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[Closed] What tow bar mounted bike rack? help please!

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Can anyone help with a recommendation of a 4 bike, towbar mounted rack, looking at various offerings from Thule, Mont Blanc, Witter, Mettez, etc

Thanks!


 
Posted : 16/03/2012 9:38 am
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Towsure direct...£69.95.


 
Posted : 16/03/2012 9:47 am
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We've got a Thule Euroclassic G6 with an adaptor for a 4th bike. Whilst I've never used the adaptor yet, the main rack seems really good, well built, easy to put on and easy to get in the boot with it mounted. I've had 3 bikes on it a couple of times and it feels rock solid at motorway speeds. It is expensive, but then again, so are 3 bikes! Got ours from roofbox.co.uk who were very helpful.
[IMG] [/IMG]


 
Posted : 16/03/2012 9:52 am
 br
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My riding buddy has a Pendle, and they were able to customise it to better fit on his Landie - he needed longer 'arms'.

Very solid.

I've the 3-bike (cheapest) Thule, and while it works its a bit 'flexy' once you've 3 bikes on.

Edit - can't quite imagine 4 bikes on the Thule above...


 
Posted : 16/03/2012 9:52 am
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Edit - can't quite imagine 4 bikes on the Thule above...

You can see where the 3rd would go, and then there is an adaptor for the 4th.
Not sure I'm in a rush to put 4 adult bikes on there, but it is impressivly stable with 3....

Edit - The adaptor thingie sticks even further out the back - I might need a different car to make sure the front wheels are still on the ground!


 
Posted : 16/03/2012 10:00 am
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I have the [url= http://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehsel4_tab.php/car-accessories/atera_strada_dl_3_to_4_bike_carrier_uk_lights_no_ar2603/njNA_v1HqTo9~w7HCO3kxz3uBtkB%2C~4RYoJEYzTmI ]Atera STRADA 3[/url], specifically as it's light weight, the rack is only 15kgs as the car has a max limit of 75kg nose weight, with the rack and the 4 bikes the total is about 65kgs.

Also slides away from the car like the Thule above.

[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 16/03/2012 10:45 am
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get a wheeel suport one

i have a pendle "arms" sitting in my shed and i hate the thing - 3 bikes on it results in damage no matter which way you do it unless you wrap them up in pipelagging first which invariably gets lost or blown off during driving !


 
Posted : 16/03/2012 10:47 am
 br
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[i]i have a pendle "arms" sitting in my shed and i hate the thing [/i]

No sorry I didn't mean that one, but the wheel-support one - he needed longer 'beams' as he's a spare wheel on the back.

The one:

http://www.pendle-bike.co.uk/shopping/Wheel-Support-Ball-Mounting-4-Bike-Rack.php


 
Posted : 16/03/2012 11:10 am
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The Aiston one is worth a look

http://www.aistoncycleracks.co.uk/double_cycle_racks.htm

He recommends the 4 bike version for 4x4's but it seems fine on a Mazda6/ Mondeo sized car


 
Posted : 16/03/2012 11:13 am
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Second vote for the Thule G6 that Ben_mw has pictured.

I've had one for over a year. Brilliantly stable even at (naughtily) high-speeds and holds all manner of bikes securely. As also mentioned, not cheap... but then do you want to trust your bikes to a cheap rack?


 
Posted : 16/03/2012 11:56 am
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Another Atera Strada user here. Chosen from the responses to a similar thread a year-odd ago. Taken the family bikes over Scotland and to France without fault over that year.


 
Posted : 16/03/2012 12:23 pm
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I have the 2 bike version of this:
[url= http://www.buzzrack.com/products.php?product=31 ]Buzzrack[/url]

It's a bit heavier than the equivalent Thule one, but was significantly cheaper (I paid £139 for the 2 bike one from The Roof Box Company).

No wobbles, sturdy as hell - recommended.


 
Posted : 16/03/2012 1:09 pm
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Aiston all the way for me and I've had pendle and thule to compare to. It's cheaper, better built and much sturdier than the others.


 
Posted : 16/03/2012 1:24 pm
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I currently have the atera which like andermt I wanted because of its light weight. It is well built. My only complaint is that putting more than two bikes on is a bit of a brain teaser.

The atera (&thules) will need the support straps as shown in andermt's photo for >2 bikes otherwise it will swing about. This is because they clamp around the tow ball.

The pendle attachment is alot more sturdier and drops in to a holder behind the towball. The pendle is bombproof as long as you grease the sliders but is heavy. I think (but not 100% sure) that they may have an attachment for goosneck towballs.

Atera will fit gooseneck & witter towbars.
Not sure about thule - they used to be gooseneck only. They would just about clamp on to a witter but sufferred from droop.

Weight not being an issue I would go back to a pendle. They are also easily fixable if you ding it (reverse it in to a wall like me)


 
Posted : 16/03/2012 2:13 pm
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I also have a Atera STRADA 3.

Took 4 bikes to the south of France - used additional straps for extra security and my piece of mind but it doesn't need it.

The ability to have it swing away from the car means it's easy to get into the boot.

I can't see me using anything else in the future - feels quality and secure which is rather important for expensive bikes.

D


 
Posted : 16/03/2012 2:19 pm
 sok
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I'm planning to sell my Thule Euroclassic as pic'd above if you're interested. In Nottm (you'll want to pick up, heavy so will be a fortune to ship). Let me know if interested for price and pics. Email in profile.

And just for the record - great when fixed on, a bit of a job to put it on (mainly because it's heavy with two people / one strong one it's fine). I'm selling because I don't use it since buying a van.


 
Posted : 16/03/2012 2:33 pm
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Thanks guys, that's really useful, I just need to decide now..!


 
Posted : 16/03/2012 2:44 pm
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We have the older Thule one, four bikes arnt a problem

[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 16/03/2012 2:49 pm