The Bike Rack Buyer s Guide
The Bike Rack Buyer s Guide Look at any website or shop selling bike racks and your head is likely to spin with all the choices. This guide is designed to cut through all the confusion and make the buying (or replacement) process much easier for you. It explains the three main types of bike racks (plus our own unique specially designed and patented bike rack) and compares their benefits and drawbacks. 1. Roof mounted racks Bike Rack Types Bike racks are available in three main types: These bike racks are attached to the roof of a vehicle with the help of special brackets, rails, and frames. These types of racks have become very popular because they re strong, hold the bikes firmly, and allow you to carry as many bikes as there is room on the roof. Since the bikes are loaded onto the car roof, you can easily access the rear of the vehicle. The special brackets, rails, and frames you need to fix the rack onto the top of the car makes them initially expensive and complicated to install. Different cars require different mountings and that means extra costs when changing your vehicle. The difficulty of loading the bikes onto the rack means these cycle carriers can be intimidating and time-consuming to use. Even with the greatest of care loading and unloading the bikes, it is all too easy to slip and cause many hundreds of pounds worth of bodywork damage to your car. Having the bikes standing upright on the car roof adds several feet to your vehicle height. That extra height can restrict your access to carparks, and ferries. It might make it impossible to get onto the Eurostar. If your vehicle is tall (like a people carrier or 4x4), loading and unloading the bikes may be impossible. Even if you can reach the roof, you ll need help to lift and then attach the bikes to the rack without assistance. It gets worse. Since the bikes are in the airstream and cause drag on the vehicle, they will substantially increase your car s fuel consumption. A Which report estimates this can be as much as 30%. 2 Call 01342 841 989 Today
Your fuel consumption will increase substantially on any journey but is particularly significant at higher speeds. If you double your speed from 35 to 70mph, for example, the drag caused by the bikes increases by a factor of four. As a result, long motorway journeys for holidays will see the largest increase in fuel consumption. Even driving with the empty rack on the roof can increase your fuel costs by 10%. 2. Strap-on racks These are attached to the rear of the vehicle by various straps. Most strap-on racks hang the bikes from the top tube of the bicycle. These racks are usually cheaper than other styles and so are often the first choices for someone new to carrying bikes on a car. They fit directly onto the rear of the vehicle and because of this they can appear to be easier to install. No special or additional fittings are required either, and that keeps costs low. Extra straps and buckles are often necessary and they can damage paintwork. Many people feel they need to add padding to protect the car from the rack or their bikes. The buckles and straps can come loose and damage the paintwork. Since the bikes are usually close to the car, they too can cause damage to paintwork. They re rarely strong, which can increase the likelihood of the bikes becoming loose and even falling off the car when it s in motion. Usually, you ll need to unload all the bikes before you can access the rear of the vehicle. Since they aren t secure, bikes can be easily removed from your parked car. If any rear light or number plate is obscured or partially obscured when carrying your bikes, you are legally required to fit a lightboard. This necessitates the installation of a single electric socket to power the lightboard which will add significant cost unless you have a high mount rack which will add a considerable drag factor to the vehicle s aerodynamics. The result is that these cycle carriers are rarely used and usually consigned to the loft or jumble sale after the first attempt to use them outside the shop. 3 Call 01342 841 989 Today
3. Tow bar mounted bike racks These type of racks will necessitate having a tow bar fitted to the rear of your car. These bike racks are by far the strongest, safest and easiest way to carry bikes on a car. The tow bar on most vehicles is easily strong enough to carry four bikes (provided the bike rack is equally strong). The ball of many modern tow bars can be removed when not in use making the tow bar virtually invisible. Some of the more expensive models use a means of supporting or gripping the bicycles to ensure that they are held firmly on the carrier and to keep them separate from other bikes and the car s bodywork. Tow bar mounted bike racks give the lowest increase in fuel consumption, according to a May 2003 Which report. It said, If you re planning to transport several bikes regularly, we recommend you use a tow ball mounted carrier, as these tend to cause the least disturbance to airflow around the car, keeping effects on fuel and noise to a minimum. The total cost of a tow bar and suitable bike carrier can be very similar to the total cost of a four-bike, roof mounted bike carrier system. But since it won t increase fuel consumption the overall cost of using a tow bar mounted bike rack is cheaper than that of a roof mounted system. Tow bar racks are very strong and capable of carrying four bikes safely. They last for many years too. In most cases, one rack is suitable for use on a second or replacement vehicle. Since the bikes are held clear of the car, there s little risk of them damaging the paintwork. Many car owners are initially unhappy at having a tow bar fitted. 4. The Maxxraxx Tow Bar Bike Rack These bike racks are mounted on a vehicle using a tow bar. The system uses unique, specially designed and patented cradles for your bikes. A strong yet simple ratchet system (like those used on lorries) holds the crossbar of each bike firmly on the cradles. They can be fitted to your car in minutes and, once installed, allow your bikes to be loaded and unloaded very quickly and easily. 4 Call 01342 841 989 Today
They hold bikes securely in place, which means you can relax, knowing your bikes are completely secure while you re driving. They re secure when your vehicle is unoccupied too since every Maxxraxx comes with a built-in security system that allows you to lock your Maxxraxx to your car and your bikes to your rack. That means you can go and explore, safe in the knowledge that your bikes are safe from opportunistic thieves. The Maxxraxx has been designed to tilt to allow you complete access to the rear of your vehicle, even with five bikes attached! It works on 4x4 vehicles too and allows the rear door to be opened up to 60 degrees to provide easy access for the shopping, kids, and dogs. They re guaranteed for five years. You ll need to have a tow bar fitted to the rear of your car if you don t already have one. Comparing Rack Types The following table shows how the different types of bike rack (including our own MaxxRaxx tow bar rack) compare on important features such as Safety Strength Ease of use Whether or not they cause damage to the car or paintwork Fuel consumption Security Boot access Comparison of Bike Rack Types Strap-on Roof-mounted Tow bar mounted Safety No Yes Yes Yes Strength No Yes Yes Yes Ease of use No No Yes Yes No Damage No No Yes Yes Fuel umption See Note 1 No Yes Yes Security No Yes See Note 2 Yes Boot access No Yes See Note 2 Yes Note 1: Racks mounted high, to ensure number plates remain visible, significantly increase fuel consumption. Note 2: Depends on the make and model of the bike rack. MaxxRaxx Design 5 Call 01342 841 989 Today
Conclusion While safety, strength, and security are all essential qualities in a bike rack, make sure whatever you choose is simple to fit and easy to load and unload. Ensure too that the bike rack system you choose won t increase your car s fuel consumption. And that it gives you easy access to the rear of the car. Enjoy your 20 discount! To find out more about MaxxRaxx bike carriers, come and visit our website now http://maxxraxx.co.uk or call our Customer Service team on 01342 841 989. And remember to look out for your 20 voucher in your first email from us. You can use it on your first bike rack purchase! DISCOVER how we can help you. Here s how to contact us: Call our Customer Service team on 01342 841 989 Copyright 2015 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be produced or transmitted in any form by any means mechanical or electronic including photocopying and recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher. 6 Call 01342 841 989 Today