5 practical bike carriers for the rear of the car

A good bike mount does not necessarily have to be expensive. This is confirmed by the Thule Xpress 970 bike rack, designed for installation on a car tow bar.

Mounting the holder takes just a couple of seconds — its lower part covers the top of the tow bar on both sides and is clamped on it with a folding crossbar. To protect the fastening from theft, a lock hole is provided at the bend of the crossbar. Folding the bike holder also happens in just a couple of movements, besides, when folded, it takes up a minimum of space.

In general, Thule Xpress 970 is almost an perfect solution for girls. The small weight of the bike carrier (4.3 kg) makes it easy to remove and install it on the tow bar, and the optimal position of bicycles relative to ground level does not require them to be raised to a greater height (as in the case of roof solutions). Securing bicycles is also very simple — rubber straps clinging to the frame and one long strap covering the "two-wheeled horse" through the frame and wheel are used for this.

In the model, almost everything pleases, except, perhaps, the partial overlap of its design with the visibility of the license plate and parking lights (not in all cases). The Thule Light Board adapter with a place to install the license plate and additional headlights is designed to help correct this mistake. However, it costs exactly the same as the bike mount itself, so not every owner of the Thule Xpress 970 is ready to dare to purchase an adapter.

The Italian roots of the bicycle mount Peruzzo Verona PZ 382SC can be traced both in the name of the brand and in the name of the model, which received its name in honor of the city of Verona.

Mounting can be advised for the purchase of owners of SUVs, as well as cars in the back of a minivan, hatchback and station wagon, since the method of mounting the model involves its installation on the boot lid. The interface points of the bike holder with the elements of the car body are protected by rubber nozzles, which serve to preserve the integrity of the paintwork. But on a jeep with a rear-mounted spare wheel, the Peruzzo Verona PZ 382SC will not — owners of such cars should pay attention to bicycle fasteners with a method of mounting on a spare wheel.

The model is designed to carry three bicycles with a frame thickness of less than 60 mm weighing 15 kg each. Their additional fixation is provided by using a separate belt. It is not recommended to leave bicycles unattended, because there is no lock for attaching them to the holder in the design of the model. However, you can always use an anti-theft metal cable for these purposes, passing it between the frame of the bike and the steel base of the bicycle fastener.

In some cases, bicycles mounted on the mount may partially block the visibility of the rear headlights of the car. In particular, this applies to car models with lights located on the sides of the boot door. Also, one should not lose sight of the increase in the dimensions of the car, which must be taken into account when rebuilding and parking. If all precautions are taken, the transportation of bicycles turns from a burdensome task into a simple action that absolutely everyone can cope with.

The bicycle mount on the tow bar of the Thule RideOn series is available in two versions: the number "2" at the end of the model name indicates the possibility of installing two bicycles on the platform, and "3" (Thule RideOn 9503 ) — respectively three.

The mounting points of the bicycle on the structure are the frame and wheels, for which soft fabric belts are used. Three mounting points ensure maximum stability of the "two-wheeled horse" during transportation. The total load capacity of the platform is 30 kg, and the weight of each individual bike on it should not exceed 16-17 kg.

The model is mounted on the tow bar using a bolt clamp, which is tightened and loosened with a special key. The connection is designed in such a way as to provide access to the opening of the car boot door without removing the bicycles. The platform with them simply deviates by a small angle forward.

On a separate panel, catafoats and headlights are installed, which duplicate the readings of the rear lights (dimensions, stops and turns), and there is also a place for the license plate. The panel is connected to the car via a 7-pin connector. With the presence of additional headlights, the transportation of bicycles becomes safer at night and in cases when the visibility of the rear lights of the car is partially or completely blocked.

The strong, reliable and easy—to-install Thule RaceWay 991 bike mount is suitable for mounting on almost any type of passenger cars — the holder fits equally well on the boot lid of a sedan, station wagon, hatchback or SUV.

The model clings to the boot door using four steel cables with rubberized gaskets at the ends, which are inserted into the cracks between the lid and the car body. The tension of the cables is carried out by means of a ratchet mechanism — it allows the gear wheel to rotate only in one direction, so the holder owner will not have to worry about a possible weakening of the tension.

Bicycles in the amount of 2 pcs. they are placed on the platform and fixed on it with rubber straps covering the frame of the "two-wheeled horse" in several places at once. Special dividers do not allow bicycles to come into contact with each other and touch any parts of the car body. In addition, bicycles are locked on the mount with a key, and the holder itself, in turn, is also locked on the boot.

The shock absorption system used in the platform design effectively softens the unevenness of the roadway, minimizing the impact of a bad road on the installed bicycles. Another advantage of the model is its compactness when folded. But there was still a fly in the ointment in a barrel of honey — the design of Thule RaceWay 991 blocks the visibility of the rear license plate, and there is no special place on the mount for duplicating the number. Well, if you plan to transport not 2, but 3 bicycles, there is a similar model with three seats in the range of products of the Swedish brand Thule — Thule RaceWay 992 .

A good bike rack for three bicycles weighing up to 20 kg each involves installation on a car tow bar. The model range of the New Zealand company also includes a version for transporting two bicycles (Whispbar WH CKT21 ). And the optional Whispbar Cykell CK602 Extra Wheel Holder adapter expands the number of bike seats by one more.

The design of the bicycle fastener is thought out to the smallest detail. Bicycles on it are fixed both by the frame and by the wheels (with a pressure-type buckle) and in addition are locked. A separate locking mechanism is provided for the bike carrier itself. Bicycles with round (22-70 mm in diameter) or oval frames (less than 65x80 mm in size) are compatible with the model.

The creator of the model also took care of providing access to the unhindered opening of the boot lid, for which it is only necessary to deflect the platform with the bikes a little forward. The safety point was also not ignored — a panel with a place to install a license plate and duplicate headlights allows other road users to see turn signals and stop lights of your car. The panel is connected to the vehicle's on-board power supply via a 13-pin connector.

Not everything is so smooth only with the price of bicycle fastening, which is really too high. However, it is not worth saving on the safety of transportation of "two-wheeled horses". Whispbar WH CRT31 is the choice for those who value maximum practicality and reliability in transporting bicycles.