Bicycle rack on back of caravan
Comments
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If loading bikes into a van is an issue, are you fit enough to be riding a bike?
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Riding a bike is easier than walking, and i can still manage that.
There is also a practical reason, the layout we prefer means the bikes are carried up front increasing the NW.
Bit of an issue on a U1. As et I'm unsure what NW Conquerors have, but it will mean the mover can go infront of the axle, not behind.
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Ok I admit that I haven't read through all of this. But it strikes me as strange(ly predictable). That for years the recieved wisdom from experts in the caravan press has been bikes on the back could cause dangerous instability. Swift group decide to have
fittings that could accommodate bikes on the back and not the proverbial dicky bird from these experts. Either it never was unwise or it still is unwise because as afaik the laws of physics didn't change with the 2016 caravan model year.0 -
Perhaps Swift have realised that the Europeans have towed with bikes on rear racks for years with out meeting disaster after disaster.
Although my 2004 Bailey had a rear bike option i didn't go that route due to the doom experts at the time.
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Perhaps Swift have realised that the Europeans have towed with bikes on rear racks for years with out meeting disaster after disaster.
Although my 2004 Bailey had a rear bike option i didn't go that route due to the doom experts at the time.
Not my point nothing else has changed. Worth pointing out that conteniental vans have a longer A frame which contributes to stability
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Adding bikes to the back of a caravan does affect the weight distribution and if you do this then you do need to check the noseweights and make sure the loading is correct. We tend to assume that the continentals always manage this safely but as far as I
know we do not have evidence to support this. There may in fact be problems but this has not been documented as the numbers are not high enough to show there might be a problem.0 -
Ok I admit that I haven't read through all of this. But it strikes me as strange(ly predictable). That for years the recieved wisdom from experts in the caravan press has been bikes on the back could cause dangerous instability. Swift group decide to have
fittings that could accommodate bikes on the back and not the proverbial dicky bird from these experts. Either it never was unwise or it still is unwise because as afaik the laws of physics didn't change with the 2016 caravan model year.Not a new thing actually. Our 10 year old Swift has a bike rack fitted and our previous Abbey also had one.....so that's at least 20 years they have had provision for bike racks.
There are no stability issues whatsoever.
There is absolutely no way that we could add the weight of two bike and a rack to the nose weight of our caravan, so a front mounting would be imposible (and very impractical).
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Why dont people listen to answers that are given, Ian says he has been towing for Twenty years with a rear bike rack and there are no stability issues. Can't beat experience.
Because they think they know better, even though they have never had a rear rack.
It was the same type of "experts" that put me of fitting one to my 2004 Senator which had the blocks fitted to carry a rack, it was a factory FOC option. Rack was extra.
Since then i have read a few threads like this with not one actual user with a rack citing stability issues. Thats good enough for me.
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Try watching this, makes me think again ...
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Try watching this, makes me think again ...
I very much doubt if there is anyone here who didnt know that already and understand it but that does not alter fact that those of us who have towed many thousands of miles with rear mounted bikes have not only lived to tell the tale but had no difficulties at all and I for one wouldnt hesitate to do again if the van was suitable
I think your last sentence makes the point with the word suitable. By adding cycles to the very rear of a caravan you are putting weight in the worst possible place. A lot may depend on the weight of the cycles but essentially it will make it more important than ever to get the rest of the loading right. There are also assumptions being made that everyone doing it is managing when we simply have no evidence either way.
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#Ok I admit that I haven't read through all of this. But it strikes me as strange(ly predictable). That for years the recieved wisdom from experts in the caravan press has been bikes on the back could cause dangerous instability. Swift group decide to
have fittings that could accommodate bikes on the back and not the proverbial dicky bird from these experts. Either it never was unwise or it still is unwise because as afaik the laws of physics didn't change with the 2016 caravan model year.Not a new thing actually. Our 10 year old Swift has a bike rack fitted and our previous Abbey also had one.....so that's at least 20 years they have had provision for bike racks.
There are no stability issues whatsoever.
There is absolutely no way that we could add the weight of two bike and a rack to the nose weight of our caravan, so a front mounting would be imposible (and very impractical).
Agree with everything you have said above - unusual for me to agree with anyone.
Had a bike rack on the last three caravans[two twin axles and a single] over the last 14 or 15 years without any stability issues, the last seven years towing 6-8k miles a year mostly on motorways in mainland Europe. In my experience cycles on racks on the
caravan back panel just isn't a problem. I am however meticulous about nose weights and tyre pressuresOme "n" Dri
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i have never had a caravan but still read plenty of the caravan postings as there may be some common ground on issues with appliances etc that i might be interested in....
however, bearing in mind AD's last post, i continue to be astounded by comments that caravans can suddenly become unstable or on the point of collapse/overloading by the adding of 10kg of water in a boiler, a satellite dish on the roof, a couple of overcoats
on a bed or in a wardrobe, or the siting of a bike on a rear rack...are these concerns over the top or are caravans built so close to a number of physical limits that they are, in effect, unusable beyond the factory delivered condition?
