‘Dropracks’ roof racks any users,?

My parents have got two ebikes which they would love to take with them when they go away in their touring caravan but can’t lift onto a normal roof carrier (at 23kg each I’d struggle!).
They can’t go in the van and are too heavy for the towbar (+van) so got googling and found this which seems just the ticket (but £1400!). So has anybody got one or can suggest an alternative?

I think the Dropracks is the only one suitable for bikes. I’ve recently got a Yakima Show Down that I use to carry my sea kayak as it was simply too big and wieldly to safely load on my own, particularly the risk of dropping or damaging the boat. Thule do something similar with a gas strut that takes more of the load, but again not for bikes. As cars have got taller and people putting heavier things on the roof, then expect these things will get more common.

As cars have got taller and people putting heavier things on the roof, then expect these things will get more common

Although those higher roof lines are also often coming with lower safe load limits. I assume this is rollover risk vs structural issues.

Wish we could tolerate the cost for our kayaks (roto moulded) as they are horribly heavy.

Hmm, may have to think again. Looked at a video and even when at it’s lowest point it’s still waist/chest high (depending on height of car) which would still be a struggle.

Can you take the battery off the bike to make it easier to manage? Not sure how much weight is in there.

Must be a half decent sized car to tow a caravan…can they take a wheel off and put them in the car, with some foam padding between them?

Just out of interest, as I don’t have a caravan, why can’t the bikes go in there?

What about using a caravan bike rack.
There seem to be racks that on either end of the caravan.

Generally caravans are quite tight to get a bike into, and the very least you would need to lift it up into the door on the back wheel. They’d both need to go in the middle over the axle for safe loading and you’d probably damage the interior just getting them in, let alone once it’s being driven (they are very bouncy). Two bikes are likely to overload the caravan too.

I sometimes put my bike in the living area of my campervan, fell over last week and the brake reservoir gouged a big chunk out of my cabinets!

I have been using a Kombi Rak to carry sea kayak(s) on a California T5. Made solo loading very easy and a well engineered bit of kit. Same principle as the Karitek but more aerodynamic quieter and smoother to use. He (it’s a one man operation) doesn’t have a website but the beginning of this shows the product:

Believe there is a version that fits on Thule foot packs. He does adaptors that can then take a bike rack. Essentially bit of the extrusion fitted at an angle so that the bike is loaded vertically and when on the roof lie flattish. Price approx £600 a year ago + adapters.
With all the easy load systems check the roof load limits including the rack itself. Don’t imagine the Droprack itself is light.
Guys name is John and email info@vixxos.com Based in Swansea if you or parents anywhere close.

So that T6 is a pop top? That’s interesting I’d assumed that you couldn’t put a roof rack on a pop top

Some of the pop tops come with tracks to fit racks. Certainly all the factory converted T5/T6 California. Not sure what Jerba uses, maybe SCA or Reimo. You shouldn’t actually lift the roof with any significant weight on it.

Most T6 pop tops are rated with a very low roof load, around 35kg (which includes any roof fixings and racks) – ideal for carrying your infltable SUP to Poole Harbour but not so good for bikes. there are a couple that go up to 65kg (Reimo I think)

My shop sells racks and we had some guy demonstrate a Drop Rack for us. It was hilariously bad and a bit of it broke off whilst he was deploying it. Wouldn’t touch with a barge pole – and like someone mentioned above it only came down to chest height on top of a Mini Countryman so I’m not really sure what it solves.

Best set up I saw was some elderly Canadian couple that came to our shop to buy inflatable kayaks. They had imported some kind of massive Dodge RAM type thing with a hydraulic load platform on the back!  They just wheeled the bikes onto it and then into the load bay and slotted them in two fixed bike racks….they had a roof tent on it too. Looked great but must have done about 10mpg.

Thanks for the replies. Even without the batteries the bikes are just two heavy for them to manhandle into the back of a car or into the caravan. Might look into what decent folding ebikes are available.

Following on from 5lab up there. Make sure everything electrical on the bikes is sealed in plastic if it’s going to be wet. At 50mph water can get into most places on an e-bike and caused faults.

