how do you find the quality, and the secureness of the fastening for the bikes?
I know Thule ones are very highly rated, but appropriately priced - I have found a rideon9402 for £68.99 delivered, comes complete with plate board/lights/7 pin lead.
It's highly unlikely that I would ever need to use the towbar for anything but this, so an easier clip on/clip off system would be my preference.
We have a Maxx rack -which can hold up to 4 adult bikes. We had to have the plate "fitted" on behind the tow bar for us but the actual rack lifts on/off fairly quickly with just one allen key and best of all it will tip forward to allow access to the boot. I think it cost about £65.
We've got the Tri-raxx (as the Max-raxx) above, but takes 3 bikes! It is pretty good, and can be used at the same time as towing. It was well under £100.
Our only criticism is that the plastic caps which cushion the carriers' bike cradles do tend to slip off during transit. We usually put some extra foam pipe insulation around the bike frames to protect them though anyway.
Worth knowing is that many ladies bikes and kids bikes (especially the Y shape frame ones) will need false cross bars to hold them onto a bike carrier - these are about a tenner from places such as Halfords.
We manage to get 4 on it and are quite secure fastened on with bungees.
the carrier detatches quite easily too which is good, but you cant get into the boot while its attached :S saying that its on an Alhambra so we can get to the boot from inside the car.
I use a towbar mounted one and it can carry up to 3 bikes, cost less than £30 and I got it from Towsure and I have had it for 5 years now and I regulary carry 2 very expensive bikes on it !!!
Hi, I have a Thule "hang-on" towbar mounted rack for sale at £50, with lightboard. It's unused (came with the new car towbar package). If you think you might be interested, email me: andy.roche"at"virgin.net and I can get you more info.
Wilkins - yes the thule systems where the bike sits on a surface can generally hinge outwards away from the boot to give access.
Thanks for the offer Andy, and it's a good deal, that rack (3 bike?) + board would be around £70 new, however I have decided on one of the systems where the bikes can sit on a surface and be clamped above, I suspect you would find a good home for it through ebay easily enough.
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Topic: Towbar cycle racks
