I recently got an Atera Strada DL, seems very well designed and easy to use. Is for 3 bikes but can be converted to 4. If you look online there is a comparative review of 10 or so different designs and this one came out on top.

+1 for Atera Strada DL

If you want one that tilts:
A: Consider why you need boot access when you could just grab/throw stuff over the back seat or use the split seats.
B: Having resolved A, buy an Aiston and never have to worry about some flimsy bits of plastic breaking (and he does fat bike mounts).

Well call me slow and old but I wouldn't buy one that didn't allow boot access.

So Thule here.

I recently purchased an Atera Strada DL3, seems a great bit of kit, and sturdy enough, I've only had a couple of bikes on it so can't comment on what it's like with 3 or 4 on though.
I needed one that tilted as in some vehicles stuff isn't accessible from inside without the rear hatch open 😀

slowoldman - my Atera Srada (v1 I think, seems to have refined since then) tilts easily and nicely..

Father had a MaxxRaxx when I lived at home, was a great bit of kit!

http://www.maxxraxx.co.uk/?gclid=CNHdmuSCkMcCFafLtAodh9oNwg

Another thule user here....no complaints

Recently got a Thule Rideon 9503.
It can take 3 bikes, but it is a bit of a squeeze, you have to carefully arrange the pedals and bars etc to fit. It can tilt to open the boot, though I've not actually bothered with that yet. Seems sturdy enough anyway,

Atera Strada (4 bikes) here. Great piece of kit.

You're right, this has been done before. I dredged up these past threads that I commented on ...

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/tow-bar-bike-racks-3

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/towbar-mounted-bike-racks-1

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/what-tow-bar-bike-rack-for-3-bikes-would-you-recommend

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/towbar-mounted-cycle-rack-for-an-s-max

My Thule one is just barely long enough for the wheelbase of my bike (series), so worth checking that...

Another vote for the Altera Strada

Positives

it has a system that slides it away with a tilt, been using it for years and one of the best bits of kit I ever purchased. Takes seconds to mount on the ball and you have to lock it on plus it has locks on the bike strap arms.
It folds up so easy to store.
I would buy another one....

Negatives

The space allowed between bikes when you have 3 or 4 loaded means some protection may be required, but have experienced this with other makes so a common problem.

The arms that hold the bikes have to go through the frame, this can be interesting with some frame designs and piggy back shocks.... Also a problem on othe racks with the same system!

Brilliant folks, thanks very much for the information. I will check out the various ones mentioned..

Looking at these so far;

http://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehsel4_tab.php/car-specific-accessories/buzz_rack_bb4_4_bike_wheel_support_rack_no_brp304/Qx%40w%2C6M42VAwp3%40Rb%7B%7EcC4ure5HXEB
http://www.aistoncycleracks.co.uk/double_cycle_racks.htm

I will now have a good look at the rest quoted above

I had an atera strada 4 but it broke at the clamp area, so got a refund.
Replaced it with one of these:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Automaxi-Allroad-Towball-Cycle-Carrier/dp/B005JCJN84
Paid £280 for it from decathlon a few years ago been fine since

If you want one that tilts:
A: Consider why you need boot access when you could just grab/throw stuff over the back seat or use the split seats.
B: Having resolved A, buy an Aiston and never have to worry about some flimsy bits of plastic breaking (and he does fat bike mounts).

Stuff that. First, consider why you need a rack at all rather than just putting the bikes in the car. Realise that, yes, it's because the rest of the car is full to the brim with kids and their crap, and that folding a seat is not an option and getting everything in and out of the boot over the back seats would be an utter pain. Then buy one that tilts.

I recently got a Witter one, and it's bloody good too ZX503 to be precise... Watch this;

The MaxxRaxx is easy to store it takes up very little space, fits in a car boot. It's a bit of a faff with 2+ bikes as it needs extra straps to secure, but you can get a FIVE bike version which I would recommend for 4 burly mountain bikes. Since getting 4x Thule 591 roof carriers I've hardly used it though they are so much easier to load.

Thule 3 bike carrier here. Very pleased with it.

I picked up one of the exodus carriers from halfords a few weeks ago, managed to get it for £150 with BC discount and one of their flash sales.
It's a bit heavy as its mostly steel which reduced the maximum bike weights over the altera or Thule ones - will still take 60kg though. I like that each bike is clamped against a support bar, no threading brackets through the frames, and it does tilt to get in the boot. The plastic wheel trays could be wider but I've had my bike with smorgasbord's on in OK - its got a bit more room than the fiamma one on the campervan.
Was also looking at the buzz rack from roofbox.co.UK but I didn't like the way it attaches.

My Thule one is just barely long enough for the wheelbase of my bike (series), so worth checking that...

There are very few bike racks which will accommodate bikes with 1200mm+ wheelbases. I bought a Thule 928 and whilst the straps on the tray closest to the car would take my dh bike (1250mm), the straps on the tray furthest from the car didn't. I've cut/dremmeled the slot wider so I cant re-position the straps and I'm now good for 1300mm, there is also the bonus of being able to shuffle the second bike more to clear the first.

