I’m after one of these for a Christmas present. (Child stops bike in car nowadays 🙁 ) Apart from the obvious (thule!) are there models that folk recommend. Ideally one that tilts? Anything to watch out for buying?

Atera Strada is the default recommend – I have version 1 which was OK, it’s now quite improved I think – get it from roof box company..

Got a THULE EUROCLASSIC 905 won in a competition never used , tilts etc, spare light board and one built into it, also tilts.

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Do any of these tilt enough to clear a berlingo rear door?

Berlingo rear door does it hinge from top, if so rack would need to tilt quite low to clear the bars on the bikes.

Yeah it does. Thinking about it I doubt it’s possible 🙁

the atera strada tilts and slides away enough to clear my T4 boot

I’ve an aiston, I dont miss the tilt function, but then i dont have kids so can just reach over the back seat to grab gear from the boot.

Atera Strada DL3 here with expander to allow a fourth bike. I have a VW Sharan and the tailgate clears the carrier when it has arced away from the car. (See Stoner’s post above.) I took four bikes to the Alps two weeks ago and if was fine. Roof box.co.uk are great too deal with and offer no-nonsense phone backup and super quick delivery.

After going through this exercise recently I went for the Buzzrack BC3 from roofbox. Really solidly built with tilting mechanism for £190.

BUZZCRUISER 3

Clearance really depends on how close your towball is to the back of the car, some are quite close, others with swan necks extend further from the bumper.

I’ve only used the rack with two bikes, if these are mounted furthest from the doors (VW T5 barn doors (what else !)) no problem opening. But if they are mounted with maximum clearance between the bikes one nearest the door and one furthest away only the door at the saddle end will open.
However if I slacked the towball mount the whole assembly can be swivelled slightly and both doors can be opened but only one at a time.

Forgot to mention the rack locks to the towball and the arms that hold the bikes also have locking mechanisms.

Just bought an Atera Strada DL 3+1, not got round to try it yet. Seemed the best for weight and the sliding option seemed better than the tilting ones. Informative sales videos on the Roofbox website

That could be just the ticket stoner thanks

Hmm. Thanks for the tips! I’d planned for second hand and had a budget of about £100. Am I being to optimistic? There seem to be thule ones second hand…but can’t see any alteras.

check spelling – It’s Atera, not Altera.

They hold their price a bit though.

Atera Strada with a Berlingo (Peugeot Partner) here.
Everything clears, except if the bike nearest the boot has really wide bars. So I can’t put my 760mm bars in that position. 720s are fine.

@stoner – good spelling tip 😳

A Maxxraxx could be more in your budget. They tilt reasonably well and fold up nice and small which may be a bonus.
I’m selling one on pinkbike.

I really like my non-tilting Aiston rack too.

Cheers all

I’ve got a new one of these in the garage, bought it for our camper project but not required £100 collected from South Yorkshire

.Like this

http://www.halfords.com/motoring/bike-racks/towbar-mounted-bike-racks/exodus-4-bike-platform-cycle-carrier