[Closed] 4 bike rack for tow bar mount wheel support

check the 'nose weight' of your towbar.

The weight of the rack plus 4 bikes might well exceed it.

Pendle/Thule etc are the ones to go for really.

I have a Thule ride on three bike carrier and its amazingly light, and was only 100 quid from halfrauds! Best thing ever, makes getting away so much easier, and can still take three riders in car with all the crap!

Mottez are cheap and cheerful. I just happen to have mine for sale! email me for pic,s.

www.aistoncycleracks.co.uk there wheel support rack is the best going. The website is basic but call the guy and he'll answer any questions you have. I've owned pendle, thule and these and this is the only one I'll still let my bikes on. It's cheaper than a pendle but better built in everyway, stronger and safer.

as above the Aiston are immense if your car will take the weight

If you can afford it the Atera Strada is wonderful.

I've got one of these:

http://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehsel4.php?query=TR536&vptype=&emulate=accgen&qty=1

- very pleased with it - as strong as a Pendle one I had but lighter to carry to the van and a good price too!

Just got one of these, its awesome. Not cheap though... you would need to buy the adaptor to convert to 4 bike.

http://www2.thule.com/Thule/ProductPage____83131.aspx

Another vote here for the Atera Stada.... Fantastic, and the fact the rack rolls away from the back door/boot means you can still get in really easily. Also if nose weight is an issue this is one of the lightest racks around... Expensive though! http://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehsel4_tab.php/car-accessories/atera_strada_dl_3_to_4_bike_carrier_uk_lights_no_ar2603/njNA_v1HqTo9~w7HCO3kxz3uBtkB%2C~4RYoJEYzTmI

I have a Pendle wheel support 4 bike rack. It works but is fiddly to set up the arms and quite heavy. I can get it in the support guides on my own but its a 2 man job to get it out again. The one that clamps onto the ball may be easier. I'm going to be getting rid of it very soon as my car doesn't have the bolt on tow ball, its a swan neck type. I think it'll be the Thule G5909 with 4th bike adaptor or the Strada I've just seen from this thread, it looks very good.

Has anybody any experience with a Twinny Quattro which holds the bikes with the crank arms?

gravelrash - you can get adapters now that bolt onto 'swan neck' towbars and allow the other style to be fitted - not sure if it'll work with a pendle though.

I've got the atera strada too, or a copy sold by decathlon (not listed on their website now). was £340 including the extra 4th bike attachment and all the electrical gubbins. Goes on in seconds. Fits in the boot when not in use. Tilts/slides away from tailgate easily with 4 bikes on. I can open the tailgate of my smax fully with it slid away.
I've recently done sheffield to sussex and sheffield to brecon beacons with 4 bikes on- no issues at all.
Only downside is having to use a pair of straps from the roof to secure it when 4 bikes are on- adds another minute or so to loading time.
And it is fiddly getting 4 bikes on- pedals lined up etc- will always be an issue with 4 bike carriers.
At the weekend in wales someone had the mottez one which he said was a lot cheaper (£180) but he had never worked out how to tilt it to open the tailgate.
We usually have 2 adult bikes and 2 kids bikes so weight not an issue. If it was 4 DH monster bikes that would be too heavy for it (and most tow bars) (60kg rack limit, 75kg tow bar limit IIRC)

I have the Strada which I think is excellent. The unique feautre is that it slides on a curved arm, away and down from the car so you can open the boot/tailgate, and unlike most others the weight is supported. This is a 3 bike rack as standard, with a 4th bike extension on the back.

What they don't tell you is that to support the weight of the 4th bike, they supply long webbing straps which are supposed to hook over the top of the car tailgate or boot lid. This cannot be used with a hatch/estate with any kind of spoiler (which many cars have these days), and to me negagtes the whole point of having a tow bar rack, having ruined the body work of a previous car with a strap on rack. Two of the cars I've used the Strada on have been MPV and Estate with spolier on the tailgate, and I wouldn't have been prepared to use the webbing straps anyway for fear of bodywork damage.

I have improvised with the webbing straps and put these around the back of the tow bar mount and over the top bar of the rack which holds the bike support arms. This helps spread the weight and stop the rack bouncing around on bumps.

Also, the spacing of the extension bike mount is very tight for the 4th bike - bike 3 and 4 are close togehter. I've found it only suitbale to take my daughter's small 20" wheel bike.

So in summary, excellent rack for 3 bikes, OK for 3 + Childs bike, too small for 4 adult bikes.

pendle works fine for me, no problems fitting/removing.

only hassle I've had is some donkey drove into it in a carp ark and bent it.

I tend to agree with skyhigh re the straps. It wasn't until I opened the box for the 4th bike attachment that I realised the straps were needed.
They do supply a couple of patches of copter tape to protect the paintwork, and my car doesn't have a spoiler so it works ok for me, but you need to check.
The spacing between bikes 3 and 4 is tight but I have used it with 2 adult bikes in those positions- not ideal as the 4th bike tends to lean away from the 3rd at an alarming angle, but secure enough. Better with the smallest bike on last.

I have one of these as per SteveMorg above> http://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehsel4.php?query=TR536&vptype=&emulate=accgen&qty=1

impressed with it. I can certainly put 4 bikes on it a site quicker than 3 on the Atera Strada and its solid enough if slightly agricultural compared to the 300 quid plus Atera and Thule's

I've a very old Pendle. No problems at all with it. I can get it off and on without help (just wriggle it) and it's pretty sturdy - it survived a rolled Discovery moment without a complaint!

+1 for Pendle towball mount but have modified to use Aiston uprights so no straps needed.

older thule euroclassic here. 4 bikes on the back of the zafira no problem. standout feature is the rack folds square which helps with storage. not sure the new ones fold tho.
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