[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]

The other thing to consider is the distance between the bikes. The 928 I have has 23cm between the bikes (my dh bike is 22cm wide) so clearance is fine with two dh bikes. The 929 on the other hand only has 19cm between the bikes, so for me wasn't an option.

I use the Thule Euroway G2 as I only ever have 2 bikes on the go, its a great piece of kit well built and does the job, my bikes have no issues with, when I pick up a mate and his bigger bike he has to lock the suspension down to make it fit. Worth checking before you buy.

3 bike Buzzrack from Roofbox.co.uk. It's very solid and tilts for boot access. Getting it on and off the towbar is a little less slick than the Thule racks (needs a spanner) but it's a lot cheaper.

Very happy with my 4 bike Buzzrack from Roofbox.co.uk. 8)

Stuff that.

Depends on your needs, I've not got kids 🙂 My priorities were no plastic bits, strong enough to ever need to worry about (It'll take my considerable weight on the end of it, then the towbar flexes, not the rack), locking mechanism that'll fit any frame design, wide spacing between bikes, and a big metal loop to run a lock through.

Bonus STW points for fat bike compatibility and being made by a northerner in a shed.

[img][url= https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2839/9215887261_1bbace09c8_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2839/9215887261_1bbace09c8_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/f3nQcX ]SAM_0162[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/7614571@N05/ ]thisisnotaspoon[/url], on Flickr[/img]

We were looking around for one recently and after stopping by Thule shop and looking at the VeloCompact 927 we decided to spend a bit more than planned and buy it.

It is a fantastic bit of kit. Very solid and well build. It locks to the car, the bike can be locked to the rack, the tilt allows us to access a boot of our Meriva with no problems (and with three bikes on there was no issues with tilting it!). Looking forward to our trip to France on Saturday with the bikes on! 😉

Just be sure to check your max towbar weight (can't remember the proper term).
A mate of mine wanted to get a 3 bike tow bar rack for his Fabia estate, but I think the max load was 50kg and 3 bikes + the rack was going to take it over the limit. I think he ended up settling for a 2 bike rack instead.

Thanks folks, all help appreciated as usual

My Fabia estate doesn't even having a towing limit!.

It's not the towing limit it's the nose weight limit. (If your car doesn't have a towing limit in the handbook best to check it's actually legal to fit a tow bar, it isn't on some cars)

It's usually between 50 and 75kg max nose weight for a car, although some can be higher.

We use our racks a lot - every day sometimes in the summer months.

After going through various cheaper options which didn't last long, 3-4 years ago we bought the top-end Thule one and it's still going strong.

Can't see us going for anything other than Thule when it's time to replace it. Yes, they're expensive, but you do get what you pay for.

Its usually lower for bike racks too as they act as a lever, so a 50kg limit for a trailer would be 25-35kg for a bike rack. So a 4 bike rack is unlikely to be legal on anything smaller than a big 4x4 or van.

Witter flange mount - carries four bikes with ease. 100kg nose weight limit helps...

My 3 bike Buzz rack is awesome, it easily tilts, no tools needed to fit it and it folds flat and hangs on the garage wall when not in use. I seem to remember it was a lot cheaper than the equivalent Thule.

Buzz rack Quattro here. Took 4 AM bikes to Scotland from the south coast a few weeks ago very easily. When fitting 4 bikes it's MUCH easier with pedals removed.

The buzzrack bike clamping system is very flexible, allowing you to clamp on top tubes, down tubes, seat tubes even seat posts.

Nobeerinthefridge - Member

My Fabia estate doesn't even having a towing limit!.

It's this, and it does have one:

andermt - Member

It's not the towing limit it's the nose weight limit. (If your car doesn't have a towing limit in the handbook best to check it's actually legal to fit a tow bar, it isn't on some cars)

It's usually between 50 and 75kg max nose weight for a car, although some can be higher.

I've got the Atera Strada DL which is excellent, but a word of warning.

A couple of weeks ago it was loaded with 3 bikes and I slid it back to get in the boot. When trying to slid it forwards to lock into position it wasn't engaging the lock mechanism. I gave it a couple more goes and I thought it had locked as the green button had popped up. However, I didn't realise that it hadn't properly engaged and the unit slid back whilst we were driving, scraping down the road for a short time. Luckily no harm done but it was a bit scary. Apparently this is fairly common. When I called roof box (who were excellent) they offered to swap the unit for the Strada Sport which tilts instead of sliding. If you don't have a large boot to open then this is the model I would go for.

Be careful with this Stada DL owners. Make sure the green button has fully popped up with locking it back into place!

I have a MaxxRaxx which I've found excellent, I choose it because it allows me to tow my trailer when the rack is in use.

It's this, and it does have one:

Edited, canny be arsed arguing with you Stumpy.

bitasuite - Member

I've got the Atera Strada DL which is excellent, but a word of warning.

A couple of weeks ago it was loaded with 3 bikes and I slid it back to get in the boot. When trying to slid it forwards to lock into position it wasn't engaging the lock mechanism.

