worky Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 Vernon B - 2009-12-26 10:57 AM Hi Clyde You don't say what edition of Caravan Europe you have there but in both the 2005 and 2009 editions the phrase "provided the rack does not rest on the vehicle's tow bar ..." is certainly there. I was hoping for some more comments on this because I found the word "rest" rather ambiguous. Bearing in mind that the regulation appears to cover "vehicles" in generally (including car and caravan combinations) as well as motorcycle carriers I wonder if it is possible that "rest" could mean using the towbar as additional support, rather than the primary means of attachement, in situations where the towbar is already carrying some considerable load. It may be that this has arisen through translation but if the regulators had intended to ban Thule ball mounted carriers I would have thought the word "attached" would have been used. In a similar vain I found the phrase "designed for the purpose" a little vague. After all I could design my own carrier - "for the purpose of carrying a cycle" - but I'm not a qualified engineering designer. Surely a more robust requirement would have been to insist upon some form of safety certification like the TUV mentioned earlier? I guess the bottom line is that it's down to the individual copper on the ground but it would be nice to get some well formed clarification on this matter - not least because there could be some insurance implications. V hi V - its the latest edition 2010. I was thinking along the same lines as yourself regarding the "resting on vehicles towbar". The other point I'd like to make is if you go to the Thule.com website there is a section for Spain, so surely these wouldn't marketed and sold in Spain if they were illegal? Clyde Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vernon B Posted December 26, 2009 Author Share Posted December 26, 2009 That sounds very encouraging Clyde. Perhaps someone with CC connections might like to comment on the change. Failing that I'll give the Club a ring after the break. V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vernon B Posted January 5, 2010 Author Share Posted January 5, 2010 Happy New Year folks - and for those transporting bikes with towball mounted carriers in Spain it has started well. Further to Clydes observation that the Caravan Club's guidance no longer includes the statement "provided that the rack does not rest on the vehicle's tow bar ..." I can report that this amendment arises directly from the Club's discussions with the Spanish authorities. The position is that providing the ball mounted carrier was designed for the purpose and the load does not exceed the permitted maximum load of the tow bar then the use of these carriers is perfectly legal. Apparently the original restrictions were intended to prevent people cobbling something together or simply lashing bikes to the towbar. As the CC sometimes gets a hard time here it's worth saying that the person I spoke to was able to deal with my question within a few minutes - excellent service. V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Thats good.... just got some quotes for tow bar on car which are OK so now looking at racks. there was/is one Thule 2 bike one on E*ay for £98, I thought here we go until I looked at the weight and it only takes 30kg. so I need a 45 kg 2 bike model really (for heavy e bikes) any recommendations? the E bikes have a slightly longer wheelbase because of battery placement, so an adjustable wheelbase one would probably be best...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterrosey Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 I use a Thule 9503 towball-mounted bike rack on mine (45kg max load) and it's been great. Brilliant value too at about £120 delivered to my door. Used it all around France with three bikes on it and a Fiamma reflective square thing. Easy to load and remove, too. You also need to add a lock for the main fixing and some chain / wires to lock the bikes to the carrier. I like the fact you can use it on other vehicles / transfer to a future van too. Plus I think the bodywork-mounted racks are unsightly when they're not in use carrying bikes. Peter R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Grrr........ :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Thanks Peter, just looked at ths one and it is less than half the price of G 5 and the Altea.... it looks less substantial, but 45kg is probably OK......... what is the fitting like to the tow bar? is it robust? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterrosey Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Yes it is - works surprisingly well (you get a big spanner thing to bolt it in place) even if you've not read the instructions and forgotten to degrease it (ahem!). The only thing you do have to do is bolt it together (some are pre-assembled) but this was pretty straightforward and the instructions are clear. The only other downside I can think of is that you need a reasonable amount a space to store it in. The uprights to support the bikes fold flat, but it's still quite bulky - I lob it in a shed when not in use. Edited to add that I use two mountain bikes on it and my son's aluminium framed children's bike (which curiously is the heaviest kiddy bike I've ever lifted - looks like it's been designed to withstand nuclear attack). Peter R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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