In this article, we use so-called affiliate links. With every purchase through these links, we receive a commission from the merchant. All relevant referral links are marked with . Learn more.
1.95 million e-bikes were sold in Germany alone during the pandemic year of 2020. That is more bikes than the population of Germany’s second-largest city, Hamburg. A further 50 per cent increase on 2019, which was already considered a record year. An incredible figure, driven not least by the rapidly rising demand for e-MTBs. But as the number of e-bike riders grows, so too does the number of people who want to travel with their bikes. E-MTB owners in particular face a problem here, as many manufacturers have still not adapted their bike racks to the needs of e-MTBs. So how can the bikes be transported to their destination as easily and safely as possible? The good old roof rack is out of the question for transporting e-MTBs for two reasons: firstly, it’s normally only approved for bikes weighing up to 20 kilograms; secondly, hardly anyone wants to hoist a 25-kilo e-MTB onto the roof. Tailgate racks are also overwhelmed by the weight of e-MTBs, at least if more than one bike is to be transported.
The best solution by far is the rear bike rack. This is because it fits any car with a tow bar, can handle heavy loads, is quick to fit, and you don’t even have to lift the bikes to hip height when loading them. Thanks to a folding mechanism, most carriers now also allow you to access the boot. However, there is one drawback: the overall length of the vehicle increases. On the other hand, there is another advantage: as the bikes travel in the slipstream of your own car, fuel consumption is kept to a minimum.
All the candidates in our test group met one minimum requirement: each bike must weigh no more than 30 kilos. In other respects, however, the differences between the candidates are sometimes enormous.
You can easily download the full comparison test of the eight rear bike racks from EMTB 2/2021 as a PDF below the article. The test costs 1.99 euros.
Why isn’t it free? Because quality journalism comes at a price. In return, we guarantee independence and objectivity. This applies in particular to the tests in EMTB. We don’t get paid for them; on the contrary, they cost us tens of thousands of euros every year.
- Atera Strada Sport E-bike ML
- Buzz Rack E-Scorpion 2
- Eufab Premium TG
- Menabo Alcor 2
- Thule VeloSpace XT 3
- Uebler i21
- Westfalia Bikelander
- Yakima JustClick 2
Downloads:
Adrian Kaether
Editor
