Are rear mounted cycle carriers safe?

Hootie19

My friend drives an Audi convertible, and has an electric pedal bike. She wants to take her bike on her UK holiday with her, and planned on getting a rear mounted carrier fitted.

Her husband has said they are not safe, and that they fall off "all the time".

As both the car and the bike are fairly expensive, she's not sure about doing it now.

I reckon her husband just doesn't want her to take it, and has come up with the scare tactic to put her off. After all, if he is right, and these items fall off "all the time", the roadside would be littered with bikes attached to carriers, wouldn't it. And in all the years I've been driving, I've never ever seen one!

So - any recommendations or warnings please? She'd most likely have it professionally fitted rather than trying to do it herself, and I said that IMO, as long as it's not overloaded, or obscuring the rear lights or the view from her rear window, there's no reason why she shouldn't use one. Have I offered poor advice?

Sandoval

If bikes fell off them all the time I doubt they'd be permitted to be used on British roads.

molerat

These carriers are tested to extremes on the test track, think of The Stig in the reasonably priced saloon with bikes on the back. The only incidents I ever heard of were the bikes coming off of the carrier and it was proved that they were not properly secured iaw the instructions. The main problem is that they can scratch the pride and joy.

forgotmyname

Ones with plastic clips i would not trust, Ones with metal clips i would worry about them damaging the car.

How heavy is the bike? The batteries could weigh more than the rack was designed for, If its under 75kg you
could consider a towbar mounted rack.

cardinalbiggles

Wouldnt trust trust the ones that clip onto the back of the car, but thats maybe just me being silly. In addition you cant get into your car boot with them on.

I got a new car last year and got a removable towbar specially to get a towbar mounted carrier.

So far its been great, people think it doesnt look safe but if you think about the forces that are transmitted through a towbar pulling and stopping a caravan or trailer a few 12kg bikes are nothing. Cost just over a hundred and so far worth every penny. You can even still use the boot!

It also has the advantage of having an electrics board attached to it.

mikey72

I've got a thule clip on carrier (metal clips) it's been over europe with three bikes on, and never moved.

sassy_one

I personally do not like them, however I have noticed a lot of people using them this Summer and last, so on those grounds I think they must be 'safe' at least safe enough for normal road use.

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

They're perfectly safe and the OP's friend's husband is being an idiot.

So long as they don't cover either the rear lights or the licence plate there's no problem in using them.

Strider590

I think he's worried about damaging the car, women do have an inherent inability to see when something might cause damage to a vehicle. He's being overprotective in IMO.

movilogo

They are safer than carriers on roof - you never know when you caught them like deers' antlers

sickparrot

I've used one a few times, it has six mounting straps with plastic coated metal plate hooks on the end. Only once has one of the straps come off during transit, and the other 5 held everything in place.

As far as damage goes, they can damage the car if you don't get one quite on properly and tighten the others up, one sprang off when I did this and bent the edge of the bodywork. My car's just a tool though so I wasn't really bothered.