Just pulled the trigger (wow I’ve never used that phrase before, am I a “gangsta” now?) on a towbar mounted stand-in bike rack. The Atera one.

I’m now looking for a cover to protect the bikes from rain, road ming and prying eyes. But most covers seem to have the opening at the front (e.g. pointing towards the vehicle tailgate) which means on a towbar carrier they would cover the carrier’s light board.

Some have suggested BBQ covers but these all seem a tad too small. Measuring the bikes I would need 195cm wide, 100cm ish high and a depth of 80cm + bike spacing e.g. around 115cm.

Even if such a thing were available (can’t see it) it would still have a hole in the bottom which needs blocking somehow to protect from the road spray.

What do y’all do?

I tried a fiamma cover once. pile of shite. shredded itself on the motorway. Got a warranty replacement, did the same. Concluded it was a waste of time. Have never seen the need since.

I don’t bother but if on longer journeys I’ll cover my disks with plastic bags.

Just give the bikes a wash afterwards

I don’t use a cover and don’t know anyone that does.

I’ve never even thought that anyone would think about having a cover!
IMHO no need, if you’re going out on a ride, then the bike will get dirty when you ride it and if you’re on the way back from a ride, then the bike might get a free wash…

as above why ?
Its a mountain bike i ride it through grime, mud and dirt why would i protect it from some rain?

So do all of you keep your bikes locked up outdoors in the garden when at home? with a liberal spraying of diesel drops and salt for good measure?

It’s for a campervan trip … they’ll be on it for more than a couple of hours. 😉

As above never used one, never had contaminated disks I could attribute to the back of the car. Worst it gets is a bit of road grime which washes off (if/when I ever wash my bikes, maybe the mud is protective, mabe that’s why I never saw the point in invisiframe).

And, errrrrr, actually yes, they’re all outside tonight (long story, none will come to any harm).

TBH, a cover would just scream ‘something worth nicking’.

Never used a cover despite using year round and for long journeys.
Really can’t see the point.

Industrial width shrink wrap is the way to go, it’s a bit inconvenient reapplying it every time though.

Don’t use one when driving, but if we are parked up overnight we cover the bikes with a Halfords small car cover. Bought it years ago from one of Halford’s whoopsie bins. It’s enormous, but does the job in covering two bikes on the rack, and disguising them.

Would never drive with it on.

Just plastic bags over the saddles if it’s raining here.

…and disguising them.

As what?

I move bikes around as part of my job and we use towbar mounted racks a lot. Never used any sort of cover.

On a campervan? Can’t you chuck them inside when on long trips if you are worried?

I never use a cover when transporting bikes, even trips to the pyrenees/alps, but do want to get a cover to go over them when parking up over night.
Will be in locked hotel car park and I’ll sling a few locks around them and the rack but want a cover just so people would have to work a bit harder if they really wanted to see exactly what bikes they are.
Not gonna stop them nicking them if they really want them but they might not bother if they have to hang around too long.

On a campervan? Can’t you chuck them inside when on long trips if you are worried?

Not having to share living quarters with bikes, move them in/out when stopping for the night is literally the whole point of getting the bike rack.

There are two separate problems really

one is covering on the move which most of you seem to think unnecessary. fine.

the other is covering overnight on say a 6 week long trip. if it chucks it down with rain I don’t want them rusting, and like ads said, a cover makes it just a bit harder for passing scallies to see what they are in the first place…

I wish i had this problem

the other is covering overnight on say a 6 week long trip. if it chucks it down with rain I don’t want them rusting, and like ads said, a cover makes it just a bit harder for passing scallies to see what they are in the first place…

For sleeping in the van I’d fit an alarm to the bikes, I’d never leave them alone on the rack though, that’s just stupid.

“Hey Mr* criminal, not only are these bikes expensive and probably easy to shift in a mountainbike resort, but I’m not local so won’t be around to chase up the police to get them back, and probably insured so don’t care”

*everyday sexism

Alarm could be a good idea, but a cover ‘could’ prevent opportunism.

You’ve got the make the robbers work though.

i got pissed off with the road spray and salt in winter up here.

so i bought a van.

never looked back.

Not having to share living quarters with bikes, move them in/out when stopping for the night is literally the whole point of getting the bike rack.

You’ve the wrong camper, get one of those with the garage underneath the double bed – job sorted 😉

I’ve never seen bikes on a tow bar mounted rack with covers on.

Surely it’d act like a parachute and have a detrimental effect on handling too.

I’ve never had any problems with contaminated discs, road dirt & whatever on my bikes when using either of my tow bar mounted racks, now matter what time of year or how far I’m travelling.

if it chucks it down with rain I don’t want them rusting

They won’t rust!

so i bought a van.
never looked back.

Didn’t it come with any mirrors?

But not heated

As for the question though, I might carry a groundsheet or something to chuck over them at night and lock them to the van with a decent chain for security on short stops at services etc but to be honest I’d not bother about leaving them outside. We go cycle touring and our bikes are outside for 2 weeks at a time whatever the weather. I did replace as many bolts as possible with stainless steel ones on my bike but otherwise I don’t really care.

Cheaper buying some mud flaps for rear wheels.

heavy duty tarp and a decent bit of rope with a toggle through the eyelets?

Yeah, I’m starting to think that getting some bungee cord and shaping my existing tarps to fit might be the best way. I wonder how much it will really flap behind a high top van, it’s fairly sheltered back there anyway.

As to alarms, they’re mostly motion sensitive, not what you want when the van is rocking…

no back windows.

mirrors are infront of me 😉

As to alarms, they’re mostly motion sensitive, not what you want when the van is rocking…

TMI

Missing the point, that’s how they get clean.