Advice on transporting bikes (carriers)

[Marnus Fourie]

Help - brand new addict here!

Recently bought MTB for myself and wife. Got first decent one for my son and will soon have one for his brother (looking at you people I msg'ed😁) All bikes adult size S - L. I need some advice on the best, safest and most bike friendly way to transport these when we go away.

What I have - Tow bar bike carrier (bikes hanging) and rear mounted bike carrier (3 bikes). 

I transported 3 bikes on rear mounted this weekend and it was a very tight fit, seems that eventually something will be damaged/scrached. 

We will also camp on occasions and I don't think spending a fortune on 4 bike (standing) carrier is worh it, if we won't use it when we camp. What are my options? Rear mounted carrier and roof rack? 

What do I need to look out for? Any suggestions. Definately going for second hand.

Marnus

Edited October 2 by Marnus Fourie

[Dusty]

For 4 mountain bikes, roof racks are most probably the best way to go.  Bikes do get properly damaged during transportation. Roof racks are not ideal, but imo, the best route for 4 bikes. If you drive a bakkie, there are more options.

Edited October 8 by Dusty

[andreas17777]

If you have a trailer you can add a bike carrier on top. Works like a bomb and super cheap. Bike caddy has nice options, you can also get through axle fork clamps as well. Only thing is front wheels need to be stored somewhere:

 

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/bike-racks/758796/bike-caddy-carrier-for-trailer

[madmarc]

I don't own one but thought this to be the coolest locally made carrier - Built strong and proper but not cheap.

https://www.mtbafrica.com/karoorak.html

I've owned a few carriers

The ones that clamp onto your boot lid - Big nono - they will mess up your car, I actually bent my boot lid when i opened the boot while it was clamped on

The ones where your bikes hang also a nono - Youwill eventually damage the bikes.

For me the best is a tow bar mount where the bikes stand on the racks or if you have a trailer even better to get a frame for the lid - I used to have one that took 5 bikes, always worked out well on trips

Edited October 8 by madmarc

[droo]

4 bikes will always be a pig, especially MTBs. Most carriers' spacing is still designed around 135mm QR frames, so fitting 148mm MTBs on them needs some advanced Tetris, if it's even possible. Generally N-1 is the number of MTBs you can fit on a platform rack.

2 on the roof and 2 on the towbar is probably the easiest, followed by 4 on the roof and a step - especially if you've got a bakkie or SUV those middle 2 will be a joy to get up there.

Towbar rack will make towing a trailer impossible if that's a thing you do when camping, and also deletes your departure angle. Roof racks mean you have to keep an eye out for trees and parking garages though, so everything has a tradeoff...

[mazambaan]

18 hours ago, madmarc said:

I don't own one but thought this to be the coolest locally made carrier - Built strong and proper but not cheap.

https://www.mtbafrica.com/karoorak.html

I've owned a few carriers

The ones that clamp onto your boot lid - Big nono - they will mess up your car, I actually bent my boot lid when i opened the boot while it was clamped on

The ones where your bikes hang also a nono - Youwill eventually damage the bikes.

For me the best is a tow bar mount where the bikes stand on the racks or if you have a trailer even better to get a frame for the lid - I used to have one that took 5 bikes, always worked out well on trips

Nice idea and probably the only one to take 4No. MTB's. I have a Thule and looked at the newer Thule's, supposedly for ebikes but no chance they will take 4No. MTB's and list price over R30k.  Also puts a big weight far back off the towbar and the Karoorak seems better in this regard.

Biggest advantage I see from Thule is the fitment onto the towbar ball so no spanner work is needed to swap to towing a trailer.

For 4No. MTB's may be cheaper to buy a motorbike trailer for R10k or so plus licencing etc.

[tinmug]

4 is a tricky number. And presumably the two smaller bikes will grow, and as you said damage is a major risk down the line ( ... which can be limited by spending 40 minutes inserting half a dozen brightly coloured pool noodles everywhere, then stopping every 30 minuted to check them, then having to get up and 2 AM to get to the ride site by noon, back home before midnight).

So there is that.

My first though was go trailer with a bike rack on top. Will be pricey, as a half decent (say) Thule mount is not the cheapest thing when multiplied by four. And I specifically mention Thule as their current/recent-ish products are very user friendly and well made. A used trailer is relatively inexpensive too and a handy place for smelly/wet gear. Someone mention a (motor-)bike trailer; why not, but you'll ideally still want a bicycle mount system unless you're happy to deal with loads of straps every time.

Then madmarc's suggestion of the KarooRak is brilliant. Built like the proverbial tank, no damage to bikes and easy to work with. Also nice to physically see (and count) the bikes while driving if you're the nervous type (like me 😝). 

Another option is a two/three-bike platform rack plus a roof-mounted system.

