Towbar cycle carriers suitable for heavy bike

[rich_r]

Now I've converted my wife's bike with a 250W front hub and 10Ah bottle battery it weighs almost 25kg - it was a cheap, heavy, steel framed mountain bike to start with. My unconverted Specialized Crosstrail is 14kg.

I'm looking for a towbar mounted cycle carrier, but many state a maximum of 15kg per bike. That seems strangely low, and obviously means that probably very few pedelecs will comply with that. Even removing the battery would only reduce this one to 21kg.

Thule and Atera for example do list carriers suitable for e-bikes, which appear to be their 3 bike models, but with fittings for only 2. That would imply to me that it's the total load that matters, not the weight of the individiual bikes.

I'd rather not spend more than £175, so do people think I'd be fine using a decent 3 bike carrier to carry the 25kg electric bike and the 14kg bike, so 39kg total, rather than the 45kg (3x15kg) that's it's advertised at?

 

[Kinninvie]

Now I've converted my wife's bike with a 250W front hub and 10Ah bottle battery it weighs almost 25kg - it was a cheap, heavy, steel framed mountain bike to start with. My unconverted Specialized Crosstrail is 14kg.

I'm looking for a towbar mounted cycle carrier, but many state a maximum of 15kg per bike. That seems strangely low, and obviously means that probably very few pedelecs will comply with that. Even removing the battery would only reduce this one to 21kg.

Thule and Atera for example do list carriers suitable for e-bikes, which appear to be their 3 bike models, but with fittings for only 2. That would imply to me that it's the total load that matters, not the weight of the individiual bikes.

I'd rather not spend more than £175, so do people think I'd be fine using a decent 3 bike carrier to carry the 25kg electric bike and the 14kg bike, so 39kg total, rather than the 45kg (3x15kg) that's it's advertised at?

Sounds good to me especially as the bikes will be further forward than if 3 were carried so less leverage on the towball.
I use a 2 bike carrier for my 40Kg hybrid and its fine.

 

[RobF]

Carrying the ebike inboard would be worthwhile.

Bear in mind some ebikes on racks don't respond well to adverse weather.

 

[Gubbins]

Removing the batteries lessens the weight a good bit

 

[rich_r]

Not too worried about the weather, as we'll only really be using it to travel to cycle routes in order to ride for recreation - so only if it's forecast to be dry anyway. But a good point.

My battery is about 4kg - which still leaves the bike at well over 15kg. Yes I think I'll take that off and carry it in the car, which will help.

I've read the Thule 9403 manual which says not to exceed the per-bike limit, but I suspect that is a generic warning rather than specific to using a 3-bike carrier for 2 bikes, one of which is 5kg over the limit.

 

[Danidl]

Not too worried about the weather, as we'll only really be using it to travel to cycle routes in order to ride for recreation - so only if it's forecast to be dry anyway. But a good point.

My battery is about 4kg - which still leaves the bike at well over 15kg. Yes I think I'll take that off and carry it in the car, which will help.

I've read the Thule 9403 manual which says not to exceed the per-bike limit, but I suspect that is a generic warning rather than specific to using a 3-bike carrier for 2 bikes, one of which is 5kg over the limit.

2. Points
The Thule bike model has no difficulty with or 2 ebikes. I got the model from Halfords and it's ok. A bit fiddly to load but very secure. I would recommend using additional bungees along with the little polyester fabric straps provided.
Point 2 ... Never leave the battery on the bike. The catches holding the battery were probably not designed for the g forces of hitting a ramp at 80 kmhr. They make expensive bricks and could do a lot of damage to a following windscreen.
Similarly if the LCD control panel is removable, then remove it.
Point 3. A good idea when travelling when rain is expected would be to cover the electrical bits. Duct tape would be fine or a food bag. The rain whirling around the back of a vehicle gets to hurricane speeds.. not expected but true.

 

[rich_r]

Cheers. I think I'l go for the Thule 9403. Sadly the display doesn't come off the bike (it's a KT-LCD3), but I'll remove anything loose like the battery, lights etc. and add extra securing on anything that can move about.

I don't intend to travel in rain (as above). If it does I still have the option to drop the seats and put her bike in the boot. Whilst there is enough room for both bikes in the boot (it's a Subaru Outback), it's very awkward getting them in and out and I have to take both wheels off mine if they're both going in.

Many thanks everyone.

 

[Rupert1]

Thule told me no, it is not advisable to carry any bike over the individual load rating of the rack, so 15kg a bike means just that. I have a Thule 916 rack that is rated at 30kg a bike, bought it from Decathalon for £260 including postage

 

[Chris whittaker]

Have a look online at the roofbox company.(roofbox.co.uk) They have over 50 towbar mounted bike racks. Some specifically for e bikes. I bought the Atera Strada model which is rated 60kg for 2 bikes. You can also buy an adaptor to make it a three bike carrier and you can even buy a ramp to wheel your bikes up to save you lifting them on. I have done an 800 mile trip to Scotland with 2 non e bikes on the back and it's rock solid.

 

[oldtom]

After being pretty well convinced of the merits of the Thule 916, I decided ultimately to go with the Thule 925 which I managed to get for £30 less than the best price I could find on the 916, delivered.

It's capacity is sufficient for my needs as my two most used bikes have a combined weight of 35 kgs once stripped of batteries. As I am unlikely to ever change to heavier bikes, this model will suit me fine.

Tom

 

[rich_r]

Something like the Thule 916/925 or Atera Strada would be fantastic - but way outside the budget I mentioned in the first post (£175 ideally, possibly up to £200).

