Hey all,
Last year i invested in a new tow bar bike rack, from my original 2 bike Thule rack to a Thule VeloCompact 3. This was recommended by a few on this site and has been ok thus far.
Until i tried to fit 3 'proper' bikes onto it this weekend. Up to this point i have only ever used it with two modern adult bikes and one child's bike. Its always been a tight fit, having to use rags between bikes to stop them rubbing, but worked nonetheless.
This weekend i attempted to get 3 x 29er Enduro/Trail bikes on it and they just wouldn't fit. Clashing against each other, stopping the top clamp/bar to get anywhere near close to fitting. Forks against chain stays/drop outs. No matter what staggering of bikes there is no way they would fit. In the end one went in the boot.
I can only assume these racks are designed with road/hybrid/old MTB's in mind. Plus minimal overhang out the back of the vehicle.
Having spent nearly £1200 on a towbar and rack, i am a little peeved. Does anyone use a rack that can comfortably carry 3 'proper' bikes without some sort of game of bike Tetris every time you wish to load them?
Having had a brief look for a replacement, a dimension between bikes isn't something shared by all manufacturers. looks like mine is 19cm between bikes and some do look to be 25cm on the more expensive models. So its hard to tell if there is enough width across all manufacturers.
Unless of course i have been a plonker and assume the 'Compact' in the name related to the fact it folds up slightly to reduce overall size when not in use, but it actually means suitable for Brompton's only?!
Anyway... if anyone has one of these and uses it successfully, please share your tips. Otherwise, if you have a rack that you can easily fit a number of bikes on with little to no hassle... i am all ears!!!
Check out the Buzzrack range from roofbox.co.uk
I've got an e-Scorpion 2 from them, and there is masses of room between the bikes, and they take a huge wheelbase (even put my longtail cargo bike on there).
Take a look at any of the Hornet or Scorpion models and you should be good. They list the distance between bikes in the specs section:
removed link
They are a bit heavier than Thule (a bit less aluminium and a bit more steel), but the quality is top notch.
@catton6183 - great, thanks for the recommendation. i will take a look.
I share your pain. I have an Atera Strada and absolutely loathe it. I almost dread the summer holiday due to the insane stress of trying to fit 3.5 bikes on the 4 bike carrier the evening before we leave.
Have the links been removed by the author or by something else?
My ex has the thule EPOS 3 bike rack, that's apparently better than the older thule she had (that was only any good for a couple of proper bikes, and a kids bike)
@DickBarton - no links removed by me!
@mert - will take a look
@thegeneralist - its misery! especially after the financial investment 😭
This is the reason why I stopped using towbar racks probably more than 10 years ago because it's always been nearly impossible to fit the amount of bikes on the rack actually advertised for the amount of bikes. I really don't understand why it's so hard for them to comprehend and why they don't just increase the spacing!
Thule Velospace XT 2 fits two fatbikes with no rubbing and 197 hub spacing. Assume the XT3 will be similarly spaced out.
The Velocompact is so named because its.....compact. The Velospace is so named because....you guessed right, it has more space!
Velocompact for roadbikes/gravel bikes, Velospace for MTBs
Just to say Atera STRADA EVO is not the answer to your questions. I've got the 3-bike version and it'll take 2x enduro eBikes OK using the first and third bike slots.
There's no chance you're going to get 3 of anything with boost spacing (or maybe even just wide tubes) on it though. Like you, I've managed 3 bikes with a mix of kids' and my bike. It may well manage 3x road bikes but I haven't tried.
(Caveat, my rack is probably about 10 years old - they may have updated since but I doubt it).
Thule Velospace XT 2 fits two fatbikes with no rubbing and 197 hub spacing. Assume the XT3 will be similarly spaced out.
Slightly narrower spacing I believe but I have managed to get a (very long) Banshee Prime, a Cotic BFeMax and a Nukeproof Scout on it.
The only thing I had to do is use one of those double ended clamp things to clam the nukeproof to the cotic, the cotic is clamped to the rack. It was very difficult to thread the need for the longest clamp from the rack to the outermost bike.
I really don't understand why it's so hard for them to comprehend and why they don't just increase the spacing!
I suspect the problem is that these racks are already on the limit for typical car tow bars once you take into account the leverage of a clamped rack. For example, the 85kg limit on my A6 gets reduced to half that if the CofG of the bike rack is 600mm behind the tow ball.
I have an Atera Strada and absolutely loathe it
I have the same brand. 2 bike version, plus the add on for a third bike. I don't have a problem with it though. I don't loathe it, but I'm not in love with it either.
As said above it's all about the C of G. I try to get them as close to the towbar as possible, using pipe lagging, semi-rigid foam blocks and additional straps to mitigate any rubbing. Not ideal, but I live with it.
The Velocompact is so named because its.....compact. The Velospace is so named because....you guessed right, it has more space!
Velocompact for roadbikes/gravel bikes, Velospace for MTBs
funny you say that, as on the Thule website, it states the distance between bikes is 19cm for both models. And states both racks are for 'It is the ideal choice for a range of bike styles, including road bikes, ebikes or mountain bikes'.
So i am not so sure?!
thanks for all the replys folks. I have just purchased an Epos 3. All the reviews rave about it, has 25cm between bikes, so despite costing an arm and a leg, it should be perfect.
Life is too short to tolerate rubbish bike racks 😀
I'm considering one of those. Once you've tried it out, could you let us know what you think please?
If 2 bike work ok but trying to thread the arm through 3 frames is a pain, you could use the 4th bike adapter arm to clamp onto the 2nd and 3rd bikes. Lot cheaper than a new rack for occasional use.
If 2 bike work ok but trying to thread the arm through 3 frames is a pain, you could use the 4th bike adapter arm to clamp onto the 2nd and 3rd bikes. Lot cheaper than a new rack for occasional use.
i bought one of those for that exact reason and alas nowhere near long enough to attach bike 3 to bike 2.
Hoping i can return it, so its not £45 down the drain 🙁
Ah ok, the one I have on my Atera Strada works fine for the 4th bike and actually leans it out, but is maybe a bit longer than the Thule or something.
I had a medium Kona Process 153, medium Nukeproof Reactor, small Vitus hardtail and my wifes bike on the Atera Strada last summer and they went on fine. This year I only need to fit a large Transition Sentinel & C2 (medium) Cotic Rocket Max so hoping they go on ok. Mine a 3+1 rack so if I'm only putting 2 bike on I can leave a full space in between.
