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Rack and roll


WillH

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Matthew and Gillian Morris from Carmarthen asked this question:Q:Having bought our first caravan, we want to fit a cycle rack on the back to carry a couple of bikes. What product would you recommend and how is it fitted to the caravan itself?A:

Sorry to disappoint you both, but please do not mount any type of rack on the back of your caravan. Whilst this works on a motorhome - which cannot start snaking on the road - putting a heavy weight at the back of a caravan can lead to dreadful instability. The condition is often referred to as the dumb bell effect and if lateral side-to-side deflections are initiated by a passing tall-sided vehicle or gusting winds, it takes far longer for the caravan to return to straight line towing.

A better arrangement is to purchase a rack that is clamped firmly to the chassis’ A-frame at the front. Since the weight is now carried close to the towing vehicle’s coupling, lateral deflections are suppressed by the towcar itself. In addition, a hitch stabiliser further reduces unwanted instability.

Several specialists include A-frame racks in their product line-up although it’s likely that a caravan’s fairing might need minor modifications before the assembly can be clamped securely in position. If this were to pose a problem, then turn attention to racks designed to fit on the car.

Got any other experiences of bike racks and caravans you can share?
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