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just wondering if any1 here has the Paddy hopkirk 3 bike carrier,the model name is the Dartmoor, we have bought one and are worried about actually putting 2 adult bikes and 1 child bike on it,its fitted to our t reg mondeo hatchback,just wondering if anyone has any knowledge good or bad about these carriers

Naomi :O)

Don't know about that model but we used to use an el-cheapo 3 bike carrier from a local bike shop on our Vectra saloon.

It worked well enough with 2 adult & 1 child bike (but it's a pain that you can't get into the boot with it fitted) though we used to have to put little one's bike in the top box.

Now little one is bigger and riding a proper bike we've just invested in 4 bike carriers for the roof bars.  Gives us a problem with not having the top box anymore but is, IMHO, a much better solution for carrying bikes and means we can put them on first and then pack up the car which I prefer to having to leave them to last with the old boot-mounted carrier.

If and when we get a towbar fitted we'll probably buy a towbar mounted bike carrier too to give us maximum flexibilty.

(I thought camping was supposed to be a cheap holiday...)

well i was thinking about the towbar mounted one,but with the caravan and stabiliser ,would it take it all?? see how we go with this one i suppose,we have to get extra fitting cos my frame is oversized and the rubber straps won't go round it!!

thinking about it!! our roof is now free of its roof rack,they could go up there,but aren't the roof 1's pricey??

thanks for the info Paul :O)

hello pegtent :O)

i don't think we will need a lighting board cos the caravan is behind us aswell,or do i have to have another??

thanks for that link :O) rather fancy the paddy hopkirk behind towball mounted one now!!

but see how this 1 goes we can sell it on otherwise :O)

thanks :O)

good idea :O)

thanks again!!

Don`t forget the bikes add to the noseweight on the towball if you use a towball-mounted rack. Not ideal with caravan as well I would have thought. We get away with it with a TT but it`s close. (We have both roof and towball mounted racks...we take excessive numbers of bikes with us on long trips!)

Roof mounted ones are more expensive but you don`t need a lighting board if you`re taking the bikes without the van, they are considerably more convenient as you can leave the bikes up there on site untill you need them and most brands lock the bikes on too so good place to put them at night. You do have to remember about trees though...Hubby swiped an apple tree o our last site with my bike. Mind you the lady on the next pitch scraped her caravan under another tree and ripped a hole in the roof!

Halfords do them, or a good brand is Thule.

I personally would avoid the strap on rear mounted type. There have been occurences of these falling off. Once such incidence caused the death of a motorcyclist.

I have a Pendle towbar mounted 4 cycle carrier (EC Type approved) and 4 roof type cycle carriers for my TT carry rack.

I agree with Jim we were driving along a duel carriage way looked in the rear view mirror to see my brother in laws bikes bouncing down the road. Luckily we had moved into the lead and no-one was following him. it was a very dangerous situation though especially trying to rescue the bikes.

luckily we had just moved into the lead

well im really worried now :( we got this deadly carrier :( will my towball take anything else if we were to change it??

1) a 1973 caravan (heavier than the new models but a babe to tow so im told)

2) a drop plate cos the towball was 2 high causing the van to look extremely slanted

3) a stabiliser (which weighs a tonne im telling you!! i dropped it on side of leg earlier!)

plus car weight 2 well proportioned adults a tubby 6 yr old,luggage,and the bits in caravan (awning,poles,porta potti,pots pans etc.........and gas bottle at front aswell :)

help!!!

I own a Pendle rack and tow with four bikes,

www.pendle-bike.co.uk/Nulldet.asp?Rack=Tow%20Bar%20/%20Ball%20Rack

I cannot fault the rack is a fine piece  of engineering !

Ivan.

The Pendle towbar bike rack is great...we have the mounting on both our cars. You do need a lighting board with it to be legal if you aren`t towing as well.

As I said though it increases the noseweight...ie the downwards pressure on the towball. I thought the noseweight restrictions were to stop the front wheels of your towcar from losing traction on the road or am I wrong? We use this rack with our TT but as I said earlier I`d be really careful about using it with a caravan

If you already have the roof bars, HappyCamper, then I would really recommend the roofbar attachments for your bikes. We have these as well because we carry tandems sometimes (can`t do that on the back) and they are so convenient they are our carrier of choice even on a day to day basis.