Which towbar mounted bike rack?

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pwa
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Which towbar mounted bike rack?

Post by pwa »

I am thinking of buying a towbar mounted rack to carry two bikes on our small motorhome. Any suggestions for good brands and models?
Last edited by pwa on 21 Mar 2023, 9:22pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jdsk
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Re: Which tow bar mounted bike rack?

Post by Jdsk »

For a few decades we've been using a minimal Pendle rack. The two bars lift out of the mounting bracket. The big advantage is that it takes up very little space when it's not being used.
https://pbr.co.uk/collections/towbar-ra ... owbar-rack

Jonathan

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pwa
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Re: Which towbar mounted bike rack?

Post by pwa »

Jdsk wrote: 21 Mar 2023, 7:51pm For a few decades we've been using a minimal Pendle rack. The two bars lift out of the mounting bracket. The big advantage is that it takes up very little space when it's not being used.
https://pbr.co.uk/collections/towbar-ra ... owbar-rack

Jonathan

Image
That's an interesting design. I'll investigate further. I have used Pendle before for a roof rack and the build quality is very reassuring. Thanks for that.
Biospace
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Re: Which towbar mounted bike rack?

Post by Biospace »

A while ago I'd lent my rack out to friends and unexpectedly needed ours so picked up a "used-once" Halfords very close to home, it clamps on to the towball and I was sceptical at first that it could work well. However it's superb and still in regular use, better than a Witter type I once used which could set up an oscillation at motorway speeds. The Pendle one above appears even better for storage.

It has carried our tandem (wheels and mudguards removed) plus two other bikes very capably. There is a Thule cantilever rack in the garage, the type on which bikes stand on their wheels, but it's rarely used on account of doing the job no better, weighing considerably more, taking up a lot of room if you wish to store it in the boot and being slower to fit and load.

Screenshot 2023-03-22 at 11.39.06.png
pwa
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Re: Which towbar mounted bike rack?

Post by pwa »

Thanks. That's another that doesn't sit the bikes on their wheels. I wasn't expecting that sort of design to be what people are using. I must give it some thought. One consideration is security against casual theft, such as at motorway services. But I have no idea how, if at all, towbar racks have any resistance to that. I know, of course, that a well equipped thief can nick anything.
Jdsk
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Re: Which towbar mounted bike rack?

Post by Jdsk »

On that Pendle rack we pass a cable through the eye on the mounting bracket.

Jonathan
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TrevA
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Re: Which towbar mounted bike rack?

Post by TrevA »

Thule do a 2 bike rack where the bike sits on its wheels, but there are also clamps to stop the bikes moving around. It clamps on to the tow ball. They aren’t cheap though! They also do the “hang-on” racks as listed above and they are much cheaper.

https://www.thule.com/en-gb/bike-rack/towbar-bike-racks

Does your motor home have a rear door that you would need to access? If so, there are racks that slide and tilt out of the way to give you access.

We have a VW California, but have a 4 bike rack that hangs off the rear door and folds up out of the way when not being used for bikes.
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pwa
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Re: Which towbar mounted bike rack?

Post by pwa »

TrevA wrote: 22 Mar 2023, 8:57pm Thule do a 2 bike rack where the bike sits on its wheels, but there are also clamps to stop the bikes moving around. It clamps on to the tow ball. They aren’t cheap though! They also do the “hang-on” racks as listed above and they are much cheaper.

https://www.thule.com/en-gb/bike-rack/towbar-bike-racks

Does your motor home have a rear door that you would need to access? If so, there are racks that slide and tilt out of the way to give you access.

We have a VW California, but have a 4 bike rack that hangs off the rear door and folds up out of the way when not being used for bikes.
The motorhome doesn't have a door near the towbar fitting, so it is relatively simple in that regard.
richardfm
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Location: Cardiff, Wales

Re: Which towbar mounted bike rack?

Post by richardfm »

I use one of these and have been happy with it
https://www.thule.com/en-gb/bike-rack/t ... 2-_-970000
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drossall
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Re: Which towbar mounted bike rack?

Post by drossall »

We've got a Pendle one similar to Jdsk's, although ours looks a great deal older and less posh! But it's been fine - I've carried up to four bikes on it, and I've also carried an upright trike.

We do also have another four-bike Pendle one of the wheel-support type - a friend was disposing of it. Arguably a bit quicker to load, but ours tends to shed assembly bolts - no huge resulting issues but this or that part will have come a bit loose by the end of the journey.
francovendee
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Re: Which tow bar mounted bike rack?

Post by francovendee »

Jdsk wrote: 21 Mar 2023, 7:51pm For a few decades we've been using a minimal Pendle rack. The two bars lift out of the mounting bracket. The big advantage is that it takes up very little space when it's not being used.
https://pbr.co.uk/collections/towbar-ra ... owbar-rack

Jonathan

Image
We've had one for 20 years but for 4 bikes. Very solid and could handle 2 adult and 2 kids bikes on long trips to France. The weight on the bars did make it flex and this could be felt in the car. I got around this by using a strap from the tailgate to the bikes.
One criticism is that there is no separation of the bikes and you have to devise some means of keeping them apart and getting damaged.
drossall
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Re: Which towbar mounted bike rack?

Post by drossall »

I just use pipe lagging. I'm sensitive about scratching my nice paint job (only on the bike, car not so important), but it's never been an issue.
Jdsk
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Re: Which towbar mounted bike rack?

Post by Jdsk »

drossall wrote: 22 Mar 2023, 10:33pm We've got a Pendle one similar to Jdsk's, although ours looks a great deal older and less posh! But it's been fine - I've carried up to four bikes on it, and I've also carried an upright trike.
...
So does ours... that image is from their catalogue! : - )

It has lasted very well. The mounting block has needed painting a couple of times and the thin steel bracket for the multiway electrical connector has been replaced once.

Jonathan
Jdsk
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Re: Which tow bar mounted bike rack?

Post by Jdsk »

francovendee wrote: 23 Mar 2023, 8:08am ...
One criticism is that there is no separation of the bikes and you have to devise some means of keeping them apart and getting damaged.
drossall wrote: 23 Mar 2023, 8:53am I just use pipe lagging. I'm sensitive about scratching my nice paint job (only on the bike, car not so important), but it's never been an issue.
Yes, the bikes are not held apart and you have to protect them as you think fit. We have pipe lagging taped on the horizontal support bars.

Jonathan
pwa
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Re: Which towbar mounted bike rack?

Post by pwa »

I am preparing a shortlist to run past the Missus. All significant spends are a joint decision in this house. Initially I had been thinking along the lines of one of the expensive Thule offerings, with the bikes resting their wheels in troughs. They do a particularly neat one that folds when not in use, and which can be had for about £600. That is an eyewatering sum but I do like nice things. https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-r ... =undefined

But Jdsk has set the cat among the pigeons with the suggestion of the Pendle rack that has the bikes dangle from two padded bars. At about half the price of the Thule I like the look of. And the Pendle is, for me, a known quantity. I have a Pendle rack that dangles bikes in that way, but mine does it from a car boot fixing. It is more robust and reassuring than any other similar car boot rack I have ever seen. So a towbar version along the same lines is something I know I can get along with. I will need one with setback because the back of the motorhome is vertical, so keeping the bars clear of it is essential. But I like the solidity of Pendle racks, I love the fact they are made in Lancashire, and I can't think of a good reason to pay £300 more for the fancy Thule thing. Nice though it is.

But the consultation process with My Better Half has not yet begun, so no decision has yet been made...

Thanks all.
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