Who does the best tow-bar bike racks these days?

Yakima JustClick

The obvious option is Thule but also have a look at BuzzRack. They're sold via Roofbox UK and I'm on my second. All depends on your budget really.

Just bought a Buzzrack. I think it's great - easy to use, everything feels burly and sized right (thick wide straps), solid. It tilts and it folds to store. The only downside I see - possibly - it's quite heavy. Which in itself isn't a problem but I don't know if the mrs will be able to use it on her own (but she does shy away from things that might be a bit tricky sometimes...)

Go through ukcampsite.co.uk for 5% off.

Thanks, those Yakimas look really good. Has anyone used the 2+1 version rather than the 3 and is there any issues at all with the click-on extra rack? Didn't realise that was an option and generally will only need the 2, with the third only needing to take a kids bike and I sorta think I might never need that as I can put all our gear in a roof box if I need to put the kids bikes in the boot.

Budget wise I don't really want to spend £4-500, but if a middle-budget option is £300, I probably don't mind spending the extra if it's worth it.

I have a buzzrack, had it a couple of years, no problems at all.
Works well.

Just watch out if you have an XL bike. I've tried a few recently but they've all been too small.

Buzzrack are good, if a bit burly. But I like that, feels like it's built to last 😁
Mine fits a long, low and slack large hardtail with 27.5+ tyres no problem.

I've been looking out for a used one for ages but nothing has popped up. I've also got a long bike so there's loads of older models which it doesn't really fit on.

Open to suggestions. I might just drop the money on a brand new Buzz Rack from Roofbox. I liked my Buzz Rack Buffalo but it only works on frames where you can fit the arms through the front triangle and my new frame is too tight.

On our 5th year of a Thule velocompact. For the second time in two years I was stopped whilst removing in to put it in the boot to have a chat about it by another parent in centerparcs. Great piece of kit.

I just bought a Halfords cooking 4 bike rack for £220. Assembled it with Mrs Davy90, fitted it, dropped 4 bikes on the back (3 small framed hard tails, one of which is a 29er and my gravel bike) and drove to the Scotland from London.

I don't need it to drop to access the boot (the van has a side hung rear door which will be obstructed no matter what with a tow bar rack) and have no issue using the supplied spanner to fit it. The vertical 'u' posts and rubber pad work well and are adjustable to suit the different bike geometries, the wheel straps are a bit more fiddly than the plastic ratchets on other brands (which I have on my Thule roof rack) and I need to spin the bars on two bikes which is as much a function of relative saddle heights as anything else but for the price I can't fault it.

Reviews state it may struggle with longer wheelbase bikes..

Buzzrack E Scorpion 2 easy takes two long mtbs and easy to use. Roofbox best place to buy from.

I’m on my second Atera Strada. Previously an Evo on an estate, now a DL for a van

They slide rather than tilt

Buzzrack Scorpion here, echo the comments above

paulrockliffe
Free Member
Thanks, those Yakimas look really good. Has anyone used the 2+1 version rather than the 3 and is there any issues at all with the click-on extra rack? Didn’t realise that was an option and generally will only need the 2, with the third only needing to take a kids bike and I sorta think I might never need that as I can put all our gear in a roof box if I need to put the kids bikes in the boot.

Budget wise I don’t really want to spend £4-500, but if a middle-budget option is £300, I probably don’t mind spending the extra if it’s worth it.

that is exactly the one I have and it is ideal. Simple to use and no issues. I previously had Thule and Atera ones and found there was always a compromise with them so sold on pretty quickly. Had the Yakima now for nearly 3 years.

What is the selling point on the Yakimas? They seem very normal, with a standard level of mind-bending when trying to fit several different shapes and sizes of bikes. Or is there something not immediately apparent from the photos?

^^^ the attachment to car is very good, it self adjusts so you simply pop it on the ball and fold the rack down and it’s solidly attached to the ball with no tightening etc required. It is wide enough for a big 29er ebike and doesn’t take up much garage space, oh and it’s got wheels that help moving it around when storing.

For attaching the bike I add a secondary aftermarket clamp too

https://www.agentfiamma.co.uk/fiamma-bike-block-pro.html

We just got back from a first trip to France with our buzz rack eazzy 4 which we got from roofbox.co.uk. It was great, my only complaint is that we somehow lost the number plate en route so I need a new holder for £12. I think this is my fault for not fitting it properly though.

