Car Bike Rack Selection Guide

One of the most common ways of transporting your bikes by car is with a bike carrier for tow bar. For example, with this type of bike carrier you can transport 4 bikes, 3 bikes or 2 bikes. You can also choose to transport your bikes on the roof of your car. You can often use several bike carriers for your roof side by side to fit more bikes on your roof. A roof rack is quick to mount and often compact to store.

Suppose you want to put your brand new Thule bike carrier on your towbar, the first thing you need to know is the nose weight of your car or motorhome. The nose weight is the maximum vertical load your towbar can carry. For small cars, it is often around 50 kilos. Larger cars are usually around or above 75 kilos. You do need to add the weight of your bike carrier to the weight of your bikes. You can always see the maximum drawbar load on the tow bar of your car. This is stated on a clear plate, often made of metal.

With a bike carrier for your towbar, you also need to be careful that your wheels don't stick out too much. In the Netherlands, your wheels may protrude a maximum of 20 centimetres on the left and right sides of your car or motorhome. That is not very much, so it depends on the width of your car whether it will fit or not. In doubt whether it will fit? Then measure the width of your bikes first. That will determine whether you can use a bike carrier for your towbar with your bikes or not.