Question for you T5 owners, I’m looking for bike racks for our newly aquired Caravelle and the VW tailgate seems to come up as the best option. I can only find promotional photos though and wondered what they’re like in practice for 4 MTBs (adults/ kids). Do they go on without rubbing each other, how do you secure them against theft etc. Pics would be great if you have any. Cheers

I think you would struggle to get 4 bikes on without a bit of a fight, I have had 3 adult ones on mine and it was a bit like a Chinese wire puzzle, crank arms aligned, dropping saddles, one this way then one the other etc. etc. it’s also quite high up compared to some.

You can see from this how tight it would be:

http://www.cordwallis.com/volkswagen-van-accessories/tailgate-bicycle-holder

Having said that it’s a great bit of kit and looks good on the van, not cheap though

Cheers, how many do you normally carry? That’s one of the photos I’ve managed to find at that’s my worry, it’s too much bother to get them on. That said for pulling caravan, kayaks on roof and wanting to take bikes, it seems like one of a limited number of options.

I’ve got the Thule version which attaches to the bottom of the door and the top. I think it is a bit easier to put on the van than the VW one but the VW is supposed to be more secure being as you can only remove the rack by opening the rear door. But as said they are pretty darn expensive. I bought extensions for my Thule so I can carry four bikes (kids’ and MrsSterns’) but it does take a while to get everything fitted together and turning the bars makes things easier. For security I have an Abus Granite flex lock which goes through the frames and around the rack.

I used to use a Fiamma tailgate rack on my T4. It was generally fine but I got in the habit of probably over-loading it – 2x 26lb adult bikes, a 24lb trailer and two 12lb kids bikes – and one day I over cooked it over a railway crossing and on the compression the rack arms bent a few degrees. Not enough break or render un-useable, but enough for me to doubt their ongoing integrity.

So I fitted a tow bar myself (<£100) and bought a sliding/tilting towball rack. Am much, much happier with it. It will take a much higher load, and because it tilts and slides I can open the tailgate without unloading bikes. Not cheap, but a very good solution.

I have a T5 with the VW rack on the tail gate. Honestly, its a pain to the get the bikes on and secure, they are just too high up for me, I am only 6′ tall. I have only ever put 3 on so can’t comment on whether the 4th would go on easy, though I imagine it would take a couple of goes to get the tie bars securely on each bike. This rack, with bikes on, also increases the vehicle height above some supermarket car park barriers and multi-storey car parks. I have never tried taking the rack off yet as its enormous so the most convenient place to keep it is on the van.

I am currently in the market for a Thule tow ball mounted one. Nice and low down for getting the bikes on and off, they pivot out of the way do you can open the tailgate without taking bikes off, I always forget to turn the gas off before I load the bikes on the rack (T5 Cali). They look nice and easy to fit and remove and some fold down small once off too.

Oh if anyone want a VW one after me slating it, my email is in profile, make me an offer. I bought it new a couple of years ago, its only ever been fitted once and still on the van. It has served me pretty well as in not lost a bike off it yet.

I have the VW on my T5 and I have to say it’s a great piece of kit. I carry two adult bikes (29ers) and two kids bikes (a 26″ and a 24″) and it all goes on relatively easily. I just have to be careful where forks/dropouts and hub QR meet to avoid rubbing, but that can be done pretty easily. I lace a big long cable through the bikes and rack and padlock it to make it more secure. The rack also looks pretty good when not in use and folded up.

Cheers, how many do you normally carry? That’s one of the photos I’ve managed to find at that’s my worry, it’s too much bother to get them on. That said for pulling caravan, kayaks on roof and wanting to take bikes, it seems like one of a limited number of options.

I normally only have 2 on, one in first position nearest the tailgate and one in third position, that way you don’t get bars, saddles and pedals clashing. The bracket for the fourth bike is actually an additional arm that links the second and fourth bike, like I said, it is possible to get 4 on but only with careful planning and thought !!

We fitted a Westfalia remove able row bar to our T5 and use a Thule rack on that, means there’s no sign of a rack being fitted when you aren’t using it, no great big ugly bit of metal hanging off the back of the van all the time! Gives you more choice of rack too, and you can also use it to tow stuff if you ever need to.

