3 bikes on a clio

[osbid172]

I need a rear carrier for 3 bikes (mine & the 2 kids)
Deffo not a roof rack
Dont really want to put a rack on but 3 insides doing my head in.
But I dont want a carrier that going to mark the car - I've used before on other cars-those straps always mark!

Any good racks out there?

i've recently seen a mini with a fitting hidden under the car & a rack fitted to it - like a tow hitch mounted one but it looked like it would not be visable when the bike rack is off - must be fitting welded underside

any ideas

 

[16v_jon]

yes i can get 3 on my grabber, it was £150 but my dad bought it and i borrowed it has plastic clips wont mark paint

 

[Ally]

I know you've ssaid you don't want a roof rack but I'd suggest you seriously consider one. I've had a lot of experience carrying bikes on my clio and ALL rear mounting racks I tried were unsuitable: main problems were the lack of stability with 2 or more bikes fitted (the firm suspension of 172s does not help - more force is transmitted into the rack rather than absorbed by the suspension and the racks actually near enough fall off ), plus all the racks I tried all marked the car (either straps or clips).

The best rear mounting rack is a Thule one which uses metal brace arms rather than straps to secure it to the car (Halfords do something similar too), but the plastic spoiler at the top of the Clio's tailgate means you can't fit this one. Plus AFAIK you can't fit any sort of towbar-mounted rack as the 172 isn't approved for fitting a towbar (although I guess you could as the points should be there).

I gave up with the rear-mounting racks I'd used - they're really not worth it - and went for a roof rack eventually. Trust me, they're worth it for the piece of mind and they don't mark your car if fitted properly.

 

[jooliona]

i was thinking about this last nite, it sounds like my current bike rack will be no use when i get the clio... back to the drawing board! :banghead:

 

[chiefsilverback]

Is it not that the cars aren't designed for towing rather than that they're not designed for tow bars!?!?

Possibly 182s might have more problems with the twin exhaust but I would try and find out if you could get a 'tow' bar fitted purely for a bike rack.

 

[Ally]

^^ That's what I was trying to say . You might still be able to have a towbar fitted to a 172 in order to support a bikerack, but it's a rather expensive option probably. Plus I couldn't bear to see a towbar on a 172, roofbars are bad enough lol.

 

[steven.m]

I managed to get two downhill bikes in the back of my car standing upright with the wheels off, another one on the back (roof rack with straps on either side of boot too to hold it still), three bodies and all our kit. Neither of the racks I used have marked my car, if you think they do then you can cut up an old innertube and use it under the clips to stop it marking.

Best bet is to put the too smaller bikes in as I did and use a rear rack for the bigger bike. Stand the too bikes up in the 60 split, and stand the wheels up next to them. Just put a big sheet underneath and up their sides so as not to cover it in mud/water/oil etc.

 

[osbid172]

mmmmmm, roof rack?
Do you leave yours on or take it on/off regular?
Might be an option for once a month.
Usually I put my one bike in the back, its just the bloody kids!
cheers all