VW T5 Transporter with Tailgate – tow bar rack options?? Show me yours

Just bought a T5 camper with a tailgate – has a tow bar but I’m wondering if there are any rack options that would still let me open the tailgate with rack and bikes still fitted? Might be a tall order!!

Photos of any in situ would be great – thanks

Atera Strada. I use it with a Toyota Hiace, but a quick google image search will show examples on a veedub.

How much do you want it to slide out of the way? £1700 want it?

https://www.rhinoinstalls.co.uk/memo-van-star-vw-bike-rack

I have an Atera Strada Evo 3 on a T6 with Tailgate and once the rack is fully extended I have to give it a further gentle push to open the tailgate otherwise it just catches – this is made easier or even unnecessary if the rack is fully loaded. It’s not a big deal for me and the rack works really well – I have the 4th bike extension on it also.

T6 with a tailgate here. Aterra Strada works for me, although I have to turn the bars on the bike nearest the tailgate in order to be able to open in. Not a big drama.

Thule VelopSpace here, can open the tailgate even with 4 bikes on there.

You can get tow hitch spacers if you need to move your rack a bit further back. Got one on our Trafic so the rack can clear the spare.

i have a t5 and i definitely can’t tilt my thule velocompact back enough to open the tailgate! wish i’d got the velospace or easyfold but no options when i got this and needed in a hurry/ plus got a deal so accept that i have to take it off to get in! its starting to get a bit frustrating though!

Yeah it has to be the Velospace, the other models won’t clear it

I’ve got a T6 (effectively the same) with a BuzzRack and you can’t open the tailgate with that in place, a swan neck bar helps, but not much.

This is what we use…

Linky

Very interesting….. we have a detachable swan neck type and they don’t work. anyone know if you can get extended versions of these to move the ball further out, would need to extend by about 50/70mm over a standard one to allow the tailgate to clear?? Or am i looking at either living with it or changing the tow bar??

I would be extremely warey of that sort of solution with any more than 1 bike on. You’re increasing the leverage on something that’s already a long way out and multiplying the twisting forces as a result

These are designed to carry MX bikes, but agreed – I wouldn’t want to load it up with a bunch of e-bikes.

This Halfords Advanced looks like it would do the trick – looks like it gets well out of the way!

Any experience of this one??

https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-racks/towbar-mounted-bike-racks/halfords-advanced-2-bike-towbar-mounted-bike-rack-337846.html?istCompanyId=b8708c57-7a02-4cf6-b2c0-dc36b54a327e&istFeedId=367c5610-f937-4c81-8609-f84582324cd6&istItemId=ilalqalwt&istBid=t&_$ja=tsid:%7Ccid:13228161099%7Cagid:124343711722%7Ctid:pla-330681277321%7Ccrid:523502174874%7Cnw:u%7Crnd:8351717406387281758%7Cdvc:m%7Cadp:%7Cmt:%7Cloc:9046503&gclid=CjwKCAjwpMOIBhBAEiwAy5M6YIRQxbHcUSp8nraZ-QF-5sOSrD3mV1UpNOh20oVnXzZbUWoEj3AaRhoCeeAQAvD_BwE

Is the Halfords Advanced racks not just rebadged Thule gear? Genuine question as I think it is but don’t know…

Tailgate is quite a wide swing out so whatever you go for make sure it slides/swings far enough out the way for the tailgate to open.

That Halfords one looks very Buzzrack to me. Defo not a rebadged Thule.

Been considering this setup too with the kids bikes getting bigger.. strada was on my hit list but stock is hard to find and 2nd racks going for very strong money!!

T6.1 with Atera for me. When tilted forward the tailgate clears it by a whisker – so you have to make sure when unladen that the top tube holding arms are swivelled out of the way.
Also, if you’re likely to be using plus sized tyres, it’s worth buying the extra long wheel straps. I’ve been using an old pair of toe straps but the proper straps are less faff

Thule Velospace XT

I’ve an Atera Ebike ML rack (bought as it was wide enough gap between racks for the bikes) and it has a tilt. It doesn’t tilt far enough to open the boot on my Puggy Partner…but luckily I’ve a split lid so although I can’t open full tailgate, I can open the glass section, which works brilliantly.
No idea if the bigger vans come with that option but it would help increase range of racks you could use.

Another option is a simple drop plate for about a tenner, plus an extra set of bolts. Not recommended for towing but fine for a bike rack if the boot is clipping the rack low down.