Bike rack on pvc

[2x2camper]

You can't at the tunnel if you wish to avoid quarantining having run through France ?

You'll have to if asked or you won't get on the train

 

[carolyn]

I must admit that the Westfalia ones that we looked at only tilted enough to partially open one of the doors on our Fiat Ducato IH 630RD just like out Thule whereas the Atera Strada DL3 slides out quite a long way and then tilts. There are quite a few Westfalias that tilt so it’s very confusing, none that we saw slid out first. I’d want to know the exact model and see it in action on You tube as they are so expensive. It does take away the worry about being searched at the ports, we always seem to get stopped.

 

[Coolcats]

Can someone with a Ducato confirm if the rear doors will open with the Westfalia rack tilted. I have been waiting for over a month for an Altera Strada from Roofbox as they are on back order and could do with somethin for a few trips next month.
Ta
H

It does on mine have a look at the video

 

[rich g]

The problem with that is when you have to open the doors fully for security at the tunnel or ferry

I have never been asked to do that on ferry or tunnel

 

[Cheshirecat57]

To answer original question....TOWBAR all day
Flexibility going forward would be my reasoning.....trailer etc

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[carolyn]

It does on mine have a look at the video

I would want to see barn doors on a PVC fully opening, I don’t think that allows enough room, it certainly wouldn’t on our IH630RD. I think it might work if you had the expensive rear panel lift up option though, the IH630RL. That’s no different to the videos of my old Thule on a car. We could just about partially open the right hand rear door to reach in and get out the waste bucket or a few bits without removing the whole rack plus bikes.
We also found with the Thule that the handle bars of the inside bike were nearly touching the rear window so ended up padding them with a great big cushion otherwise you had to turn the handle bars which was just another palaver if you did it before you lifted then on as it was then loose , or too flipping high if you waited until after!
I’d have to say the Westfalia looks a much sturdier bike rack , but the Atera Strada is a good compromise and probably worth waiting for unless you can see the Westfalia in action on a PVC and your tow bar is lower than ours. We already have ours on the lower two holes on the witter plate with a 1 inch spacer and the right hand door still only just clears it.

 

[ManTheVan]

Vanstar by Memo - Not cheap I grant you, but brilliant. Will carry 60 kg.

View attachment 427182

That rack is a mammoth! Amazing!

 

[Chris CM]

How about this :

https://www.busbiker.com/folder.pdf

We have one, fitted by the previous owner, takes 80kg and has a tow bar option as well!

 

[Jax n Brian]

Thanking you all very much for you thoughts on this. I have decided upon the Thule elite bike rack to fit on the rear doors. Understand the concern of weight on the door hinge, but only intend to open door in emergency. I am thinking I could remove the rails when not taking the bike away!
I am sure that my westfaila towbar mounted rack would be easier to use, however the extra weight and cost of having a tower fitted has helped with my decision. Looking to sell my westfalia bc70 bike rack with led lighting, only used on my car 3 or 4 times in very good condition. £250.00 if anyone interested

 

[Bannister99]

I recently fitted this Thule rack and love the fact that I can still open the doors with the bicycles on.

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[carolyn]

I recently fitted this Thule rack and love the fact that I can still open the doors with the bicycles on.

View attachment 427467

Must admit that’s what we had on our first PVC and it worked great but now that we have resorted to electric bikes we can’t lift them that high due to the weight.
Being a couple of short arses doesn’t help either mind! Well I’m about average I suppose.

 

[SpeedyDux]

I have never been asked to do that on ferry or tunnel

Going via the Tunnel it depends how thorough the "gas bottle valve off" check is on that day. Several times I have been asked to open the gas locker for them to check the valve is shut, which does mean that both back doors have to be fully open to give access. Other PVCs might have a different location for the gas locker e.g. via the side door.

 

[busby]

Must admit that’s what we had on our first PVC and it worked great but now that we have resorted to electric bikes we can’t lift them that high due to the weight.
Being a couple of short arses doesn’t help either mind! Well I’m about average I suppose.

Stand on a foot stool,,BUSBY.

 

[busby]

Going via the Tunnel it depends how thorough the "gas bottle valve off" check is on that day. Several times I have been asked to open the gas locker for them to check the valve is shut, which does mean that both back doors have to be fully open to give access. Other PVCs might have a different location for the gas locker e.g. via the side door.

My gas bottle is in rear mounted storage box..so not a problem. BUSBY.

 

[Bannister99]

Must admit that’s what we had on our first PVC and it worked great but now that we have resorted to electric bikes we can’t lift them that high due to the weight.
Being a couple of short arses doesn’t help either mind! Well I’m about average I suppose.

I think two e-bikes would be too heavy for the 35kg limt of this type of rack. My wife has one and it's about 19kg.

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[carolyn]

I think two e-bikes would be too heavy for the 35kg
I agree, our two are about 40kg without the batteries. It takes the two of us to lift each one onto the towbar mounted bikerack anyway following Nick’s back and shoulder operations. I laughed when I pictured busby Idea of us lifting bikes standing on steps/stools. The health and safety elf (me) would have a fit.

