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Bike Rack on the Tow Bar!

46K views 175 replies 35 participants last post by  gaz145 
#1 ·
Finally got a nice day to test one of the main reasons we picked a Polestar 2 over a Model 3!

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#155 ·
Thanks to this group I finally got all the parts needed for an adaptor set up for my 2" bike rack.

There is still some sideways play and it's going to be a nerve wracking trip watching the rack bounce around. I may just accept that it's for short term trips and use the ICE with a proper 2" receiver for longer trips.

Are there any 3 bike 1.25" hitches? If not maybe I will order a 2-bike 1.25" rack also. Waste of money.


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#156 ·
Except for the noise and shaking, is there any safety concerns if the rack is moving around?

Most bike racks have a tightening knob. Wish these adaptors would adopt something similar as it's obvious these adaptors are meant for bike racks.

I will have to seriously consider buying a 1.25" 2 bike rack now. SUCKS as I just got my 2" Kuat
 
#157 ·
Just buy a wedge insert to account for the small gaps, or other low tech devices if it bothers you … welcome to the archaic North American square receiver tech. … LOL … in Europe, they wise grip right on the ball, and the receiver is locked firmly in as well … zero movement anywhere, ever. … That is how my Volvo used to work, now I have movement due to the square BS style. … but I will wedge it out, eventually, because it bothers me.
 
#159 ·
Depends on whether you use the stock OEM solid 1.25” tow hook insert or aftermarket square hollow one. If OEM … you can buy a below wedge ….


I have seen one which had the wedge edge in both axis, but I cannot find it.

But, I am looking again on your setup and you already have the clamp down there … it still rattles even with that clamp?
 
#160 ·
The shape of the P*2 hitch doesn't create as secure clamp as it could be. It feels like it could be susceptible to lateral movement when I shake the rack. I've yet to take a trip with it, but I will soon.
 
#161 ·
BTW … mine currently moves as well a little bit. I test 3D printed a square piece with 2 axis wedge and it definitely tightened it nicely up .. but of course the plastic doesn’t last. I have done about 5 drives with it, one hour each. Even though it moves, it doesn’t create any noise or issues, even on the crappy country roads.

I will fabricate a sheet metal equivalent of the 3D printed part and that will be the end of any movement … 🙂

BTW, if I could buy the below, this is what I would get … but it does not seem to exist in 1.25” size, for some reason…

 
#162 ·
Just found this study from the ADAC (German AAA). Google translated for your convenience.

"ADAC BIKE RACK TEST - On the hook is the best place

There are three different systems for bike mounts for the car. Only one can really convince.

The towbar is the best choice for attaching the bike rack to the car. This was the result of a comparative test of various transport systems by the ADAC. Compared to carriers for the roof and tailgate, models for the hitch have advantages in terms of handling, assembly, loading and fuel consumption.

In the driving maneuvers tested, the system mounted on the ball head of the hook showed only minimal abnormalities, increased fuel consumption by only six percent at 130 km/h and was the easiest to use as it can be fitted to the vehicle by just one person.

The system was also convincing in terms of payload and comfort - the trunk remains freely accessible thanks to the tilting function.

High consumption when mounted on the roof
The testers recommend the supports for the roof with reservations. There were negative points, among other things, for the greatly increased consumption (plus 34 percent at 130 km/h) and the laborious loading, for which two people are required.

The worst was the system for attachment to the tailgate. In addition to the difficult assembly and the risk of paint scratches, the fuel consumption increased by 44 percent at 130 km/h caused criticism.

ADAC advice:
In general, when buying a bike carrier system, you should pay attention to the permissible total weight and in particular the permissible axle load of the vehicle. The weight of the wheels is also an exclusion criterion for some systems - for example, only wheels weighing up to 20 kg are permitted for the tested roof rack system.

In addition, car drivers should not drive faster than 130 km/h and be aware that a carrier and wheels affect driving behavior."
 
