Skodas and tow bars

[wfdTamar]

Very tight fit to get to smaller bike on. I had to lift the seat and even then it a hell of a struggle. I have to hold the bike in place, push down on the rubber mounts, get the cross bars in place, then clip the cross bar on.



(I put the foam knee pads in there to lift the cross bar up to show how much room there is).




Really difficult to mount both bikes in this arrangement.

[wfdTamar]

Have the bikes head to tail. The seats and bars clash. With the bars straight they're too close to the rear window (20mm). Pedals and cranks aren't the problem.

That photo (above with the white car) does show the old fashioned type of mountain bike which has more room up at the headset end. Also they look like 26" wheels. Mine are 27.5", so hang down a lot lower. You'd really have trouble with 29" wheels.

I finally got it worked out, but it's a pain in the bum. Wish I'd sprung for the other type, despite the cost, as I can see this is going to drive me nuts what with the palaver to get them on and off and having to do it to get access to the boot.

Here's the process -
I have one medium bike and one small. The medium bike just goes on next to the car (as it says to do in the instructions - heaviest bike closest to car), though it’s handlebar is too close to the rear window for my liking. Lucky the Octavia has a sloping rear window or there’d be no chance.

The second, smaller bike seemed to not go on no matter how you try. I thought of taking the racks arms off and putting them on the inside of the uprights, but you can’t remove them.







As you see below, barely enough width between seat and handlebars for the rack arms to go in.




However I did get it on. I have to leave the front clip of the cross bar undone, lift the bike onto the rack, then clip on the handlebars. It does go on, but there is only about 20mm between handlebars and rear window - no good, particularly as I have those metal ended hand grips (which are very good BTW).

[wfdTamar]

Finally got them on, but hardly any ground clearance.

Put the small bike next to the car. They go on a bit easier, but still bad ground clearance. I could take the front wheels off, but even so the ground clearance will not be good enough.




Here’s what happened going out my driveway gutter for a short test drive. This is a very shallow gutter, but still the bikes hit the road and the bars almost cracked the rear window. I’m not sure if that’s a permanent mark the handlebars made in the window or the finish from the handlebar end caps.

Finally - take the bikes front wheels & mudguards off, raise the seats to get the bikes on the racks, then lower the seats to raise the rear wheels off the ground. Turn the handlebars sideways. Then try to get the tight light board arms in the holes. There is NOTHING Xpress about this product. Except maybe putting the rack on the car.

It is really not suitable for modern mountain bikes.

The photo makes it look like the wheels stick out miles - it's only about 150mm at most.





So yes, it’s a working bike rack, but it’s a right royal pain in the bum to get the bikes on and off - and it has to be done to get access to the boot (which I did know, but I was under the impression it was easy). Should have got the Westfalia BC60, or Thule Euroride 940 (though this has put me off Thule stuff).

[brad]

I'm sure you've tried it a million ways but what happens if you remove the font mudguard (you don't need a front guard anyway) on the big bike & mount the arm in the V between the fork & the bottom frame rail? That will lift the front up a lot higher & get the handlebar away from the window.

Sorry it hasn't worked for you. I think I tried 3 different hanger style racks (two owned by friends) before i bit the bullet & found a workable ride on tyre mount solution.

One of the guys I work with has the Thule 912XTR ride-on. It's really good & even easier to use & mount the bikes than my Torpedo7 unit.

[donweather]

Geezus that looks like a mission. Thule really haven't considered different bikes much have they!! Why do they have the horizontal bars so far apart? I don't get it?

I'd be selling that one on ebay real soon and going for something that fits your particular bikes way better. But I see from your euro style of towbar your bike rack options are limited.

BTW I think the way you've got the bikes in your 2nd last pic above might be considered illegal? Can you have objects protruding 150mm out last the width of your car like that? I know they don't allow any width overhang on things on your roof.

[wfdTamar]

You missed where I said I take the mudguards off (easy - just press a tab both sides of the fork and they slide off). I reckon lifting the big ike up like you suggest will throw the front wheel out even further and lower the rear wheel too much (I'll have a go though). Might work if I also put the seat rack arm under the top bar of the bike (lift the whole bike up a lot).

This rack would work ok for older style road bikes that have plenty of room under the top bar (and old school size bars). Aluminium frames mean bigger bar sections which complicates things.

There are a few options to fit the Euro bar (mentioned some earlier). I think I'd go with the Westfalia BC 60 if I want something better.

That second last pic is a bit fish eye lens-ish. It doesn't actually look that bad. Though it does protrude out about 200mm when I looked from the front.

[Gerrycan]

Since you only have two bikes, have you thought about putting them inside the car?
What I do is take off the front wheel and saddle stem of each bike, a two minute job.
Then I put down the back of one side of the rear seats, usually the double but I can get away with the single (extend the headrest beyond the seat to get it lying flat.
Put the bikes in inverted so the handlebars support them upright. One facing forward and one back and overlapping.
Secure with bungies and padding if necessary.
Attached is a video review of Polo and Jazz, halfway through they show three mountain bikes fitted inside the Jazz and seating three people.
Honda Jazz v Volkswagen Polo comparison review

[wfdTamar]

Yes, I was doing that until the rack arrived. I want to have them on the outside for travelling (when the car has other stuff in it) Also so I don't have to worry if they're muddy.

Someone at Thule Australia suggested turning the rubber mounts on the rack arms (didn't know they did turn) and mounting the smaller bike higher up under the lower frame bits.

[Gerrycan]

Yes, I was doing that until the rack arrived. I want to have them on the outside for travelling (when the car has other stuff in it) Also so I don't have to worry if they're muddy.

Yeah, I forgot it sometimes rains in other parts of Australia.

[wfdTamar]

Ok, it worked without the cross bars/adaptors and turning the rubber mount things, but the weight of the bikes pushes the two arms apart then it's a bugger to push the light board into them (which has two arms that go inside the racks arms).