bike rack
A bicycle carrier , in Switzerland Veloträger , is a device for fastening and taking a bicycle with another vehicle (for example a car or minibus ). In many vehicles, the carrier creates the possibility of carrying the relatively bulky bicycles in one piece and also provides a fastening option adapted to bicycles.
A distinction is made between the following types of construction:
- Roof rack (design of the roof rack for bike transport)
- Coupling carriers are clamped onto the ball head of the trailer coupling by means of frictional engagement.
- Rear carriers are attached to the rear of the vehicle / tailgate.
- Drawbar carriers are attached to the drawbar of caravans, for example.
- Carrier or fastening system for transport within vehicles (e.g. mobile homes or minibuses)
development
For a long time in Germany, only transport on the roof of the car was allowed. Roof racks are therefore widespread. Coming from Holland and France, rear carriers have increasingly prevailed. The bike is attached to the rear of the car at right angles to the direction of travel.
In some countries, bicycles are transported outside of buses. For this purpose, a bike rack is mounted on the front or rear of the bus, in which the passenger can store his bike. Bicycle carrier systems have even been developed for motorcycles.
variants
roof rack
Roof racks use the mounting points that are often found on the vehicle for roof racks or are attached to their basic structure. The transport is usually carried out with bicycles standing upright in or against the direction of travel. There are also variants for horizontal transport. The considerable increased air resistance has a disadvantageous effect there . In addition, the bike must be lifted onto the roof. However, carriers with lifting aids are also available. With the roof rack, the base of the vehicle remains unchanged, which makes maneuvering easier and the view to the rear is not blocked, as is the case with rear racks, for example. However, caution is advised with low clearance heights (e.g. multi-storey car parks).
Coupling and rear carrier
For rear mounting, there are solutions that use the trailer coupling. With them, the carrier is clamped onto the previously degreased coupling head. This can be done using tensioning screws that must be tightened with a torque wrench or using clamping systems with a tensioning lever that can be operated without tools. The carrier is therefore not dependent on the vehicle type like other systems, but can be used on almost all vehicles with a corresponding trailer coupling. In the case of aluminum couplings, separate manufacturer approvals must be observed. Coupling carriers for 2-4 wheels are common. The permissible load depends on the permissible vertical load of the coupling and the weight of the bicycles. Many double or triple girders can be expanded by one additional space with an additional rail. In the case of a very large load (4 bicycles), some carriers must also be attached to the vehicle with belt straps, but normally only the trailer hitch is used. Coupling carriers can often be folded back together with the wheels to ensure access to the trunk. This design is relatively expensive compared to the other systems. In addition, retrofitting a trailer coupling may also have to be considered.
In Germany, coupling carriers must be equipped with additional rear lights. If the third brake light is covered, an additional brake light must also be fitted. The bicycles must not protrude more than 400 mm over the lights. In addition, an additional label must be attached to the carrier, but the official badges do not have to be affixed there.
Other carriers are mounted on the tailgate . In the case of mobile homes, they are also often permanently attached to the rear wall of the body. Many of these carriers sit high enough not to obscure the rear lights or license plate. Otherwise, the same regulations apply as for coupling carriers. The bike racks can often be folded up to reduce the length of the vehicle when it is unloaded. In a test by the ÖAMTC , carriers with a tailgate attachment on a car caused even higher fuel consumption than roof or coupling carriers. Rear carriers can restrict the rear view. On some models, the tailgate can no longer be opened.
Some manufacturers also expressly allow the transport of other items or offer corresponding conversion kits, such as luggage containers.
In some mobile homes and cars, the rear bike rack can also be accommodated in a drawer-like extension of the rear bumper, on which the license plate and rear lights are mounted. For the Opel Corsa D , Opel Antara , Opel Zafira Tourer , Opel Adam and Opel Astra J , the additional equipment "Flex-Fix" is offered, in which a rear bicycle rack is housed in the form of a drawer behind the license plate.