#163 · (Edited)
We usually go from the Lower Hudson valley to Upstate NY every other week, and tend to carry our bicycles (2 adult and one teen with 700c wheels and one 24" wheels). The car had 4 passengers (2 adults + 2 children), 2 cats and some luggage for the weekend both times. Since I got the Stealth hitch mounted a couple of weeks back, I wanted to understand the impact of the bikes on consumption.

Here's the lowdown:

Without bikes 102.35 miles @ 32.63 kWh ~ 31.88 kWh/100 miles
With 4 bikes 99.52 miles @ 43.28 kWh ~ 43.48 kWh/100 miles

This is a penalty of about 36%, which is very concerning. In fact on the journey up, we started at 60% which is usually more than enough. But with the bikes on, we had to stop at Newburgh to use the EA fast charger since we were about to completely run out of juice. While I did expect a considerable drop in efficiency with the bikes on, the level at which I have been impacted seriously concerns me on the viability of using the P*2 as my primary vehicle for longer road trips (we usually tend to take our personal bikes wherver we drive to). We took the Taconic parkway which is a rolling hilly terrain.

Does anyone else has experiences towing bicycles and if o, can you let me know the weight/drag penalty you had to pay in increased consumption?
 
#165 ·
We usually go from the Lower Hudson valley to Upstate NY every other week, and tend to carry our bicycles (2 adult and one teen with 700c wheels and one 24" wheels). The car had 4 passengers (2 adults + 2 children), 2 cats and some luggage for the weekend both times. Since I got the Stealth hitch mounted a couple of weeks back, I wanted to understand the impact of the bikes on consumption.

Here's the lowdown:

Without bikes 102.35 miles @ 32.63 kWh ~ 31.88 kWh/100 miles
With 4 bikes 99.52 miles @ 43.28 kWh ~ 43.48 kWh.100 miles

This is a penalty of about 36%, which is very concerning. In fact on the journey up, we started at 60% which is usually more than enough. But with the bikes on, we had to stop at Newburgh to use the EA fast charger since we were about to completely run out of juice. While I did expect a considerable drop in efficiency with the bikes on, the level at which I have been impacted seriously concerns me on the viability of using the P*2 as my primary vehicle for longer road trips (we usually tend to take our personal bikes wherver we drive to). We took the Taconic parkway which is a rolling hilly terrain.

Does anyone else has experiences towing bicycles and if o, can you let me know the weight/drag penalty you had to pay in increased consumption?
You can get the same drag penalty data from your ICE friends. The % kilometrage loss will be the same. However, I suspect that the ICE owners aren't as diligent about recording the data as BEV owners so probably you will just some vague answer.
 
#164 ·
The aero drag and added weight are you enemies with former being the biggest culprit. I have a friend with a Tesla model 3 in a similar situation to yours where he gave up using his EV as the primary means of travel when brining his bikes. I too will not use my P3 on long journeys with the bikes due to such significant losses in range.
 
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#166 ·
On my LRSM I do a lot of driving with 2 eMTB bikes strapped to my Thule towbar bike carrier. During this summer I have seen usually around 21kWh/100km, opposed to 18kWh … which is about 16% increase? That is sub 100km/h out of town, no highway.

With 4 bikes and quicker speeds I can see it easily going up to a double. I doubt it’s the weight (the difference is insignificant)….it’s all drag, because the aero is all screwed up in the back of the car.
 
#171 ·
I agree that the penalty of driving a poor aerodynamic ICE or EV at high speed is greater but I suspect that the impact of the bike carriers would be substantially less. Probably 4 bikes at the back of a cube van would be pretty much zero.
 
#176 ·
Finally got a nice day to test one of the main reasons we picked a Polestar 2 over a Model 3! View attachment 1874
Looking good. Question. Just got my P2 delivered today and have a Thule Epos to connect. Looks like 8 pin (rack) v’s 13 pin (tow bar). The power connector is a twisty thing, but I can’t seem to get it connected and afraid I’ll break something if I try and force it. What connected do you have and did you have any issues getting it all set up? cheers.
 
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