Choosing The Right Bike Rack
Modern bike technology has made transporting a bike by car much simpler than in the past. Quick release wheels, seats and brakes mean that, in just a few seconds, a bike can be stripped to the point where it fits easily within the boot of most cars.
Needless to say this has a few associated problems. Whilst inside the vehicle, the bike is very difficult to secure and, as a result, vulnerable to damage. Another huge drawback is that with the bike inside the car, there's very little room left for luggage and/or passengers.
One simple solution to all of this is a bike carrier system. These come in various shapes and sizes, and it's difficult to know which type best suits your needs. To help you decide, we've included some of the advantages and disadvantages of each system below:-
Firstly, if you already own a roof bar system then, without doubt, the best system to opt for is a roof mounted rack. These hold the bike(s) securely in place, avoid any problems with obscured rear lights, and tend to inherently less vulnerable to theft. Where the increase in vehicle height is not likely to cause a problem, and the user is physically able to lift the bike to vehicle roof height, these systems are definitely to be recommended.
If you don't currently own a roof bar system, then the purchsing decision hinges mainly on cost and frequency of use. With a large percentage of cars, a roof bar system plus roof mounted rack still costs around the same as a high quality, secure rear mounted carrier.
If you are trying to carry bikes on a budget though, rear carriers can offer a significant cost saving. If you only intend to use the carrier occasionally, and don't plan to leave the vehicle unattended when the bikes are in place on the rack, then any of the budget carriers will probably suit your needs. Consideration needs to be given however to the rear lighting on the vehicle - many vehicle's lights (or number plate) can be obscured by a rack when in place. If necessary, a high mount carrier can help avoid this problem. Alternatively, a trailer light board can be used, either in conjunction with an existing towbar lighting socket, or an additionl socket placed conveniently on the rear of the vehicle.
If your vehicle does happen to have a towbar fitted, and you don't plan on carrying bikes whilst towing, then it's worthwhile considering a towball mounted carrier. These combine the ease of loading of a rear carrier with the security of a roof mount system, and the better quality systems even include their own numberplate holder and light board.
Finally, if you're an MPV or 4 wheel drive owner, then there are a few other options aimed specifically at your type of vehicle. For MPVs, there are now internal mounting systems, that can keep up to 4 bikes securely held in place within the vehicle - drastically reducing the threat of theft and damage but, again, at the cost of internal carrying capacity. Alternatively, high mount rear carriers can now be purchased that avoid obscuring rear lights, etc, allow the luggage compartment to be opened with the rack in place, but don't cause a major increase in vehicle height. For 4 wheel drives, with an externally mounted spare wheel, we can also offer bike racks that fit to the spare wheel carrier, allowing two bikes to be carried easily, and also doubling up as ski or snowboard carrier using an optional adaptor.
With such a wide range of products on offer, and such a huge number of considerations to take into account, you may still be uncertain about which type of system to consider purchasing. If so, then please don't hesitate to contact us. Most of our staff have first hand experience using all of the systems we sell, and will be more than happy to assist you in making a purchasing decision.