soaking wet too once i managed to slow the panda down without getting squashed by a 30 ton truck...
February 25, 201511 yr Hi Steve, I also work a lot with cable ties and am quite familiar with their properties. I was only suggesting their use in addition to clamps and ratchet straps and not as a primary method of securing a bike. Sure. I thought as much. They are very useful in general but I thought i'd throw in my experience with them for safety's sake if nothing else. Cheers. Steve
February 26, 201511 yr I'm impressed with all the posters who seem able to get these rack contraptions loaded and unloaded in minutes. The handful of people in the flesh I've spoken to have all said loading and unloading the carrier is a bit of a faff. Not to mention hoiking the carrier itself onto the tow ball.
February 26, 201511 yr I had the Wilko one before that was about 1/4 of the price. It worked, but it was a lot of messing about to fit, and also a lot more messing about to get the bike/s on it. Unlike D8veh, I have persevered with my Wilco (not Wilko) one. Link here. I don't find it that much of a faff to load (often with 2 electric bikes) - well, more accurately, not more of a faff than any other external bike carrier. But then again, I haven't gone down the route of buying a bike carrier that costs more than the bikes it carries;)
February 26, 201511 yr Unlike D8veh, I have persevered with my Wilco (not Wilko) one. Link here. I don't find it that much of a faff to load (often with 2 electric bikes) - well, more accurately, not more of a faff than any other external bike carrier. But then again, I haven't gone down the route of buying a bike carrier that costs more than the bikes it carries;) You're right of course. £500 is a lot of money to cut the time for fixing the carrier to the car and the bikes to the carrier from 15 minutes to three minutes. I can't argue when it comes to value for money, but some things are just a joy to behold. It's difficult to put a price on that. The moment I saw Battribike demonstrate it at the Cycle Show, I wanted it, like love at first sight.
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