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I would like something like this but it would bolt to the chsssis rather than use a tow bar.
When not in use it would fold up flush with the bumper.
It only needs to be for one bike so would be fairly minimal.
It just seems so obvious to me.
The tow bar ones seem popular in the US but not seen one in Europe.
It shouldn’t be too difficult for someone to make.
https://shopezusa.com/products/homcom-heavy-duty-folding-car-bike-rack-for-2-bikes-bicycle-storage-road-fat-tire-mountain-rear-bike-accessories-for-suv-sedan-hatchback-minivan-truck-metal-175-lb-weight-capacity?variant=44641339343099
Vauxhall made one that stowed away into the rear bumper of the Corsa. So there's your answer, a late noughties supemini is the idea bike transit wagon.
https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/accessories/bike-racks/vauxhall-flexfit-car-rack-review/
Tow bars bolt onto the chassis as you described, it wouldnt be the same fitting on all cars, so you would need a different one for every car, where as a towball is a universal standard.
What youve found there mounts into a hitch reciever, so the chassis mount ends at a square box section (50mm iirc) and into that hitch you can mount:
A "normal" Tow ball
an Pintle/Eye hitch (more secure for rough towing, so used in offroad applications?)
OR indeed (among others im sure), a reciver mounted bike rack.
Are they less popular? or just less easy to spot?
I think for most applications a tow ball is fine, so for most road going cars thats the common option (the electric fold out on on the Landrovers is pretty pimp), but as soon as you might want to tow Plant, or Agricultural equipment, or off road, then youre looking at a different hitch in the reciever.
Each tow bar is different , the folding bit could be universal with just specific mounts.
I found this for a Ford Transit (my "car")
square reciever:
https://www.eurocampers.com/2015--2023-Ford-Transit-150-250-350-Class-4-2-inch-receiver-hitch-from-Curt-Mfg_p_1372.html
but havent found a UK one yet. maybe they are a less popular option for some reason.
I thought hitch solutions weren't 'legal' in the UK...which would explain why they aren't as popular.
Witter do a fold up 2 bike (or 3 or 4) carrier called Pure Instinct.
You just need a universal adaptor to fit it to your car (aka a towbar). You'll need electrics anyway, and who wants to lie on the floor skinning their knuckles trying unbolt a heavy rack on the odd occasion you would prefer/need to take it off.
The US/Canadian 2" hitch standard is soooo much better than the European tow-ball for no other reason that it sits flush (ish) with the bumper when not in use, so doesn't leave a hard, greasy object out of line of vision to bang your shins into when you walk between parked cars at night...
You can get a removable tow bar, saves your legs
You can also now get receiver hitches, although fairly new in the UK - https://www.westfalia-automotive.com/uk/products/towbars/receiver-hitch
Not sure if you can hide the hitch though. I like the fact that when I take my tow bar off, you can't see it at all
I love the square hitch style and always thought I'd prefer one to a tow ball.
Then the other day, I was sitting in the car while the Mrs was in the GP surgery. I felt a hefty shunt from behind. Some old dear in a big SUV had just reversed into me.
I jumped out to discover that she'd punched a big hole in her rear bumper and our rubber tow ball cover was left at a jaunty angle. I was so pleased that I let her off without making a claim for whiplash.
Towballs for life now.
Nah, hitches all the way.
I used to use a buzzrack on a ball and to get the thing to not rotate you had to give it the full hulk setting on the release lever.
Current Yakima on a 50mm hitch just slides in, nips up, and has the pin through. Not going anywhere! Also good for vertical bike racks, which I can’t see working with a ball.
Mr cake, what vertical rack are you using?
2” hitch system every day. Used it on my old LR discovery many years ago - bought it from the states and fitted it myself, had to do it that way as not type rated over here so I couldn’t buy it here - even though at the time it was an official LR part that you couldn’t buy in the UK, anyway - brilliant system.
Much better IMVHO than a Towbar that you manually remove, or have an electronic dooda that swivels it out the way. The hitch system isn’t noticeable when you’re not using it and you don’t bang your knees / shins against it accidentally either.
Also used it when living in Aus.
I never really got why it wasn’t adopted over here, or Europe.
Zippy, I’m not! I can’t bring myself to spend the money to be honest. That and the fact that because of my car having a large single swing out door (landcruiser prado) means that I’d need lots of expensive add ons to make it work day to day.
If I could stomach the $2500+ AUD I’d have a Shingleback with swing out arm. Lovely kit, and very popular here in Aus, but a lot of money for some angle iron.
As it is I have a Yakima Holdup Evo. Cost $600 and works well enough, but I’d missed the wheelbase limit which my bike exceeds. I still use it but the bikes rock side to side on heavy off-road. No damage to the bikes so far though.
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That took too much effort! Back to using imgbb
Photo heading up a hill whilst camping. Later got stuck in a big mud hole. Was fun and traumatic all at once.