Strangely enough, I've got two Atera roof racks & these have a tendency to not lock. First time it happened, it was chucking it down with rain & I spent about 20 mins releasing & re-engaging the locking arm to try & get it to actually engage. When it eventually did lock, I ended up stopping loads of times to check it was still secure.
I still use them, but put a bungee cord around the locking clamp, to ensure that it can't come undone.

Nobeerinthefridge - Member

Er... No it doesn't, amazing how you know this without even knowing the model. Technically, I'm not allowed a towbar, however the rebel in me say yeah.

If you aren't technically allowed a towbar, then the towing limit is zero.
It does have a towing limit; the limit is an absolute one of "don't tow".
You can obviously ignore it, just as you can any of the recommended values for other vehicles but that doesn't mean it '...doesn't even have a towing limit'.

If a vehicle is not type approved for towing then you cannot purchase a type approved tow bar. This applies to all cars after a certain date (long enough ago that few cars aren't caught by it).

If you can buy a type approved tow bar, you can legally tow. It isn't legal to fit a tow bar that isn't type approved.

You will not find a legit Ford Ka tow bar anywhere. Ford did not include towing on its type approval. There are one or two other cars in the same boat.

There will be a towing limit in the handbook for most cars, max gross train weight is on the car's plate. Subtract the max GVW (also on the plate) and you get the towing limit.

If you aren't technically allowed a towbar, then the towing limit is zero.
It does have a towing limit; the limit is an absolute one of "don't tow".
You can obviously ignore it, just as you can any of the recommended values for other vehicles but that doesn't mean it '...doesn't even have a towing limit'.

Now that is pedantry! I doubt anyone was in any doubt that the fabia "no towing limit" meant no towbar, not unlimited capacity!

And they're not recommended values, they're a legal requirement. Ignore them and you'd open yourself upto being pulled over and escorted to a weighbridge.

It's becoming quite common, especially on small diesel 'eco' models, and even the not so small, I think the latest Focus falls foul of this.

So a 4 bike rack is unlikely to be legal on anything smaller than a big 4x4 or van

Really!?? My 4 bike rack is fine on my little Peugeot 207.

Really!?? My 4 bike rack is fine on my little Peugeot 207.

Is it?

Googling suggests a nose weight of 46kg for a 207.

So a Thule 4 bike ride on style rack weighs about 21kg, that leaves you 6.25kg per bike. Your bikes do not weight 6.25kg or less do they?

So even without getting more technical than that you could be done for having an unsafe load.

Then you should consider that 46kg is the nose weight, i.e. the downwards force on the towball (or the flange if that's where it mounts). A rack will act as a lever putting quite a bit more load on the back of the car. This isn't a structural thing, it's a 'lifting the front wheels of the car up and making the steering light'. A lot of cars have a separate 'nose weight' for bike racks, usually about 60-75% of the maximum nose weight.

Don't shoot the messenger, but if you want to carry 4 bikes on a small car then a towbar rack isn't likely to be legal.

But my buzzrack quattro weighs 14kg, giving me 32kg for 4 bikes, two of which are childrens bikes........

Depends what your bikes weigh, 32kg still isn't much for 4 bikes.

And it's still a lot more than a sensibly reduced nose weight for bike racks. You don't need to be over weight, it could fail for being an unsafe load.

All I'm saying is:
a) I wouldn't do it, I don't think it's safe in terms of car handling.
b) At best you're under the legal limit (but that doesn't make it sensible), more likely you're over it unless your bikes are very light.

As I said, two of the bikes are childrens bikes, so are quite light (6 or 7kg) I've never found the handling to be affected, but I wouldn't want to load it up with four heavy downhill bikes.

For those with a Witter rack, when mounting the rack on the tow bar do you get a positive click from the mount? Just tried ours on the van and it doesn't click - is that ok? I can't quite work out if it's secure or not.

grumpysculler - Member
If a vehicle is not type approved for towing then you cannot purchase a type approved tow bar. This applies to all cars after a certain date (long enough ago that few cars aren't caught by it).

If you can buy a type approved tow bar, you can legally tow. It isn't legal to fit a tow bar that isn't type approved.

You will not find a legit Ford Ka tow bar anywhere. Ford did not include towing on its type approval. There are one or two other cars in the same boat.

There will be a towing limit in the handbook for most cars, max gross train weight is on the car's plate. Subtract the max GVW (also on the plate) and you get the towing limit.

This is sort of true, but there are some special cases.

For example, none of the Renaultsport (172/182) range of mk2 clios are homologated for towing/having a towbar fitted. The rest of the range are. So a 60bhp 1.2 8v is legal for towing, a 180bhp 2.0 16V is not.

You can therefore buy a fully legal type approved towbar for a non-RS mk2 clio and since the shell is exactly the same, you can fit it straight onto an RS (although commercial fitters should of course refuse)

The legality of this is questionable of course. If you have no trailing wheels on the ground then you're not actually towing anything. I'd argue a towbar mounted rack is equivalent to a bootlid strap on or universal roof bar mounted rack.

Did we agree on what is the best quality/value option? I'm getting the tow bar fitted next week, so will get one ordered if I decide what one to buy!!
Halfords/decathlon own ones to be avoided?