MAXXRAXX 5 bike 'Premier' rack, bolt on tow balls...

So what's the big deal about MaxxRaxx carriers? Apart from the clever design features (see below), you can

• adapt the racks to fit any type of tow bar
• adapt them for use on vehicles with or without a rear spare wheel
• tow a caravan or trailer and carry bikes at the same time, subject to nose weight considerations.

In other words, they offer a degree of flexibility which other 'hang on' carriers can't match.

This particular carrier is MaxxRaxx part no. 10MA51, supplied with an AL-KO compatible mounting plate designed for cars, vans and 4 x 4 vehicles which don't have a rear mounted spare wheel. (If you have got a rear spare wheel, click Back and choose a different carrier!)

This carrier holds a maximum 5 bikes, and we assume that you are only buying it because your vehicle has a maximum nose weight of 100kg or more. If there is any doubt, please check with your tow bar fitter to be on the safe side.

It's basically a 4 bike Premier carrier (MaxxRaxx part no. 10MA41) with the 4 bike top beam replaced with a 5 bike top beam (with a yellow webbing strap), and an extra Bike Cradle. Note that the pictures show the 4 bike version..

The most frequently purchased accessories are shown below, including a Light Board Hanger, lighting board options (7 pin plug; check the accessories page for an adapter if you have a 13 pin socket), a Wall Mount Bracket which provides off the ground secure bike storage as well as a ready made work station, and an Artificial Cross Bar for Y-frame and ladies bikes. For the full accessories selection, including the Towing Height Extension (to clear jockey wheel winders etc.), and ski and snowboard carriers, please click here.

We also have a full spares programme, including the parts required to transfer your MaxxRaxx between different types of vehicle and / or different tow bars - click here for details.

Other design features / specifications:

• Weight 13.3kg (TBC)
• The bikes are carried in cycle cradles, held down with a ratchet strap which distributes the webbing tension evenly across all the bikes
• Although we have mentioned the Artificial Cross Bar, it's OK to hang the bike from the Y-frame cross bar, i.e. to fix the bike so that one wheel is higher than the other, or even to hang the bike from the seat post tube if there's sufficient ground clearance. (Please don't ever do any of this with a rear door mounting or "strap on" rack.)
• The carrier can be tilted without the need to remove the bikes, allowing access to the boot
• There's good clearance between the carrier and the bumper / bodywork, minimising the potential for damage to your vehicle
• An integral security cable and padlocks are included, locking the bike to the carrier and the carrier to the tow bar
• Longer bolts (M16 x 60mm) and Nyloc nuts are included for the tow bar mounting

Towing Warning: We sell MaxxRaxx products on the understanding that it is the User's responsibility to check the permitted nose weight, and to check that there is sufficient space for the bikes, particularly when turning or reversing on full lock. In other words, if you do something stupid, don't winge to us about the bikes, the car, third parties, or the bike carrier...

Special Offer! Buy a MAXXRAXX cycle carrier from us by 31st May 2013 and we'll give you, for a nominal charge of 10p, a FREE MAXXRAXX Light Board Hanger, worth £12.50; we've reduced the carrier price by 10p. Only 1 light board hanger per carrier purchased.

Deciding which bike carriers to buy is not always easy, especially as you may not have had experience of using bike carriers before. We hope that our buying guides provide useful guidance about which bike carrier 'strategy' will be most appropriate for your circumstances, as well as highlighting the best features of particular models. We also have troubleshooting FAQs - for example, some customers struggle at first to fit four bikes onto a tow ball carrier, and wonder whether a different carrier would allow the bikes to be spaced wider apart. (It won't, but we have some good tips which make bike fitting much easier.)

Our bike carriers Exchange Scheme covers roof mounting and tow ball mounting bike carriers only. Rear door mounting / strap on carriers are not included, and nor are roof bars. It allows you to exchange within 90 days of invoice date. Most exchanges are for roof mounting upgrades, or are tow ball carriers with very basic tilting systems being exchanged for easy to use sliding / tilting carriers.

These are the rules of the bike carriers Exchange Scheme:

• You are allowed one exchange only.
• The original equipment must be in "as new" condition, subject only to fair wear and tear.
• The replacement items must be different models from the originals.
• The replacement items must not be part of a package deal or be from our Bargains section.
• Roof bars are never part of the Exchange Scheme.

This is how the exchange scheme works:

• We charge in full for the replacement items, including the appropriate carriage charge and a charge for any packaging needed for the return of the originals.
• We pay the return carriage costs.
• When the originals arrive back here we refund you for their invoice value, but you won't get back more than the invoice value of the replacements. In other words, if the replacements are cheaper than the originals we won't be giving you "extra cash back".

Delivery charges and arrangements:

We charge a contribution towards delivery costs, depending on what you order, where you live, and how quickly you want the goods.

For most UK addresses, the charge for our two to three day service is £5.50 (£9.50 for orders including a roof box) and our charge for Next Working Day deliveries is £8.50 (£12.50 for orders involving a roof box). AutoSock, and small spare parts, are charged £3.95 (1st Class post) or £5.50 (express courier, usually Next Working Day).

There are different charges for any delivery including a sea crossing, and deliveries to Skye - we will contact you with a quote on receipt of order.

Orders for Next Working Day delivery need to be received by 4.00pm.

There are no deliveries on Saturdays, Sundays or Bank Holidays. Next Working Day orders placed on a Friday will be delivered on the Monday, Next Working Day orders placed on a Saturday will be delivered on the Tuesday.

We are very flexible with our deliveries and will aim to deliver on a day and at an address which suits you. Goods can usually be left without signature - we prefer this with roof boxes. There's a "Special Delivery Instructions" box in the checkout area where we'll ask you to choose a typical instruction and then amend it to suit your particular requirements.

No retailer or courier company can ever "guarantee" a Next Working Day delivery. All courier companies occasionally have the same transport problems as can happen to everyone else, including snow blocked roads, closed roads, traffic jams, mechanical breakdown, an inability to find the delivery address, or to gain access to it if, for example, it's in a block of flats. We work with some of the best couriers in the business, and overall they provide an outstanding service.