Tow bar mounted bike racks
Has anyone experience of Tow Bar mounted Bike racks carrying Electric Bikes?
We have a Motorhome and are looking at the Pendle Tow Bar mounted Bike rack to carry my wife's Electric Trike plus electric Bike for myself. Has anyone using or has used this type of bike rack?
Ian
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I have a Thule tow bar one that can carry three e-bikes, although I've only used it for two. There is nothing special needed to carry an e-bike on any rack like this but you do have to be careful about the weight and usually the rack will say what the max weight to be carried will be. Racks for e-bikes just have a higher allowance.
I assume you mean without a caravan as well?
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As well as checking the weight on the tow bar, in order to remain legal, you will need to check the weight on your rear axle and the all up weight of your MH loaded in holiday mode which is best done at a weighbridge.
If weight proves to be an issue, it could be worth considering towing a small trailer.
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I'm like Cornersteady and have a towbar mounted Thule carrier for our 2 e-bikes. Fantastic bit of kit but it does weigh a bit and you'll have to find somewhere to store it but it will do the job you are after. It folds down to about the size of a large suitcase, takes up half of our SUV boot space.
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We do notice it on the rear of the car but no more than a caravan and the support bars and straps provided are stable plus lockable. I'm never worried about stability. The Thule sits on top of the towbar and clamps on then locks so clearance isn't a problem.
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If you push down the the clamping handle (similar to a caravan hitch) properly to the tow ball and tighten the holding clamps onto the bike's crossbar or downtube then there should be no bounce, or at least we have never found any. It's quite rigid. For some reason mine came with a 7 pin connector.
I notice that Thule now do (or perhaps always did) a more compact version see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkjTbTn3VCE
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If you mean ground clearance, there should be no difference as everything will he mounted above the towbar. However, if your MH has a long rear overhang and the trike protrudes far beyond the rear, you might increase your risk of grounding on a ramp.
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Only to add that a check should be made on the weight carried back axle is not over loaded.
The rear axle acts as a pivot, and the weight behind the axle lifts the front wheels. The weight “ lost” by the front wheels is carried on the back wheels increasing the weight on the axle.
if the vehicle has a long overhang, this can make quite a difference in loading and handling.
Any weight ( tow bar + bike rack+ bikes) is not dead weight when moving, but a pendulum. Very roughly 100 kg dead weigh might lift the front up by the equivalent of 20 kg, this is transferred back to rear axle. So the real load is 120 kg.
useful read https://www.watling-towbars.co.uk/motorhome_axle_loads.html
BtW Watling tow bar made our tow bar, and it has stood the rest of time with racks and trailers.
A search on thergds
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We have Thule kit for towbar mounting on our PVC; Velocompact and Easybase/Backup Box.Ground clearance not a problem with either and they do not bounce.Bear in mind that Thule are 7pin for electrics,so you may need to purchase an adaptor if the vehicle has 16pin fitted.No big deal,as it all works OK with adaptor in our experience.
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