Towball-mounted bike carriers - how secure are they?

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
rmurphy195
Posts: 2199
Joined: 20 May 2011, 11:23am
Location: South Birmingham

Towball-mounted bike carriers - how secure are they?

Post by rmurphy195 »

By "secure" in don't mean theft protection!

Anyone using the type that clamps onto the towball - whats to stop it swivelling a dropping the bike off? Or do they clamp so tightly that the load is secure even at motorway speeds?

And - does it damage the towball?

NB I'm not looking at spending hundreds of pounds!
Brompton, Condor Heritage, creaky joints and thinning white (formerly grey) hair
""You know you're getting old when it's easier to ride a bike than to get on and off it" - quote from observant jogger !
Jdsk
Posts: 24627
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Towball-mounted bike carriers - how secure are they?

Post by Jdsk »

We use the type that connects to the towbar, but not to the ball because there isn't one.

Described here:
viewtopic.php?p=1691719#p1691719

Would that be a possibility?

Jonathan
Jamesh
Posts: 2963
Joined: 2 Jan 2017, 5:56pm

Re: Towball-mounted bike carriers - how secure are they?

Post by Jamesh »

I've used that sort although I've lost count of the number of plates I've left on cars I have sold!!
rotavator
Posts: 987
Joined: 6 Jun 2016, 9:50pm
Location: North Wales

Re: Towball-mounted bike carriers - how secure are they?

Post by rotavator »

I use that type of rack and it clamps to the towball very tightly and it can be locked on. I have never had any problem with it moving even at motorway speeds. The main problem that I have had is with keeping the lights working, probably because of water, including salt spray in the winter, and filth getting into the connectors.

Also there has been no damage to towball that I can see.
drossall
Posts: 6115
Joined: 5 Jan 2007, 10:01pm
Location: North Hertfordshire

Re: Towball-mounted bike carriers - how secure are they?

Post by drossall »

Jdsk wrote: 30 Jun 2022, 9:32pm We use the type that connects to the towbar, but not to the ball because there isn't one.
Same here. Towbar rack but, although we have a towball, the rack doesn't use it. Very secure - my preferred fitting of all racks.
fivebikes
Posts: 233
Joined: 9 Mar 2008, 12:46pm
Location: West Yorks

Re: Towball-mounted bike carriers - how secure are they?

Post by fivebikes »

I had a Pendle rack that had an adapter that bolted behind a detachable tow ball. Very secure but super heavy and with 2 kids and 2 adults bikes made the steering feel a bit light.
richardfm
Posts: 969
Joined: 15 Apr 2018, 3:17pm
Location: Cardiff, Wales

Re: Towball-mounted bike carriers - how secure are they?

Post by richardfm »

I have one of these
https://www.thule.com/en-gb/bike-rack/t ... 2-_-970000
It's quick and easy to fit. I've never had any problems with it.
Richard M
Cardiff
Tangled Metal
Posts: 9505
Joined: 13 Feb 2015, 8:32pm

Re: Towball-mounted bike carriers - how secure are they?

Post by Tangled Metal »

We have an atera rack with 4th bike kit. You have to put it onto the ball at am angle or the opening isn't wide enough. Then you drop it down level. At that point it will sit on the ball without anyone holding it. You can twist it around T68 get it straight and parallel to the back of our van. Then there's a big lever to push down with a kind of ratchet locking mechanism. You click it until you cannot twist the rack, it's then fitted. Kind of click, twist, click twist, click, no twist and it's ready. Usually two clicks but at worst three clicks. If you get to 4 clicks and it's loose you undo it and adjust before trying again.

I have put two heavy bikes on it with a 24" wheeled kids bike without any movement at all. That's a touring recumbent and a hardtail MTB with racks plus kids bike with rack. The good thing is it slides smoothly out and down such that we can open both barn doors on the back of the van with all three bikes on the rack. Can't complain at all. No worries like I have with boot lid mounted racks. Those bounce around and need adjusting at every break stop.

