Bicycle racks - roof or rear?

HDI Dave · Unread post by **HDI Dave** » 08 Jun 2011, 23:06

Evenin all

Kids are at an age now (11 - 20 year old) where they're gladly up for a nice long ish bike ride,instead of just up and down the street/localle'..

I've got quite partial to a nice gentle petrol/diesel free (and fuel free!) meander meself. I'm even getting a dab hand at disguising breathlessness,near heart attack.."ooh,look at the stunning scenery,can't beat a bit of fresh lung filled outdoors, let's stop for a bit and take it all in"

Call it a mid life crisis,(I'm 44 years old,had motorcycles,with no pedals all my life!), but to me it = exercise + no brainer free family fun

Anyway,(jeez,don't I bang on!)

Been looking at bike racks,like these,they fit on the back of the car and are dirt cheap:

I'm after one for 3 bikes. Any more and I'll stick the young uns bike in the boot.

So... lol,

My question is...

I know the (racks) are all tested etc..but is it really that simple to stick 3 bikes and a rack onto the tailgate glass (where most of the load seems to be..), without it fearing damage..driving off road etc?

Or is a roof mounted bike rack,(which I reckon would be safer/stronger), more viable?

I've not researched roof bike racks. Cost? Where do they fit on a Xant? I can't find any hidden holes or gutterings! I guess I'd need roof bars also? ££?

!

Cheers all,
any input appreciated

Citroenmad · Unread post by **Citroenmad** » 08 Jun 2011, 23:24

I do a little biking myself ....

I have not tried a roof bike rack, they are too in the air flow for my liking and its not as easy getting the bikes up there either.

Ive had two of the strap on bike racks, they did do the job but I dont like how they wobble around and look unsafe, no matter how tight you have them. Ive only used these on flat backed cars (estates and small hatches with flat boot lids) and not on the Xantia or C5 hatch shape.

The strap on ones dont fit all cars, it depend son the shape, mine wont go on the C5 or Xantia as they are not flat, however some will. Also the top mount for the straps is around the boot lid, if this is a glass area and not metal or the car has a spoiler then damage to the car could be done.

Its also a awful lot of weight and pull on the tailgate of the car. One rack I had put dents in the cars bumper, they did come out after a day or so as the plastic went into its old shape.

So now I favor a towbar mounted bike rack. I have a thule one which clamps around the towbar and has a light board too. It takes 3 bikes and its very very secure on the car, its ideal. It also has a feature to let you open the bootlid too. Plus if you ever need a bit of extra space Thule sell storage boxes which fit onto the rack when bikes are not needed.

If your Xant has a towbar and you can source one of those Thule racks second hand, it might be a cheap enough option.

HDI Dave · Unread post by **HDI Dave** » 08 Jun 2011, 23:45

Aaah,

Thanks for that Chris,that clears up a quandry!

I did notice a few people,(I'm bidding on some on ebay), are selling the hatch mounted racks because they have progressed to a tow bar mount...

hmm, I can now see why! (I couldn't see how it would be stable..just on the towball..) oh well, what do I know,seems the way to go!

As it happens,I do have a towbar to fit the Xant,just gotta fit it! (might bring the job forward, as the car's off the road for a few days while I fit a new zorst

)

Like I say, hmm, got me thinking now Chris.. Cheers!

Dave.

trooper30 · Unread post by **trooper30** » 09 Jun 2011, 02:15

The wife has a Halfords bike rack on the back of her Xantia, take 3 bikes and doesnt cause any bother

citronut · Unread post by **citronut** » 09 Jun 2011, 08:39

i havenyt used any of these bike racks before, but we did get one from freecycle (no pun intended

)

my daghter was thinking of useing it but im not sure if i like how it fix's to the car,

on looking at how this one attatch's i think i would preffer the tow bar type myself,

regards malcolm

stevenc75 · Unread post by **stevenc75** » 09 Jun 2011, 09:19

I bought a rear mounted one recently for my Saxo. I've had 3 bikes on it. It's the type that's fitted with straps, bought in Decathlon for £39.99. It does the job but it's really not ideal. I was a bit worried that a lot of the (considerable) weight is supported by the rear window, I was just waiting on it breaking as I loaded the bikes on. Thankfully, it didn't. The view out the rear is minimal if that is an issue for you. I would say to go for a towbar rack or get them up on the roof.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 09 Jun 2011, 09:20

I used to use a towbar mounted one when the kids were younger and wanted to take bikes on holiday. It worked well. SWMBO once used a fully clip-on one on her car and it was a nightmare... I don't recommend them at all.

