Electric Bike suggestions for caravanners
Hello
We are looking to buy two electric bikes to carry either on top of our Hyundai Santa Fe or....and this is something we have never undertaken before...inside our caravan. I'm used to lifting our MTBs off the top of the Santa Fe so am hoping that without the batteries, there won't be too much of a difference in weight providing we go for aluminium frames. I think we would prefer step through bikes rather than folders due to wheel size but am open to ideas and suggestions.
We are not professional cyclists by any means but enjoy cycling along promenades in Spain and tourist cycle paths in France - riversides and the like. (What I really mean is flat!!) I'm aware that many people carry bikes on the back of their motor homes but wonder how caravanners manage them most effectively. I don't want to have a rear cycle carrier fitted to my caravan as I think it will be far too unwieldy.
Any tips, thoughts or experiences will be very much appreciated. Thank you.
Comments
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quite a few points raised in your post.....
firstly, there have been many helpful 'leccy bike' threads but, no doubt, the latest forum wont allow us to find them....
ok, weight......OH has a step through Raleigh on 26" wheels. while lifting this onto a rear bike carrier (sans battery) isnt a problem, hoisting it onto the roof of the car would be a no-no for me, unless you used one of those wind down carriers ive seen on some cars....her bike weighs close to 18/20kg without the battery...
there are carriers that can fit into your towball (even with the caravan connected) and, as you say, on the rear of the caravan. opinion will be split with some doing this for years without issue and others telling you that physics will have you swerving all over the road..... we have a MH with a large garage which easily accommodates ours, so not an issue for us.
you will also get a few recommendations re the bikes themselves, certainly folders (due to space) are popular.
you havent mentioned budget, and this will be a big driver as to the recomendations you might get on non-folders, usually a little dearer.
and then theres the drive systems, range required etc, but from your post it seems you wont be doing the Tour de France.....
good luck.
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The bikes will be heavy even without the batteries, as BB said. You need to think of the motors as well as the frames.
The weight factor will come into play as well if you carry them inside the caravan. Consider how it will affect your payload and, perhaps, noseweight.
Carried on the towbar they will add considerable weight to the towbar in addition to the forces applied by towing the caravan. That's something else to check on.
I fear this isn't going to be an easy one to solve.
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When we towed a caravan we had a Kia Sorento which had a nose weight allowance of 140kgs so it was easy to add a Witter tow bar mounted rack. At the time it was with normal non electric bikes. I don't think I would have managed to lift bikes onto the roof of the Sorento!!! I would agree with others that it is something of a dilemma as what to do. Folding electric bikes might be the answer if they can go in the car. If you put them in the caravan its not only the weight you have to think about but also possible damage if they are not secured correctly. I would have thought the Santa Fe has quite a large rear loading space that would take folding bikes but it depends on how you like to travel as to whether that is a good option for you.
David
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When we had a caravan we towed with a Kia Sedona, our full sized electric bikes went on a witter tow ball rack. We now have a motorhome and new folding ebikes, they are carried on the back of the motorhome. The current ones weigh 15kg without batteries. If we were going to be carrying ebikes now with a caravan we would use folders and put them inside the tow car. If we were short on space I think I would be more inclined to put a roof box on the car for all the other bits and bobs and put the bikes inside the car.
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Thank you very much for the breadth of comments and advice. I feared it would prove to be a difficult question - hence my reason for posting and seeking the advice of experts who have gone before me. A folding bike for my wife may well be the way forward.
To date I've used the caravan step to load our bikes onto the Thule carrier but have to confess that although I'd thought about the battery weight, I'd not given much thought to the ramifications of the additional weight caused by the bike motor.
Does anybody on the forum carry an electric bike on the roof?
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....they may, but perhaps with the help of the latest swinging arm racks which take most of the strain out of the lift...
for thousands of continental caravanners, carrying ebikes (extremely popular) is done either on the elongated A frames they have on their vans, or on a rack on the back of the caravan.
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Yes we do, one electric bike and one road bike on top of a Mondeo. Strong armed hubby 😉
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Another thought, SC. Check your car's handbook for the max allowable weight of the roof load.
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Hi.
We have two volt folding bikes. Not cheap but can't fault them. Just sold my Santa Fe (Very sad loved that car) Moved to Motorhome. As these bikes folded up it was no problem to carry them in the back of the car. I am quite big but lifting them on the roof of a Santa would be quite taxing.
