Tow-Bar Bike Carrier > Recommendations ?

mercsport

I'm sure I've seen an answer to this sometime in the past on here , but there are so many pages nowadays it would take forever to trawl back ( I did go back about a dozen pages ) , so will posit the question again .

I used to chuck the bikes into the back of the Merc' C estate I had , but now have queered it and got myself a CLK coupe into which I can squeeze but one bike . The other half to consider now for places further afield with bikes .

I don't fancy a hook and strap system fouling up the back of the car and have thought that a tow-bar mounted carrier might be the thing to do . Any recommendations ? Anyone ?

Mount Pleasant

I would check out the Thule range which can be heavy and a bit on the expensive side but do offer plenty of security and options in terms of no. and size of bikes.

Thule Towbar Mounted Carriers

Good Luck

mercsport

Mount Pleasant wrote:

I would check out the Thule range which can be heavy and a bit on the expensive side but do offer plenty of security and options in terms of no. and size of bikes.

Thule Towbar Mounted Carriers

Good Luck

Ah yes , Thule . They look to be the business . Spoiled for choice really . Thanks for that .

Not really wanting to faff about with a lights loom though .

Courage Monsieur

I've just sold my Thule towbar bikerack for £45! Shame we didn't hear from you earlier.

They are good but I didn't use them much and so the storage became an issue. Also ask yourself if you want a towbar permanently on the back of your car and don't forget the fixing costs of this.

It was a solid bit of kit though. Very stable. The newer versions tilt which would've been a really useful function with my hatchback.

With hindsight I'd have got some strap ones, but then like I say I didn't use them that much.

mercsport

Courage Monsieur wrote:

I've just sold my Thule towbar bikerack for £45! Shame we didn't hear from you earlier.

They are good but I didn't use them much and so the storage became an issue. Also ask yourself if you want a towbar permanently on the back of your car and don't forget the fixing costs of this.

It was a solid bit of kit though. Very stable. The newer versions tilt which would've been a really useful function with my hatchback.

With hindsight I'd have got some strap ones, but then like I say I didn't use them that much.

Drat !

Oh well , no worries .

I have to say I won't be using it that much either , but when you want to go somewhere with the bikes , you got to go .

The tow-bar / ball will be a detachable affair - notional at the moment - so it won't make the car look industrial when not in use .

I'm wondering whether the devices that dangle the bikes by the top-tube ( cheap ) might be as good , in the scheme of things , as a ride-on type ( sturdy ) . Choices !

The Mechanic

Have a look at Pendle bike racks. I have a tow bar mounted one that is very simple and easy to fit. It holds 4 bike although I have only ever had 3 on it. Google them. They also advertise in C+

alfablue

The Thule Ride-On models are a great price (£80-£120 ish depending on whether 2 or 3 bikes), they come with light board and electrics. Cheap and cheerful but I found mine to be perfectly secure.

mercsport

The Mechanic wrote:

Have a look at Pendle bike racks. I have a tow bar mounted one that is very simple and easy to fit. It holds 4 bike although I have only ever had 3 on it. Google them. They also advertise in C+

Strangely , perhaps , Pendle don't appear to to want to keep things down to two bikes only . They all appear to be for three or four bikes . In the interest of keeping things as contained as possible with no superfluity I'm looking for something specific for two bikes , not ' upto four bikes ' . I don't ever intend to carry more than two .

alfablue : " The Thule Ride-On models are a great price (£80-£120 ish depending on whether 2 or 3 bikes), they come with light board and electrics. Cheap and cheerful but I found mine to be perfectly secure. "

I admit I keep coming back to these and thinking they're probably the answer . They also do a very similar one that costs about three hundred quid plus - 'Euroclassic' I think - but damned if I can distinguish two hundred quids difference in the two .

Higs

alfablue wrote:

The Thule Ride-On models are a great price (£80-£120 ish depending on whether 2 or 3 bikes), they come with light board and electrics. Cheap and cheerful but I found mine to be perfectly secure.

That's the one I've got. I use it all the time. It lives in the boot of my car and has been fine with three big bikes and on long journeys. I doubt it can be improved on really unless someone invents one that lifts the bikes on for you or gives them a quick wash on the way home.

alfablue

mercsport wrote:

The Mechanic wrote:

alfablue : " The Thule Ride-On models are a great price (£80-£120 ish depending on whether 2 or 3 bikes), they come with light board and electrics. Cheap and cheerful but I found mine to be perfectly secure. "

I admit I keep coming back to these and thinking they're probably the answer . They also do a very similar one that costs about three hundred quid plus - 'Euroclassic' I think - but damned if I can distinguish two hundred quids difference in the two .

Yes, I had the two bike model, and I couldn't fault it, can't see the point in spending more. One thing I did do was to tie the straps into the slots after I left one undone when I had the bike off the rack and I lost it.

de_sisti

alfablue wrote:

mercsport wrote:

The Mechanic wrote:

alfablue : " The Thule Ride-On models are a great price (£80-£120 ish depending on whether 2 or 3 bikes), they come with light board and electrics. Cheap and cheerful but I found mine to be perfectly secure. "

I admit I keep coming back to these and thinking they're probably the answer . They also do a very similar one that costs about three hundred quid plus - 'Euroclassic' I think - but damned if I can distinguish two hundred quids difference in the two .

Yes, I had the two bike model, and I couldn't fault it, can't see the point in spending more. One thing I did do was to tie the straps into the slots after I left one undone when I had the bike off the rack and I lost it.

I've got the 2 bike version and have not had any problems with it. It cost me £80, which I
think is a very good price for a tow bar mounted carrier. I use extra bungee cords to secure
bikes to it.

hammerite

I went for the Euroway - which like most things seems to have gone up in price since I bought it last summer. It's a great piece of kit though, very sturdy and the bikes hardly move. Which was a relief seeing as it's first job was a 1,000 mile trip!

You say about not leaving the tow bar on, we have a removable jobbie, but leave it on all the time. Someone said to me that as soon as they get a new car they have a tow bar put on it, not necesarily to carry/tow things. The reason...... if someone crashes into the back of them, they tend to knacker their car by hitting the tow bar as opposed to smacking the back of your car!

It saved me on one occassion too, when stupidly I forgot to put the handbrake on and the car rolled a foot or so (at snails pace I should add) back into a wall. No damage to wall or car - which was a relief.