Halfords Advanced cycle carrier - is it safe ???

[A1tony]

Ladies and Gents.

I am off to France with the Bongo in a couple of weeks and I was about to buy a Thule tow bar mounted carrier and get a tow bar fitted. I ordered said carrier from Halfords but when I went to collect it I changed my mind and got their advanced 3 carrier rear rack. Now the instructions do say not to fit it to any vehicle not on the approved list. However, a Bongo is never likely to make it onto the list as an import.

A set the rig up using the longest upper metal straps and the second highest angle setting which keeps is as close to the tailgate as possible. It all tightened up really well, but the only thing that worries me is that it does put some pressure on the rear glass through its stabilising bar and rubbers. Is this normal ???

Over bumps etc, I think the shock would be taken the other way i.e release of pressure, but not sure about the rebound effect. From the pictures it seems that many of the setups are similar on other vehicles but its a big piece of glass if I get it wrong. !!!

Any views ???

thanks

Tony

[Griffin]

Hi, not 100% sure but this sounds like my old rack that I originally bought for a seat Alhambra. Do you have metal straps that all tighten up using a kind of lever a bit like a bike quick release ? If so, I used it on aforementioned seat and with some minor adjustment on the bongo loads of times with no problem at all. Apart from the fact I now need to carry 4 bikes, it was ideal. It does press on the window but I figured all the 'normal strap' ones do to. Surely the weight is if anything being pulled away from the window under load, unless you have the horizontal bars that the bikes hang on at an angle.

Obviously I can't say for sure it'll be ok but I never had a problem.

[mikexgough]

Had one when we got Hazel's C3 Citroen in pre Bongo days...... dumped it as unsafe & waste of dosh and got a tow bar mount type for the C3...... I have a Fiamma on the Bongo and now the C3 tow bar one is all but redundant........

[BongoBonkers]

Tony, I think we have the same carrier you describe. Is it the one that is secured by two straps at the top through the tailgate gap, two at the bottom and two that clamp to the sides of the tailgate? If it's the same one then we have been using it for two years or so with no problems. It was a bit worrying at first as it moves a little when driving due to the give in the straps even when cranked up tight but you get used to it and it seems pretty secure really. Load on windows no issue in our experience as the load of the bikes pulls the carrier away from the rear screen. Obviously a pain not being able to access the boot but no easy way out of that one.

One word of advice would be to experiment with the 'angles' a bit - we initially mounted the bikes too close to the vehicle and the brake lever on one handlebar scratched the Bongo's top spoiler severely.

If we were more hardcore cyclists then would prob get a towbar mounted arrangement but if you're a 2 or 3 times per year kinda guy (oo-er missus! ) then I'm sure you'll get on fine with this rack.

Good luck, Dave

[Diplomat]

Having lost a rear screen due to abnormal stress caused by ice on the exposed edge of the glass, I am very wary of anything causing pressure unnecessarily.

If the window does break it will crumble into a myriad of granules. If you don't have tint foil to contain the breakage you are in big trouble. They don't simply crack like front screens do. I wouldn't take the risk.


Frank

[Rhinoman]

We had one of those on a Clio, it was quite wobbly but we did a lot of miles with it with no problems. The Thule that I now have on the Bongo is way easier to load and secure and doesn't wobble either.

[A1tony]

Cheers guys.

It is the one as described with the two handles in the middle. Going to use it for a while and maybe upgrade to a tow bar one at one later if I need to...

Now to change my Japanese stereo

[Jaws]

We've tried various strap ons in the past but have found that ball clamps are superior

[Griffin]

I've dug out a picture of my old rack fitted to my Bongo, as you can see the 'straps' are actually metal so once it's all tight the thing is rock solid.



It was used extensively and rather neglected having been left by the side of the shed (as you can see by the scratches) but used for years on my Seat Alhambra. Fitted the Bongo just fine with a bit of trial and error to find the right settings. Also fits under the spoiler no problem. Seen here in 'folded up mode', obviously the 'arms' flip out to hold the bikes.

Only changed it (for a Maxxraxx on the towbar) becasue is couldn't cope with 4 bikes, mind you even if it could I am unsure about that much weight on the tailgate. 3 was fine for me, your mileage may vary.