Bike/Cycle Carriers:Car/Cycle Racks:Bicycle Carriers:Bike Rack:Cycle Rack:Bike/Cycle Carrier

CRUZ 'Bici-Rack'
£19.95 was £21.95

Steel: The CRUZ 'Bici-rack' is a basic but solid bike carrier - it's made of much stronger material than similar bike carriers in this price range. It fits roof bars to 40mm wide, downtubes of up to 85mm deep by 65mm wide, and can easily be adjusted to suit the geometry of your bike if this is different to normal. It comes complete with a lock to lock the bike to the carrier, two strong polypropylene wheel straps, and has a 2 year guarantee. Check out the Bike Carrier and Roof Bar Package Deals for special offers.

Atera STRADA 3
£265.00

3 bikes, 4 with adapter: Atera's design team have come up trumps again, with a superb new lightweight STRADA 3 carrier (only 14.5kg) which is fully self-adjusting for all tow balls and - this is the real innovation - doesn't tilt but slides away from the car, much in the same way as a kitchen drawer slides out of a unit. Not only is this a single handed operation, but the bike carrier is taking the weight of the bikes, so it's easy, and safe - the bikes won't suddenly pivot forward and clock you on the head. You can step into the carrier to make carrying and fitting it even easier, i.e. placing no strain on your back, and causing no bruises to your shins. It's only 100cm wide so you should be able to fit it into the boot of most cars; although it locks to the tow bar this lock is as much for safety as security - the real benefit of being able to remove the carrier is that it increases the opportunities for safe parking, especially in e.g. a multi-storey car park, or in a standard car-length parking space, or when parked diagonally to the road, nose into the pavement, which is the typical routine in mainland Europe. These carriers are supplied with 5 function lights including a fog light on the offside to make them UK legal - more details on the next page.

Tradekar Silver Bike
£99.95 was £124.95

2 bikes, 3 with adapter: The Tradekar Silver Bike is a very well priced and well made tilting 2 bike carrier which fits to any tow ball. A 3rd bike adapter is available. It is simplicity itself to tilt the carrier, allowing easy access to the car. The tilt control handle is at the back of the carrier, near the number plate, so you won't get oil on your hands or clothes. The carrier tilts from the centre of the carrier, i.e. far enough back to allow vertical or near-vertical tailgates (e.g. MPVs) to be opened. A caravan and trailer adapter is also available - details on next page. All in all a very clever design.

Tradekar ONYX
£149.95

2 bikes, 3 with adapter: The Tradekar ONYX also fits to any tow ball. A 3rd bike adapter is available. The most obvious difference between this carrier and the Silver Bike (see above) is the new patented locking quick fit system which is fitted in literally "5 seconds flat" without the need for any tools. As with the Silverbike, it tilts in one easy movement, with a 'tilt stop' so it won't hit the ground. 5 function lights.

Atera STRADA 2
£235.00

2 bikes, 3 with adapter: Atera's design team have come up trumps again, with a superb new lightweight STRADA 2 carrier (only 12.5kg) which is fully self-adjusting for all tow balls and - this is the real innovation - doesn't tilt but slides away from the car, much in the same way as a kitchen drawer slides out of a unit. Not only is this a single handed operation, but the bike carrier is taking the weight of the bikes, so it's easy, and safe - the bikes won't suddenly pivot forward and clock you on the head. You can step into the carrier to make carrying and fitting it even easier, i.e. placing no strain on your back, and causing no bruises to your shins. It's only 100cm wide so you should be able to fit it into the boot of most cars; although it locks to the tow bar this lock is as much for safety as security - the real benefit of being able to remove the carrier is that it increases the opportunities for safe parking, especially in e.g. a multi-storey car park, or in a standard car-length parking space, or when parked diagonally to the road, nose into the pavement, which is the typical routine in mainland Europe. These carriers are supplied with 5 function lights including a fog light on the offside to make them UK legal - more details on the next page.

These have to be fitted to a set of roof bars. All the aluminium carriers have a quick release system which can be used from either side of the car, and lock the carrier to the bars independently of the bike. Adjustment is made at shoulder level, so you don't have to stretch. This feature is especially useful when bikes are carried near the centre of the car roof, or on very high vehicles.

