If you’re planning to take to two wheels when you’re on tour, you’ll need to make sure you transport your bicycle safely to your destination – that’s where the best caravan bike rack comes in.
Once you’ve reached the campsite (and if you’re looking for your next touring destination, be sure to take a look at our best caravan park guide), cycling provides you with a quick and easy way of exploring the beauty of the surrounding area.
There are a wide range of products on the market, and the Practical Caravan Awards 2023 are here to help you find the one for you. We’re combining our decades of industry experience to pick out the best caravan bike racks.
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The best caravan bike rack is:
Thule OutWay Platform
Pros
- Light in weight, no need for an additional plate or lights
Cons
- Not able to carry most ebikes
If you want to carry bikes when you go on tour, one of the best (and easiest) ways to do so is to use a car-mounted rack – you won’t add more weight to your caravan, and it means that you can drive after you’re pitched up to begin your cycle elsewhere.
The Thule OutWay Platform rack sits high on the rear of your car, meaning that your rear lights and numberplate are still visible, so you won’t need an additional plate/light unit when driving solo. It can carry two bikes, each up to 15kg, and the rack itself weighs 12.5kg. The arms that hold the bikes are adjustable for easy fitting, and there are locks to secure the bikes to the rack, and the rack to the car.
Select your vehicle on the website to check if it’s compatible with your car, and to order the correct model.
Also on the shortlist for the best caravan bike rack are:
Thule Elite G2 One Bike
Best for solo riders
Pros
- Compact in size and light in weight
The majority of caravan cycle racks carry at least two bikes, but the Thule Elite G2 One Bike is ideal if you just want to transport one – it’s been specifically designed for solo-cycle use, mounted to the caravan’s rear wall. What’s more, you can team it up with an A-frame rack to help keep the caravan’s weight balanced when you’re on the road. The rack itself weighs 6.7kg, and has a maximum cycle rating of 30kg*.
The rail across the top – which holds your bike secure via a lockable Thule AcuTight torque limiter knob – is moveable, to allow you to find the best position for your cycle, and the wheel holders at the bottom can also be moved to help secure your bike.
Price: Around £300 at Thule
Thule Caravan Superb Standard
Best for lower loading
Pros
- Light in weight
- Practical in design
Thule is a popular name in caravan and motorhome accessories, so it’s no wonder that its bike racks are very popular. The Caravan Superb Standard model is specifically designed to fit on the A-frame of your caravan; it’s suitable for ebikes up to 60kg*. The cycle platform sits low, making it easier to load bikes, and you won’t lose access to your gas locker – the platform can be tilted forward (even with bikes on it), allowing you to open the locker door.
The carrier weighs just 9.7kg and can stow two bikes as standard, but can be upgraded to three if required. The cycles are locked into place via the Thule AcuTight torque limiter knobs – they click into place when a certain level of torque is reached, to help prevent damage to your bike.
Price: Around £300 at Thule
Fiamma Carry-Bike Caravan Active E-bike
Best for easy operation
Pros
- Light in weight
- Gas locker still accessible
Ebikes are becoming more popular as time goes on – the price of them has fallen relatively quickly in recent years. More caravanners than ever take them with them on tour, but they are relatively heavy, so you’ll need a sturdy rack (and payload) to take them with you.
The Fiamma Carry-Bike Caravan Active Ebike fits securely to your caravan’s A-frame; it is capable of carrying two ebikes up to a total weight of 60kg*; the Rail Premium system (not used on Fiamma’s other Active models) is used to allow the transportation of heavier cycles.
Thanks to the new hooking/unhooking system that helps secure the rack, you’ll still be able to access your gas locker, as the rack swings forwards and down. The unit is supplied pre-assembled for easy installation.
Price: Around £360 at Fiamma Store
Fiamma Carry-Bike Caravan Simple
Best for rear-wall installation
Pros
- Light in weight
If you’d prefer to carry your bikes on the rear wall of your caravan, take a look at the Fiamma Carry-Bike Caravan Simple Plus – it mounts into the rear wall via the existing reinforcement points. It’s made of anodised aluminium and is light in weight, at just 6.4kg; it’s designed to carry two bikes (with a total weight of 35kg*) and can fit space heights between 110cm and 145cm. Straps should hold your cycles safely in position when you’re on road, to help prevent damage to either the bikes or caravan.
As always when fitting a bike rack of this style, if your caravan doesn’t have pre-existing cycle rack fittings, you should check with the manufacturer of the van to determine the safest and correct place to mount it before proceeding.
Price: £220 at Agent Fiamma
*When using bike racks, be sure to conform to the legal and recommended weight restrictions of your caravan, particularly that of the rear wall, axle and car/caravan’s noseweight. If you’re in any doubt as to whether you should install a bike rack, consult the manufacturer of your caravan for advice. Carrying cycles on the rear of your caravan can affect the handling.
If your caravan doesn’t have pre-existing cycle rack fittings, you should check with the manufacturer of the van to determine the safest place to mount it.
- After more ideas for what to take on tour with you? Then take a look at our guide to the top gadgets for staying safe on tour
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