mike88 Posted January 16, 2015 Posted January 16, 2015 Hi Guys, Can anyone give me some info on the pros and cons on the towbar and clip on bike racks.I currently have an Opel Corsa hatchback without a towbar. I can get a Thule rack for towbar for free but then I need to purchase a towbar. Instead of doing that I can purchase the Thule rack that clips onto the boot. So before I make that up my mind I need the hubbers to tell me what they think would be best from your experiences.
FlyingScot Posted January 16, 2015 Posted January 16, 2015 Towbar - nothing clipping onto my boot thanks.
Mousea Posted January 16, 2015 Posted January 16, 2015 Towbar.A cars body is not designed to have stuff clipped onto them.NO matter what the people tell you.
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted January 16, 2015 Posted January 16, 2015 Get the towbar. It also acts as a barge pole for when someone shunts you from behind.
Allrounder Posted January 16, 2015 Posted January 16, 2015 I had both. after some scratches appeared, I invested in a towbar, and towbar rack. The towbar version is much more stable and "safer" for the bikes and car.
Wez-O Posted January 16, 2015 Posted January 16, 2015 I've heard from many a folk that the clip on brackets scratch and even dent your car. Tow bar all the way if you can.
alleyne Posted January 16, 2015 Posted January 16, 2015 Tow-bar rack is a clear winner! In my mind not even a choice.
M3NACE Posted January 16, 2015 Posted January 16, 2015 I toyed with this option once before and ended up buying a clip on rack (buzz Beetle to be exact) 3 bike carrier. ok I admit that putting 2 bikes on it is tight and that 3 would be a miracle! Reason being we have 2 vehicles at home which my wife and I use either or at any given time so I made the choice to get the clip on rack purely so I could use any of the 2 cars at home with no fuss. the clip on works on both the cars at home (a Vw Polo hatch back and a BMW sedan) so that in my book was a win win situation! been using this rack for a year now no problems! with regards to it scratching or denting your cars I have disagree, I take a more care when clipping in the bits and bobs, (wipe the car body where the clips are to be positioned) and voila no scratching what so ever. if clipped in correctly without forcing the clips into the correct place it shouldn't make any dents. Just my 2c worth
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted January 16, 2015 Posted January 16, 2015 One thing to remember - a lot of insurers are now requiring the bike to be able to be locked to the bike racks, which also may need to be lockable themselves. Clip on racks are NOT lockable. towbar mounted racks are lockable, in that they are able to be locked to the car. Just something to bear in mind.
MarickH Posted January 16, 2015 Posted January 16, 2015 I have a clipon. Very stable, even at speed. Quick to attach and load.
The_black_stig Posted January 16, 2015 Posted January 16, 2015 If you've got a choice between the 2 (and willing to blown around R5k if you've not got a tow-bar) go for the tow-bar rack.The only downside is just the hazzles to remove it from the tow-bar (when the time comes) Cost is much lower for the clip-on ones; through my experience with it, you'll need loads of foams to cover the hook area & also need to strap the bike in a manner that the harness/strap won't get loose (which causes the scratches in the first place)
FrankG Posted January 16, 2015 Posted January 16, 2015 Clip on's are cheaper but the straps are no match for a cheap pair of scissors. If you are ever going to leave your bike unattended, the clip on is not an option unless you want your bike to feature under "Stolen bikes".
Skylark Posted January 16, 2015 Posted January 16, 2015 One thing to remember - a lot of insurers are now requiring the bike to be able to be locked to the bike racks, which also may need to be lockable themselves. Clip on racks are NOT lockable. towbar mounted racks are lockable, in that they are able to be locked to the car. Just something to bear in mind.Thule make a clip-on rack that is lockable to the car and the bikes can be locked in as well.The straps are made from steel rope not nylon strapping and from a security viewpoint its probably safer as it has been reported that some towbar racks can be relatively easily broken off the towbar with just brute force using the rack itself as leverage.
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