Almost all the problems we have encountered with the bike carriers we sell have happened with fork mounting carriers. Things have moved on a lot in bike carrier design, minimising the potential for user error, but the differences between the forks being held too tight (potential for fork damage and for breaking the carrier), too loose (potential for falling off) and just right, do seem to be down to quite subtle changes in tension. If you can find a way of using a safety strap, mounted e.g. around the frame and then around the front roof bar, this would generally be "A Good Idea".

These racks are usually the easiest and quickest to use of all bike carriers, taking up to four bikes. Click on one of the links below to go directly to: >> 2 bikes maximum >> 3 bikes maximum >> 4 bikes maximum. If you do decide to go for a tow bar mounted wheel support rack, please check the maximum permitted weight for your tow bar. Allow 15kg for each bike you want to carry, (or weigh the bikes), and don't forget to include the weight of the bike carrier.

This Bike Carriers product range page shows our full range of bike racks / car racks, including roof mounting, strap on mounting, rear door mounting, tow bar mounting and 'in car' .

If you need general help in deciding which type of carrier(s) to buy then please visit our bike carrier information pages.

Click on the name or image of any car rack you're interested in and you'll be taken to a detailed specification page, with links to our online ordering system. You'll also see all appropriate 'Related Products'. For roof mounting carriers there are also links to the Roof Bars pages, so you should be able to pull together your whole order in a logical way.

Pendle 2 bike Spare Wheel Rack
£134.95

Pendle's Spare Wheel Rack is a top of the range solution for carrying 2 bikes. It fits to a rear door mounted adapter plate whose nose protrudes through the spare wheel. Most people leave these adapters permanently in place, so fitting and removing the carrier is a doddle. Replacement adapter plates can be bought separately. The whole unit can be adjusted from side to side to leave the bikes safely positioned across the width of the vehicle. If you wish to check which carriers are recommended / required for which vehicles, and whether a separate lighting unit is required, please click here. We will bring this list up to date by the end of June."

Pendle "Strap On Tyre Rack"
£84.95

The Pendle Strap On Tyre Rack is the ideal 2 bike rack for vehicles with rear mounted spare wheels but no tow bar. It fits almost all 4 x 4s with rear mounted spare wheels. It can be adjusted from side to side to leave the bikes safely positioned across the width of the vehicle. If you wish to check which carriers are recommended / required for which vehicles, and whether a separate lighting unit is required, please click here. We will bring this list up to date by the end of June."

AllRound 2000
£TBC - but over £400 for the 4 bike version

4 bikes: An aluminium tow bar mounting system of the highest quality, with a range of accessories from a storage box to a tandem carrier, suitable for all tow ball types. Lightweight but, being aluminium, expensive. Details to follow - we expect to have the details in place by the end of July. In the meantime, please see www.allround-hecktraeger.de for details.

Pendle 4 bike wheel support racks
from £183.95

>> Pendle 4 bike wheel support rack, "fits over the tow ball" - £183.95
>> Pendle 4 bike wheel support rack for "bolt on" tow balls - £198.95

4 bikes: Pendle’s wheel support racks have won many ‘Best Buy’ awards over the years. The distance between the bikes can be altered to ensure they don’t rub together, the wheel holders can be altered for different wheel bases, and child supports are available for bikes with smaller wheels. One downside is that the 'bolt on' and 'swan neck' racks are not compatible, so if you switch tow ball type you'll have to buy not only a different mounting block but a completely new rack. If you have a rear spare wheel and want to carry 4 bikes, then this carrier is not suitable; your only option is the Allround 2000 (see below).

Tradekar Saffier 4
£174.95

4 bikes: This is the next generation 4 bike carrier from Tradekar, it is a superb tilting four bike wheel support rack that fits all tow balls and all bikes. It's very quick to fit and dismount and the bike frame holder folds flat for ease of storage - you just need to undo two hand tensioned wheel nuts. The wheel supports are fully adjustable so the carrier can take any size of bike and the strong quick fit / quick release polypropylene straps accommodate all wheel sizes and all frame sizes. The carrier is easily tilted even with the bikes on.