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Caravans are inherently unstable. It is hard to imagine a situation where putiing the weight on the back of a caravan is going to improve stability. Anymore than sticking a caravan on the back of your car improves its stability. Whether or not either of
these are acceptable risks comes down to personal assessmentsA number of people have posted on here that they have towed for years with rear cycle carriers This is then interpreted a proof. It is not, it is evidence a single data point. I am sure one report of an incident caused by instability due excessive weight
at the rear would cancel out many such data pointsLike I have said before I don't really have a opinion on rear cycle carriers. It amuses / frustrates me that previously they were portrayed as a bad thing now it appears they are good thing, these are clearly mutually exclusive positions.
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The OP asked for reports from anyone with experience of towing with bikes on the back and he has had it , everyone who has replied has been positive. I would simply sugest to anyone unhappy with the idea just dont do it.
Write your comments here...Well said David.
Some posts are starting to sound like those from remoaners.
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The OP asked for reports from anyone with experience of towing with bikes on the back and he has had it , everyone who has replied has been positive. I would simply sugest to anyone unhappy with the idea just dont do it.
Write your comments here...Well said David.
Some posts are starting to sound like those from remoaners.
You are probably not aware. The term remoaner is a
derogatory, and very unoriginal, term used to insult people holding a specific political view and therefore has no place in a dicussion on this forum.0 -
The OP asked for reports from anyone with experience of towing with bikes on the back and he has had it , everyone who has replied has been positive. I would simply sugest to anyone unhappy with the idea just dont do it.
Write your comments here...Well said David.
Some posts are starting to sound like those from remoaners.
You are probably not aware. The term remoaner is a
derogatory, and very unoriginal, term used to insult people holding a specific political view and therefore has no place in a dicussion on this forum.I read it as recycler, must be the brilliant spull chequer on CT doing it's thing again.
Oh to be a professional offence taker
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Caravans are inherently unstable. It is hard to imagine a situation where putiing the weight on the back of a caravan is going to improve stability. Anymore than sticking a caravan on the back of your car improves its stability. Whether or not either of
these are acceptable risks comes down to personal assessmentsA number of people have posted on here that they have towed for years with rear cycle carriers This is then interpreted a proof. It is not, it is evidence a single data point. I am sure one report of an incident caused by instability due excessive weight
at the rear would cancel out many such data pointsLike I have said before I don't really have a opinion on rear cycle carriers. It amuses / frustrates me that previously they were portrayed as a bad thing now it appears they are good thing, these are clearly mutually exclusive positions.
Boff, I don't have an opinion on rear cycle carriers, you can tell I don't by the fact I've not offered an opinion. You've made several posts suggesting you do have an opinion. Your's may be a lone voice but it's a voice
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Isn't it like so many things where there might not be a right or wrong answer? It's down to individual choice and each person must weigh up the pros and cons for themselves.
I've no experience of carrying bikes on the rear of a caravan but all power to those who do it successfully and it's interesting to learn from others' experiences.
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I have the following opinions.
1. The placing of bikes on the back of a caravan cannot improve the stability.
2. Does this constitute an unacceptable risk probably not.
3. Would I consider one if I wanted to carry bikes. Yes
4. Do I think replies that say I have one and not had a problem simplistic? Yes I do.
If you actually read my original comment my beef was with what I see as two mutually exclusive positions. I made no comment or indeed have no opinion about which is correct Simply that they can't both be.
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For me, being a simple person is a matter of pride - keeping it simple is a mantra that I have long lauded having signed on to the principles of KISS many years ago. Simply put if those that have extensive experience of caravans with rear panel (loaded)
bike racks have not experienced issues with stability and there are no dissenters (with experience) then simply put there is a high degree of probability that, other things being equal, there is not a stability issue resulting from the general use of bike
racks. Some caravanners may choose not to carry bikes externally which is ok - it's simply a choice.Ome "n" Dri
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Boff
I obviously fall into the " simplistic" camp since the OP asked if those of us with
experiance had had any problems and my answer was no. At the risk of repeating myself I have done over 30k miles with 2 adult bikes rear mounted and not had a problem, I dont think anyone here is sugesting it makes
vans more stable just that it has not adversly effected thiers (mine)The problem with this one is that towing a caravan is a minority pastime and those with rear mounted cycles are a minority of a minority. What you end up with is very little evidence on the risks and no firm conclusions can be made.
The potential danger of too much weight at the rear is obvious and combined with bad loading it is potentialy dangerous. How far you can make it safe is open to debate but with the right loading it should be possible, certainly with light cycles.
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https://youtu.be/zAKa4gQiahc
