4 Bike Rack
Moderators: User administrators, Moderators
- ginja_ninja
- Registered user
- Posts: 17
- Joined: 02 Apr 2013, 15:04
- 80-90 Mem No: 12182
- Contact:
4 Bike Rack
Hi,
Sorry if this has been asked loads before, but i cant seem to find a definitive answer.
Does anyone know of a 4 bike solution for a TD California?
Fiamma only do a 3-bike door mounted rack, but i note the T4 has a 4 bike solution. Could i modify the 3 bike rack to hold 4?
I have a swan neck tow bar and have seen some neat on-ball solutions, but slightly worried by talk of nose weights and front wheels lifting off the deck!
Any advice greatly appreciated
Sorry if this has been asked loads before, but i cant seem to find a definitive answer.
Does anyone know of a 4 bike solution for a TD California?
Fiamma only do a 3-bike door mounted rack, but i note the T4 has a 4 bike solution. Could i modify the 3 bike rack to hold 4?
I have a swan neck tow bar and have seen some neat on-ball solutions, but slightly worried by talk of nose weights and front wheels lifting off the deck!
Any advice greatly appreciated
I now have a 3rd child; more expensive and demanding than the other 2!
'90 Westy California
'90 Westy California
-
- Registered user
- Posts: 2824
- Joined: 05 Oct 2012, 08:55
- 80-90 Mem No: 11974
- Location: Salisbury
Re: 4 Bike Rack
Never thought about nose wights, good call. See plenty of cars with 4 bike racks but they're ok because they have the engine at the 'wrong' end!! I'm going to put van on the weigh bridge and see what the front axle loading is and then the rear axle loading. Were looking at a carrier too but I don't want to have to leave bags of cement in the front footwell a to counter balance it!
Why would the glass be anything other than half full?
'89 panel van, 1.9 DG.
'89 panel van, 1.9 DG.
- ginja_ninja
- Registered user
- Posts: 17
- Joined: 02 Apr 2013, 15:04
- 80-90 Mem No: 12182
- Contact:
Re: 4 Bike Rack
I've seen mention of 50 to 75kg nose weight, which with four bikes and the rack itself doesn't give any room for error.
I'd be interested to see what the actual numbers are.
Can't quite believe no-one out there, from my research anyway, has a solution..
Humph
I'd be interested to see what the actual numbers are.
Can't quite believe no-one out there, from my research anyway, has a solution..
Humph
I now have a 3rd child; more expensive and demanding than the other 2!
'90 Westy California
'90 Westy California
-
- Registered user
- Posts: 2824
- Joined: 05 Oct 2012, 08:55
- 80-90 Mem No: 11974
- Location: Salisbury
Re: 4 Bike Rack
Those figure are lowwwwww. Worryingly so because the bike furthest away from the hitch is heavier than if it were above the hitch, thus, 2 bags of cement in the footwell (not over hanging the front bumper) wouldn't compensate for the bike weights! A bit of a concern as I'd also like to mount my motorbike carrier on the van too, not sure how the steering would like that especially as the racing season is a winter one and the venues are down country lanes. Could be exciting in the frost/ice.
Why would the glass be anything other than half full?
'89 panel van, 1.9 DG.
'89 panel van, 1.9 DG.
Re: 4 Bike Rack
There was a recent thread on here about bike carriers.
The Thule model mentioned at the end is also available in Decathlon.
Can't comment on nose weights though.
The Thule model mentioned at the end is also available in Decathlon.
Can't comment on nose weights though.
"I'm a man of means, by no means....King of the Road!"
1983 Viking Xplorer, 2.1DJ
1983 Viking Xplorer, 2.1DJ
- ginja_ninja
- Registered user
- Posts: 17
- Joined: 02 Apr 2013, 15:04
- 80-90 Mem No: 12182
- Contact:
Re: 4 Bike Rack
The hanging option looks interesting as that's lighter and closer to the van..
I now have a 3rd child; more expensive and demanding than the other 2!
'90 Westy California
'90 Westy California
Re: 4 Bike Rack
It's obviously been tested otherwise they wouldn't sell it but it would scare me having that on the back
Red Atlantic pop top (1.9AAZ engine)http://www.daswolfgang.com
- clift_d
- Registered user
- Posts: 3297
- Joined: 04 Oct 2012, 23:51
- 80-90 Mem No: 11695
- Location: Hackney innit
Re: 4 Bike Rack
The Paulchen rack system can carry four bicycles. The base rack clamps onto the tailgate with brackets and has secondary legs that transfer some of the vertical load onto the bumper. You can still buy new from Paulchen:
http://paulchensystem.net/products/de/h ... us-t3.html
Alternatively, these racks come up for sale from time to time, but you need to check you get the secondary legs in the package as four bicycles is probably a bit too much load to put on the door hinges alone.
http://paulchensystem.net/products/de/h ... us-t3.html
Alternatively, these racks come up for sale from time to time, but you need to check you get the secondary legs in the package as four bicycles is probably a bit too much load to put on the door hinges alone.