Thule EuroClassic G5 908
£259.95

2 bikes, 3 with adapter: Thule's new top of their range carrier, the EuroClassic G5 908 is certainly very smart, and is quickly and easily fitted to all the tow balls we've tested it with, including (after adjustment) tow balls which we know to be very slightly the wrong size. (There are a surprising number about!) That's good. The tilting process is also a great improvement. The carrier pivots from near the front, and there is a tilt stop (i.e. the bikes don't hit the ground), making this genuinely a single handed operation. Previous EuroClassics have pivoted around the tow ball, which made tilting the carrier a relatively slow process. You can increase the tilt angle to 70 degrees for use on vehicles with near-vertical tailgates, e.g. most MPVs. At 18kg (19kg with the 3rd bike adapter) it's also easy enough to carry. Although it's supplied with wheel supports for 3 bikes, an extra adapter is required for the 3rd bike. Approximately 136cm wide by 60cm deep.

Thule EuroWay 946
£194.95

3 bikes: The Thule EuroWay 946 is suitable for all types of tow bars, and has a tilt function operated from the back of the bike carrier, near the lights - that's a major plus point. It is supplied largely preassembled, and clamps onto the tow ball with an upgraded verison of the Thule RideOn fitting - this includes an integral lock, i.e. to lock the carrier to the car, and tightening is done with a large hand wheel and a lever for the final tightening. The UK version has a clever lighting system - it uses a standard UK 7 pin plug but manages to get 4 out of a 5 function light system working, including a UK legal fog light.

Pendle 3 bike wheel support racks
from £157.95

>> Pendle 3 bike wheel support rack, "fits over the tow ball" - £157.95
>> Pendle 3 bike wheel support rack for "bolt on" tow balls - £167.95

3 bikes: Pendle’s wheel support racks have won many ‘Best Buy’ awards over the years. The distance between the bikes can be altered to ensure they don’t rub together, the wheel holders can be altered for different wheel bases, and child supports are available for bikes with smaller wheels. One downside is that the 'bolt on' and 'swan neck' racks are not compatible, so if you switch tow ball type you'll have to buy not only a different mounting block but a completely new rack. If you have a rear spare wheel, or want more space between the bikes, buy a 4 bike version and only use three sets of fittings. (Note that we won't buy back any fittings you don't need - keep them for guest bikes! - and also note that we won't swap the main beams from e.g. a 3 bike carrier for the longer beams from a 4 bike carrier. If you want this degree of bespoke service you'll need to contact Pendle Engineering directly.)

Thule RideOn 9503
£109.95

3 bikes: The Thule RideOn 9503 is Thule's entry level 3 bike wheel support rack, replacing the 9403. It clamps onto any tow ball using a similar fitting to the Tradekar Saffier, i.e. just tighten the bolt with a spanner until it's tight. The tilt function is rudimentary, requiring the removal of a couple of 'U' bolts, but it works. Actually the 9503 is good value at this price range, but don't ask too much of it - there are very big differences in ease of use between cheap and expensive bike carriers / car racks. Another point in its favour is that it's small enough to go into to the boot of the car as required, e.g. if you are parking on the street and the car will be too long with a bike rack fitted. A lock accessory, to lock the carrier to the car, is expected at some stage, but in the short term you should use a cable lock.

Thule EuroWay 944
£159.95

The Thule EuroWay 944 is suitable for all types of tow bars, and has a tilt function operated from the back of the bike carrier, near the lights - that's a major plus point. It is supplied largely preassembled, and clamps onto the tow ball with an upgraded version of the Thule RideOn fitting - this includes an integral lock, i.e. to lock the carrier to the car, and tightening is done with a large hand wheel and a lever for the final tightening. The UK version has a clever lighting system - it uses a standard UK 7 pin plug but manages to get 4 out of a 5 function light system working, including a UK legal fog light.