I did look at the Buzzrack Buzzwing 2 on roofbox.co.uk which claims 20kg per bike, so that may be an option (as the bike would only be around 1kg over). Although it is almost £200.

 

[Danidl]

Something like the Thule 916/925 or Atera Strada would be fantastic - but way outside the budget I mentioned in the first post (£175 ideally, possibly up to £200).

I did look at the Buzzrack Buzzwing 2 on roofbox.co.uk which claims 20kg per bike, so that may be an option (as the bike would only be around 1kg over). Although it is almost £200.

Halfords have something in their range. Anyway I would not be really concerned in going marginally aabove the manufacturers weight. What response could you have expected when you asked the agents. ?They were never going to give you a written response to such a query. They would have been concerned about legal liability.
What can happen .. the screw holding the ball joint rigid, failing.. that is total weight dependent as well as the torque moment due to a weight being distant from the fulcrum... Even if it did the likely result would be the bottom of the carrier scraping the road.
The metal plates holding the wheels in place and their nuts bolts failing ... Just look at the thickness and use your judgement.
The cable ties or ribbons holding the wheels in place .. double up on them or use bungees.

 

[rich_r]

That was my thinking - the biggest issue is probably the total weight and how that affects the towball clamping. So a carrier rated for 45kg total (3 bikes) won't have any issues 36kg total from 2 bikes.

Having a bike 33% over the individual rating should be fine as long as it's secured well enough to the carrier. So yes, maybe I just need to use additional straps (which I probably would have anyway).

I guess there's just a potential insurance issue if something does go wrong and they say that I was knowingly exceeding the manufacturer weight limit.

 

[oldtom]

I'm bound to say I don't understand the thinking whereby someone who has spent quite a lot of money on EAPCs and owns a vehicle to which he/she wishes to attach those bicycles, then decides to skimp on the right tool for the job.

Why take the risk, albeit one may consider it small, of deliberately flouting the recommended safe weight limit per support channel in order to save a few pounds. A little research will reveal that bikes and/or carriers have detached themselves from vehicles more frequently than I would have imagined. The consequential dangers with their potential for hugely expensive law suits certainly deters me from risking the fine & points for the unsafe load offence, let alone the collateral damage to persons and/or property.

Tom

 

[rich_r]

I haven't spent quite a lot of money on the bike though, I've fitted a cheap kit to a cheap bike - costing under £400 in total. Very much at the budget end of EAPC

I don't have any worries about a 3 bike carrier detaching, as with only two bikes on it'll be well under the maximum load.

If the carrier's going to cost over £200 then I'm just going to continue cramming both bikes in the boot.

 

[rich_r]

OK - what do people think of the Thule Euroride 941? It appears that Renault sell their branded version of it for £184 (on their eBay shop) and it lists the individual bike weight as 20kg maximum.

I reckon that's close enough to be classed as compliant.

 

[Danidl]

OK - what do people think of the Thule Euroride 941? It appears that Renault sell their branded version of it for £184 (on their eBay shop) and it lists the individual bike weight as 20kg maximum.

I reckon that's close enough to be classed as compliant.

I have the Thule 9403 , which is a three bike carry 45 kg load. At probably the same price .. 200 euro.in Halfords The towhitch clamp is very very strong,. The only mod I would suggest is that you use use a proper ring spanner rather than the tool they provide. .. the straight edges are hard on the palms when tightening it.

 

[Danidl]

I'm bound to say I don't understand the thinking whereby someone who has spent quite a lot of money on EAPCs and owns a vehicle to which he/she wishes to attach those bicycles, then decides to skimp on the right tool for the job.

Why take the risk, albeit one may consider it small, of deliberately flouting the recommended safe weight limit per support channel in order to save a few pounds. A little research will reveal that bikes and/or carriers have detached themselves from vehicles more frequently than I would have imagined. The consequential dangers with their potential for hugely expensive law suits certainly deters me from risking the fine & points for the unsafe load offence, let alone the collateral damage to persons and/or property.

Tom

It's a fair point

 

[Linfitter]

Went to Scrap Yard to see if they had any road legal motors for sale as my Ford Fiesta water pump had gone making it uneconomical to repair (Car worth £450). They had another Ford in, nice and clean, 11 months test, so I took that but asked them to remove the tow bar that I had fitted to the Diesel with the intention of swapping it over only to find that it wouldn’t fit without some re-engineering which I did. I have to say that my re-engineered job looked and was very solid indeed so when I put my Wilko carrier on the tow bar bolt to test it I wasn’t surprised that me (98.5KGS- 15.5stone) jumping about on the end of it had no effect on it at all. Of course with my weight on the carrier the ‘tow line’ - that imaginary line that runs from the middle of the rear wheel through the tow bar bolt through to any trailer hitch and parallel with the road was deflected downwards a few degrees - so would not have been a weight suitable for towing behind where a nose weight not exceeding 35kg is usually recommended but I am not towing, I am carrying, so if my carrier is not up to the prospect I will make it so. All I can say is if you are worried about your particular dedicated bike carrier‘s load limit is to look on https://www.1upusa.com/cargocarriers.html site, the Lumus 1UP web page (forgot who posted) and get a tow ball boot extension instead. Its just a platform that you put on the tow ball so that you can carry things on it. Seems there is no trouble putting a few hundred pounds on one of them!

Linfitter.

 

[bobp]

I use a tow bar mounted Pendle rack to carry two ebikes. No problems . Really secure.


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