Electric bikes weight on Fiamma carrier

[steveveets]

Hi am I worrying too much? We have a Fiamma 2 bike carrier on the rear of our coachbuilt Eton 2007. We've just purchased two ebikes that weigh 27kg each, I can take the battery packs off (3.5kg ea) reducing the total weight of two bikes to 47kg on the carrier. The Fiamma spec says max weight 60kg but I imagine that's on a new carrier recently fitted and ours could potentially be 15 years old.
Anyone had a similar situation?

 

[rosalan]

ebikes are not cheap. I would also be concerned about their vulnerability. Quite a number of people do not have an expensive Ebike, yet.

 

[dunnah01]

Hi am I worrying too much? We have a Fiamma 2 bike carrier on the rear of our coachbuilt Eton 2007. We've just purchased two ebikes that weigh 27kg each, I can take the battery packs off (3.5kg ea) reducing the total weight of two bikes to 47kg on the carrier. The Fiamma spec says max weight 60kg but I imagine that's on a new carrier recently fitted and ours could potentially be 15 years old.
Anyone had a similar situation?

Stripped ours down a few weeks ago to clean and the ally and steel bits are like new after 12 years so I wouldn't worry at all if there is no obvious damage or corrosion

 

[Just smiffy]

Good practice to keep the batteries in the motorhome when the bikes are on the back, there the most expensive bit…

 

[namwaldog]

We do as you, remove the batteries, but also remove the seat and pillar. This removes a little more weight and, together with turning & locking handlebars through 90°, adds a little more security.

We also added a stainless spreader plate to both top carrier mountings as they are inside a locker

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[steveveets]

Good advice from you all many thanks

 

[Landy Andy]

I’d be worried about the back wall of the motorhome. That’s why I removed my bike rack.

 

[Badknee]

As suggested take as much off the bike as possible, takes weight away from the rack and makes the bikes less attractive to scroats

 

[steveveets]

I’d be worried about the back wall of the motorhome. That’s why I removed my bike rack.

Hi Andy - do you take bikes with you and if so how do you transport them?

 

[rosalan]

We carry our bikes in the garage with just the handlebars lowered down.
It can be a good idea to fit an inverter if you do not alredy have one. You can re-charge your bike batteries. Mine is a cheap 800w inverter and not a pure sine wave but it still manages to charge two bikes at the same time if the battery is healthy.

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[steveveets]

We carry our bikes in the garage with just the handlebars lowered down.
It can be a good idea to fit an inverter if you do not alredy have one. You can re-charge your bike batteries. Mine is a cheap 800w inverter and not a pure sine wave but it still manages to charge two bikes at the same time if the battery is healthy.

If only we had a garage

 

[Landy Andy]

Hi Andy - do you take bikes with you and if so how do you transport them?

Sorry. But in the garage for ours, which I know you can’t. E bikes are too costly to leave exposed to the elements in my experience.

 

[Cookieboy68]

Been carrying our ebikes on the same rack as yours for 2 years now.With batteries off they weigh 48 kg combined.We have a 2002 hymer b574.Had no issues

 

[Cookieboy68]

A good bike cover is recommended, we have one by Taylormade for 2 bikes.Fits well,keeps the weather out,and also good for keeping them out of sight,out of mind.We also lock them together and too the bike rack.

 

[pappajohn]

I use a 2 bike Thule rack on the car.
As I have an electric Dutch style city bike (heavy) I use it in the foremost channel to keep the weight near the towball.
The bike still rocks a bit but with two clamp arms onto the bike frame it's going nowhere.

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[Bevlar]

We had 2 ebikes on a fiamma rack and the rear top alloy brakets failed going over a speed ramp entering a campsite doing less than 5 mph could have caused a major accident at speed. The alloy braket looked as though it had metal fatigue and the rack was only six years old. Fiamma sent me some new brakets plus I fitted an additional U bracket for pease of mind.

