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Having just read the cost of towbar thread thought it would be a good time to ask whats the latest on towbar mounted racks. I have a new company car coming in a few months (the fact you pretty much pay the entire cost of the towbar over the course of the lease to borrow it for 3.5 years rankles a bit but then I'm on the EV BIK gravy train so suppose I shouldn't grizzle too much)
I would like a 3 bike tilting job that can take an XL long wheelbase ebike. Which Thule/Atera/other should I be looking at? I'm a bit anti Thule to be honest as part of the ratchet broke on a Raceway I have and Thule told me it was out of warranty, we don't do spares so you're on your own mate. As well as being shit CS that's also not exactly eco so come to think of it screw Thule (unless a decent one comes up second hand of course)
Had excellent service from my Buzzrack.
I've only got a 2 bike model, but it tilts and folds, and is very robust.
Fits my XL long wheelbase hardtail and 29+ bikes no problem.
I imagine they do a 3 or 4 bike one too.
Much cheaper than Thule too.
Main issue is going to be nose weight allowed on the towball and how much the rack and bikes weigh - XL ebike is going to be heavier than a medium bike, but it all needs to add up to up to maximum nose weight - Rack + ebike + (e)bike + (e)bike = <= nose weight.
Smaller engined cars tend to have lower nose weight - I don't know how it works for EVs though.
Unsure if the latest racks from all manufacturers have increased spacing to accommodate boost spacing, but when I looked a year ago, many of them were still 19cm which was too narrow for 2 boost framed bikes. 25cm works much better.
Get a 'light' rack to allow more weight for the bikes, but be aware that the lighter the rack the more 'wobble' the rack will have whilst driving.
I tried a few for my large 29er FS ebike and settled on the Yakima. Way easier to fit, secure and transport that the similar offerings that I tried from Thule and Altera. I have the 3rd bike extender though have never used it.
How have you found the Yakima @iainc ? Have you had a Thule one before to compare it against? I quite the look of one, had a Thule one a few years ago (VeloCompact?) and the quality of it was good but the Yakima ones look better thought out.
I had the Thule velospace, then the Atera Strada and sold them for the Yakima. The Thule was good, but I couldn’t find a good way to clamp the frame with the jaws parallel to any tube, so they were always just clamped on their edges, which worried me. I tried to keep them loose and the bike bounced out the clamp one day, and gently folded down on the rack, no damage done. The Strada was less good and never managed to grab a firm hold of towball, despite following all the guidance. The wheel clamps were really poor too.
Yakima just works and is simplicity itself. I bought a secondary frame tube clamp from Fiamma, which I use on top tube, and the main Yakima one on the seattube.
Cheers all. Quite like the look of the Buzzrack E Hornet 3. Good point on the nose weight, from a bit of googling seems to be 75kg. That Buzzrack can take 60 and rack weighs 19kg so that should work OK with battery off the bike
Thought I'd reply here for similar recommendations rather than make a new thread...
Looking for a rack to fit 2-3 bikes (not e-bikes) including a 1305mm wheelbase XL 29. Have a tow bar and roof bars and would consider both options. Any further recommendations to those already mentioned?
I am on the hunt as well. I was going to order a Atera but ianc has put me off. The Yakima is outside my price range and unavailable anyway
Anybody tried the Halfords version which is cheaper but possibly flimsier?
I'm pretty sure I've got this rack - https://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehsel4_tab.php/car-specific-accessories/atera_strada_e_bike_ml_2_bike_carrier_no_ar2696/Qx%40w%2C6M42VAwp3%40Rb%7B~cC4urewJaYI - works very well and is wide enough for boost spaced bikes.
If going with the 3rd rack the spacing isn't as wide as the 2 inner but everything seems to fit.
I was going to order a Atera but ianc has put me off.
Mine was certainly poorer quality and less secure than the Thule, which I’d have kept if the clamp fitted the seat tube or top tube at right angles. Yakima seems much more adaptable to bike frame shape and the towball clamp is a thing of wonder 😁
I think the model 3 has a 55kg nose weight limit.
I have a Thule Velospace XT2.
Tbh it’s excellent, space for boost & fat bikes. Has had a couple of Haibike (?) FS e bikes on it too when we hired some for a day.
I’ve not had an issue with the clamping, it just works.
(It’s also for sale. You can buy a third bike kit for it).
I had an Atera roof rack and it put me off Atera stuff and roof racked bikes forever. When you’ve had a towbar rack you never go back...
Good to know about the Yakima - thanks @iainc