Tow ball bike racks - advice please.

pete@chesterfield

pete@chesterfield

Joined
Jan 3, 2019
Posts
9
Likes collected
4
Funster No
57,799
MH
Pilote P710sensation
Exp
2019
Hey Guys, I am looking to put a bike rack on my motorhome, I already have a tow bar / ball fitted and I was thinking of getting a bike rack that fits on the tow ball. Its just for 1 small electric bike.
What are your thoughts / insights,
# are these types of bike rack safe and secure?
# do I need it fitted by a professional?
# all advice welcome.

Thanks in anticipation.

Pete
Pilote P710
 
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Secure ? Probably not. But there are some very heavy duty D locks on the market these days that will resist an angle grinder attack. This one gets rave reviews
www.theelectricbikeshop.co.uk

Onguard D-Lock Rocksolid 8950 90x175mm Sold Secure Diamond Rating

Onguard D-Lock Rocksolid 8950 90x175mm Sold Secure Diamond Rating £169.99
www.theelectricbikeshop.co.uk www.theelectricbikeshop.co.uk
 
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The first thing we did when we bought our MH in 2020 was have a tow bar fitted specifically so that we could add a ‘tow bar bike rack’ for our two electric bikes.

The weight limit on the ‘ball’ is 60kg. Our two bikes plus the weight of the rack is 62kg but less when removing the batteries.

The rack simply clamps on, (with a lock) so we only add it when required.

The arms that secure the bikes also have locks.

We also use three different, bike lock chains to secure them.

(Bear in mind that it will affect the way you spread the load carried in the MH)

We have used it extensively with no problems 👍
 
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We have Thule easyfold 2 it locks to the towball and the bike clamps lock so slowing down removal, but we also have silver rated frame locks to lock the rear wheels and gold rated liteloks that go around the bikes and carrier.
The Thule is good but expensive but so were the bikes so worth it.
 
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I have a Westfalia 2+bike version and I love it!

I was worried about whether it can really grip the twoball, but needn’t have been. It grips perfectly and the rack doesn’t move at all.

How hard it grips is adjustable - best to adjust to where you can only just move the gripping lever into place so you know it’s gripping hard.

Towball racks are low, so make it easy to put your bikes on and off.

If you already have the towball and trailer electrics, there’s no “fitting” for a professional to do: you bring the rack into position on the ball, hold it level, swing the gripping lever into place, lock the lever and remove the key, connect up the electric cable, unfold the bars on which the bikes sit … and you’re ready to load bikes. When you don’t need the rack, you reverse the above, and put the rack away.

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pete@chesterfield said:
Hey Guys, I am looking to put a bike rack on my motorhome, I already have a tow bar / ball fitted and I was thinking of getting a bike rack that fits on the tow ball. Its just for 1 small electric bike.
What are your thoughts / insights,
# are these types of bike rack safe and secure?
# do I need it fitted by a professional?
# all advice welcome.

Thanks in anticipation.

Pete
Pilote P710
Click to expand...
We fitted a tow bar bike rack because always a bit skeptical about hanging 2 bikes on the back wall. We went for a thule 2 bike rack and we put 2 mountain bikes on all year round. Never had any issues and can even stand on the rack to clean the back of the van. Not cheap but quality is good and they lock onto the ball so stopping anyone walking away with it.
 
Upvote 0
pete@chesterfield said:
Hey Guys, I am looking to put a bike rack on my motorhome, I already have a tow bar / ball fitted and I was thinking of getting a bike rack that fits on the tow ball. Its just for 1 small electric bike.
What are your thoughts / insights,
# are these types of bike rack safe and secure?
# do I need it fitted by a professional?
# all advice welcome.

Thanks in anticipation.

Pete
Pilote P710
Click to expand...
We've driven tens of thousands of miles with a tow bar rack loaded with 2 x full size ebikes. Never had a issue.... It has been totally safe and secure from a load carrying point of view.

Security against theft is another thing, but we use gold rated D locks and a big gold rated chain, along with a cover on the bikes all of the time and we feel safe and secure in that respect.
 
Upvote 0
pete@chesterfield said:
Hey Guys, I am looking to put a bike rack on my motorhome, I already have a tow bar / ball fitted and I was thinking of getting a bike rack that fits on the tow ball. Its just for 1 small electric bike.
What are your thoughts / insights,
# are these types of bike rack safe and secure?
# do I need it fitted by a professional?
# all advice welcome.

Thanks in anticipation.

Pete
Pilote P710
Click to expand...
Hi Pete I just happen to have one for sale in classifieds Classified ad 'Pro User Amber 1 towbar bike rack' https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/classifieds/pro-user-amber-1-towbar-bike-rack.9123/
 
Upvote 1
I too have a one for sale in classifieds HERE pete@chesterfield but it’s probably mire suited to a PVC or car that needs to open the rear fours. It is however a very good rack, top one fir choice according to Roofbox I think.

Off on my holidays tomorrow though for 8 weeks 😊
 
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Had to replace mine when we changed to electric bikes due to weight . Found a Halfords pro 60kg locally little used paid less than half the price. Well worth looking at the ones offered in classified .Easy to use ,very secure to van ,you could use second rail to carry outdoor chair etc.

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We've used a Thule one for many years (on our car but works exactly the same on the moho) never had an issue with it, occasionally with 4 bikes on it. Ours has the lockable frame clamps...but 30 seconds with a hacksaw or 5 seconds with a cordless grinder would cut through the alloy arm. All you need to do is make sure the bikes are less accessible than the bikes on the car/van parked next to you. (For those concerned about weight on a rear wall mounted moho bike rack...there have been plenty of cases of the rack, 2 bikes and 1 or 2 migrants all on the same rack and I've yet to hear of a failure of the rack/wall...)
 
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Hey Guys
Thanks very much for all the replies, really helpful and much appreciated.
Pete

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To add…

I use some plumbing insulation piping around the d-lock to protect against the frames.

Also I place some large plastic ties which cross-over the rack clamps as some additional fasteners.

Also when you get the bikes set up, take some photos so you have reference points for next time.
 
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