Swing out cycle racks any advise please.

[colyboy]

Hi we live in East Devon and wanting to fit a “swing out” cycle rack on the back of our Malibu van which is a 640 model.

I have spoken to several “normal” towbar fitters who have never seen or heard of a swing out. Does anyone know of any good tow bar fitters who would have experience of a swing out. Don’t mind travelling to get a proper job done.

Another problem I have is that I am not quite sure how they fit. Do fit directly on to chassis or on to a an already installed normal tow bar.

Hope some one can help TIA

Colyboy

 

[PaulW2]

Like this?

Swing Out Carry Systems For Vans - Mobile Fitting Service

We specialise in supplying & installing a range of swing out carry system for van conversions. Get tailored advice and fitting from UK Towbars.

www.uk-towbars.net

 

[Wicketter]

We have ordered a Knaus Fiat panel van with a Thule swing out rack being fitted at build. We looked at them at the NEC, clever

 

[philthefish]

I have one on my Globecar. Cost about £580, but add the bike rack to that cost.
You take off your towball and fit the swing out. It enables you to open rear doors without taking off the bikes by just pulling the pin. Very handy when the tunnel want to inspect your gas bottle.
Be aware, the weight can cause issues. I have two electric bikes so they are heavy and put me close to maximum weight
Existing tow bar about 40kg
Swing out 30 kg
Bike rack 16 kg
Add the weight of your bikes.

 

[PaulW2]

I have one on my Globecar. Cost about £580, but add the bike rack to that cost.
You take off your towball and fit the swing out. It enables you to open rear doors without taking off the bikes by just pulling the pin. Very handy when the tunnel want to inspect your gas bottle.
Be aware, the weight can cause issues. I have two electric bikes so they are heavy and put me close to maximum weight
Existing tow bar about 40kg
Swing out 30 kg
Bike rack 16 kg
Add the weight of your bikes.

Good point. I also have a Globecar and couldn't do it very easily.

I have a pretty good payload to start with, considering. But by the time I'm fully loaded and with full tanks etc I have about 100kg left.

Now lose say 40+30+16 per your example, plus the 38 kg for 2 electric bikes, and I may be over unless I've economised elsewhere.

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[Nikwilko]

Also worth considering eurofab260, the tray slides backwards by 1m allows rear doors to open on a ducato. Fits to a normal towbar (recommended a bolt on towball so you can fit 1" spacer to give clearance if handlebars are wide mtb)
Rack is £700 but needs importing to uk so nearly 1k but a great solution.

 

[Brains]

Hi we live in East Devon and wanting to fit a “swing out” cycle rack on the back of our Malibu van which is a 640 model.

I have spoken to several “normal” towbar fitters who have never seen or heard of a swing out. Does anyone know of any good tow bar fitters who would have experience of a swing out. Don’t mind travelling to get a proper job done.

Another problem I have is that I am not quite sure how they fit. Do fit directly on to chassis or on to a an already installed normal tow bar.

Hope some one can help TIA

Colyboy

There are two companies that specialise in Motorhome towbars and all the associate kit that goes with them.
One is Armitages of Yorkshire
the other is LNB towbars of Bristol, so just up the road for you!

 

[paul2]

Take a trip to Holland and get a BusBiker cycle rack fitted I've had mine for about 8 years now and still think it's great.

 

[stevewagner]

You could get a tilting bike rack that fits on a tow bar

 

[Lenny333]

I have a Memo Van Star E Cross pivoting carrier fitted to our Ducati Maxi PVC by Jacques of York.

It a nice carrier and convenient to use although it’s heavy to start with and fits to the chassis. It takes up to 75kg of bikes though so I needed a chunky one for our 2 e-bikes.

I’ve up-plated the van to 3900kg via SVTech so don’t have to worry about payload and the axle weights are fine.

Jacques service was great and although the carrier was quite expensive, I’m glad we went for this rather than a towbar carrier as it looks good with or without bikes on and also gives me a convenient place to mount my Starlink pole!

