never had a car with a towbar mounted rack before but my mondeo I’ve just got has a towbar fitted and with us having a dog now I’m going to give it a whirl.

how easy are they to fit? Seems a lot have plug adaptors for lights etc, is this an easy job?

also any advice on which to go for would be ideal, not going to spend a fortune before Xmas and sipping my toe so maybe I’ll go second hand.

Cheers for any info

Most towbar mounted racks are really easy to fit, have a look at roofbox.co.uk as they have a great selection. The Atera one Ive got takes second’s to fit and came with a plug adaptor so fits either the newer 13 pin or older 7 pin electrics.

One thing to consider is opening the boot when it’s fitted and loaded up as you might want one that tilts or slides to allow access.

Got an expensive thule 965 (i think). It’s great still being able to get into the boot at will 🙂

They’re great for long distance journeys but for routine week in week out use they’re a PITA. Parking is a pain, loading is a pain as the bikes are more closely packed so might need removal of petals and rotation of bars. Roof bars and racks are by far easier and more convenient for routine use.

They’re great for long distance journeys but for routine week in week out use they’re a PITA. Parking is a pain, loading is a pain as the bikes are more closely packed so might need removal of petals and rotation of bars. Roof bars and racks are by far easier and more convenient for routine use.

I would agree…as a 6ft bloke with a load of quite light bikes. Ours are used several times per week and I wouldn’t consider anything but a roof rack.

…but, if you’re not as tall, or have a very tall car, getting a pile of bikes onto a car roof can be a horrid, stressful experience. Throw in some modern, sturdy Enduro bikes (when did they forget how to make light bikes?) or, god forbid, an eBike and you’ve got a real task on your hands! I know several people of less dominating stature who use towbar racks for this exact reason.

It’s not going to be a regular thing, maybe once a month when me and the mrs go away and take the dog, suitcases and bikes. The cars plenty big enough for two bikes in the boot but with other stuff and a dog it’s a squeeze.

After a couple of bad experience, I used to be a towbar rack denier. But get the right one (Velospace here) and they are great to use.

As with most things you get what you pay for – so go for the higher end Thule models with the tilt and arms – as opposed to the ones with the hoops, and it’ll be much nicer.

I still use roof racks (Thule 598s) when I’m moving more than 2 bikes though.

I picked up a 2nd hand Thule 9503, it has been excellent for me. I don’t know why I didnt do it sooner, would have made the years of removing both wheels to get bikes in the car so much easier!

I went against roof bars due to the height issue, I dont want to go anywhere and have to then stop and remove bikes to enter a car park or if driving to trail centre be worried about low hanging branches snagging my bike!

The only slight issue I have is parking, I have no drive or on street parking currently, just means I pull up outside my house, unload the bikes, I then take the rack off and leave it in my boot and go and park.

If i needed another one, I’d be looking at the buzzracks as opposed to Thule though.

Tip: if you are taking two MTBs then buy a 3-bike carrier and use positions 1 and 3. Wider dropouts and forks aren’t easily accommodated on many racks without a clash.

If it’s the same two bikes then you’ll soon work out the best loading procedure and positioning. I transport bikes as part of my job but it’s always different bikes and I occasionally have a few head-scratching moments getting 4 on a rack.

Depending on your stature/strength, tow bar racks are easier to load though. Accuse me of sexist stereotypes, but would your Missus be able to load up and use a roof mounted rack? I know a few ladies that prefer a tow bar option.

Don’t think she’d be tall enough to use roof rack. But there’s never an occasion when we go away when we’re not both there. Are roof racks better?

When she goes alone she’ll just load her bike in the boot.

Seems a lot have plug adaptors for lights etc, is this an easy job?

Usually only one plug adadaptor needed. The rack will have a 7 pin plug for the lights, the car probably has a 13 pin that includes extra stuff for caravans etc. Leave the adaptor on the 7 pin and you can almost ignore it.

I’ve got a Euro Classic folding rack and also a hang on rack.

For holidays etc, the Euro Classic works well, but it is big and really heavy, awkward to fit and store and makes parking a pain. Mine is pretty old now and seems to have been designed for road bikes, not wide tyred and forked mountain bikes so loading so that nothing rubs takes a bit of time + practice

For short trips, the hang on style rack is better – you can leave it in the boot in case you need it, loads easier to attach and load for one bike. Downside is no number plate or light board.

They’re great for long distance journeys but for routine week in week out use they’re a PITA.

I use mine mostly for short trips around 30-60min, I used to use a boot liner but the added faff of having to take wheels off when absolutely frozen after a night ride, and still ending up with a car full of mud after a winters riding was the PITA.

Rack fits in seconds/minutes, bike goes on, drive away, take bike off, ride, bike on, drive away, etc. I do have a decent sized driveway though so no issues with parking or unloading the bikes.

The only time I put the bikes inside the car is if I’m stopping at hotels or and need to keep them secure until I can sneak them into the room or planning journeys with breaks.

I considered a roof rack but:

1) I’d worry about heavy bikes, particularly the OH and my parents E-bikes.

2) Anything on the roof makes a huge dent in the fuel economy, more than towing a boat did! The towbar rack is probably <1mpg difference.

so maybe I’ll go second hand.

Shameless plug … there might be one in the classifieds right now ….

I’ve got a 4 bike Buzzrack one – I can get it on the car and 4 bikes loaded in 10 mins.  The mont blanc/decathlon jobby I had before was the biggest pain the arse ever though, took forever to get the bikes on it and they never seemed secure.  Car is tall so a bike on the roof is a pain for me (literally painful some times too!)