Pendle 2 bike wheel support racks
from £129.95

>> Pendle 2 bike wheel support rack, "fits over the tow ball" - £129.95
>> Pendle 2 bike wheel support rack for "bolt on" tow balls - £139.95

Pendle’s wheel support racks have won many ‘Best Buy’ awards over the years. The distance between the bikes can be altered to ensure they don’t rub together, the wheel holders can be altered for different wheel bases, and child supports are available for bikes with smaller wheels. One downside is that the 'bolt on' and 'swan neck' racks are not compatible, so if you switch tow ball type you'll have to buy not only a different mounting block but a completely new rack. If you have a rear spare wheel, or want more space between the bikes, buy a 3 bike version and only use two sets of fittings. (Note that we won't buy back any fittings you don't need - keep them for guest bikes! - and also note that we won't swap the main beams from e.g. a 2 bike carrier for the longer beams from a 3 bike carrier. If you want this degree of bespoke service you'll need to contact Pendle Engineering directly.)

Thule RideOn 9502
£69.95

The Thule RideOn 9502 is Thule's entry level 2 bike wheel support rack, replacing the 9402. It clamps onto any tow ball using a similar fitting to the Tradekar TAKE FOUR, i.e. just tighten the bolt with a spanner until it's tight. (A lock accessory, to lock the carrier to the car, is expected at some stage, but in the short term you should use a cable lock.) The tilt function is rudimentary, requiring the removal of a couple of 'U' bolts, but it works. Actually the 9502 is good value at this price range, but don't ask too much of it - there are very big differences in ease of use between cheap and expensive bike carriers / car racks. Another point in its favour is that it's small enough to go into to the boot of the car as required, e.g. if you are parking on the street and the car will be too long with a bike rack fitted.

MaxxRaxx 4WD racks
from £105.95

>> MaxxRaxx Discovery
>> MaxxRaxx 4 x 4

MaxxRaxx Discovery - suitable for the Land Rover Discovery Series 1 and 2 (140mm offset). MaxxRaxx 4 x 4 - suitable for vehicles with a larger rear mounted spare wheel (250mm offset). 5 bikes can be carried on certain 4 x 4s and larger vehicles with nose weights of 100kg or more. Buy into the MaxxRaxx system and you can modify the carrier when you change vehicle. The bikes are held almost incredibly firmly, and tilting is an easy enough task if there are two people, one to prevent the bikes from falling back (there's a tilt stop) while the other removes the locking pin. Click here to see
MaxxRaxx videos.

Pendle 4x4 racks
from £96.95

>> Pendle standard 4 x 4 rack ("Discovery rack")
>> Pendle large wheel 4 x 4 rack ("Land Rover rack")

You'll find that these links take you through to the "swan neck" carriers, i.e. "fits over the tow ball" carriers. The standard 4 x 4 rack has a 6" offset to clear the rear wheel, and the large wheel 4 x 4 rack has a 10" offset. The standard rack usually allows up to two bikes to be carried during towing (not recommended with the large wheel rack). Please apply basic commonsense in determining whether to carry bikes and tow at the same time - check the maximum permitted tow bar nose weight as well as the length of the caravan or trailer draw bar.

If you wish to check which carriers are recommended / required for which vehicles, and whether a separate lighting unit is required, please click here. We will bring this list up to date by the end of June."

MaxxRaxx Premier
from £90.95

The MaxxRaxx Premier is suitable for cars, vans and 4 x 4 vehicles with no rear mounted spare wheel - see below for the rear spare wheel versions. These carriers are tiltable, versatile, ingenious. Spares are available to adapt the carrier for use with rear mounted spare wheels and also to any type of tow bar - there's even a ski carrier. 5 bikes can be carried on certain 4 x 4s and larger vehicles with nose weights of 100kg or more. The way the bikes fit provides some
of the benefits of using a wheel support rack, but
at more of a hang on rack price. Click here to see
MaxxRaxx videos.
Enjoy your Bike magazine -
"Best Buy Award 2006"

Pendle Hang On racks
from £79.95

>> Pendle 3 bike Hang On rack - from £75.95
>> Pendle 4 bike Hang On rack - from £89.95

This season we are only supplying Pendle’s 3 or 4 bike Hang On racks for vehicles with a 'swan neck' tow ball; all things considered we favour the MaxxRaxx system for bolt on / "2 bolt flange" tow balls. (With a swan neck system the bike carrier "fits over the tow ball", so you obviously can't tow and carry bikes at the same time.) 4 x 4s with rear mounted spare wheels need a 4 x 4 version - see below. Certain vehicles with near vertical tailgates, including most MPVs and Range Rovers, will be better off with a standard 4 x 4 rack to ensure there is sufficient clearance for the pedals.

