Newbie Question on Car Transport - How? Dedicated E-Bike Car Racks?

[Douglas Wever]

Bought a Raleigh Detour last week and went to the bike shop today and they had zero answers for transport beyond using traditional bike solutions while being mindful of the additional weight.

Can someone please advise?

Much thanks.

 

[Adrian]

Yes, be mindful of the additional weight.

Your normal bike rack is fine as long as you adhere to their weight restrictions - remember, some unpowered downhill bikes are at least as heavy as your average ebike and people have no problem carting them around on car racks. I've not had an issue with mine either and it just tightens over the tow-hitch.

Oh, and you can always reduce the weight by 5kg or so by removing your battery beforehand.

 

[vincent]

did a lot of research on bike racks several months ago and it seemed that only the higher end racks met our weight requirements


my guess is you need to stick with a rack that does a minimum of 50lbs per bike slot


it seems most of these bikes are pretty close to that, and then adding lights, bags , tools etc

the 2 inch one up is the highest i think with 75lbs per slot
that is what i got

i looked at kuat, thule, yakima and one up

 

[David1]

I'm getting to know my Kuat NV ( for 2 bikes ) as a road trip is on the horizon. So far very pleased with rack. The quality and ease of loading my St2 is superb. Brilliant design. Obviously alot testing went into final production. The price and weight is exorbitant though .Now I see why I see others on cars without bikes on them. Not for the faint hearted to install and remove, but you will still love it.

 

[pxpaulx]

while you're searching keep an eye on craigslist - you never know what might turn up!

 

[vincent]

very true

you can sometimes find the yakima and thule older style that i think do 60lbs each on craigs

i looked for a while and never saw a kuat or a 1up

kind of watching craigs right now for a 1.25 to use on my car so i dont have to use the adapter and hitch tightener when it is on the sedan, unfortunately they dont make a 2 inch hitch for my car

 

[Metalusion]

i do not recommend that Thule rack. and i speak from experience, i have that rack and it has let me down. my Radrover almost fell off the rack multiple times. and once it did actually fall off the rack while going over a bridge.
i triple reinforce the rack with my own chains and ties to keep the clamps from letting go. most of the time i leave the rack in the garage because it has become so cumbersome. Thule has sent multiple replacements for the clamps but they are not really designed to hold onto the weight of an ebike (at least the one i have).

 

[vincent]

metalusion the thule rack you have the is the new easy fold?
wow for that price you would think it would be awesome

good info to have that it is not working for you

my 1up has been pretty great, no issues so far and the bikes seems stable
it does have problems with fenders, i am working on trying to different things for that and my new easy motion now

have a thread about it somewhere and will update it as i figure stuff out

 

[Metalusion]

i have the easyfold 9032. and yes for that price you'd think it would be awesome but that's not what i experienced

 

[Va. Bch. Electric Bike Center]

Hollywood has an ebike specific rack recently released that has worked well for me.
Tray style, 2" receiver, 80 lbs per bike, two bike capacity...$425

 

[vincent]

good to see a rack with those weight carrying options at that price

the only drawback i see on that one is the weight of the rack itself at 68lbs
think my 1up weighs 48 or 50lbs

seems the yakima holdup will handle 2 60lb bikes and is 400 on amazon and weighs 48lbs i think

my 1up will hold 2- 75lb bikes, the hollywood seems to be the highest at 80lbs each

 

[John ware]

I ended up with a Thule Easy Fold, but through a round about way. I bought it from the Holland BikeShop, which even with shipping was a better deal than I could get in the US. It does look like the price jumped at least $125 from when I bought mine last year. I've carried two Stromer ST2 and a variety of Stromer and A2B bikes safely with the EasyFold.

The European version is slightly different from the US version in that it has actually lights and turn signals built in. It required some creative wiring work (added a junction box and a splitter for brake and taillights) to get it to connect to my US/Germany car correctly. The other differences are the rack itself clamps to a standard hitch 2" ball rather than inserting directly into the receiver of the hitch. Also the frame retaining arms that hold the ebikes detach and reattach to the rack itself making loading different types of bikes a breeze.

The two key reasons I like the Easy Fold are it holds the bike at each wheel with straps and it clamps to the frame for a very solid hold on my ST2. I've seen other racks that rely on fold up bars in front and rear that apply pressure to the tire to hold the bike down which in some cases requires the bar to seat against the fender/rear rack. With proper padding the fit can be snug and firm without scratching, but my concern when I've seen those set-ups is a lot of the vibration and stress appears to be put on the bikes fender/rack support structure. The second plus I see for the Easy Fold is it folds up compact, removes easily and fits INSIDE the back of my car which is really nice in urban settings.

There are lots of good rack options out there, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, in the end you have to decide which features best meet your needs after they qualify in the weight capacity department. Feel free to contact me if you consider the Easy Fold from the Holland Bike Shop and I can share my wiring solutions. (usual disclaimer: no affiliation with this retailer other than a good transaction or two)

http://en.hollandbikeshop.com/bicyc...le-bicycle-carrier-easyfold-932/?currency=USD

 

[vincent]

i probably would have bought the thule easy fold but it was not out when i purchased my 1up
and yes have had some issues with the fenders, think i have it resolved but not positive

the 1up does fold up and fit in my trunk also but the easy fold is lighter by a little

someone else posted they were not happy with their easyfold, glad yours is working well
sounds a lot different than the US version

is that a GLK? i have a GL320
is yours diesel or gas?

 

[John ware]

GLK 250 diesel

 

[vincent]

cool, mine is the v6 motor without adblue- 2008
been a great truck and gets great mpg, i love it
is yours a 4cyl or 6?

 

[John ware]

4cyl 2014 with twin turbo and 4matic. only had it about 10 months but absolutely love it, 33-35 mph. Not quite as good as the Stromer but about 8-10 x the range.

 

[vincent]

lol

 

[William Hemmingsen]

Why not use a motorcycle dirtbike rack? They are made for much more weight, and cheaper.

 

[JackStraw]

I really like the 1Up rack I have. Fenders can be an issue but I make it work and I love that I can put it on or off my car in 10-15 seconds. A good rack costs a little more but worth it in the long run.

 

[Adrian]

I have a Thule hang on 927. 3 bike max 45kg total. Was fine for just mine but now my wife also has an ebike it would be pushing the limit to use it I think.

A pity as it's quick and easy to mount and inexpensive.