Cheers, Paul
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Never tried electric bikes, but I can voice support for the hydraulic lift type of roof cycle carrier. I have two for two ordinary bikes. And they certainly take the muscle power out of lifting bikes onto vehicle roof. One still needs to guide them as they rise or lower, but that's all it is - guidance, not arm power. I'm pretty sure my bike weighs around 17kg, so equivalent to what has been quoted on here for electric bike less battery, maybe?
these hydraulic lifts racks are not cheap, but I bought each of mine separately second-hand off eBay.
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Never tried electric bikes, but I can voice support for the hydraulic lift type of roof cycle carrier. I have two for two ordinary bikes. And they certainly take the muscle power out of lifting bikes onto vehicle roof. One still needs to guide them as they rise or lower, but that's all it is - guidance, not arm power. I'm pretty sure my bike weighs around 17kg, so equivalent to what has been quoted on here for electric bike less battery, maybe?
these hydraulic lifts racks are not cheap, but I bought each of mine separately second-hand off eBay.
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Many thanks for the various suggestions. It seems I was right to think that it might prove challenging. As an alternative I'm wondering about carrying my bike on the roof as now and using a witter bike arm for an electric bike (minus battery) on the back. I'll need to check the noseweight though.
Can anybody recommend a brand of hydraulic lift racks please? To date I've only used Thule roof bars and accessories but am very happy to consider alternative recommendations.
Thank you once again for all the tips and suggestions. As always, it is really helpful.
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Hi,
We have just bought a caravan again after a break of 20yrs and we have also bought 2 electric bikes. I looked at the various options of carrying bikes when towing. Previously we towed with an Isuzu Trooper and I had a cycle rack made that fitted between the towbar plate and the towball. This allowed me to hang 2 childrens on the rack and still tow a twin axle Bessacar without interfering with turning on a full lock. The two adult bikes were transported inside the caravan over the axles with the brakes locked on.
When we were on site I could carry all four bikes on the rack.
I purchased an extendable spring loaded rod (used for shower curtains) which I locked in place between the interior caravan sides over the axles and secured the bikes to the rod. We travelled all over the UK and Europe doing this without any problems.
I have just bought a new extendable rod and plan to carry my two electric bikes the same way towing with my Xtrail.
I have also bought an Altera 3 bike towbar rack which I will take with me in the Xtrail and use to transport the bikes around when on-site. Incidentally the new caravan we have just bought is a two berth which I have had the chassis upgraded (re-plated) to increase my payload by an extra 100kgs.1 -
Wow! A really interesting idea. thank you. As soon as I've had my van serviced, I can see us expimenting with this suggestion...even if it is only one inside the van.
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I hope it works for you.This is the shower rod I've just bought.off Ebay see here
Better than the last one I bought as the ended is threaded and you can adjust the tension much better. I will put a short piece of wood or similar against the caravan sides with some rubber mesh (the sort of stuff you line the drawers with to stop things sliding around) between the wood and the internal side of the caravan. That will help to spread the load and keep the rod in position.
Mod Comment - Link edited to make clickable
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Many thanks for this suggestion and the link. Have you got any photos of what it looks like inside the van? - just to give me an idea of the set up. Do not go to any trouble though - I'm grateful enough for the info you've supplied so far. Thank you.
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I could only find this one. You can see the silver shower rod that I've fixed between the caravan side and the bikes brakes are locked on with small luggage ties. When we take the bikes away next month I'll try to remember to take a couple of shots when everything is loaded in.
Incidentally we are probably thinking along the same lines regarding buying electric bikes. We intend to use them for easy cycling along scenic, preferably off road, cycle paths, canal towpaths etc.
We hired a couple of electric bikes in France in 2015 and had a pleasant 35 mile cycle alongside a canal. We have just booked three weeks away in June at two sites, one near Niort and the other on Ile De Re. Both areas are apparently good for cycling.
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Concerning transporting bikes in a caravan.
Do the electric bikes have or can have quick release front wheels?
If so then simply bolting one or two front fork mounts to a piece of thick [19mm for example] plywood “plank”, about a foot wide, and a length that fits quite neatly between the vans furniture, can create a solid mount for bikes. I currently do this in the rear of my towcar. With two bikes you might want to strap them together for added rigidity, or strap a single bike to prevent toppling, but these clamps hold bikes very well.https://www.amazon.co.uk/Delta-Bike-Hitch-Car-Rack/
For practical use it is best the rear wheel enters first, as that enables you to access the clamp toggle.
You need to explore, staggering the clamps for two bikes, and possibly slacken the hand bars so things “nest”. Don't forget to tuck the front wheels in between them, or you will not go far!If you carry a Thule hang-on tow bar mounting rack then you can exploit the towcar’s towball for solo trips out whilst on site.
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