The buzzrack wil take up to 3″ tyres which is a bonus too.  Keep an eye on the roofbox.co.uk returns bit, they often have stuff in there at a decent discount.

I have the 4 bike version of this:

Buzzrack Buzzwing

I have a Thule. Easy to fit, can go in the boot out of sight when not in use, tiltable.

loading is a pain as the bikes are more closely packed so might need removal of petals and rotation of bars.

This isn’t an issue I recognize.

I have the Thule version – its brilliant and also have the extra bike adapter so can carry 4 although its a bit of a chinese puzzle loading it.  One thing to check is the length of the bike vs the rack.  I have a new bike and it only just fits on the rack using the fitted straps.

Atera DL – 3 bike carrier. I tend to only carry two on locations 1 & 3 as per the poster above. It’s a tilt so can get in the boot as well, even with bikes on. Well made, electrics don’t need an adaptor and bikes are very secure. I really don’t like roof racks as I’m an idiot and it’s only a matter of time before I forgot they were up there.

It does make my quite long car even longer which sometimes can make parking a challenge.  I also had to get some longer tyre straps (which were about 7 quid I think) to deal with the girth of plus tyres.

I’ve always had a roof rack but recently switched to a tow bar mounted one.

As others have said the more expensive ones are so much better. I bought a Witter one off eBay.

It’s much easier to load, and demount for when you’re not using it. Only issue is stowage space when not in use. I park right outside my garage, unhitch it and put it away. I also have a removable tow hook so I take that off too and it takes only a couple of minutes.

Overall I much prefer it to the roof rack. I used to remove the roof bars etc. when not using them but they’re a faff to fit/remove so I just left them on all the time in the end. Not much of an issue I guess but you do have to be careful as when you finally do come to remove them then you might have issues with corroded bolts etc. from the constant weathering!

Different strokes…etc. at the end of the day. Both ways work but depends on how often you’re using it, how you’re using it and whether you have a decent place to store it when you’re not using it.

Another vote for the towbar option – its also easier to secure the bikes. A determined scrout can remove a bike from a roof mounted bike rack in seconds. Not so easy with a towbar mount and a decent chain / lock.

Okay, so the ‘trailer’ ones were better and more secure, I’m not going for the roof option for the reasons youve listed.

I’ve seen Thule express 970 for a decent price, are that kind any good? Seem a little insecure?

Another one for the thule towbar rack

Fits in the boot when not in use

Takes 2 mins to fit and another 2 mins to strap bikes to it

Prefer it over a roof rack, maybe harder to park but no chance of ripping the bikes off the roof when you drive into a height restriction car park and forget the bikes are on the roof

Can keep an eye on the bikes/straps in the rear view and side mirrors, where as on the roof you cant (out of sight out of mind, see above comment)

Less chance of damage to the car as the bikes are low down at the back, know someone who dropped a wet bike on his roof, nice dented and scratched roof!!!

To stop any damage to bikes from rubbing against each other etc… get some foam insulation pipe from a local builders merchants for a couple of £ and cut to size for certain areas of the bikes

I just bought a Thule towbar rack off eBay. It’s great. It’s a Thule 927 the 3 bike model and it takes an adapter that means you can take a 4th bike.

its obviously been well thought through and it just works. Straps are big enough for my plus bike, they ratchet quickly and easily, the stays are good and lock (although not reliable as a lock) and the bikes are held secure and go on/ off easily.

The thing is steady and secure on my towbar. I can lock it to the towvpbar with a decent chain/ lock round the considerable metal frame of the rack and then I’ve used a decent long chain to lock the bikes to the rack easily. As secure as you’ll get within reason ( not accounting for battery angle grinders and determined thieves).

Everything just seems to be qualit6 and works. I have a tall car and I’m a short arse so a roof rack was a no-no. The rear mount also means my wife can take the kid(s) cycling as she can wheel the bikes up onto the rack. Plenty of width for my genesis longitude on there.

The light th8ng – either u have an older 7 pin or a more recent 13 pin socket on your car.

My thule came (2nd hand) with the both sockets on it so it could be used on either type of car socket.

Youll need to get a number plate for it. ( you could 7nbolt your car one if you’re tight or skint) but if you take your v5 to Halfords they’ll make you a plate for £16.99

Get a tilting one.

I’ve never had one but I always swore if going back to a rear rack it would need to tilt for boot access especially with a dog along as well.

I like roof racks personally but we have four to carry and we get to the edge of acceptable nose weight on the ball with all four once you factor in the lever effect. Which is an arse because then we have to choose kayaks or bikes on a family holiday.

Good thing the kids like hiking too.

Normally having a towbar fitted includes the electrics as well, so find the plug and count the pins – either 7 or 13. You then know if you need an adapter for the rack you are buying.

You then bolt on, plug in, load up and go!

Be aware of the nose weight and factor that in to include rack and total weight of all bikes being carried.

Forgot to say, the tilt on the 927 works great. Can get the dog in and out easily.

Brilliant, thanks everyone.

Be aware of the nose weight and factor that in to include rack and total weight of all bikes being carried

Nose weight isn’t the right criterion to compare with the weight of rack and bikes. The nose weight is for a trailer loading vertically onto the hitch. A bike rack is also applying a rotational moment, so the stress on the actual towbar and its fixing to the vehicle is much higher. Check the vehicle manual for what it says about the capacity to carry a rack; my Focus is rated for a 3 bike rack but not bigger.