Have you ever fitted a rear cycle carrier?

[rmab]

Well have you?

 

No, seriously, any advice most welcome. Just about to order a Fiammia one but the inside of the rear wall has cupbopards, cooker and fridge all there.

 

Could this be a nightmare waiting to happen?????

 

Thanks for all input and suggestions (even silly ones)

 

Rich >:-)

[fjmike]

I have not fitted a cycle rack to the back of my motorhome BUT I have fitted one to my towbar, which is miles better as it is not so far up to put the cycles. OK if you haven't a tow bar already fitted this could work out a tad expensive but so could drilling a hole in the wrong place :'(

[little-jack]

I haven't fitted one, but a friend removed one and had to remove fridge to get at bolts, so you will presumably need to remove whatever appliances are in the way.

I was recently quoted £100+ to fit something that involved removing the fridge to fit 4 bolts.

 

little jack

[Guest Tracker]

If you phone or email the manufacturers they may well be able to advise the suitability of your van and the possible strengthened locating points that may have been built into the van.

 

You can't just bung these things anywhere as a sudden heavy jolt on the road could leave you with no bikes, no rack, holes in the van and a the need to tell a difficult but plausible story to Mr Plod and your insurers!

[Mel B]

Yes, I've fitted one, we had a Rapido with a rear longitudinal bed in one rear corner and a washroom in the other. I was able to fit the bolts for the rack underneath the bed frame without too much difficulty, just putting in some long battens to spread the load and making sure they were well sealed to prevent water getting into the holes.

 

On your van, however, you will definitely have to remove the cooker and fridge if they are in the way of where the mounts need to go. You'll ideally need to kow where the internal battens are and I'd also recommend using some more battens to spread the weight as well.

 

If you're not happy about removing the fridge, cooker etc, then do not attempt it, I'd certainly be a bit wary of removing gas appliances and re-attaching them.

[neillking]

An alternative scenario is to fix two 'external fixing bars'. These 2.4m bars are shortened to suit and fixed from the outside at the ends - normally into the corner reinforcements. They do make a DIY fit much easier and avoid the need to remove fridges etc. The ~£85 cost may prove a bargain compared with the labour cost and/or problems of other routes?

 

As seen on P71 of Fiamma Catalogue 08 and listed at

Fiamma Carry-bike Accessories