For off-road vehicles with a holder for the spare wheel at the rear, some manufacturers have special adapters for attaching a bike rack.
Internal delivery systems
In recent years, bicycle transport and load securing in the interior of vehicles have gained in importance. Reasons for this are, in addition to ever larger vehicles with corresponding storage space ( station wagons and SUVs ), the unchanged favorable aerodynamics of the car and thus no increased fuel consumption and better protection against moisture, dirt, theft and vandalism. The influence on driving behavior due to the changed center of gravity compared to external loads is also less. Some mobile homes have their own "bicycle garages". There are various systems on the market with which the bike can be safely stowed in the interior.
In the case of public transport such as trains and buses, it is often possible to take bicycles inside. Depending on the expansion, the facilities available for this have the character of simple “ load spaces”, bicycle parking facilities with simple brackets or bars to lean on, to bicycle racks that also take on the function of securing loads.
Attachment of the bike
In most designs, the wheel is held on the frame by clamping jaws or straps and attached to the wheels in a U-rail by means of straps. However, there are also variants in which the bike is fixed with brackets that enclose the frame or the wheels, or on the cranks (Twinny Load). In cycling, systems are common in which the front wheel is housed in a separate holder and the fork is attached to the hub receptacle. Some high-quality bicycles ( CFRP and very light aluminum frames) are not suitable for fastening with simple universal clamping jaws, as the frame can be damaged there.
safety
Lost cargo not only endangers the carrier vehicle, but above all other road users. In principle, the manufacturers recommend a maximum speed of less than 120 km / h when a bicycle rack is carried. The air resistance leads to high loads on the bicycle attachment and the attachment of the carrier. Therefore, special care is required during assembly. Packaging such as tarpaulins or foils should not be used, at least for cars, in order to keep air resistance low. The same applies to large add-on parts such as panniers or child seats. Furthermore, all objects that could come loose (clipped lights, air pumps, etc.) must be removed before starting the journey.
With the spread of electric bicycles and their higher weight, often 20–30 kg, the issue of the load-bearing capacity of the carrier systems and the vertical load of the trailer coupling is gaining in importance. Often there is a limit of around 50 kg, which can be reached quickly with two electric bikes. There is then a risk of overloading .
Particularly high loads occur when suddenly swerving and braking heavily. Adapted speed and a proactive driving style help to avoid such situations. A stop shortly after the start of the journey and further regular checks of the load during the journey are also recommended.
Various organizations, for example the ADAC, test bicycle carriers etc. a. in the so-called city crash , a collision at approx. 30 km / h and sudden evasive maneuvers. Not all carriers pass these tests. In the case of roof racks, the attachment of the basic rack to the vehicle is often the weak point, the coupling rack can twist on the coupling, and the rear rack can cause damage to the rear of the vehicle. The bicycles can tear off the carrier due to the forces arising.
Security also includes theft and vandalism . With most carriers, the fastenings to the vehicle and the bicycle are provided with simple locks or can only be installed with tools. They thus offer limited protection against theft.
Bicycle rack in cycling
Bicycles on a front carrier of a bus in Canada
Carriers for motorcycles
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Test: bicycle rack . ÖAMTC. Archived from the original on July 17, 2008. Retrieved July 14, 2008.
- ↑ Bike carrier adapter for off-road vehicles (for spare wheel). Retrieved October 17, 2019 .
- ↑ Pedelecs 2013: Tests and trends on adfc-nrw.de accessed on July 18, 2013.
- ^ ADAC bicycle carrier test 2011: Archive link ( Memento from June 14, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Retrieved on July 18, 2013.
- ↑ ADAC bicycle carrier test 2005: Archive link ( memento of the original from June 6, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved April 16, 2009.
- ↑ Test car bike carrier by Stiftung Warentest In: test 06/2004.
- ↑ Crash test coupling carrier, bicycles tear off Video crash test coupling carrier with load is tearing off - Accessed on May 11, 2015
