Cycling UK Forum

I'll soon be setting off on another holiday with three bikes loaded on a rear, tow-bar mounted bike carrier. It's bad enough worrying about having such a wide and precious load balancing on a tow-ball but I also remember last year having to mess about with bits of rag wrapped around parts of the bikes to stop them rubbing or clattering against each other.

Has anyone any tips for preventing such clashes? Some ideas for a quick and effective method would be appreciated. I wouldn't mind paying for some proprietary fixes if they are available.

Pipe-lagging foam. Dead cheap from B&Q. Easily cut to custom length

Simple and brilliant! Thanks Skicat.

+1 for pipe insulation.

I have a carrier bag with lengths in for the bikes all ready with the rack.

and another for pipe insulation , take a roll of insulation tape as well then you can tape it to the bike, or tape two bikes together

Malc

+1 for pipe insulation.

TBH, on my Thule Euroway (2 bike), there is only ever one contact point no matter what combination of my bikes that I carry (road/hybrid/XC/kids). That contact is potentially between the chainstay of bike (nearest the car) with the vertical part of rack. Otherwise this rack design is simply brilliant at separating the bikes.

GrahamMC wrote: It's bad enough worrying about having such a wide and precious load balancing on a tow-ball

Returning to that point. Hopefully you don't have to worry about the rack security itself? Provided the rack is correctly assembled (Thule saw to that), and the tow bar has been fitted competently, and you have it loaded within manufacturer's instructions (tow bar, rack and car thresholds), then everything should be fine?

The fact that this data is available for tow bars is one of the reasons I went for tow bar fitting. Ford tell me exactly how much loading I can put on a Focus tow bar, but they say nothing about how much I can try and strap to a tail gate/window and plastic bumper!

I've used all types of racks over years. I'm happiest with a tow bar by a country mile!

The rack I'm using is a Thule Euroride 943 for three bikes and I've no complaints about it. It seems well designed and has been fitted properly. My problem is all in the mind - how can a structure about 5 feet by 3 feet, with three not-very-lightweight bikes on, be supported on a spherical object 2 inches wide . Like a lot of things in Engineering it defies logic but it works. Anyhow it was road-tested from the North-Midlands to Western Scotland and back last year without a hitch.

It's movement of the bikes themselves that concerns me. I had a problem with trying to fit pedals between adjacent frames and with the dropped handlebars generally getting in the way. This year I'm removing all pedals (and hopefully remembering to take them). I'll also use generous amounts of strapping and padding as suggested.

My wife & I are about to go on a weeks camping holiday. We have an Avensis estate, I put roof bars on it and tried 2 of the bike recks on the roof where the bikes stand upright, everything was tightened but the bikes still didn't feel secure. I then tried our "Hollywood" strap on rack on the tailgate, again with 2 bikes on it, it didn't feel secure. I've fitted the roof box onto the roof bars, I should manage to get most of our stuff in the roof box. I will drop the back seats to give a huge load deck, I will then lay the 2 bikes in the back of the car with either an old carpet or tarpaulin between them, at least that way the bikes are secure when we stop. I must get a tow bar fitted & invest in a tow bar mounted bike rack if the roof box and bikes in the back of the car prove to be too much of a squeeze.

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Also, try fitting the bikes nose to tail.

The bikes' handlebars tend to get in the way of each other, so nose to tail works well.

Once you have them on the rack securely, take a photograph.Keep a print in your car or by the rack,it will save guess work.

Halfords sell a pack of two large durable foam pads that hook over the supporting arms of the cycle rack to protect your bikes from rubbing.

Another tip I've learned through experience.
Instead of taking the pedals off, put a sock on each pedal, that way the pedals will not scratch the car bodywork or the other bikes.

anniesboy wrote:Once you have them on the rack securely, take a photograph.Keep a print in your car or by the rack,it will save guess work.

Good tip.

My rack has the bikes suspended from bars. Top tube protected by sponges. I have the bikes nose to tail and cranks cable-tied together so nothing moves. Nothing does move (it means removing a pedal from each bike).


Cranks cable-tied together.


Sponges. This is a tow ball rack.


En route. This is a tailgate rack - same principle.