It just about takes a big long enduro bike and also fits a 16” wheel kids bike.

Thule Velospace XT2 here, excellent rack, fits two big enduro bikes no problem, as well as two big eebs. Both over 1300mm wheelbase. XT3 for 3 bikes if I needed the third space.

As well as length you need to consider space between bikes. I have a Thule velocompact which is fine with two road bikes but a real pain with two mtbs. It always ends in stem twisting, pedal manoeuvring and seat post pain.

The best i found for length, strength and gaps was the Atera Strada E-XL.

I bought the Yakima in the end, it arrived today. Really impressed with it, it's all well thought out and easy to use. I'd cocked up the wiring for my electrics on the car, so 4 pins needed to be swapped over, but that's all sorted now. I've had to order a different tow-ball so Friday I'll be able to go on adventures.

Does anyone know of an adaptor or whatever for the wheel straps for road bikes? With them designed to accommodate fat bikes, they're not really the best on my road bike so I was thinking some sort of shaped rubber block to pop over the rim first to get things nice and snug. Before I start up my 3D printer and find an old innertube, does anyone make something suitable?

Buzzrack E Scorpion 2 way takes bikes with wheel base 1.3m plus. Nicely spaced and easy rack to use.

I’m the tradition of recommending what you have even if it’s not what’s being asked for, I’d like to recommend the burtec trailer - love ours. 6 bikes loaded in a couple of minutes with literally no downsides*

*your milage may vary

Don't see so many of the horizontal-mounted racks in Oz now, everyone's moving to vertical. Not sure it they're legal in the UK. I got a four bike one and it's fantastic.

They don't obscure lights, so no need for wiring, just a plate.
Quick to load and no risk of the bikes bumping each other.
Great for uplifts on bumpy dirt tracks.
With my large LLS bike I can still get in to the 2.2m car park at work too.

with literally no downsides

I really like the idea of a bike trailer, but that’s a bit of a parking-based fib

Don’t see so many of the horizontal-mounted racks in Oz now, everyone’s moving to vertical. Not sure it they’re legal in the UK. I got a four bike one and it’s fantastic.

Is that because in Australia you have those big square tow hitches which are strong enough to plug in anything you like? That's what they use in North America. I imagine the nose weight isn't much of a consideration when everyone has a huge truck.

Over here we're stuck with our hatchbacks and tiny balls.

Yeah. 2 inch square hitch.
Nose weight is still an issue legally… but nobody seems to care. There’s also rules about overhang. In my state you can’t overhang the rear more than 60% of the wheelbase. Vertical racks are potentially better.

almost no-one tests multiple racks, so its a bit of a lucky dip of people recommending what they have with little other experience.

I really like the idea of a bike trailer, but that’s a bit of a parking-based fib

is there a reason no-one makes a small trailer with a trolly-style wheel on it (ie can turn any direction), but the trailer is fixed in left-right alignment with the car? it seems like this would take the weight off the towbar but not increase any faff with regards parking/towing

Interestingly it seems a receiver hitch is a thing in the U.K. now. Not sure if this is a change or they just weren’t popular? Either way let’s hope it catches on and vertical racks start appearing too: https://www.witter-towbars.co.uk/towbars/receiver-hitch-towbar

I saw about the receiver hitch thing, but it's too late now, as are most of these recent posts as I bought the first one that was recommended to me! The thing with vertical mounting the bikes is also that nose-weight is a function of weight and the horizontal distance to the COG of whatever you put on the back, so if it lets you package the bikes in the space better, potentially you can get away with more weight closer to the car.

Trailers the other downside is that you can't go as fast with them and it's another thing to think about when you're driving. I have an 8'x 4' livestock trailer that would easily adapt to carry the 7 bikes that my 7-seat car could fill with riders, but no way I'd want that hassle unless it was the only way we could do it. I'd rather put 4 bikes on the roof and 3 on the back and have people pack very light!

I actually resurrected the thread to ask about wheel adaptors for my road bike wheels, which are really undersized for the wheel tracks and straps.

Pop a bit of pipe lagging over the rims where the straps will go?