Thule BoltOn 9705
£69.95

The Thule BoltOn 9705 will carry 4 bikes (maximum 60kg) on a "bolt on" tow bar. It can be tilted by removing the main support rod - a two person job which involves one person taking the weight of the bikes while the other squeezes into the space between the bumper and the bike carrier (both hands needed) to remove a locking hand wheel.

Thule HangOn racks
from £59.95

>> Thule HangOn 972 (£59.95, 3 bikes)
>> Thule HangOn 9708 (£79.95, 4 bikes)

Thule's HangOn 972 and HangOn 9708 are, respectively, three and four bike carriers which use the same coupling as the Thule RideOns (and Tradekar TAKE FOUR); they fit both bolt on and swan neck tow balls. They can both be tilted to allow access to the car boot, but tilting is a basic process which certainly requires two people to be done safely. A lighting board will be required.

REAR DOOR MOUNTING BIKE CARRIER INFORMATION:

Lighting boards are available for all 'strap on' carriers, either in white
or yellow. Pendle make a lighting board specifically for their Strap On
rack. You'll find all these items listed as options on the individual product
order pages.

Note that some of the cars which are known NOT to be suitable for carrying strap-on racks are also shown on the applications database. This 'No fit' part of the list is almost certainly incomplete. 'Strap-on' carriers can be dangerous if misused or badly fitted, and the budget ones (which we don't sell) often seem to damage car bodywork even if apparently fitted correctly; please note therefore that we will accept no responsibility for loss or damage, of whatever kind, where strap on carriers are incorrectly fitted or inappropriately used.

You also need to use commonsense in placing appropriate padding between the bikes on any rear mounting or indeed tow bar mounting carrier. This is especially needed where a 'strap-on' carrier leaves the bikes at an angle of perhaps 45 degrees, and all the bikes are basically lying on each other. Anything from closed cell foam matting to old carpet can be appropriate. In other words, we'll be delighted to supply the carriers you need, but it must always be your responsibility to make sure that your bikes aren't damaged.

Please phone 015396 21884 (9am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday) or email if you have any questions about these racks, or if you have a recently released car which might not have been tested by the various manufacturers.

Atera LINEA
from £175.00 including fitting kit

The Atera LINEA is an aluminium clamp-on carrier of the highest quality, supplied partially assembled, and designed to carry up to four bikes, depending on the strength of the tailgate. The three bike version weighs only 8.5 kg! Fitting the adapter kit is quick and easy work, and it’s fair to say that Atera’s adapters, which are tightened up using a special key, provide a more precise fit than Thule’s BackPac adapters. The four bike models are for specific vehicles only and include some stainless steel in the construction. Popular applications include the Renault Megane Scenic (3 bikes), Mercedes Vito (4 bikes), Alhambra / Galaxy / Sharan series (4 bikes), and Volkswagen T4 and T5 (4 bikes).

Thule BackPac 973
£174.95 including fitting kit

Thule’s aluminium and steel 973 BackPac clamp on carrier is for estate cars and vans only; it carries up to four bikes, depending on the strength of the tailgate, and can be moved from car to car by use of a different fitting kit to provide real value for money. The three bike version weighs in at a substantial 16.5 kg. Initial construction is relatively time consuming, but it has a wider application list than the Atera LINEA.

Thule ClipOn High
£144.95

Thule's 2 bike ClipOn High carrier is a flexible and quickly mounted wheel support rack, i.e. the bikes stand on their wheels, held apart by the locking frame holders. Thule's patented 'snap on' fitting system really does make it very quick and easy to fit, once assembled for the first time. The bikes sit above the rear light clusters and number plate on most cars - but check the database.

This carrier was further improved in 2006 - the previous version won a Auto Express 'Best Buy Award' in 2003.