1988 LHD T25 1.6TD Westfalia Club Joker Hightop syncro
- CovKid
- Trader
- Posts: 8409
- Joined: 30 Apr 2006, 13:19
- 80-90 Mem No: 3529
- Location: Ralph - Coventry (Retired)
- Contact:
Re: 4 Bike Rack
I have a towball mounted rack. I'm not far off 18st (on a bad day) and it'll hold my weight with my feet off the floor no problem and mines va quick-clamp type.
Roller paint your camper at home: http://roller.epizy.com/55554/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for MP4 download.
- Cob20
- Registered user
- Posts: 240
- Joined: 04 Oct 2014, 06:26
- 80-90 Mem No: 13976
- Location: Salford, UK
Re: 4 Bike Rack
Maybe you could provide a new service there. Swinging off people's bike racks, just until you get a sweat on, then give them the CovKid seal of approval.CovKid wrote:I have a towball mounted rack. I'm not far off 18st (on a bad day) and it'll hold my weight with my feet off the floor no problem and mines va quick-clamp type.
You would have to maintain the physique......... For test purposes and continuity of course.
1980 2.0l AFC Vanagon Westy
- CovKid
- Trader
- Posts: 8409
- Joined: 30 Apr 2006, 13:19
- 80-90 Mem No: 3529
- Location: Ralph - Coventry (Retired)
- Contact:
Re: 4 Bike Rack
Agree, I could be hired (for a small fee and providing a crowd can be gathered) to put unsuspecting camper owner's bike racks through their paces. Wait till they've gone to the beer tent first obviously.
Seriously though, the towball ones are excellent. It amazes most people just how strong they are. The big advantage is you can lock them with a padlock when they're on, and they pack away very well if you need to take it off.
Having tried both styles, I much prefer the towball type but I appreciate theres a bit of a "I own a Fiamma" with some folk. Thats ok too.
Seriously though, the towball ones are excellent. It amazes most people just how strong they are. The big advantage is you can lock them with a padlock when they're on, and they pack away very well if you need to take it off.
Having tried both styles, I much prefer the towball type but I appreciate theres a bit of a "I own a Fiamma" with some folk. Thats ok too.
Roller paint your camper at home: http://roller.epizy.com/55554/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for MP4 download.
- Cob20
- Registered user
- Posts: 240
- Joined: 04 Oct 2014, 06:26
- 80-90 Mem No: 13976
- Location: Salford, UK
Re: 4 Bike Rack
CovKid wrote:Agree, I could be hired (for a small fee and providing a crowd can be gathered) to put unsuspecting camper owner's bike racks through their paces. Wait till they've gone to the beer tent first obviously.
:D:D:D
1980 2.0l AFC Vanagon Westy
Re: 4 Bike Rack
Fiammas are great...until you want to clean the a*** end of your van. It's your worst enemy then
Red Atlantic pop top (1.9AAZ engine)http://www.daswolfgang.com
- Jim San
- Registered user
- Posts: 2208
- Joined: 21 Jan 2014, 20:01
- 80-90 Mem No: 13133
- Location: Wales / Shropshire border
- Contact:
Re: 4 Bike Rack
Not sure it helpsbut I had one of the VW bike carriers on y T5.
It had a max load of 60KG.
60KG is a good amount of weight, so much so we used to put our 2 bikes and the Kyham Awning on there and were still under the max load.
I did consider that load and weight can be different as hitting a sharp dip can increase the load etc etc (physics eh!).
Also, it's one thing sating 4 bike carrier and another getting them all on. We managed it once and that was with 2 adult, 1 small bike and a childs bike. It was awkward and little more than a tangle of handle bars and peddles - maybe that was just us.
It had a max load of 60KG.
60KG is a good amount of weight, so much so we used to put our 2 bikes and the Kyham Awning on there and were still under the max load.
I did consider that load and weight can be different as hitting a sharp dip can increase the load etc etc (physics eh!).
Also, it's one thing sating 4 bike carrier and another getting them all on. We managed it once and that was with 2 adult, 1 small bike and a childs bike. It was awkward and little more than a tangle of handle bars and peddles - maybe that was just us.
1991 (LHD) Syncro kombi 1.9MTDi 1Z (Landy fuel pump) 215/70/16
Life's to short to drink s@@t beer.
'Roads? We don't need roads where we're going'
Life's to short to drink s@@t beer.
'Roads? We don't need roads where we're going'
- alfieboy
- Registered user
- Posts: 290
- Joined: 14 May 2007, 20:01
- 80-90 Mem No: 6327
- Location: surrey.....the posh part
Re: 4 Bike Rack
Had this on the back of my old bus,it was modified from t4 rack. Held 3x adult and 1x kids bike easy enough.