Electeic bikes and standard bike rack?

[Neilsimpleflying]

Just got back from our first trip away in our new Beach to Southport. great time But....... we have two E Bikes and really struggled with the standard bike rack fitted to the van. Both of us being nearer to eighty than seventy, we really found it difficult lifting the bikes up onto the 4 bike rack. So much so that I am now told by my wife we aint doing it again! Any thoughts please on alternative racks or additional equipment (hoist?) to help. One of the two bikes does fold and I put this inside the van, but the other one weighs about 25 Kilis and is difficult to lift up on the rack.

Any

 

[vmaxkiddy]

Just got back from our first trip away in our new Beach to Southport. great time But....... we have two E Bikes and really struggled with the standard bike rack fitted to the van. Both of us being nearer to eighty than seventy, we really found it difficult lifting the bikes up onto the 4 bike rack. So much so that I am now told by my wife we aint doing it again! Any thoughts please on alternative racks or additional equipment (hoist?) to help. One of the two bikes does fold and I put this inside the van, but the other one weighs about 25 Kilis and is difficult to lift up on the rack.

Any

Can you remove the battery easily to reduce the weight ?

 

[Viktorgeorge]

Can you remove the battery easily to reduce the weight ?

Just got back from our first trip away in our new Beach to Southport. great time But....... we have two E Bikes and really struggled with the standard bike rack fitted to the van. Both of us being nearer to eighty than seventy, we really found it difficult lifting the bikes up onto the 4 bike rack. So much so that I am now told by my wife we aint doing it again! Any thoughts please on alternative racks or additional equipment (hoist?) to help. One of the two bikes does fold and I put this inside the van, but the other one weighs about 25 Kilis and is difficult to lift up on the rack.

Any

Of similar age, I have this set up, plus the Thule ramp (that stores in the carrier frame) available as an extra:

battery removal helps but is not necessary with the above.

The modification is fairly easy to do, there is another (Australian I think) video that explains the modification in further excruciating albeit useful depth. I will add that if I can find it.

Add: found it:

The ramp is a:

Thule 933401 Foldable Loading Ramp​

My electric bike has a ‘walk’ facility which can be used to self propel the bike up a ramp, too.

 

[Neilsimpleflying]

thanks for that. I can remove batteries but it is a bit of a faff on one of them and is still probably not enough to help.

the two racks shown look like a good option but I have not got a tow bar fitted as yet so the combined cost is going to be quite a lot! Again, one of the bikes has a walk facility and the ramp would help with that.

 

[Viktorgeorge]

thanks for that. I can remove batteries but it is a bit of a faff on one of them and is still probably not enough to help.

the two racks shown look like a good option but I have not got a tow bar fitted as yet so the combined cost is going to be quite a lot! Again, one of the bikes has a walk facility and the ramp would help with that.

I think stomaching the cost of a tow bar, and using say an XT2 (though other tow bar racks have their supporters on this forum), is the only solution at our age and with electric bikes. The doctor and hospital bills could otherwise be rather more!

 

[Doorbundle]

We bit the bullet and had a Westfalia detachable tow bar fitted, then bought a Pro-User Diamant SG2Plus 2 bike rack for our electric bikes. We've done a trial fit of the bikes, it all appears very secure but no trips done yet. A Pro-user loading ramp is available and also a 'Cross bar' for open frame bikes.
When installed the rack pivots far enough to allow the tailgate to be fully opened.
We shall shortly have a VW T6 4 (Quasi) Bike Rack for sale.

 

[WelshGas]

Remember best practice is to remove batteries when carrying E bikes externally and in some European countries I believe it is a legal requirement.

 

[Neilsimpleflying]

Thanks very much...as you say, bite the bullet!

 

[Team Ronnie]

Just got back from our first trip away in our new Beach to Southport. great time But....... we have two E Bikes and really struggled with the standard bike rack fitted to the van. Both of us being nearer to eighty than seventy, we really found it difficult lifting the bikes up onto the 4 bike rack. So much so that I am now told by my wife we aint doing it again! Any thoughts please on alternative racks or additional equipment (hoist?) to help. One of the two bikes does fold and I put this inside the van, but the other one weighs about 25 Kilis and is difficult to lift up on the rack.

Any

We have a California ocean and also found the same .Hard to get 2 electric bikes up on the rack also we did not have access to the tailgate Without taking the bikes off .we sold our vw bike rack and purchased a Altera genie pro advance tow bar bike carrier .It suited our needs as you you can fold it down without taking the bikes off to access the tailgate .so much easier and no muscle needed . You can also get a ramp if you wanted and a extra part so you could take 3 bikes ( handy if you have a grandchild with you) .
we do take the batteries off .but also as an added security when bikes left on the back

 

[Viktorgeorge]

We have a California ocean and also found the same .Hard to get 2 electric bikes up on the rack also we did not have access to the tailgate Without taking the bikes off .we sold our vw bike rack and purchased a Altera genie pro advance tow bar bike carrier .It suited our needs as you you can fold it down without taking the bikes off to access the tailgate .so much easier and no muscle needed . You can also get a ramp if you wanted and a extra part so you could take 3 bikes ( handy if you have a grandchild with you) .
we do take the batteries off .but also as an added security when bikes left on the back

One final thought, it might be worth comparing the weights of the tow bar bike rack alternatives before making a decision. My XT2 is a little over 20kg with the ramp: manageable but quite lumpy. I keep it in the boot often (I like to walk off, then retrieve the Ocean later by bike) and it fits well folded up but is not that light to put there. Thule claim it is ‘lightweight’ I know nothing about the alternatives’ weight. I bought my XT2 some time ago for another car so was delighted to find it also suited the California (ideally with the modification in above videos).