I prefer racks with a tray to hold the bike by the frame but with it resting on its wheels. We've no intention of towing anything so don't need to leave the ball free. I personally don't like hanging racks neither. Don't feel as secure to me but that's personal opinion and probably isn't right. It's just not what I'm comfortable with, besides my recumbent doesn't have a frame you can hang it from anyway.
francovendee
Posts: 3148
Joined: 5 May 2009, 6:32am

Re: Towball-mounted bike carriers - how secure are they?

Post by francovendee »

I have one similar to the Thule link above.
It has a thumb wheel screw clamp near the tow ball and another mechanism at the top. It's designed so the neck of the tow ball stops it from swivelling. Made of steel it has taken two heavy bikes many thousands of miles.
I've found it a good Idea to add a strap from the opening of the tailgate to the bikes. This stops any 'whip' when going over speed bumps.
I don't bother with this on short journeys.
I also have a 4 bike Pendle rack that is also very secure and is very quick to take on and off.
User avatar
Paulatic
Posts: 7804
Joined: 2 Feb 2014, 1:03pm
Location: 24 Hours from Lands End

Re: Towball-mounted bike carriers - how secure are they?

Post by Paulatic »

Been using the Thule tow bar mount for 10 years no problems. Never slips or damaged the ball. I’ve often swung my 95kg body on the arms and it never moves. Clever really. :D
Whatever I am, wherever I am, this is me. This is my life

https://stcleve.wordpress.com/category/lejog/
E2E info
Nigel
Posts: 463
Joined: 25 Feb 2007, 6:29pm

Re: Towball-mounted bike carriers - how secure are they?

Post by Nigel »

The towball clamps are very solid.
I've had an Atera 3-bike unit for six years (bikes supported and tied-down at their wheels, plus a frame-clamping arm for each bike).

Its far easier than lifting bikes onto the roof of the car (and my car is a normal-height, not a tall SUV).
I've driven on motorways with bikes on it.

The electrics are perfect, just plug it into the socket on the car and the lights work correctly, the car recognises the presence of the trailer (car auto-disconnects reversing sensors, etc..).

Unless overloaded, I'd have no concerns about stability. The limit on loading is either the rack's weight limit, or more likely, the nose-ball weight limit in the car. If carrying e-bikes, or very heavy bikes, check the weight limits, particularly nose-ball limit of car.


I know people with cheaper tow-ball carriers. They work, but they're considerably more faff to use than the Atera. Their owners need lots of additional straps/ties, bits of home-made foam packers to protect frames, careful positioning of each bike's crank to avoid damage to the other bike (or car), etc. etc..



- Nigel
User avatar
Mick F
Spambuster
Posts: 56359
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: Towball-mounted bike carriers - how secure are they?

Post by Mick F »

We had one ........... note the word HAD.

Our's was secure and didn't swivel. Nice big bolt to tighten it with using the supplied spanner.

Word of warning.
We HAD one, remember.

Driving south on the A38 having left Bridgwater. In slow steady traffic 15/20mph, and the car in front of us pulled up at a zebra crossing. I stopped gently behind.
The car behind us only stopped after he'd hit us! :shock:
The car was fine, and my precious Mercian was fine, but the rack was bent.
It could have been far worse. :shock:

From then on, the bike rack - though I repaired it - was never again used. Eventually I dismantled it and took it to the recycling yard.
Mick F. Cornwall
Bonefishblues
Posts: 11009
Joined: 7 Jul 2014, 9:45pm
Location: Near Bicester Oxon

Re: Towball-mounted bike carriers - how secure are they?

Post by Bonefishblues »

Mick said, in summary:
Mick F wrote: 1 Jul 2022, 9:27am They are an effective extra auxiliary crumple zone for your car
Or summat
:D
User avatar
Mick F
Spambuster
Posts: 56359
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: Towball-mounted bike carriers - how secure are they?

Post by Mick F »

............ and at the same time crushing a couple of grand's worth of bike?
My Mercian is irreplaceable. Sod the car!
Mick F. Cornwall
thirdcrank
Posts: 36776
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: Towball-mounted bike carriers - how secure are they?

Post by thirdcrank »

If you are considering something like this, consult a specialist fitter or at least check with their website.

A while ago, after a period away from the forum, I returned with a query broadly similar to yours. Eventually, I discovered from a specialist website that because the relevant car car had the manufacturer's opening roof, it could not be wired for the towball.
Post Reply