BIKE RACKS AND CARRIERS FOR CARS MEGATHREAD - all questions asked and answered here

ozzybmx

taking a shit with my boobs out
I would have thought the major casualty would be the fingers worn to stumps after constantly typing " If you're not serious just jog on mate"
I swapped a squllion messages with one bloke and didn't twig because his grammar and punctuation was on point. It was only when he asked me to hold the bike till x-mas as he was expecting a lot of money from his relations (nanna).

It was painful wading through the scammers and bullshit.
 

SummitFever

Eats Squid
Proper gal job (actually any gal job on a properly designed part) will also have coated the inside. For tubular structures this is awesome. Gal badly done can look terrible but its protective effect on the whole part is second to none.
 

Stredda

Runs naked through virgin scrub
would appear to me that mine is the first one. not sure if the two bolts can be undone to place a square receiver. open to any recommendations, would of course be nice to keep it in that 500-800 region but happy to spend 1500, not that i want to but when it comes to transporting bikes if it ensures something decent it's worth it.
View attachment 394807
It wouldn't be straight forward to attach a square receiver to that tow bar. If you had the gear, you could weld one on but if you didn't hand had to pay someone else to do the job, it's probably not worth it. Not sure if it's just the angle of the shot but the mounting plate for the tongue looks like it is angled upwards, and you really want a square receiver sitting pretty level.
I think you have few options....

1: Find a rack or an adapter to fit either the ball or better still, remove the ball and mount where the ball was located.

2: Buy a new tow bar with a square hitch receiver and a rack to suit.

3: Get a roof mounted rack.

A new towbar won't be cheap unless you can come across a second hand one as a new tow bar will cost around $1000.
 

Calvin27

Eats Squid
Hi folks,

Any roof racks that are rated for ebikes? I can't seem to find any that are rated to to the weight.

Not keen on splurging for a tow ball/hitch solution for the beater car that gets taken out for rides.
 

Sky_Collapsed

Not particularly enlightened
Not sure if it's just the angle of the shot but the mounting plate for the tongue looks like it is angled upwards, and you really want a square receiver sitting pretty level.
nope your right. it angles upwards.

or better still, remove the ball and mount where the ball was located.
How would this work?

1: Find a rack or an adapter to fit either the ball
Was mentioned to find a rack with an adaptor as part of the design but not sure what racks have this. Given i'm not a huge fan of roof racks and replacing the towbar is the nuclear option I'll look at using a rack with an adaptor as part of the design or if not too much messing about take your option of removing the towball and mouting where the ball was.

I'll have a poke around at racks this'sarvo and see what people here reckon (For mounting directly to towball).
 

Stredda

Runs naked through virgin scrub
How would this work?
I have seen some old-style racks that bolt through the hole where the tow ball bolts through or even use the tow ball like a bold to attach the rack.

A rack like below is a crap way to carry a modern mtb but I hope you get the idea of how this is mounted to you tow bar.
1669780352476.png
1669780588349.png
 

Sky_Collapsed

Not particularly enlightened
I have seen some old-style racks that bolt through the hole where the tow ball bolts through or even use the tow ball like a bold to attach the rack.

A rack like below is a crap way to carry a modern mtb but I hope you get the idea of how this is mounted to you tow bar.
View attachment 394866View attachment 394867
yeah that's how my current one attatches except its a platform design and weighs 90ton.

Anywho having a bit of a gander and just wondering what people think of this selection?





 

Haakon

has an accommodating arse
would appear to me that mine is the first one. not sure if the two bolts can be undone to place a square receiver. open to any recommendations, would of course be nice to keep it in that 500-800 region but happy to spend 1500, not that i want to but when it comes to transporting bikes if it ensures something decent it's worth it.
View attachment 394807
 

Smiker

Likes Dirt
They're all pretty compact racks, so it depends what bikes you're carrying. You'll need to be good with Tetris to make modern MTBs fit with wider pedals (ie big platform pedals) wide bars, long wheelbases etc. Not impossible, but a bit more faff when loading/unloading compared to a newer rack like a Kuat NV 2.0 or Yakima Stage Two, for example.
 

Haakon

has an accommodating arse
They're all pretty compact racks, so it depends what bikes you're carrying. You'll need to be good with Tetris to make modern MTBs fit with wider pedals (ie big platform pedals) wide bars, long wheelbases etc. Not impossible, but a bit more faff when loading/unloading compared to a newer rack like a Kuat NV 2.0 or Yakima Stage Two, for example.
Yeah, and they’re all needlessly expensive…

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - my German clamp contraption, a simple adapter welded up at a mates place and the cyclingdeal platform rack for $160 is awesome for those of us without square receiver bars. and those of us who don’t actually want a square receiver - the clamp thing is way easier to use!

Think it cost me about $350 all in including wiring up and mounting some lights on it.
 

Smiker

Likes Dirt
Well they're not expensive if people don't have the skill set to fab them up themselves, or aren't willing to risk the implcations of a backyard job dropping bikes on a public road at high (or low) speed. I've seen some excellent home made racks out there - and some nightmares. Same for production racks as well, to be honest!
 

Haakon

has an accommodating arse
Well they're not expensive if people don't have the skill set to fab them up themselves, or aren't willing to risk the implcations of a backyard job dropping bikes on a public road at high (or low) speed. I've seen some excellent home made racks out there - and some nightmares. Same for production racks as well, to be honest!
Sure. Mines not a backyard rack though - just an adapter piece to neatly attach one thing to the other ;)
 

moorey

call me Mia
Sure. Mines not a backyard rack though - just an adapter piece to neatly attach one thing to the other ;)
But is it the weak link though? I remember a few months back someones rack failed catastrophically because they had either welded an extension on or bought an extension.
 
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