On the hunt for something. Anything that I should be looking for in terms of function, brand, etc?

Got a thule 2 bike rack towbar mount with spare light board, never used, wirral chester areas

I have a Thule 3 bike one. It’s been ace (going to be selling it as my new car has no tow bar)

Get one where the bike sits on channels rather than hangs from the top tube. Much better – more stable and easier to load.

Atera STRADA Sport 3 is best for me. It slides in an arc away from the car meaning it works with vans which have a vertical tailgate.

Great bit of kit which I find is easy to fit and use.

+1 for Atera

Just googling Atera. The sport seems to just tilt. The DL slides. Is the sliding thing worth the cash?

Buzzrack works well on an estate car. Takes 4 bikes and tips to allow access to the boot.

DL thats the one – sorry!
It works for me. Fits on VW T4 and my old Berlingo.

But if you don’t need that functionality and a tilt one works for you, you could just get a thule one in your budget.

I have both a Thule and a Mottez.
Both have their benefits.
The Mottez would make anyone rear ending you sorry!
Yet it’s not as heavy as it looks and takes 4 full blown DH with ease.
The Thule is a lot lighter but then it only takes 2 bikes.
The Mottez will be in the classifieds as soon as I can get it out to take some pics.

http://www.thule.com/en/gb/products/carriers-and-racks/bike-carriers/towbar-mounted-bike-carriers/thule-easyfold-931-_-931021

I’ve got this and would recommend,a bit pricey but very well thought out.

sliding is good. Atera on my T4

[img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Eak24h_Nw28/T_x6PhScKlI/AAAAAAAAC-s/pO9xfhE5HVI/s640-Ic42/IMAG0085.jpg[/img]

I have a buzz rack Quattro – takes 4 big AM bikes.

I have the Thule Euroclassic which is easy to use and rock solid on the back of the car. It pivots back so you can open the boot on an estate or van similar to the Altera one.
Which ever one you go for ensure you don’t exceed the nose weight of your tow bar. Smaller cars tend to lower nose weights. Know what your nose weight is then make sure the weight of the rack plus bikes doesn’t exceed it.

Atera or Witter is where it’s at.

I got a flange mount Witter 4 bike carrier and it’s awesome.

We’ve got the Atera 3 bike slider and it’s been great!

Atera and thule if your budget stretches seem very good – frinds have both and they seem as good (and expensive) as eachothger. I’ve got a Buzzrack Quattro, whcih is half the price, not quite as refined, but plenty robust and functional enough, but heavy (20kgs) – so keep an eye on your nose weight. Also with the Buzzrack the tilting mechanism doesnt always give enough clearance to open your tailgate – it doesn’t on my SMax, but it’s not a feature (or lack of) that botheres me.

However one feature I like on the buzzrack that I prefer over the Atera and Thule is that there are two hoops that the clamping arms are attached to. This meands that all 4 bikes are right next to a hoop with a nice short clamping arm. On the Thule and Atera there is only one hoop with clamping arms of different lengths and you need to thread the clamping arms through the bike frames, which can be tricky if your bikes are all different sizes.

I have an Atera Strada with a 4th bike kit (3 kids so 5 bikes but put the smallest in the boot!) and it’s very good. Had a Thule one a few years back which was probably slightly easier to use in terms of clamping the bikes on, but the slide feature is very handy and the Atera is much lighter to manhandle off the car. Had three FS bikes on it on Saturday and then four family bikes (smallest best going on first which means the most expensive is last on which I’d probably say isn’t ideal!).
[url=https://flic.kr/p/DcTp56]Atera Strada[/url] by CJK007, on Flickr

Got the sliding Atera 3+1 here. It’s been great. The sliding thing is great when the whole family are doing the pre ride faffing in and out the boot.

Has anyone got a tilting Atera Strada?
Any good for MTB & road bikes?