 

[busby]

I think two e-bikes would be too heavy for the 35kg limt of this type of rack. My wife has one and it's about 19kg.

That's only 38 kg for both then.Sure there is quite a decent safety margin built into the design. BUSBY.
Step just gives you probably a 10 inch height advantage..Used to have to use it with my old bike,24 kgs but new one only about 18kgs..Not going to kill you if you fall 10 inch I don't think.It just made life easier..BUSBY

 

[SteveRallye]

Had the Fiama bike rack on our PVC and found that the stress created by bad road surfaces caused the Ducato doors to buckle slightly. Had got towbar fitted as part of the deal on the Tribby but added airsuspension fitted later on at one of the shows plus bought the towbar mounted bikerack as we had got a couple of electric bikes. So we ended up with the bikes on the towbar and Thule carrymaster box on the bike rack as we could keep the weight to more or less noseweight limits. As one funster mentioned opening the back doors was a problem for the gas so a visit to the marina chandlers got us an inspection porthole which was fitted to the wardrobe base so it was a matter of access thru it to turn gas on and off for the ferries.

 

[Sapper520]

I must admit that the Westfalia ones that we looked at only tilted enough to partially open one of the doors on our Fiat Ducato IH 630RD just like out Thule whereas the Atera Strada DL3 slides out quite a long way and then tilts. There are quite a few Westfalias that tilt so it’s very confusing, none that we saw slid out first. I’d want to know the exact model and see it in action on You tube as they are so expensive. It does take away the worry about being searched at the ports, we always seem to get stopped.

I’m looking to fit a tilting bike rack on the tow ball of our PVC.

I contacted The Roofbox Company, who say the Atera Strada DL3 should be okay. They can’t guarantee I’ll be able to open the doors, it depends how far the tow ball protrudes out the back of the van. In any case it will be close.

Don’t suppose you could supply me with a few measurements please?

 

[carolyn]

I will get on it tomorrow with photos.

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[Sapper520]

You’re a star. The racks are out of stock at the moment, but I can put in a pre-order for one.

 

[TheBig1]

I’m looking to fit a tilting bike rack on the tow ball of our PVC.

I contacted The Roofbox Company, who say the Atera Strada DL3 should be okay. They can’t guarantee I’ll be able to open the doors, it depends how far the tow ball protrudes out the back of the van. In any case it will be close.

Don’t suppose you could supply me with a few measurements please?

you can add up to a 75mm spacer behind the towball to extend it. I used to tow three tonnes on a towbar with that much spacer without issue

 

[Sapper520]

I’ll have to take a closer look at my tow bar to see if I can fit a spacer. It an Auto-Hak with a detachable tow ball.

 

[TheBig1]

I’ll have to take a closer look at my tow bar to see if I can fit a spacer. It an Auto-Hak with a detachable tow ball.

in that case it will be a no, you can only fit them to flange type towbars

 

[carolyn]

You’re a star. The racks are out of stock at the moment, but I can put in a pre-order for one.

Sorry for the delay but the rain has finally stopped! The critical measurements and I hope this is going to make sense from my photos. We have a Fiat ducato PVC 2019 model. The RHd rear door opens first so is the critical one. If yours is European and it’s the left then this is the one that opens the furthest out.

We had to put the towball on the lower two holes on the tow plate to get the top of the ball low enough. It is very slightly flat. From the top of the tow ball to the bottom edge of the slightly open right hand door measures 10cm. Photo 3

The other measurement is from the back of the towball to the bumper which is 10.7 cm, I also measured from the back of the towball to the black trim on the bottom of the right hand door and that was 21.7 cm. Photos 1 and 2

Even with that when the bike rack is on with the 2 bikes on the outer 2 positions and we drop it down the rubber door seals of the right hand door do lightly touch the bike rack so we are glad we put in a 1 inch spacer and not a half inch one.

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[Sapper520]

Carolyn, that’s brilliant.

I’ve got a detachable tow bar, so I can’t fit a spacer. It will all depend on how far my tow ball protrudes from the back.

I’ll let you know how I get on.

 

[Sapper520]

It’s a non starter I’m afraid.........thanks anyway.

 

[carolyn]

It’s a non starter I’m afraid.........thanks anyway.

View attachment 431064

That’s a pity but at least you know.

 

[Sapper520]

We’ll have to use our Thule one which we had on the back of the car. Bit of a pain but if we need to, we’ve had a ‘lift test’ with our bikes on, and we can lift the rack and bikes off the towbar complete and place on the ground.......

 

[carolyn]

Even with our witter one we had to put the bike rack on the lower 2 holes which you’re not supposed to use. We did ask a few people why not as it seemed daft having them there. In the end the only explanation that made sense was that the top position was for towing so that was what the warning was about.
Tow bars are so flipping expensive and it’s only by chance that we had the witter flange type on our first van so knew that’s what we needed on this one.

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