4 bike rack

[POHB]

I'm looking to get a 4 bike rack for my car. It seems that a towball
mounted rack is the way to go and the Tradekar Take Four has my eye at
the moment. Anybody had experience of this model? Any other hints,
tips or gotchas?

 

[wafflycat]

"POHB" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]m...
> I'm looking to get a 4 bike rack for my car. It seems that a towball
> mounted rack is the way to go and the Tradekar Take Four has my eye at
> the moment. Anybody had experience of this model? Any other hints,
> tips or gotchas?

Haven't got that particular model, but I do have the Tradekar Silverbike II
with third bike adapter (the model with the tilt mechanism, so I can still
access boot of car when the bike rike is on the tow ball). My experience
with Tradekar is that the model I have is well designed, well made and easy
to attach to the car and to detach yet is quite solid when in use.

 

[Just zis Guy, you know?]

On Mon, 23 Jun 2008 02:16:47 -0700 (PDT), POHB
<[email protected]> said in
<[email protected]m>:

>I'm looking to get a 4 bike rack for my car. It seems that a towball
>mounted rack is the way to go and the Tradekar Take Four has my eye at
>the moment. Anybody had experience of this model? Any other hints,
>tips or gotchas?

I have one of they, it is heavy but strong. You need a car with a
decent nose weight rating on the towbar, I used a Volvo estate with
rear spring assisters. It comes with lights and wiring, which is
good. Loading is not trivial, takes 20 minutes or more, but it took
that long to load the rack we bought for the Honda so I don't think
it's a problem. Once loaded you're unlikely to be able to open the
boot, though.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

85% of helmet statistics are made up, 69% of them at CHS, Puget Sound

 

[[email protected]]

On 23 Jun, 14:08, "Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Mon, 23 Jun 2008 02:16:47 -0700 (PDT), POHB
> <[email protected]> said in
> <[email protected]m>:
>
> >I'm looking to get a 4 bike rack for my car. It seems that a towball
> >mounted rack is the way to go and the Tradekar Take Four has my eye

> I have one of they, it is heavy but strong. You need a car with a
> decent nose weight rating on the towbar,

Looks nice from the pictures, and I like the integrated lights and
number plate mount.

I've got an older MaxxRaxx which is bit agricultural but feels very
solid: it has the merit of supporting every bike frame individually,
and of the supports being detachable if you're carrying fewer bikes.

The Pendle Wheel Support was the other four-bike one to look at
when I acquired mine. And yes, I'd second Guy's point about the
nose weight rating - it's very easy to exceed this unless it's at
least 75kg.

John

 

[Alan Braggins]

In article <[email protected]>, Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:
>On Mon, 23 Jun 2008 02:16:47 -0700 (PDT), POHB
><[email protected]> said in
><[email protected]m>:
>
>>I'm looking to get a 4 bike rack for my car. It seems that a towball
>>mounted rack is the way to go and the Tradekar Take Four has my eye at
>>the moment. Anybody had experience of this model? Any other hints,
>>tips or gotchas?
>
>I have one of they, it is heavy but strong.

I have one of these http://preview.tinyurl.com/52kj2s which is cheaper
(because I had roof bar mounted carriers already), but the Tradekar looks
easier to mount.

(And easier to fit four bikes on - now our children's bikes are different
sizes I can probably shuffle the racks on the Wilstow to fit four on,
which I couldn't with the bikes we were using when I first got it, but
you might want to check the particular four bikes you care about do fit
without hitting each other.
But if all four of us are going somewhere together, I can get a bike off
the roof, which my wife couldn't without me, so it hasn't actually been
a problem.)


> You need a car with a
>decent nose weight rating on the towbar

http://preview.tinyurl.com/6f9qrp looks an interesting way around that -
single wheel that takes some of the weight, but it castors so that
reversing with it on is easier than with a normal small trailer - at least
that's the theory, I don't know how well it works in practice.

 

[Just zis Guy, you know?]

