Here's another question!

[John Mee]

We have a new Fiamma bike rack on our motorhome rated at 60 kg. Our eBikes are well within this weight. I have just done a trial fit and apart from nearly blowing a gasket getting them up there, I am not convinced of their security using the rack's straps and will be using my own straps in addition. What do you experienced people use? I think the rack would have been much easier to use had it been fitted lower and using a trailer board. Cheers John. ps I still have the memory of a post saying that they could pull the back off the van!!!!

 

[Diabalo]

John Mee You need the Fiamma bike clamps to make them more secure.

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

The height is normally dictated by the location of internal wall plate that carries the rack.
If you have a tow bar a rack supported off that would be a lot lower, but yes tow bar plate needed as well. Additionally, a stainless steel lanyard through the ball support frame would make a great security measure, or the alarmed type.
Mike.

 

[WillH]

We use only the Fiamma plastic straps as fitted and a webbing strap looped through both bikes and the carrier.

 

[Wanders from Glos]

We have a Thule bike rack and there should be a ratchet strap for each wheel plus an arm from higher up on the rack that is attached to the frame with a ratchet strap. We have driven all round Europe with them attached this way.

Ours is too high too!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[John Mee]

We have a Thule bike rack and there should be a ratchet strap for each wheel plus an arm from higher up on the rack that is attached to the frame with a ratchet strap. We have driven all round Europe with them attached this way.

Ours is too high too!

 

[Emmit]

A PIR guided machine gun mounted either side wouldn't go amiss to prevent theft.

 

[pappajohn]

I certainly wouldn't use those arms and flimsy straps.

Thule clamp bars are far superior.

 

[John Mee]

Yes, our rack is brand new and has the ratchet straps - serrated plasticky rubber stuff which I am unsure is up to the job on its own. They don't stop the front wheels wobbling and I don't trust them to hold the bike fully secure sideways. On my trailer I use for tip runs, I use 10mm shock cord fastened one end and knotted at the other and it is brilliant at securing anything. I have decided to do the same with the bikes. It won't mark them and simple knots to not come undone when under tension and come undone easily when the tension is relived. Cut into suitable lengths I think it will do the job really well. Much better than bungees. I still worry about the weight though - but I am somewhat relieved that there is some sort of reinforcement within the rear panel.

 

[icantremember]

We have a new Fiamma bike rack on our motorhome rated at 60 kg. Our eBikes are well within this weight. I have just done a trial fit and apart from nearly blowing a gasket getting them up there, I am not convinced of their security using the rack's straps and will be using my own straps in addition. What do you experienced people use? I think the rack would have been much easier to use had it been fitted lower and using a trailer board. Cheers John. ps I still have the memory of a post saying that they could pull the back off the van!!!!

As previously said you should have ratchet straps for the wheels and adjustable arms to support the frames . These can be secured better with cable locks.
As far as height goes, although we no longer use it because we don't carry bikes, we have a Thule electric rack which lowers the bikes to ground level making loading much easier. It then raises quite high making difficulty fo antibody to reach.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[icantremember]

We have a new Fiamma bike rack on our motorhome rated at 60 kg. Our eBikes are well within this weight. I have just done a trial fit and apart from nearly blowing a gasket getting them up there, I am not convinced of their security using the rack's straps and will be using my own straps in addition. What do you experienced people use? I think the rack would have been much easier to use had it been fitted lower and using a trailer board. Cheers John. ps I still have the memory of a post saying that they could pull the back off the van!!!!

As previously said you should have ratchet straps for the wheels and adjustable arms to support the frames . These can be secured better with cable locks.
As far as height goes, although we no longer use it because we don't carry bikes, we have a Thule electric rack which lowers the bikes to ground level making loading much easier. It then raises quite high making difficulty fo antibody to reach.

 

[John Mee]

As previously said you should have ratchet straps for the wheels and adjustable arms to support the frames . These can be secured better with cable locks.
As far as height goes, although we no longer use it because we don't carry bikes, we have a Thule electric rack which lowers the bikes to ground level making loading much easier. It then raises quite high making difficulty fo antibody to reach.

I don't have, nor can afford an electric Thule rack. I was asking about the straps that are fitted to the Fiamma rack which are made for the job, but I am not sure are fit for purpose. There are adjustable arms too.

 

[Chris]

A PIR guided machine gun mounted either side wouldn't go amiss to prevent theft.

And electrify the whole thing

 

[Dart]

Our rack is mounted high too but we have become adept at getting the bikes on and off the rack easily. Firstly my hubby positions a small set of steps in front of the rack. Then at ground level I grab the frame near the back wheel and he grabs the front and we lift the bike up together. I then hold the bike in position while hubby mounts the steps and secures it. Repeat for the next bike. For getting the bikes down he goes up the steps, loosens the bike, I hold it secure while he comes down then we lift the bike down together. I should also say that the batteries are removed when the bikes are in transit so that helps with the weight.

 

[lorger]

Hopefully you’ve removed the batteries to make them easier to lift on and off.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[meanders]

I don't have, nor can afford an electric Thule rack. I was asking about the straps that are fitted to the Fiamma rack which are made for the job, but I am not sure are fit for purpose. There are adjustable arms too.

We used to carry three bikes. The rubber straps did the job well and nothing ever moved. I also used a good quality bike lock wrapped around all three and round one of the vertical bars as additional security and additional safety in case one of the straps failed.

However, if the lowlife are really determined, a large set of boltcroppers would go straight through the aluminium rack,vso bikes and rack can be separated later. Even if alarmed, would you challenge someone carrying such a tool? You can only do so much.

 

[Dart]

Hopefully you’ve removed the batteries to make them easier to lift on and off.

Well, that and to make the bikes less useful to a thief, along with removing the controllers and adding two good chains plus cafe locks activated. Then a good strong cover over the whole sheboodle so the type of bikes isn't immediately obvious. Nothing would stop a determined thief, I know.