Swing Bike Rack

[GordonH]

I know there are a few threads discussing swing bike racks but none I can find where someone has actually fitted one and has some experience with it.

We are just in the process of swapping our Cali Ocean, where we use the Diamant Pro tilting bike rack, for a Grand Cali 600 and not sure if that tilting type rack would work well with barn doors.

The swing racks look like they may be a better bet, LNB Towbars have advised they can fit the Van-Star E-cross - does anyone have any experience with that or similar setups?

Need to mount two eBikes, each just shy of 30kg.

 

[arsein]

I know there are a few threads discussing swing bike racks but none I can find where someone has actually fitted one and has some experience with it.

We are just in the process of swapping our Cali Ocean, where we use the Diamant Pro tilting bike rack, for a Grand Cali 600 and not sure if that tilting type rack would work well with barn doors.

The swing racks look like they may be a better bet, LNB Towbars have advised they can fit the Van-Star E-cross - does anyone have any experience with that or similar setups?

Need to mount two eBikes, each just shy of 30kg.

Hi GordonH,

I mounted the towbar on my GC600 with the intention of buying the Thule EasyFold XT as we have 2 e-MTBs + 1 MTB for a total weight of about 60KG of bikes.

I have not yet convinced myself of the purchase as, once the bike carrier is mounted on the hook, you can forget to open the rear doors permanently.

If anyone has found a better solution in the meantime, they are welcome.

 

[Jester]

I know there are a few threads discussing swing bike racks but none I can find where someone has actually fitted one and has some experience with it.

We are just in the process of swapping our Cali Ocean, where we use the Diamant Pro tilting bike rack, for a Grand Cali 600 and not sure if that tilting type rack would work well with barn doors.

The swing racks look like they may be a better bet, LNB Towbars have advised they can fit the Van-Star E-cross - does anyone have any experience with that or similar setups?

Need to mount two eBikes, each just shy of 30kg.

I have the OEM removable towbar using the Thule VeloCompact
2-bike platform towbar bike rack. This does tilt and you are able to open the doors when tilted.

 

[arsein]

I have the OEM removable towbar using the Thule VeloCompact
2-bike platform towbar bike rack. This does tilt and you are able to open the doors when tilted.

Wow, that's really great, new, do you have some pictures related? It would be nice...

thanks, Arsein

 

[Lars]

I have the Thule Elite Van XT Black on our GC600. Its for 2 bikes. It is attached to the right door with slim rails that clamps on (no drilling) and opens with the door. Its great and is the bike rack recommended by VW for the GC.. at least here in Sweden.

The van is in winter storage now and couldn’t find any pictures on my phone..

 

[Lars]

Here is a picture from VW Grand california brouchure

 

[andyinluton]

The Elite van XT has a limit of 19kg per rail & a max of 35kg in total, which is a long way short of what the OP is after.

Is it really a problem if you cant open the rear doors? by lifting the middle of the bed you can walk through the length of the van & get to anything in the back. The only thing you would struggle with is getting the table & chairs out of the door pockets.

 

[GordonH]

It would be inconvenient and feels like a step back from our current arrangement with the Ocean.

We always take our bikes when we tour and keep them on the rack even when not in use for security. Its never been a problem on the Ocean as the rear door can be opened once the rack is tilted.

Our new Grand is dealer stock and doesn’t have a tow bar so we will need to fit one to use either the current Diamant Pro bike rack or a different type and I was hoping to establish if/which tilting racks work successfully on the Grand Cali or if we should put the tow bar funds towards a swing type rack as we wont be towing anything and the swing systems appear to fully address the issue.

It looks like the OEM tow bar and Thule Velocompact work, thanks Jester, does anyone have any experience with after market fixed tow bars and tilting racks (or indeed the swing type system)

 

[andyinluton]

Our new Grand is dealer stock and doesn’t have a tow bar so we will need to fit one

Just a heads up, there are no GC tow bar electrics available at the moment anywhere in the UK VW network. I took my van without the towbar & will have to go back when some eventually arrive.