 

[Doorbundle]

One final thought, it might be worth comparing the weights of the tow bar bike rack alternatives before making a decision. My XT2 is a little over 20kg with the ramp: manageable but quite lumpy. I keep it in the boot often (I like to walk off, then retrieve the Ocean later by bike) and it fits well folded up but is not that light to put there. Thule claim it is ‘lightweight’ I know nothing about the alternatives’ weight. I bought my XT2 some time ago for another car so was delighted to find it also suited the California (ideally with the modification in above videos).

The weight of the Pro User Diamant SG2+ is 17kg.
When folded it has an incorporated carrying handle and packs into a 2' x 2' x 1' zipped nylon bag.

 

[Kingfisher]

Uebler i21 90° tow ball rack. 12.9 kg, folds up small. I easily carry it even when the car is parked further down the street.

 

[Doorbundle]

Uebler i21 90° tow ball rack. 12.9 kg, folds up small. I easily carry it even when the car is parked further down the street.

Because of the low weight I considered the Uebler i21 90° when doing my research, I could only find it in UK on the Ford website but it was 'out of stock' nationally, it is the same as the VW OE item but much less expensive through Ford dealers.... Always assuming they have stock.

 

[Red wine lover]

We use a thule bike rack on our tow ball. Takes our two ebikes, minus batteries easily. Driven many miles including motorways. But.....only found the tip action when I backed into a small grass bank..
We have a ramp plus the 'walk' facility on the bikes.

 

[Wesel]

My comparisons :

	From	To	Weight
Pro-User Diamant SG2 Plus	379€	476€	17 kg
Atera Genio Pro	598€	669€	20,8 kg
Uebler i21 90°	685€	789€	13 kg
Thule EasyFold XT2	730€	970€	17,9 kg

 

[IanE]

We’ve got the Pro-user for our 2 x 27 kilo ebikes. When not in use it lives in the boot under the shelf. Got the ramp for when they’re just too heavy to lift - not a problem just now aged 69. Just fab after the vw rack. It will only take 2 bikes though.

 

[couplands]

Don’t forget you can sell your existing bike rack and recoup some of the future outlay.

We have a Thule mounted rack on the factory fit tow bar and it works really well. Our bikes probably weight near to 50kg - a Trek and Specialized eMTB and appear super secure on the rack.

I was also pleased that our insurers are happy that if the bikes are locked to the rack and the rack is locked to the tow bar they will cover them in the event of theft.

 

[66tim99]

Altera genie pro

Atera Genio Pro is superb.
I needed one that folds up, to store in a flat.
I see it is the heaviest in @Wesel ‘s table above but it does feel robust, and can carry 3 bikes with an adaptor.

 

[Red wine lover]

We sold our VW bike rack to pay for it.

 

[Ting Tong]

We got fed up lifting E bikes onto the VW rack about a week into a 6 week tour of Spain. The biggest pain was trying to open the tailgate. In the end I ordered a Pro User Diamant SG2 Plus to be delivered from the Netherlands to our next campsite in Cadiz at a huge saving over the U.K. price. Best thing we did and it’s a brilliant bit of kit. We’ve kept the VW rack as it’s useful for drying towels!

 

[keith morris]

Bike battery usually about 5kg so still + 20kg to lift I was sort of told by dealer the official weight capacity for the £500+ VW tailgate mounted ray is 50kg so two e-bikes is near the limit. I’ve been considering getting a tow bar and a Thule rack which is pretty much near the ground and easier ti use and I’m let to believe can catty 2 e-bikes

Can you remove the battery easily to reduce the weight ?

y

 

[Betty67]

We bit the bullet and had a Westfalia detachable tow bar fitted, then bought a Pro-User Diamant SG2Plus 2 bike rack for our electric bikes. We've done a trial fit of the bikes, it all appears very secure but no trips done yet. A Pro-user loading ramp is available and also a 'Cross bar' for open frame bikes.
When installed the rack pivots far enough to allow the tailgate to be fully opened.
We shall shortly have a VW T6 4 (Quasi) Bike Rack for sale.

Also had this exact option fitted, perfect, expensive but so is the cali. And having torn a bicep removing bike from car in past its the best option for ebikes.

 

[Nik_campervan]

Use a thule xt2 for my levo emtb, being an xl frame its way too heavy for lifting onto a rear door rack. Chopped the plastic bump stops down on the rack so it would tip far enough for clearance on my old T4 with barn doors.

 

[Viktorgeorge]

One final thought, it might be worth comparing the weights of the tow bar bike rack alternatives before making a decision. My XT2 is a little over 20kg with the ramp: manageable but quite lumpy. I keep it in the boot often (I like to walk off, then retrieve the Ocean later by bike) and it fits well folded up but is not that light to put there. Thule claim it is ‘lightweight’ I know nothing about the alternatives’ weight. I bought my XT2 some time ago for another car so was delighted to find it also suited the California (ideally with the modification in above videos).

A further final thought, I just bought, today, the Thule bag specifically for the XT2, and it makes storing the frame in the back of the California easier with less risk of scratching anything. Best price I could find was here:

Thule 931100 EasyFold Carrying... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DUBHD8S/?tag=eliteelect-21