Go for the towbar mounted one every time...

Citroening · Unread post by **Citroening** » 09 Jun 2011, 10:22

Funnily enough when I bought my Activa it came with a Bike Carrier attachment for the towbar and it's just sat in the boot.

It's made by Witter (which I gather is a good make) but I've never used it!

I was going to sell it anyway but I don't think that it'd do you as you need one for three bikes. It does look quite wide though, and I can check as there's a couple of bikes here that I can 'test-fit'.

Unread post by **Paul-R** » 09 Jun 2011, 10:58

That last photo is very informative as it answers my question of how they fit on to a tow-bar.

You have to have the type of tow ball which attaches with two bolts to the bracket - the removable type (like I have on my C5) are no use. Unless the Thule type works differently, that is.

Citroening · Unread post by **Citroening** » 09 Jun 2011, 11:03

...just nipped outside while it had stopped raining

and popped a couple of bikes on the back of it.
It seems to take two fine, and possibly room for a, small, third. Unfortunately, there's only two bikes here!

jgra1 · Unread post by **jgra1** » 09 Jun 2011, 12:12

Dave good on you for finding cycling.. I would do more but I think I have a damaged hip flexor ! which makes that activity particularly tricky!

I only carry one bike, on the roof.. and it works for me.. but I do have a Tow Bar so I may go down that route as others on the post have.. looks good..

in answer to

I can't find any hidden holes or gutterings! I guess I'd need roof bars also

there are 8 or so holes hidden behind the rubber weather strip betwixt door and roof.. they will probably have black blanking plastic on.. the M8 (?or m6) holes are behind, which bolt the roof bars to the roof.. on xant hatch's

John

KP · Unread post by KP » 09 Jun 2011, 12:28

I have a Paddy Hopkirk 3 cycle carrier that flat straps onto the car via 5-6 mounting points.

I've used it on xantias hatch and estate, fiat coupe, ford fusion, and recently the swift sport. I take the wheels off and either mount them after the bikes or put them in the boot.

Its very solid and stable and i dont have to twang the straps up massivly metal bending tight for it to be secure upto about 80 leptons...

It comes with more mini straps to hold the bikes to the carier and also i use the loose lengths from the flat strapping to secure the bikes on with..

jgra1 · Unread post by **jgra1** » 09 Jun 2011, 12:34

my brother had a different take on bike racks when I went to see him in NZ..
the bikes are loosely suspended from the rack, and therefore didnt bash into each other....

HDI Dave · Unread post by **HDI Dave** » 09 Jun 2011, 16:53

Hey Franklin,

I do like the look of that setup:

Looks like it doesn't impede tailgate opening also? Mmm,very nice..
I'm sure I could squeeze the young uns on there also,or just bung it in the boot.

Citroening wrote:

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Looking at your pictures,I'm guessing it's a plate that fits twixt towball and towbar. Are towballs a standard size? Mine measures 95mm between bolt centres:

Think I'll revise my ebay search as you've all got me convinced on a towbar mounted rack, cheers all

Franklin, whereabouts are you? If the price is right, (please pm me if you'd like), I may be sending a big yellow DHL truck your way with beer monies

Cheers, Dave.

reblack68 · Unread post by **reblack68** » 09 Jun 2011, 17:43

Roof every time for me. I've got a towbar-mounted one and I'm not too impressed. It's a right palaver to get the bikes on, they never seem very secure and it all seems to wobble a lot. You've also got the problem of hanging a trailer board if the lights are obscured.

The roof-mounted one is much easier to use. It's further to lift, but it's a more natural lift IMO. They feel more secure, and even if they aren't they don't wobble constantly in your mirror. Best of all you can access the boot without any problems.