 

[Mikeco]

Our two ebikes weigh around 45 kg but I have carried them on the rack fixed to the rear door of our panel van for the last 5 years when travelling to Spain. The rack is only rated at 35 kg but I have bolted the rack to the door and there are no signs of distortion.
I used to carry two bikes on a Fiamma rack fixed to the back of the caravan with no problem and that was fixed by coach screws not bolts so I don’t believe that you have a problem especially if it is fixed through the rear wall with spreader plates inside.

 

[huck999]

We have the lowering type of rack.

Two bikes weight in at about 60kg with security chains etc. As all the weight is carried on the top bracket, make sure this is very secure.

I cannot, however, recommend the Fiamma Premium S bike covers.
A clever idea which works well once you figure out how to use it, especially when used with the lowering racks.
BUT - Bought to cover our ebikes, ours leaked, seams split and frayed and at the end of 3000 mile trip was only good for the bin.
Next trip we will stick to a tarpaulin.

 

[Nanniemate]

We have the lowering type of rack. View attachment 628876
Two bikes weight in at about 60kg with security chains etc. As all the weight is carried on the top bracket, make sure this is very secure.

I cannot, however, recommend the Fiamma Premium S bike covers.
A clever idea which works well once you figure out how to use it, especially when used with the lowering racks.
BUT - Bought to cover our ebikes, ours leaked, seams split and frayed and at the end of 3000 mile trip was only good for the bin.
Next trip we will stick to a tarpaulin.

Would have loved one of these but no good for a PCV . I carry my ebike on the back followed VERY CAREFULLY all the insurance companies requirements. If the scroats want the bikes the plastic windows will not stop them getting the batteries. 2 u bolts one old one insurance requirement, and a cable lock bike cover so its not advertised. Cannot be scared to leave it all the time. When I leave the van foe a few hours and come back so far the bike has still been there.

 

[GlennL]

I was worried about the weight of our ebikes on our fiamma bike rack
which was rated at 60kg but it was the weight going through the rear wall of the motorhome that worried me. The combined weight of our bikes is 45kg with the batteries taken off. I decided to buy a Atera tow ball mounted ebike carrier. I feel much happier now the weight is on the tow ball and not on the rear wall of the motorhome.

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[steveveets]

Thanks again for all your advice. Will be checking the carrier fixings before putting the bikes on. No towbar but will be looking into that.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

We take the batteries and seats off as the seats are on quick release fixings and the seats need removing to take the batteries out anyway.

 

[Just smiffy]

If everyone is worrying about their bikes on the back from thefts then it’s not worth having them, you’ve just got to be the unlucky one…

I know they are easy targets but if you get back to your parking spot your bikes will probably be leaning up against a post and it’s the motorhome that’s gone….

Then your house is left all alone when your away for weeks and it’s just a pane of glass for security and if we all worried about that we’d never go away….

 

[jumar]

If everyone is worrying about their bikes on the back from thefts then it’s not worth having them, you’ve just got to be the unlucky one…

I know they are easy targets but if you get back to your parking spot your bikes will probably be leaning up against a post and it’s the motorhome that’s gone….

Then your house is left all alone when your away for weeks and it’s just a pane of glass for security and if we all worried about that we’d never go away….

We do take steps to prevent our bikes from being knicked, they cost a packet, and provide us with part of our daily entertainment ( Other forms of entertainment are available) to replace 2 would cost us about 12,000€...we have another 7000€ worth in the spare bedroom at home....Therefore taking steps is required....a friend of mine was a semi-pro mountain bike racer once told me that he, and fellow racers, were targeted most race days...after the event some were followed by thieves, seeing their expensive rides on the back of cars, in trailer etc expected them to stop off at a motorway services or other locations to have a post race chat and get some refreshments....during this time there bikes were either knicked or tampered with..
Therefore, keeping bikes out of sight, secured and be mindful of the possibility that someone might want to spoil your day is a very important issue.