On 23 Jun 2008 16:33:46 +0100 (BST), [email protected]
(Alan Braggins) said in
<[email protected]>:

>http://preview.tinyurl.com/6f9qrp looks an interesting way around that -
>single wheel that takes some of the weight, but it castors so that
>reversing with it on is easier than with a normal small trailer - at least
>that's the theory, I don't know how well it works in practice.

I'm pretty sure that would count as a trailer, with consequent
reduction in maximum permitted speed. Pendle sell a six-bike
trailer, which also looks good.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

85% of helmet statistics are made up, 69% of them at CHS, Puget Sound

 

[Alan Braggins]

In article <[email protected]>, Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:
>On 23 Jun 2008 16:33:46 +0100 (BST), [email protected]
>(Alan Braggins) said in
><[email protected]>:
>
[Of nose weight limits on towbar mounted racks:]
>>http://preview.tinyurl.com/6f9qrp looks an interesting way around that -
>>single wheel that takes some of the weight, but it castors so that
>>reversing with it on is easier than with a normal small trailer - at least
>>that's the theory, I don't know how well it works in practice.
>
>I'm pretty sure that would count as a trailer, with consequent
>reduction in maximum permitted speed.

True, but with the air resistance of four bikes and today's fuel prices
you might want to slow down however you carry them. Assuming you can't
just do the whole journey by bike, of course.

 

[POHB]

On 24 Jun, 08:30, [email protected] (Alan Braggins) wrote:
> True, but with the air resistance of four bikes and today's fuel prices
> you might want to slow down however you carry them. Assuming you > can't just do the whole journey by bike, of course.

Indeed, this will mostly be used for those family holidays with loads
of luggage, camping gear, children etc. and will mean that apart from
the journey there and back the car can be used less while we're there.

I read (AA IIRC) that towball racks were the least bad wind-resistant
way of hanging bikes on the outside of a car, but with my experience
of roof boxes I'm sure it won't be great for fuel economy.

 

[OG]

"POHB" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]m...
> I'm looking to get a 4 bike rack for my car. It seems that a towball
> mounted rack is the way to go and the Tradekar Take Four has my eye at
> the moment. Anybody had experience of this model? Any other hints,
> tips or gotchas?

We got a Hollywood F4 a couple of years ago, although we've not used it
often, it works very well with 4 up, and puts the bikes closer to the COG
than a trailer ball mounting one.

It'll depend on your vehicle shape, but you may find that you can fit it so
the bikes are lifted clear of the number plate & lights so you won't
necessarily need to get a light bar.

As you've probably found there aren't many 4 bike racks, but the Hollywood
is OK.

Another benefit is that it folds down out of the way when you're not using
it.

Here's a link
http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/id18335.html

 

[Just zis Guy, you know?]

On 24 Jun 2008 08:30:16 +0100 (BST), [email protected]
(Alan Braggins) said in
<[email protected]>:

>, but with the air resistance of four bikes and today's fuel prices
>you might want to slow down however you carry them. Assuming you can't
>just do the whole journey by bike, of course.

I averaged 31mpg driving home from Wales with the four bikes on the
back of the Volvo and a triplet on the roof. A 2.5 litre
turbocharged Volvo with the aircon on.

I've never quite understood how.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

85% of helmet statistics are made up, 69% of them at CHS, Puget Sound

 

[Ben C]

On 2008-06-24, Just zis Guy, you know? <[email protected]> wrote:
> On 24 Jun 2008 08:30:16 +0100 (BST), [email protected]
> (Alan Braggins) said in
><[email protected]>:
>
>>, but with the air resistance of four bikes and today's fuel prices
>>you might want to slow down however you carry them. Assuming you can't
>>just do the whole journey by bike, of course.
>
> I averaged 31mpg driving home from Wales with the four bikes on the
> back of the Volvo and a triplet on the roof. A 2.5 litre
> turbocharged Volvo with the aircon on.
>
> I've never quite understood how.

Maybe the bikes broke up the vortex created by the vertical flat back of
the Volvo and actually improved drag.