Bike Carriers - Jacques - Motorhome & Caravan Accessories Specialists

jacquesyork.co.uk

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[carolyn]

I have a Memo Van Star E Cross pivoting carrier fitted to our Ducati Maxi PVC by Jacques of York.

It a nice carrier and convenient to use although it’s heavy to start with and fits to the chassis. It takes up to 75kg of bikes though so I needed a chunky one for our 2 e-bikes.

I’ve up-plated the van to 3900kg via SVTech so don’t have to worry about payload and the axle weights are fine.

Jacques service was great and although the carrier was quite expensive, I’m glad we went for this rather than a towbar carrier as it looks good with or without bikes on and also gives me a convenient place to mount my Starlink pole!

Bike Carriers - Jacques - Motorhome & Caravan Accessories Specialists

jacquesyork.co.uk

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Very interesting. We are dithering about getting this very same rack. As we already have the same van as you I think you’ve answered the payload question as well! We’ve got an awning already as well so payload is already worse. Nick had better do his C1 this year.

Won’t do it until after Iceland as I don’t think we’ll get the chance to use normal bikes there!

We live near LNB in Bristol. Thankyou.

 

[TrudeandDall]

It doesn't matter which system you install, they all come with a simular weight penalty.
We already had a Thule E-bike rack for the car, so getting a "van swing" on a towbar was a no brainer. We can use the same rack on either the van or the car.
We've covered over 10k cycle loaded miles on our 6.4m Ducato with absolutely no problems at all. With the van in running order and the van swing fully loaded at 60kg the rear axle is 1800kg

 

[PaulW2]

Nick had better do his C1 this year

May be worth bearing in mind that if you do a C1 now you need annual medicals after age 65.

 

[carolyn]

May be worth bearing in mind that if you do a C1 now you need annual medicals after age 65.

Oh I thought it was 70.

 

[PaulW2]

70 if you have grandfathered rights, then every 3 years.

If you don’t have grandfathered rights it’s every 5 years from 45, then annually from 65.

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[carolyn]

70 if you have grandfathered rights, then every 3 years.

If you don’t have grandfathered rights it’s every 5 years from 45, then annually from 65.

Oh yes we have grandfather rights. I wondered if I’d somehow missed some new bit of legislation. Thank god for that!

 

[PaulW2]

Oh yes we have grandfather rights. I wondered if I’d somehow missed some new bit of legislation. Thank god for that!

Then he doesn't need to do a C1, does he? Or did you mean the medical to retain the C1?

 

[treblid]

We have the tow bar mounted version of the MEMO Van Swing. If I was starting again with a PVC, and didn't need a towbar for towing, I would go for the version of the MEMO Van Swing that fixes directly to the chassis using similar mounting points as a towbar.
This saves some weight and is slightly easier to use as the pin to unlock it is nearer the side rather than in the middle.

VAN-SWING PIVOTING MODULE

Products Fietsendragers

www.memo-europe.com

 

[carolyn]

Then he doesn't need to do a C1, does he? Or did you mean the medical to retain the C1?

The medical, what I thought was obvious in my head was clearly not obvious once it had been transmitted onto the page! Yes he’ll be 70 at the end of April. I’ve got a few years to go. Sorry about that. I was working out the timing. We go on a big trip early June to Iceland which complicates things. He doesn’t have any health issues.

 

[Wicketter]

I think that is how the new Thule one works

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[colyboy]

Thanks everybody for your help now need a bit more advice on tow bar tilting cycle racks
Colyboy

 

[Wicketter]

I have the new Thule EPOS, stunning design

 

[Ed Scratcher]

I have the new Thule EPOS, stunning design

Have a look at Buzzrack.com, I parked next to some e mtb Bikers, impressed at the usability and build, tilted easily, but not sure if they would tilt far enough to open PVC doors.

 

[Ed Scratcher]

Have a look at Buzzrack.com, I parked next to some e mtb Bikers, impressed at the usability and build, tilted easily, but not sure if they would tilt far enough to open PVC doors.

Oops, that Buzzrack note was aimed at Colyboy