Just get a plank and a few bricks, build a ramp. Get your parents to jump them up on to the top of the car, landing on the racks Danny Macaskill style. Then just slide down the front to get off.

Or get a little trailer to tow behind the caravan.

Or for £1400 you could build something like a ha-ha wall in the garden, park alongside to load the bikes. Not very portable perhaps.

As for all those moaning about heavy kayaks, the solution obviously is to drive into the river, float kayaks onto the car, then back out. Can’t believe no one’s thought of that. Just make sure it’s not a BMW.

Yes I am deadly serious 😁

The problem with the Karitek rack and possibly with the Kombi Rak is that when loaded with two sea kayaks it is quite an effort to raise the load before you slide.

The problem with the Karitek rack and possibly with the Kombi Rak is that when loaded with two sea kayaks it is quite an effort to raise the load before you slide.

With the Kombi Rak there are two positions it drops down to. When I load 2 kayaks the sequence is :
1) Drop rack to lowest position and load 1 kayak on highest rack (that will end up furthest away)
2) Lift rack up and then drop back down to higher position.
3) Load 2nd boat onto rack.
4) Lift and slide both boats onto roof.

By doing it this way the first boat is acting as a counterbalance to the 2nd boat as its (the 1st boat) above the pivot point. Works well and I can do it all solo after a long days paddling.

I’m looking at ordering the Kombi-rak but there’s very little info available online.  Have you any photos of the setup with your sea kayaks loaded on it? I am also looking at this to load and carry my sea kayak on my T5..

Some pics of the Kombi-Rak with my sea kayak on it (sorry I dont have any photos with 2 loaded)

Can see that there are 2 ‘heights’ for the slide down section. Loading in pic 2 would only relly be done if there was a 2nd boat loaded above to provide the counterbalance. Most of the photos were taken before I got the cradle (that was from KCS). I now have a 2nd J cradle .

Two other people in the (kayak) club have now swapped their Karitek for Kombi Rak. One with a T6 fixed roof. For that one he had a T track fitted (by Kombi-rak) using into the roof channel and some neat low profile brackets. I’ve not yet seen other one on a Skoda SUV via Thule footpacks.

There is very little info on the web. The designer /builder is John Stobbart based in Swansea. info@vixxos.com

Brilliant, thanks for sharing. I’ve been on to John and the order is placed. I’m traveling over from Ireland to get it fitted so your photos have reinforced my decision to purchase. It’s a considerable decision considering the investment and travel piece so I really appreciate you taking the time to add your photos and overview. I do think it’ll be worth it though.  I have the Karitek for my car but want something better for my T5. Any issue with fitting the new KCS cradle? I have the Karitek V cradle that I hope to use. Nice Romany BTW!!

No issues fitting the KCS cradles. You will need some 20mm square nuts to fit the track (John can supply, and the nuts for Thule Hulovator  also fit). The T track depth is less than the Karitek so you might need to cut down the bolts so they don’t bottom out before becoming tight. That was the only tricky bit, getting the bolt length correct so that it engaged the full nut thread but didn’t protrude to far.

I have been very pleased with mine, its made loading/unloading very easy, quick and safe.  You may find yourself having to demo it to random people on the beach. I should be on commission ! (1st job would be to produce a website though).

Also very pleased with the Romany, what do you paddle?

I have an Etain (C/kev with a custom bulkhead) and a Taran. I bought the Taran in 2020 but I haven’t used it as much as I thought I would. It’s a beast of a boat and can be a bit antisocial, it tends to just pull away from the group as all my mates paddle traditional sea kayaks. I paddle the Etain most of the time so I reckon I will part with the Taran as it’s just not getting the use. For me,  I love the handling and comfort of the Etain – certainly more of a sociable kayak!!

Not sure what Jerba uses, maybe SCA or Reimo.

Jerba previously used SCA roofs – we had a SCA as part of our LWB conversion with Jerba in 2010 – but for quite a few years have one they claim is their own design, with a 100kg roof rack carrying capacity: https://www.jerbacampervans.co.uk/pop-top-roof/.