Tow ball bike rack

[kaj0103]

Hey all
What tow ball bike racks have people got?
I’ve got the one in the photos but it’s pretty old and the frame of the Levo is a bit big so leaning the bike over. The tyres are also a bit fat for the tyres slots so am looking for something more suitable.
I was interested in a verticals mount scorpion rack but the weight limit limits me to only one bike and I’d need to replace my tow ball.
Any ideas welcome.
cheers.

 

[Bagofsand]

Bought a buzz rack escorpion 2 last week and used it a few times already. Its very well made, will carry up to 60kg and is easy to put on and take off.

e-SCORPION 2 • BuzzRack

[masterslider alias=”e-SCORPION-2″] [masterslider alias=”e-SCORPION-2-gallery”] [masterslider alias=”e-SCORPION-2-features”] OVERVIEW When it comes to transport of heavy bikes such as MTB or E-bikes, the e-SCORPION 2 would be the supreme choice. High load capacity, fully foldable, easy-to-use...

buzzrack.com

 

[steve_sordy]

Lot of threads on here about bike racks.

 

[Healy]

Buzz rack defo. Really easy to fit and solid

 

[kaj0103]

Buzz rack defo. Really easy to fit and solid

Nice. I saw some other posts after I posted this. Looks good. Defo wide enough and accommodates the Levo or ebikes in general with their bulky frames?
Cheers

 

[Hobo Mikey]

Thule easyfold XT.

 

[Tim1023]

None of the bike racks that I see seem to have grips that open wide enough to get around the frame of a Levo. Or does one have to order ebike-specific grips?

 

[Bagofsand]

The jaws on mine clamp around the top bar on my Trek Powerfly 7

 

[Tim1023]

Buzz Rack has a max wheelbase of 129.5

Thule Easyfold XT2 (which seems to top most of "best of lists") only has 122

A Levo XL has a wheelbase of 126.6

Guess which rack I'd go for if I get a new rack?

I'm in Germany and it would actually be cheaper for me to get a Buzz Rack from the UK https://www.roofbox.co.uk/ also has lightening fast response to customer questions

 

[kaj0103]

Looking at the Hornet vs the Scorpion, the only tangible difference seems to be foldable vs not. Is that about it? There's a bit of a price jump from one to the other so considering both.

 

[ggx]

Thule Easyfold XT3

 

[kaj0103]

Thule Easyfold XT3

Looks nice but just too expensive. I’d be happy with one of the buzzracks ones.

 

[Tim1023]

Looks nice but just too expensive. I’d be happy with one of the buzzracks ones.

The Thule wouldn't fix your original wheelbase problem either. Which size Levo do you have?

 

[kaj0103]

The Thule wouldn't fix your original wheelbase problem either. Which size Levo do you have?

Medium. I saw the post earlier about the XL wheelbase so looks like buzz is the best choice anyhow.

 

[The EMF]

Thule easy fold top piece of kit for my Whyte 150-RS ?

 

[grantini]

In my honest opinion, anything except a 1-up or a Kuat NV is a joke. Why would I put 20k worth of bikes on anything but the best possible rack? I just replaced my eight year old Kuat NV Core with a new NV 2. Multiple repairs over the years with excellent customer service from Kuat.

 

[kaj0103]

In my honest opinion, anything except a 1-up or a Kuat NV is a joke. Why would I put 20k worth of bikes on anything but the best possible rack? I just replaced my eight year old Kuat NV Core with a new NV 2. Multiple repairs over the years with excellent customer service from Kuat. View attachment 44309
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Looks awesome, but looks like a hitch rather than a tow ball?

 

[EMTBSEAN]

Must admit I have the same one as the OP (Thule rideon) your right about the tyres being a snug fit but I like that as it feels secure when you push the tyres into the holders, just one bit of advice is not to push them too far in as the holders eventually split ?

 

[kaj0103]

Must admit I have the same one as the OP (Thule rideon) your right about the tyres being a snug fit but I like that as it feels secure when you push the tyres into the holders, just one bit of advice is not to push them too far in as the holders eventually split ?

Yep, I feel the same. Just seems like they will crack if I push too hard. Plus it’s about 10-12 years old. Plastic probably brittle now as well! ?

 

[The EMF]

I also put a reusable cable tie on the front brake lever and the bar grip so as to apply pressure on the front brake to stop the bike rocking on the wheel axles. This makes the bike much more stable on the carrier ?

 

[rwhitfie]

I went for the Thule Easyfold XT2 to put my Spesh Levo on. Really nice bit of kit which ticks some of the boxes like it folds down into a compact shape to lob into the back of the motor.
Unfortunately there seems to be a gap in the market for a tow ball bike carrier that can do the following;
1. Compacts down
2. Has the capacity to carry heavier eBikes
3. Has the distance between bikes
4. Has the wheel base for 135cm +
5. Has tilt to allow a tail gate to open
6. The hitch high that doesn’t foul the tailgate (Ford Transit Custom)
7. Has the distance away from a vertical tailgate so handle bars don’t touch/rub against paintwork
8. Can clamp awkward shaped bikes i.e thicker down tubes or ones that aren’t vertical or horizontal

The Thule struggles with 4, 5, 6, 7 (on the first bike slot) and 8 (managed it but wouldn’t trust) On a Ford Custom.

A mate of mine who has the same van is trying out the Atera Strada DL3 but it’s not for eBikes although if you were to load just 2 bikes you’d be on the cusp of designed spec.
Anyhow, it’s a mine field!

 

[rwhitfie]

The other plus points is the bike carrier and the arms are lockable ?

 

[grantini]

Looks awesome, but looks like a hitch rather than a tow ball?

Wow, I had no idea that they made racks that sit on the ball itself... that sounds SUPER sketchy!

 

[kaj0103]

Wow, I had no idea that they made racks that sit on the ball itself... that sounds SUPER sketchy!

It’s pretty secure to be fair. Not sure why they don’t just use a hitch universally but it seems to work. I have noticed that the higher weight carriers require a hitch though.

 

[geehaw]

Pretty happy with the Yakima foldclick 2. Tow ball mount easy on/off. Up to 58 kg load. Only issue is that it can be difficult using the arms to mount a second bike.

 

[grantini]

It’s pretty secure to be fair. Not sure why they don’t just use a hitch universally but it seems to work. I have noticed that the higher weight carriers require a hitch though.

Instinct tells there would be a fair bit of movement

 

[kaj0103]

Instinct tells there would be a fair bit of movement

Nope, rigid as, unless you think I’m doing something different from putting a tow ball mount carrier onto a tow ball? They’ve been around for decades, nothing new but just not as good as the ones where you have the square pipe that inserts to a mounting point.

 

[Hobo Mikey]

They are as safe as houses on the towball. You can adjust the pressure on the Thule XT and then clamp it on and lock it. It is expensive but a great bit of kit.

 

[kaj0103]

Just ordered the E-Scorpion from roofbox..... hopefully here for the weekend! ?

 

[Tim1023]

Just ordered the E-Scorpion from roofbox..... hopefully here for the weekend! ?

Just waiting for mine to arrive! Also from roofbox. It's an extra 50 quid for shipping to Hamburg, but even with that, they're still cheaper than closer options.