Thule ClipOn
£97.95

Thule's 3 bike ClipOn carrier was modified in 2006; the previous version was an Auto Express Best Buy award winner. It has metal straps, and once adjusted for your vehicle is very quick and easy to clip / snap into place, and to remove. It's a low mount carrier so will almost certainly require the use of a lighting board. There are two versions of the ClipOn - one's mainly for hatchbacks, the other for estates. Lighting board? No worries - your local auto electrician should easily be able to wire a socket into the rear light cluster, left inside the boot space.

Pendle Strap On
£66.95

Pendle’s 3 bike Strap On carrier was given an MBUK ‘Best Buy’ award some years ago. (“The quality of construction above all makes it stand out… As one tester put it, it feels engineered rather than simply ‘produced’.”) And in 2006 it won both the "Enjoy your Bike" magazine Best Buy Award and, much more importantly, the Auto Express Best Buy award for rear door fitting carriers. Some cars require a lighting unit, and some require the use of a special window adapter where there is no metal at the top of the tailgate - the database will tell you whether these are required, and list the lighting board options.

Atera Bike Lift
from £149.95 was from £174.95

>> Atera BIKE LIFT
>> Atera Tandem BIKE LIFT

Atera’s hydraulic BIKE LIFT makes easy work of roof mounting. One lift can be placed on either side of the car. You slide the saddle into its carrying loop, secure it with the safety strap, hook the handlebars into their securing cradle, and then with relatively minimal effort the bike rises to the car roof. Not the cheapest option, but well worth it if you aren’t confident that you’ll be able to lift your bike to head height without it toppling over… There's also a tandem version.

Atera GIRO Speed
£59.95

The Atera GIRO Speed is a smart and innovative carrier, originally designed for BMW but now available to the aftermarket. The real innovation is in the tightening system where, first time out, you pull out the tensioning knob and turn it until it's just the way you want it, not too tight, not too loose. Thereafter it uses a quick release system. Other manufacturers use a trial and error system, i.e. guess the tension required, and then find out whether it's right; there's a real danger of overtightening and then breaking the mechanism. The GIRO Speed fits standard 22mm x 32mm bars, and Atera or Thule aerobars (adapters are included), and is suitable for bikes with disc brakes, and bikes with wide tyres. City-crash tested.

Atera GIRO AF
£54.95 was £61.95

Aluminium: The previous GIRO was a worthy winner of the Auto Express Best Buy Award on several occasions. The aluminium Atera GIRO AF is its replacement and features intelligently designed wheel supports to hold the bike in place during fitting as well as automatic shoulder-level single-handed tensioning and locking, leaving one hand to hold the bike steady. Clever stuff. It fits oval down tubes from 80mm to 100mm, and round tubes from 22mm to 80mm diameter.
Check out the Bike Carrier and Roof Bar Package Deals for special offers.

Thule FreeRide 530
£47.95

Steel: Thule’s FreeRide 530 is suitable for bikes with downtubes up to 80mm (oval) or 70mm (round). It’s 210mm wide and can be fitted for loading either from the left or the right hand side. The quick release clamp only needs to be adjusted to a particular down tube size once - making it particularly quick and easy to use.

The Atera STRADA 2 is a 2 bike carrier that takes 3 bikes if a 3rd bike adapter is fitted. Customers who only want to carry two bikes are sometimes not seeing it on our listings, and have then regretted buying something inferior. Bear in mind that the difference between an adequate tow bar carrier and a very good one is minimal compared to the costs of having a tow bar fitted, and that a top quality aluminium wheel support rack should last almost indefinitely, and keep on looking good long after a steel carrier is showing its age, probably including rust! Please scroll down into the "3 bikes maximum" section to find the Atera STRADA 2.

The Atera STRADA 3 is a 3 bike carrier that takes 4 bikes if a 4th bike adapter is fitted. Customers who only want to carry three bikes are sometimes not seeing it on our listings, and have then regretted buying something inferior. Bear in mind that the difference between an adequate tow bar carrier and a very good one is minimal compared to the costs of having a tow bar fitted, and that a top quality aluminium wheel support rack should last almost indefinitely, and keep on looking good long after a steel carrier is showing its age, probably including rust! Please scroll down into the "4 bikes maximum" section to find the Atera STRADA 3.