I now have a shiny new tow bar and bike rack for our upcoming holiday

Couple of questions

1 – once you’re at your location and have taken the bikes off, do you remove the bike rack and lock it in the car for safe keeping while you’re cycling?

2 – has anyone figured out a way to add a bluetooth type ir other camera to the rack to help with reversing?

Any other tips I should know?

1) no, mine locks the the towbar, I’ve run an additional cable round a suspension component in the past (at Centre PArcs!)

2) I’ve not but it sounds like a good idea! You could power it off the reverse light circuit so it comes on at the same time?

1. Leave it attached but as recommended above I looped a lock through the bike lock and around part of the rear subframe so it couldn’t be easily pinched.

2. No need for a camera. Its less than 1m sticking out the back of the car, you’ll soon get used to it.

1 – Mine locks to the towbar

2 Never had problems with reversing (if it gets a bit tight, Mrs Natrix gets out and directs me)

As above I don’t take mine off and some times lock it up depending where I am.

Haven’t used a reversing camera, if it’s looking a bit dodgy the missus gets out and has a look!

Edit: Ha, ha beaten to it.

Bought s/h and it’s not a Thule so I can’t imagine it’s worth much more than scrap value to a thief, therefore a cheap cable lock through the towbar flange is all I do with mine.

Reversing, it’s easier with the rack than without as you can see the bike/wall, I can’t see the towbar in a mirror!

If empty I generally take mine off to stop entire theft, theft of straps or someone driving into!

If bikes on, I run a motorbike lock around all bikes, the rack and through the towbar itself to secure.

never need a reverse camera, I am a big user of the force… but also not afraid to get out now and again and check how much space I have left to go back!

Thanks folks

It’s a detachable tow bar but it locks, and so does the bike rack. But then it’s still a relatively basic lock on an expensive bit of kit. I’ll use a cable lock to secure it too, that’s a good idea

I can imagine some numpty driving into it in a car park, it’s a long car already!

The missus will be with me so I’ll have her guide me in when it’s tricky, but if I’m out with my son only I don’t really want to put all my trust in a 5 year old yet…!

1 – once you’re at your location and have taken the bikes off, do you remove the bike rack and lock it in the car for safe keeping while you’re cycling?

No, I just leave mine locked on the towbar. The mechanism that clamps it has a lock built in, although I guess it would be quite easy to break.

2 – has anyone figured out a way to add a bluetooth type ir other camera to the rack to help with reversing?

No, ours is on a van but I’ve never found it too much of a problem. My wife has reversed it forcefully into a tree and other such objects so it’s looking a bit battered now. The actual rack can move a bit on the hitch (unlss you over clamp it) so it does help it resist the odd whack.

1 – no mine has hitch lock, and so is insured.

2 – no, I use passenger for directing if needed, am mega aware of tail swing on a 4-bike 1m+ rack on the back (and a camera would not pick that up unless on roof looking down) and use the tape on the wheelarch trick for reverse distance.

I wouldn’t remove the rack just for the period of a single bike ride, but when going on holiday I will remove it and put it in the boot – it’s a PITA driving around with it in relation to parking.

On the parking this I wouldn’t bother with any reversing aids, just get your other half to direct you in. I looked for parking spots where I could overhang the rack over a grass verge or pavement or something because the overall length of the car with the bike rack on was much longer than a standard car parking space.

@matt_outandabout – what’s the wheelarch trick?

My car is a shade under 5m at the moment, it’s going to be very long with 3 bikes on the back!

mine locks to the towbar too (Thule S3 Eurowhatsamathingy).

If I’m feeling cautious I will remove the ‘arms’ i.e. the easily removable things that clamp around the top tube, and put them in the boot

@matt_outandabout – what’s the wheelarch trick?

Park car with rack on.
Put stone/marker about 10cm behind the most rearward bit of rack (remember handlebars!) on the floor, just out to the drivers side of the car.
Have friend stand next to rear car wheel.
You sit in drivers seat, mirrors and seat as normal. You should see the stone/marker at the back, and your friends legs and feet.
Friend then places a finger on the rear wheel arch – you ask them to move it up or down on the wheel arch until it is in line with the marker/stone on the floor.
Friend sticks a bit of tape/small marker on the wheelarch where their finger was.

Everytime you are in the car with rack on, you reverse until the bit of tape on wheelarch is in line with the kerb / wall / line – and every time you will be 10cm from the mark.

That is very clever, thanks!

I take it off at destination and lock it to chassis of caravan or tree.

Missus don’t like driving round with it on during holiday.