Bike racks for cars

[Norphy]

Around here, there are a lot of bike trails and now that my son is getting into riding his bike, I’d like to go and ride with him on them. Trouble is, they’re not within biking distance so I’d need a bike rack for my car, a 2015 Octavia hatch, so I can get us and our bikes there.

 

According to my research, a strap mounted tailgate rack won’t work with my car because of the shape and/or construction of the tailgate so that leaves either a roof mounted or towbar mounted rack. I’ve been down the rabbit hole of costing either solution and either way, I’d need to by either a tow bar or roof bars as well as the mounting hardware and as far as I can see, the cost would be roughly the same either way. I can see advantages of both solutions, the roof solution would be easier to install than a towbar but I would imagine mounting the bike would be more awkward.

 

Given that, I’d like to ask the cycling hive brain on here which they think is the better solution. What would you go for?

 

Ta [emoji4]

[timbo343]

Around here, there are a lot of bike trails and now that my son is getting into riding his bike, I’d like to go and ride with him on them. Trouble is, they’re not within biking distance so I’d need a bike rack for my car, a 2015 Octavia hatch, so I can get us and our bikes there.

 

According to my research, a strap mounted tailgate rack won’t work with my car because of the shape and/or construction of the tailgate so that leaves either a roof mounted or towbar mounted rack. I’ve been down the rabbit hole of costing either solution and either way, I’d need to by either a tow bar or roof bars as well as the mounting hardware and as far as I can see, the cost would be roughly the same either way. I can see advantages of both solutions, the roof solution would be easier to install than a towbar but I would imagine mounting the bike would be more awkward.

 

Given that, I’d like to ask the cycling hive brain on here which they think is the better solution. What would you go for?

 

Ta [emoji4]

If you can go towbar, i'd go towbar. You'd be able to get 3 maybe 4 bikes on a towbar, plus you dont have to struggle to get them on the roof.

[filteringtech]

We have Thule racks on Thule roof bars. We've had to change the bars a couple of times for different cars, but the racks are the same. The bars also come in handy for bringing the Christmas tree home, collecting fence panels, fence posts and other assorted bits of timber and stuff, and taking things to the dump.

 

Does your insurance go up with a tow-bar?

Edited August 29, 2023 by filteringtech

[Norphy]

Does your insurance go up with a tow-bar?

 

That’s actually a good point, does it count as a modification? I hadn’t thought of that

[jmak]

Most people seem to think the roof option is safer, but I prefer the convenience and better fuel economy of tow hitch mounted.

 

I upgraded to the type that has "trays" for the wheels to sit in as it holds them firmer and copes better with different shapes of bike.

 

I went for an Atera out of a very small choice* that would hold 4 bikes (most are 3) and has the (very useful) feature that it will swing out of the way to give access to the boot with bikes in place.

 

*When I bought it - wider choice now

Edited August 29, 2023 by jmak

[Norphy]

Looking further at it…

 

I didn’t take wiring kits into account for towbars. It looks like getting a towbar fitted, plus the required wiring is probably more of a pain in the hoop than it’s worth. You have to get it coded once it’s fitted as well. It’s not as if I’m ever going to tow a caravan or a trailer with it, so spending £300+ on a towbar and wiring kit alone most likely isn’t worth it.

 

Roofbars then!