Bike Racks recommendations

staituk

HI i am after some advice on a bike rack, i would like to put on it a road bike, MTB and two kids bikes, i have a skoda superb Mk2 Estate, and no Tow Bar

thanks

slowbike

How far, how frequent ?

Cheapest external carrying is probably a tailgate bar that straps to the boot - I wouldn't want that for 4 bikes though.
Next up is roof bar mounts - plenty of options - loads of people use them - but you do get the height restriction issues (which some people forget about)
Then it's the towbar mount job - again, plenty of options - but requires a tow bar fitted - which is why it's expensive.
One issue with the tow bar mount job is that it does restrict access to the boot (even with the tilt option) - so if you're constantly in/out of the boot then it may not be such a good idea - of course, the benefit is that the bikes are mounted behind the car - largely out of the wind and you don't get the height restrictions.

Personally, I've got the towbar mount job - but then these days we tend to take the bikes on the campervan with a dedicated carrier (again, behind the vehicle) ...

staituk

Thanks, will take a look at the roof rack ones

riceaway

Finding a roof rack for a Skoda is a little difficult. Both Yakima and Thule have a hard time keeping up with the changing models. Trailer mounts were getting popular but with the onset of carbon fiber road bikes both trailer mounts or even trunk racks should not be used.

So this leaves you going straight to Thule or Yakima to see if they have roof racks specifically for your make, model and year. My 10 year old Ford - one of the most popular cars sold - cannot be fit with a roof rack so be prepared to have a plug-in trailer mount installed and obtaining one of the racks on which a bike can be sat into a platform. This will then allow you the ability to upgrade to any bike.

Pickup truck racks are similar to roof racks but mount much easier. The only trouble I had with them was where to put the front wheels when you stop somewhere. Also they don't make smaller pickups anymore and the mileage on a truck is half that of a good auto.

There is an alternative of having a custom rack built on the front of a car but most cars are not large enough for these and they inhibit forward vision.

rafletcher

RiceAway wrote:

Trailer mounts were getting popular but with the onset of carbon fiber road bikes both trailer mounts or even trunk racks should not be used.

What are you talking about?? Thule have long done tow-hook mounted carriers that support the bikes by standing the wheels on a trough. Yes, you have a clamp for the top/down tube, but it doesn't need much force to be effective, so is safe with CF frames. If you're especially worried you can pad the tubes with some foam as well.

To the OP, for 4 bikes I'd definitely go for a tow-ball mounted carrier, either a hanging one, or "stand-on" version.

These people are well known and reasonably cost effective for towbars. Get a single electrics version to power a light board.

https://www.pfjones.co.uk/tow-bars.html

figbat

I believe the Superb estate has roof rails, so getting a roof-mounted option is very easy. I exclusively used a roof-mount on my Yeti, but only for 1 bike. It was quick to load and unload and I never forgot about the height. Now I also have a towbar rack which will take 4 bikes, although I prefer to put 3 on there and one on the roof (usually the smallest bike on the roof). The towbar rack itself is heavy but once installed is solid. It’s a small faff to load multiple bikes, threading the various clamps through the increasing web of frame tubes, but once in place the bikes are secure (I also use a cable lock to prevent unauthorised removal). The tilt feature is very easy to use and makes access to the boot easy, but the extra rear overhang does rather restrict parking options.

The main barrier to having a towbar rack is not having a towbar. The company linked above is well thought of but there is no cheap way to do this. If getting a ‘bar I would always go for a proper wiring harness rather than a ‘universal’ relay.

Cheeseface22

Perhaps not suitable, if you're also loading family full of luggage... can the two kid bikes go in the boot and two adult bikes either on the roof or strap-on tailgate rack?

I like Skoda Superb. nice reiable vehicle with ample loading space.