 

[CupOfTea]

FTIW We have been waiting almost 12 months for the tow bar wiring harness in NZ. I've been told chip shortages but I've brought a number of products this year were the manufacturer has programmed a new chip so they can continue to supply. Shouldn't be that hard, that VW can't do it.

 

[GordonH]

Thought I would update this thread. I ended up buying a Memo Vanstar e-cross swing bike rack from LNB in Bristol. They also fitted the tow bar electrics which are needed for the tailboard (no availability issues). All fully coded to work correctly with the various side & rear sensors. Very pleased with it. It has a 75kg maximum capacity and works extremely well with our Riese & Muller eBikes which are heavy. (30kg ea).

Both doors open fully and no contact with bikes or rack with the left door in its locked out fully open position.

The rack also has a lock system once open to stop it swinging back unintentionally.

 

[T3Z-GB]

Thought I would update this thread. I ended up buying a Memo Vanstar e-cross swing bike rack from LNB in Bristol. They also fitted the tow bar electrics which are needed for the tailboard (no availability issues). All fully coded to work correctly with the various side & rear sensors. Very pleased with it. It has a 75kg maximum capacity and works extremely well with our Riese & Muller eBikes which are heavy. (30kg ea).

Both doors open fully and no contact with bikes or rack with the left door in its locked out fully open position.

The rack also has a lock system once open to stop it swinging back unintentionally.
View attachment 94589View attachment 94590

Very nice! What’s the total weight of everything loaded up?

 

[Mr T]

Thought I would update this thread. I ended up buying a Memo Vanstar e-cross swing bike rack from LNB in Bristol. They also fitted the tow bar electrics which are needed for the tailboard (no availability issues). All fully coded to work correctly with the various side & rear sensors. Very pleased with it. It has a 75kg maximum capacity and works extremely well with our Riese & Muller eBikes which are heavy. (30kg ea).

Both doors open fully and no contact with bikes or rack with the left door in its locked out fully open position.

The rack also has a lock system once open to stop it swinging back unintentionally.
View attachment 94589View attachment 94590

Very nice solution @GordonH
Don't wish to go off topic too much, but how are you finding the Warlords with KO2's? Interested if you find them much nosier and how is your mpg compared with the standard wheels? Thanks in advance.

 

[GordonH]

Very nice! What’s the total weight of everything loaded up?

Bikes around 60kg, not sure about the rack weight, could be 30-40kg judging by the thickness of all the steel, I plan to fully load the van and go to a weigh bridge in the next week or so and see where we are. It’s a 3.88T so plenty of headroom.

 

[GordonH]

Very nice solution @GordonH
Don't wish to go off topic too much, but how are you finding the Warlords with KO2's? Interested if you find them much nosier and how is your mpg compared with the standard wheels? Thanks in advance.

I really like the mild swamper look and the 245/70/17 K02s (need to be that size for load rating) fill the arches well. Ride is very comfortable and compliant, I think the higher sidewalls help with that and they certainly protect the alloys from kerbing. I had the dealer fit them and never drove the van on the standard Lismores so can’t give any useful commentary on how they compare. I wouldn’t say tyre noise is particularly noticeable, I think wind noise is the dominant sound the woeful stereo has to compete with. I get around 24mpg, which is dire compared to our previous Cali Ocean but I’ve put that down to it being a big old thing with the wind resistance of a barn door and bought an electric car to try and balance our ‘CO2 emissions’ books

 

[Mr T]

I really like the mild swamper look and the 245/70/17 K02s (need to be that size for load rating) fill the arches well. Ride is very comfortable and compliant, I think the higher sidewalls help with that and they certainly protect the alloys from kerbing. I had the dealer fit them and never drove the van on the standard Lismores so can’t give any useful commentary on how they compare. I wouldn’t say tyre noise is particularly noticeable, I think wind noise is the dominant sound the woeful stereo has to compete with. I get around 24mpg, which is dire compared to our previous Cali Ocean but I’ve put that down to it being a big old thing with the wind resistance of a barn door and bought an electric car to try and balance our ‘CO2 emissions’ books

Thanks for the reply, very helpful!