Advice on a Citroen Berlingo bike rack wanted

[Brains]

After nearly two decades of owning Land Rovers my father has decided to hang up his car keys and has given us a sensible car. So we have sold the Landy and are now the proud owners of a 2009 Citroen Berlingo Multispace with a tow bar.

We need a bike rack for two bikes.
The 'rules'

Rear mounted not roof, so something that hangs on the tow ball or the door
Ideally that can be left in place, or is easy to remove
Ideally that allows you to open the rear door

Anyone any recommendations ?
Or any non-recommendations !

 

[Paulus]

Something like these? I don't think you could open the hatch with the carriers fitted though.


http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...le+carrier||Tow++Bar||sor||Price||1&mode=list

 

[Crackle]

Fiama Back pack

http://www.fiamma.it/products/carry-bike.asp?Fam=C03

 

[yello]

We have a Berlingo. I don't see how you can possibly fit a rear bike rack that won't get in the way of the rear doors... but then I've not looked for one!

I would guess you could get 4, maybe 5, bikes in the back with front wheels removed. I've certainly put 2 in the back without problem.

 

[Brains]

We have a Berlingo. I don't see how you can possibly fit a rear bike rack that won't get in the way of the rear doors... but then I've not looked for one!

I would guess you could get 4, maybe 5, bikes in the back with front wheels removed. I've certainly put 2 in the back without problem.

We have a tendency to go 'Heavy' camping, canoe on the roof, frame tent, kitchen sink etc. So bikes in back is not an option

 

[Brains]

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_751131_langId_-1_categoryId_165477

That looks like the sort of product we are after!

Does anyone own a Thule bike rack and/or a Berlingo with experience ?

 

[Brains]

There is also a Pendle bike rack that looks like it fits the spec, it even tilts to that the door can be opened. Anyone got one ?

http://www.pendle-bike.co.uk/shopping/Wheel-Support-Behind-the-Ball-2-Bike-Rack.php

 

[GordonB]

I have one of these, fits on my Toyota Verso and tilts back to allow access to the tailgate. There are two and three bike versions and the Euro series tilts using a lever as I recall. The one I've got is around £150 new but I found mine at a garage sale for £20 . Very quick and easy to fit, takes about 1 minute to fit it to the towball and five minutes to fit three bikes. You need to undo two knobs to tilt it but it works ok.

Gordon

 

[ufkacbln]

MaxxRaxx do a similar offering, which hold the bikes at crossbar level, as opposed to the wheels, but is half the price.

We used to use a standard tow bar fitting from Thule as with careful planning you can get rid of the need to access the rear door

 

[Crackle]

[QUOTE 1299007"]
What was the one you had on the back of your camper? I've seen similar on Bongos and the rear door of those can't be much bigger than on a berlingo.
[/quote]


Good thinking. We actually had two but the two bike carrier was an Omnistore which fitted on one door but went across both and meant you could open the rear doors with the bikes still on the carrier. I can't find the model now but they must still exist and it fitted on a Sprinter door and would have gone on a smaller width door as well, such as a Berlingo.

I'll have a mooch, see if I can't find it again.

 

[Crackle]

It was this or a very similiar model and you'd need to get precise measurements to see if it would fit a Berlingo. Also, I'm pretty sure one of the rails needs to be permanently attached to the rear door, the bottom rail I think. It is a neat, permanent and secure solution though.

 

[yello]

I take it the Berlingo in question does not have the hatch style rear door?

 

[Chromatic]

I've got a Thule tow ball mounted two bike rack. As far as I can remember it is a euroclassic something or other, can't remember the model number and it appears from their website that they have updated their range since I bought mine. Anyway the point is that as you said that one of your requirements is that it should be ok left in place then I'd say that one of those will do what you want. I leave mine on my car permanently, all year round, without any ill effect. They are very well made and mounting and dismounting my bike takes seconds. The tilt mechnism for accessing the tailgate works ok but it is a faff to do, on mine you have to partially release the ball mount clamp and screw out a stop mechanism to enable it to tilt down, as I say it works ok but it is a five minute job to get in the back of the car and do it all back up again. If you would need to do that often it may become a pain or you may get practised at it and get it done quickly and without hassle. Since I rarely use the tilt function it doesn't bother me and the ease of mounting and dismounting my bike is what I like about them, that and the facts that it is very well made and the bike is securely held when mounted.
One thing to bear in mind if you do want a tow ball mounted rack is to make sure it sits on the tow ball squarely. When I bough mine I was told that they do not fit properly on some tow ball designs. I have a swan neck tow ball and it is ok, but my wife's car had a different design and while the rack would mount on it, it would not sit level and square. I don't know if this applies to other makes but it did to the Thule one I chose. Maybe the newer designs do not suffer from this problem, my rack is about 5 years old now, but something to ask about if you consider one.
Anyway, I am very pleased with mine.

 

[subaqua]

this is what i have. means i can also tow a trailer as well , which is sometimes needed when we go camping for a fortnight

http://www.roofrackshop.co.uk/bike/thule-9705-bolt-on-bike-carrier.htm

 

[Bromptonaut]

We have Berlingo as well though as it's 05 it's the earlier model ( Mk2 facelift version of the nineties original) and smaller than yours if you've got the curent type.

The only way to carry bikes without obstructing the tailhatch is on the roof. IMHO the only secure rear carrier is towball mounted but I've not yet succumbed to pressure and fitted either the towball or a carrier.

One other thing, if you're already carrying tent, canoes and kitchen sink you might just want to do a quick check against max payload. The roof load limit for our 'lingo is 100kg but that needs proper bars not the light duty type included in Desire trim.

Handling will also be affected. We keep the roof load to minimum by using box for folding tables/chairs, campbeds etc but our old BX heeled like a holed trawler with 100k on the roof.