I use and thoroughly recommend the Atera tow bar mounted 4 bike carrier. You can still open the boot and you can take the rack completely off in about 30 secs.

http://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehsel4_tab.php?20384&gclid=CNDzkqipmr4CFfShtAodDz8AXA

I had the pleasure of using the Atera Strada DL on my T4 this weekend. I will now be buying one, expensive but worth it.
As far as I know it’s the only one that allows you to open your tailgate (although I found it stopped against my 720 bars but if I loosened the front wheel it worked) on a T4, can’t vouch for a T5 though.

We’ll be getting a tow bar fitting anyway as we tow a caravan. Hence looking at options that might mean we can carry bikes and tow, or that we don’t have to carry a tow bar carrier with us somehow for when we get to the destination. Summer is bikes, kayaks, caravan so we’ll use the space if we have it.

Got a Thule tailgate mounted one for our T5 like this one http://www.roofracks.co.uk/Thule-Products/Rear-Mounted/Bike-Cycle-Carriers/973-BackPac/
Had it a good few years now and its looking pretty tired but it’s easy to load up and secure. One big flaw with it is bits that support the wheels – they’re not well thought out for a longish wheelbase bike with fat tyres.
I’s always go for a tailgate version rather than towball-mount just to keep the bikes out of reach of any minor bumps.

My T5 has parking sensors, as a result I love the VW rack as it allows my sensors to still work, allowing me to park in most car parks with ease, often with my bikes parked overhanging the bonnet of the car behind. Those that mount low down force you to find a bus stop to park in.

I easily get 4 road bikes on it, but do struggle with wide handles and wide pedals on MTBs. It’s doable as others above say, but takes practice.

I’ve had loads of other forms of bike carriers on other vehicles and this VW one is defo the best IMO. Simple, very secure holding and I can lock bikes together and through the frame of the carrier (I use two D locks and two long cables)

Only hassle is if I’m taking one of my clunker bikes on it, such as my old Pashley, which at 50lb weight to get up and down from there makes me wince each time, but also reminds me to do more gym work.

I have the VW rack on my T5. It is well made and heavy but is only held on by 2 x 5mm hex bolts so not very secure from theft.
You can get 4 bikes on it but only if you turn the bars through 90 degrees and it is a real faff to do it. The bikes have to be pushed together to fit, especially with today’s oversized tubes so damage to paint etc is always a possibility. Big tyres over 2.3 will be a problem as well. Seems to have been designed for 2 adult and 2 children’s bikes really. There is also a question of weight limits with 4 adult bikes on it – I think the max allowable is about 70 kg.
Even with only 2 bikes it is often necessary to drop or remove seat posts.
The good thing is that being high up it does not interfere with number plates, brake lights or reversing aids. The downside is I have to stand on a step to get bikes onto it.
Current cost is about £450 I think.

It looks like you’ve got some good feedback there, but just in case you have a muppet moment and ignore it all and decide on a Fiamma…

Don’t, they’re pieces of junk. We got one on our T5. The bottom legs don’t contact the bumper, all the ratchet straps bar one have coroded away. The arm for the third bike is the wrong shape. I can’t be bothered describing them in detail but they really are awful.

The only relevant piece of advice I have is to agree with the bloke above who suggested the towbar one since he often sticks the bikes on the back of the VW one and then realises he has left the gas on. It is possible to lift our up with 4 bikes on it but it is very hard work.

Thanks All, much to consider then. Although it does seem like the best option on balance.

For the sake of your paint work I feel forced to add my tuppence (naturally without reading everyone elses posts – claiming STW standard ops). Get a tow bar carrier – possible to take heavier loads and keeps contact with paintwork to a minimum (T5 and Pendle towbar carrier owner). OK you can’t use your reversing sensors but the T5 has good visibility so do you really need them?

I have an altura stainless steel tailgate rack, on all the time,similar to the vw rack
2 bikes – easy – 40 seconds, 3 bikes – 2 mins, 4 bikes – tricky so stick one in the back and put three on the rack, we put 4 on the rack when needed but means swining the bars and removing the seatposts etc.
we need to let some air out for downhill tyres.

oh.. you will also need stronger gas struts on the tailgate.

According to the info I can find it’s recommended to upgrade to Caravelle struts, which is fine as we’ve a caravelle. 🙂

If anyone is interested I’m selling my Fiamma 2 bike rack (T5 twin doors fit) – can do pics if anyone is interested

Tow bar plus atera strada for me when I pull the cash together. A permanently attached tailgate rack invites the scrotes. The tailgate will clear the ‘retracted’ but fully loaded rack.