Developing the bike rack/carrier

Hi,
I’m looking into the posablitys of developing the means by wich we transport our bicycles by car. As far as I know there are 3 different types of bike carrier; the tow bar mounted, rear mounted and roof mounted, with each having its advantages and disadvantages.

Please could you out line Any advantages and disadvantages of the three styles, and mention any areas that you think could be improved upon.

Thank you very much!

Actually, I think you are. Why not pop up a few pros and cons of each and use that to stimulate a bit of dialogue?

Then there are those of us who have bikes worth 2-3 times as much as their cars. As such i wouldn’t contemplate putting bikes on the outside of the car!

Obvious plus point of that is fuel consumption.

Managed 2 adults + 3 year old, 3 bikes and a weeks worth of holiday Gubbins inside a fairly average estate.

i strap mine to the bonnet, like deer hunter.

I have been trying to find a bike carrier that can be used inside vans/mpv’s without having to remove the wheels and guess what–there isnt one on the market! There is a type of carrier in america that props under the pedal axle for temporary standing and I can find crank stands such as the Topeak version.
I am glad that I am not the only person whos bikes are worth more than their car and I always worry about them when on the rack even on a locked tow hitch mount with an extra gold secure lock round the bike and through the rack- the racks always the weak point.
Thats why my next car is going to be a van but I want the bikes to be stable and not punching side windows out!

Make one…

Make one…

http://northshoreracks.com – this is what you want, but make it towball mounted rather than a US style 2″ hitch.

I’d buy one.

Nice use of cheap plastic piping-and pretty good idea, two of those would do the job of stabilising the bikes sufficiently.
I was having all sorts of bodging ideas involving heavy steel garage stands. 🙂

Scotroutes – I don’t suppose you have anything like a set of plans for that?

Aiston Wheel support rack. Brilliant, it’s so secure that

a) it takes my weight stood on the very end of it
b) even before doing any straps up or adding additional bungees to mitigate paranoia the bike was going absolutely nowhere.

Suggsey – I use a Thule roof carrying rack inside my van, all you have to rig up are a couple of fixing brackets/cross bars/whatever; mine is clipped to a couple of bits of timber that wedge accross the van 8)

The various types of racks that hang your bikes outside the car all have roughly the same advantages and disadvantages. Of those 3 types I prefer the roof mounted ones. Relatively cheap, quick to mount and remove bikes and you have roof bars for other uses. The one I wouldn’t use are the ones that hang off the back if the car. You lose access to the boot, risk damaging you car when you fit it and the bikes sway around alot when driving. I have used them successfully in the past, but once you’ve tried a roof mounted system you’ll wonder what you were faffing about at. Not tried the tow bar setup, would probably be my preference, but unless you already have a towbar it’s chuffing expensive to get yourself set up. And if you’ve a big/long car it makes it longer and they jut out when parked in a car park. If you need security then putting the bikes in your car is the only option, which I’m not keen on as its only a matter of time till you damage and kack up its interior. A van is the best option but I can’t get one of those past the wife!

http://www.utahmountainbiking.com/goodies/TruckbedBikeRack.htm

(Not mine)