Atera STRADA VARIO 2 bike carrier no. AR2750
Another excellent tow bar rack from Atera. Superbly well manufactured and easy-to-use. As well as many innovations that make this carrier really user friendly it has two big differences.
- It can take a max bike weight of 30kg, great if you have heavier or electric bikes
- It folds for compact storage
Another excellent tow bar rack from Atera. Superbly well manufactured and easy-to-use. As well as many innovations that make this carrier really user friendly it has two big differences.
- It can take a max bike weight of 30kg, great if you have heavier or electric bikes
- It folds for compact storage
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We reckon that Atera's STRADA range of carriers are the best designed and best engineered tow ball carriers on the market, bar none. Apart from its all round style, what's so special about the STRADA VARIO? (1) It can take a maximum load of up to 60kg, great if you have heavier or electric bikes (do make sure you are not exceeding your towbar noseweight). (2) Fundamentally, it slides away from the vehicle, rather than tilting, i.e. the bike carrier takes the weight of the bikes, rather than you. The sliding system provides tailgate clearance even for vehicles with vertical tailgates. The VARIO’s sliding and closing system is generally the easiest to use of any sliding or tilting wheel support rack on the market. (3) It fits to 'bolt on' or 'swan neck' tow balls (including detachable tow bars) without any adjustment; you just place it on the tow ball and push down the handle - no spanners or Allen keys are required. (4) It's very easy to carry - it won't bump your shins if carried properly - and as soon as you place it on the tow ball the weight is taken, so you can straighten up and rest your back. Other carriers require you to support the platform with one hand while fiddling with the fixing system with the other. (5) Furthermore, it folds in seconds for compact storage (down to 635mm wide by 395mm high). Whether folded or unfolded it should fit into most, if not all, car boots. This allows you to park safely without risk of the bike carrier being damaged. You only need to fold the wheel holders in then flick up a catch to fold down the upright bike holder support. (6) The removable, lockable bike frame holders are also without a doubt the best available, incorporating a ratchet tightening mechanism. They fit oval and other outsize frames as well as round ones, wrapping a strap right around the frame for safety and security. (This looks like a simple plastic strap, but it is in fact 'sandwiched' around a spring steel core.) All bike holders have swivel joints, and the long holder has a slight curve in the aluminium support rod to increase the opportunities available. The upright is bigger than other carriers, making it even easier to attach your bikes. We haven't yet come across any combination of bike sizes and styles that can't easily be locked into place (using the same key which locks the whole unit to the tow ball). (7) The frame is curved allowing you, when the bikes have been slid out of the way, to stand much closer to the tow ball. This means you can lift items into and out of the boot both safely and easily. This is not a trivial benefit - most other bike carriers have rectangular frames and although you may be able to open the tailgate easily enough, you usually have to lean across the bike carrier frame to reach the boot space, which is definitely not ergonomic. (8) It has smart new lights. These don't just look better, they are clearer too. It makes sense when using this carrier to place a safety strap around all the bikes and the bike holder support frame. We're therefore providing a free strap with each carrier - one strap per carrier! As well as providing peace of mind the strap will also help to minimise vibration. Technical and miscellaneous:
Note for vehicles with a rear mounted spare wheel: You may not be able to fit the STRADA VARIO onto vehicles with a rear mounted spare wheel: in our experience you almost always have to remove the spare wheel. This could be (1) to get the bike carrier onto the vehicle (the upright may hit the spare wheel), (2) to get the bikes to fit on the carrier (the handlebars etc could hit the spare wheel) or (3) take the carrier off the tow bar after use (the handle to remove it could clash with the spare wheel). You'll need a lighting adapter if your vehicle has a standard UK style 7 pin socket - buy a STRADA VARIO 3 from us this season and we'll give you this for free, saving up to £20 at typical prices! Made in Germany. |
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2 bikes - Atera STRADA VARIO 2 Reviews
Malcolm W -
Vehicle type: Hatchback
Definitely the best bike rack of this kind currently on the market. I took an electric bike and a regular bike on a 2000mile trip to the Pyrenees and the bikes came back completely safe and sound - I just put a little extra protection around the bike frame tubes to avoid any paint damage from the grips that hold the bikes securely in place.
The feature that allows you to pull the loaded bikes away from the car so you can use your boot is a real winner - even the security guy at the ferry port was really impressed as he thought his routine inspection of my boot was going to involve unloading two bikes!
An excellent bit of kit and folding aspect saves space in the garage.
Craig P -
Vehicle type: Estate
Great product, very solid and easy to fit. The ability to fold when not in use makes storage much easier than the previous carriers I have had.
As with all multi-bike carriers, fiting a couple of bikes takes a little fiddling to find the best positions initially - dropping seats, positioning pedals, etc. - however, the ease of adjusting the Strada Vario makes this less painful than with other types.
Amanda H -
Vehicle type: Hatchback
The carrier is well made and easy to use once you have taken the time to read the instructions!
My number plate does not stay in very well but that's probably how the plate was made and no fault of the carrier.
I feel confident that my ebikes are being transported safely.
David H -
Vehicle type: Van
Although the rack is expensive it is definitely worth the money. The main reason for choosing this rack is that it allows us to access the back of our camper van without removing the bikes. It slides backwards far enough to be able to partly open the rear doors - just enough to get in and out. The rack also has to take a heavy load as one of our bikes is an electric bike. The rack easily locks to the tow bar and to the bikes, providing a reasonable level of security. The rack is so easy to put on and take off, so we regularly use it on our car as well, and it is so compact when folded that storing it is no problem. The arms that hold the tops of the bikes are a bit tight making them awkward to attach to the rack and changing number plates is a bit fiddly, hence only 9 stars for ease of use.
About our reviews: We test, and often use personally, almost all the products we sell, and we stand behind our comments and recommendations unless customers convince us they need changing. Our Customer Services and Workshop staff also have input into our recommendations. But it's because we've learned a lot over many years that customer feedback is so important. Fresh, first time out opinions are the most useful ones, and in any event we certainly don't have access to the full range of vehicles that our customers have between them. Product feedback from existing customers helps our new customers make choices, and also helps our suppliers with their product development. We e-mail our customers a week or so after their order arrives and invite them to send in a review. Some reviews are suitable for multiple products. Where appropriate we may, for example, use the same review for a number of different roof bar products where the only difference is the length of the roof bar. |
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Technical specifications at a glance: Max number of bikes: 2 Fits bolt on tow ball: yes Fits swan neck / detachable tow ball: yes Dimensions when flat: 116cm (width) x 60cm (depth) Dimensions when folded: 64cm (width) x 66cm (depth) x 42cm (height) Weight: 17.2kg Max load capacity: 60kg* Max bike wheelbase: 125cm Distance between bikes: 19cm Tilting: yes Integral lighting board: yes Lighting board plug type: 13 pin (7 pin adapter available if required; shown below) Bike carrier to tow ball lock: yes Bike carrier to bike lock: yes Possible to tow when in use: no Fits with a spare wheel: no Guarantee: 3 years Useful information: *The maximum permitted load you can carry is also determined by your nose weight; you will need to check you don’t exceed this before using any tow ball mounted bike carrier. |
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We offer our existing customers a full "Next Day if possible" spares service, and will cannibalise new stock as required to find you the parts you need. To find the spare parts you need, please see the diagram below, identify the product codes, then choose them from the list below. If you need more than 1 of any item, change the quantities in the Shopping Basket. |
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