Tow bar and bike carrier

byrnem31

Thinking about a tow bar and bike carrier for my 2006 civic hatch.
€830 I was quoted for both today. €330 for tow bar and €500 for bike carrier. The car is worth about €800 itself.

Amy cheaper options out there? Tow bar or bike carrier please?

Alkers

Economically, you're probably best of selling the car and buying a similarly priced one with a tow bar installed.

There are much cheaper bike carriers that do fine - I have this (or a variant of it) https://www.witter-towbars.co.uk/bike-racks/clamp-flange-towbar-mounted-3-bike-carrier

They have a decent range at https://www.witter-towbars.co.uk/bike-racks

How many bikes do you need to carry?

byrnem31

Alkers wrote: »

Economically, you're probably best of selling the car and buying a similarly priced one with a tow bar installed.

There are much cheaper bike carriers that do fine - I have this (or a variant of it) https://www.witter-towbars.co.uk/bike-racks/clamp-flange-towbar-mounted-3-bike-carrier

They have a decent range at https://www.witter-towbars.co.uk/bike-racks

How many bikes do you need to carry?

Thanks.

I need to carry 2 kids bike and my defy. I had a rear boot carrier but the civic has a glass boot and it's only a matter of time before it breaks the glass.

byrnem31

Anywhere around tallaght that fits tow bars does anyone know that are reasonable in price?

fat bloke

300 quid is reasonable for a tow bar. But 500 quid is top dolla for a rack. You can definitely save money there.

Also, having recently been shopping for the likes of an 06 civic, car prices are gone bananas so your Honda (unless it's in a right state) is worth a lot more than the 800 quid you'd have struggled to get for it thís time last year.

Definitely only worth getting the tow bar though if you're keeping the bar for a good while yet. But if you do, then towbar racks are fantastic and definitely the best way to carry bikes. I had Atera Strada 3bije carrier for years and got great use out of it. Not cheap, but Halfords do much more affordable ones that are grand too.

cletus

It might be too far for you, but Whelan's on the Heath, just outside Portlaoise, do towbars for €160

Halfords do an own brand 4 bike towbar rack for €214

mamax

Roof bars and a roof mounted bike rack should be under 200 for both and easily fitted yourself

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/Roof-Bars-Aurilis-Original-Honda-Civic-Hatchback-5-Doors-01-2006-09-2012/231471475279?hash=item35e4c66a4f:g:qCgAAOSwH2VZ5sp4

https://www.micksgarage.com/g/bike-racks/products/465f3094479/the-high-end-aguri-acuda-ii-silver-roof-mounted-bike-rack-carrier

oops sorry just saw you need to carry 2 kids bikes as well

I've used this one and it's good

https://www.micksgarage.com/g/bike-racks/products/271c3507727/g3-frame-bike-rack

_Brian

https://www.halfords.ie/motoring/bike-racks/rear-mounted-bike-racks/thule-xpress-pro-970-towbar-mounted-bike-rack-176217.html

Your being rode for the bike rack.

Even a 4 bike towbar mount is only €220 from Halfords. I have one abkut 5 years and they are great.

Takca

I got this one 2 years ago, its seen a fair bit of use and I'm pretty happy with it, carries 4 bikes
a hell of a lot cheaper then €500
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/thule-9708-hangon-towball-carrier-4-bike/rp-prod165295

paddydriver

I've got the 4 bike version of this:

https://www.micksgarage.com/d/bike-racks/products/3341569/tow-ball-cyclecarrier-pure-instinct-2-bikes-web-packaging - Link may not be to the exact one but its the Peruzzo Pure Instinct

This is exact same as the Witter one.. don't know do Witter re-badge these or vice versa. 2 bike is €299 or 4 bike is €399 but regularly is cheaper.

Got Tow Bar fitted by Malcolm's in Rathmines - fully detachable and very neat job, cannot see the cut in the bumper as its well hidden underneath. Electrics included too. It's a Witter Tow Bar.

byrnem31

fat bloke wrote: »

300 quid is reasonable for a tow bar. But 500 quid is top dolla for a rack. You can definitely save money there.

Also, having recently been shopping for the likes of an 06 civic, car prices are gone bananas so your Honda (unless it's in a right state) is worth a lot more than the 800 quid you'd have struggled to get for it thís time last year.

Definitely only worth getting the tow bar though if you're keeping the bar for a good while yet. But if you do, then towbar racks are fantastic and definitely the best way to carry bikes. I had Atera Strada 3bije carrier for years and got great use out of it. Not cheap, but Halfords do much more affordable ones that are grand too.

The car is immaculate with just over 100k miles on it. It's a great car and I'm holding onto it.

byrnem31

paddydriver wrote: »

I've got the 4 bike version of this:

https://www.micksgarage.com/d/bike-racks/products/3341569/tow-ball-cyclecarrier-pure-instinct-2-bikes-web-packaging - Link may not be to the exact one but its the Peruzzo Pure Instinct

This is exact same as the Witter one.. don't know do Witter re-badge these or vice versa. 2 bike is €299 or 4 bike is €399 but regularly is cheaper.

Got Tow Bar fitted by Malcolm's in Rathmines - fully detachable and very neat job, cannot see the cut in the bumper as its well hidden underneath. Electrics included too. It's a Witter Tow Bar.

Thanks for that. I'll give them a shout.

Effects

Alkers wrote: »

Economically, you're probably best of selling the car and buying a similarly priced one with a tow bar installed.

A lot to worry about buying an €800 car you don't know, versus the one you already know and have.

cletus

I posted already above, but I have the Halfords 4 bike rack for €214. Regularly carry 2 adult and two kids bikes, no issue whatsoever, rock solid.

If you stretch to the €299, they do a model that tilts out of the way with the bikes on to open the boot

Seth Brundle

Why does it need to be a tow-bar carrier?
I've a rack that clings onto the bootlid which has been used to carry three bikes around France.
I think it was about €150 from my LBS five years ago

cletus

Not all cars are suitable for boot racks. I had one that I used with my Corolla, but when I changed to an Avensis estate, the boot rack wouldn't work

loyatemu

some cars have a plastic or fibreglass trim on the boot, so you can't hang a carrier from it.
Not sure I'd trust one of those with 4 adult bikes either, whereas my towbar carrier takes 4 bikes no bother.

CramCycle

My tow bar rack was 25euro from Aldi and carries two bikes without issue, three bikes at a push.

byrnem31

Seth Brundle wrote: »

Why does it need to be a tow-bar carrier?
I've a rack that clings onto the bootlid which has been used to carry three bikes around France.
I think it was about €150 from my LBS five years ago

The 2006 Honda civic boot is glass around the top. If you break the glass, it's a whole new boot door from a scrap yard. Mental money. Boot bike racks have been known to shatter the glass on them.

CramCycle

byrnem31 wrote: »

The 2006 Honda civic boot is glass around the top. If you break the glass, it's a whole new boot door from a scrap yard. Mental money. Boot bike racks have been known to shatter the glass on them.

Could you try the scrap yards for a tow bar and fittings of a scrapped Honda civic? Then pay a yard to Fit it for you. Most garages can send word round to scrap yards asking for you to keep costs down.

byrnem31

CramCycle wrote: »

Could you try the scrap yards for a tow bar and fittings of a scrapped Honda civic? Then pay a yard to Fit it for you. Most garages can send word round to scrap yards asking for you to keep costs down.

Yeah I never thought of that. I'll ring around and see. 320 for towbar might be doable though.