Personally my favourite system is ...

[Chadvdw67]

Any option you go for is going to be a compromise in some way shape or form.

 

As most have said, with 4 x MTB, I doubt you would get them on a Platform rack, not just because of width, but with all the different size frames and frame layouts, fitting those arms through/over/around toptubes, seat-tubes, downtubes, eish, headaches just thinking about it...

 

2 bike platform rack with 2 on the roof, a nice option if you leave the roof racks on permanently, fitting and removing them would become a real pain, and would be pretty expensive considering all the hardware you would need...

 

Trailer with a "roof" mounting system would work well, especially if you are going camping etc, but, for a normal ride on the weekend, where do you park such a long vehicle setup? Most parks dont/wont have parking that would allow such a setup, unless you unhitch the trailer and park it next to your car, but that also just seems like a lot of hassle...

 

The Karoo rack looks like a nice option, easy to load and unload bikes, space for 4 x Full size MTBs, but I would imagine being built as sturdy as it is, it will be a pig to put on and take off the car, especially if you dont have the square mount for it to slide into and you need to bolt it on everytime you use it...

 

And then there is the hassle that any platform rack or the Karoo rack takes up your tow hitch, so if you go camping amd need a trailer, ya.... extra tow hitch on the back of the trailer? Or trailer with racks on top for camping and then platform racks and roof racks for normal weekends? Or deal with trailer for all rides? It really is just up to what you are happy to deal with.

[madmarc]

And just a heads up for if you decide on a boot or towbar unit - Make sure the car exhaust isnt blowing on the wheels of the bikes - Seen many a sorry tail of damaged wheels from the exhaust

[dave303e]

for 4 bikes day to day getting to trails the easiest is a tailgate pad on a double cab bakkie in my opinion. Quick to load/unload. The bikes don't get damaged easily. Doesn't add length to the car or unbalance it.

For long trips and big events. I have a Holdfast 4 bike carrier. It is tight between the bikes but it holds well enough. Just have to be on the ball when packing and plan as you load. I also got it for free so never had a complaint.

[Chadvdw67]

2 hours ago, dave303e said:

for 4 bikes day to day getting to trails the easiest is a tailgate pad on a double cab bakkie in my opinion. Quick to load/unload. The bikes don't get damaged easily. Doesn't add length to the car or unbalance it.

For long trips and big events. I have a Holdfast 4 bike carrier. It is tight between the bikes but it holds well enough. Just have to be on the ball when packing and plan as you load. I also got it for free so never had a complaint.

If you have a DC then yes, I agree with you, but if you dont have one?

[thebob]

And then where does the luggage go. DC with bikes on the tailgate are fine if there are two people travelling or if you are shuttling. For the rest, it is a hack

[ChrisF]

On 10/2/2024 at 4:55 PM, Marnus Fourie said:

Help - brand new addict here!

Recently bought MTB for myself and wife. Got first decent one for my son and will soon have one for his brother (looking at you people I msg'ed😁) All bikes adult size S - L. I need some advice on the best, safest and most bike friendly way to transport these when we go away.

What I have - Tow bar bike carrier (bikes hanging) and rear mounted bike carrier (3 bikes). 

I transported 3 bikes on rear mounted this weekend and it was a very tight fit, seems that eventually something will be damaged/scrached. 

We will also camp on occasions and I don't think spending a fortune on 4 bike (standing) carrier is worh it, if we won't use it when we camp. What are my options? Rear mounted carrier and roof rack? 

What do I need to look out for? Any suggestions. Definately going for second hand.

Marnus

 

@Marnus Fourie what type of vehicle will you be using ?

[Marnus Fourie]

I will be using a RAV4

[dave303e]

3 hours ago, Chadvdw67 said:

If you have a DC then yes, I agree with you, but if you dont have one?

ya that is a big limiting factor, but as stated in my opinion the way of moving 4 bikes I have found to be most effective.

2 hours ago, thebob said:

And then where does the luggage go. DC with bikes on the tailgate are fine if there are two people travelling or if you are shuttling. For the rest, it is a hack

Again if you read, that is for day to day, like popping to a race close by or to the trails with family for the morning etc. If it is a trip(where you may have luggage) then as I suggested in the second part of the post a 4 bike platform rack works better but it is a lot more of a mission to pack, park and drive with. Also a lot more expensive...

[ChrisF]

6 hours ago, Marnus Fourie said:

I will be using a RAV4

 

Then you are down to two options.

 

1. Roof rack.  The rails on the RAV4 is not very wide .... speak to Thule, and check if 4 MTB's can fit "between the roof rails".  Otherwise you might have to go for the cross bars that pass over the roof rails.

 

PS - we used thess on our RAV4.  Worked very well for us.

 

 

2. Back racks on your trailer.  I cant comment on this.