So I have specified a tow bar in my options with the intention of using it for a bike carrier and I am a little concerned about the limitations given in the Superb user manual on pages 186 / 187:

 

http://skoda-auto.cm/en/mini-apps/owners-manuals/pages/superb.aspx?requestOwnersManualOnlineVersion=en/Superb_3V/05-2015/Manual/Superb/online&requestOwnersManualLanguage=en&requestOwnersManualEditionDate=05-2015#!pageId=00500

 

The bike carrier I am looking at buying is the Atera Strada Vario 2 as I only need to carry 2 bikes and it can be folded down for storage:

 

http://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehsel4_tab.php/car-specific-accessories/atera_strada_vario_2_bike_carrier_no_ar2750/Qx%40w%2C6M42VAwp3%40Rb%7B~cC4ure5i0k8

 

I weighed both bikes I plan to carry and that total comes to about 31Kg. Then including the weight of the bike carrier (16.4Kg) gives a total weight of 47.4Kg. The bike carrier is about 60cm deep. Now, nowhere in the information I can get for the Atera talks about centre of gravity. I’d have to assume it’s in the middle and therefore approximately 30cm from the ball head. According to the user manual this should be well within the 75Kg limitation. All OK so far!

 

The problem may arise with the Atera’s ability to slide outwards to allow the boot to be opened. Very handy for the dog but I am not sure if this is then going outside of the limitations of the towing hitch. There’s a video here that shows the sliding mechanism (fast forward to 1min 17sec):

 

 

Firstly I can’t tell how far it’s coming out but I guess it is longer than the Superb’s maximum allowable length of 70cm. Secondly it moves the centre of gravity to possibly greater than the 35Kg allowed at 60cm. However, this is only used when the car is stationary and for short periods so I am wondering if I can get away with it? It’s just the scary warning messages in the manual that there is a risk of damaging the towing device that is putting me off!

 

Looking at other makes such as the Thule EasyFold 931, although it doesn’t slide out like the Atera it still tilts for boot access which again moves the centre of gravity possibly over the weight limitation.

 

What are people’s thoughts – should I be worried about damage to the towing device when tilting / sliding bike carriers?

So I have specified a tow bar in my options with the intention of using it for a bike carrier and I am a little concerned about the limitations given in the Superb user manual on pages 186 / 187:

 

http://skoda-auto.cm/en/mini-apps/owners-manuals/pages/superb.aspx?requestOwnersManualOnlineVersion=en/Superb_3V/05-2015/Manual/Superb/online&requestOwnersManualLanguage=en&requestOwnersManualEditionDate=05-2015#!pageId=00500

 

The bike carrier I am looking at buying is the Atera Strada Vario 2 as I only need to carry 2 bikes and it can be folded down for storage:

 

http://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehsel4_tab.php/car-specific-accessories/atera_strada_vario_2_bike_carrier_no_ar2750/Qx%40w%2C6M42VAwp3%40Rb%7B~cC4ure5i0k8

 

I weighed both bikes I plan to carry and that total comes to about 31Kg. Then including the weight of the bike carrier (16.4Kg) gives a total weight of 47.4Kg. The bike carrier is about 60cm deep. Now, nowhere in the information I can get for the Atera talks about centre of gravity. I’d have to assume it’s in the middle and therefore approximately 30cm from the ball head. According to the user manual this should be well within the 75Kg limitation. All OK so far!

 

The problem may arise with the Atera’s ability to slide outwards to allow the boot to be opened. Very handy for the dog but I am not sure if this is then going outside of the limitations of the towing hitch. There’s a video here that shows the sliding mechanism (fast forward to 1min 17sec):

 

 

Firstly I can’t tell how far it’s coming out but I guess it is longer than the Superb’s maximum allowable length of 70cm. Secondly it moves the centre of gravity to possibly greater than the 35Kg allowed at 60cm. However, this is only used when the car is stationary and for short periods so I am wondering if I can get away with it? It’s just the scary warning messages in the manual that there is a risk of damaging the towing device that is putting me off!

 

Looking at other makes such as the Thule EasyFold 931, although it doesn’t slide out like the Atera it still tilts for boot access which again moves the centre of gravity possibly over the weight limitation.

 

What are people’s thoughts – should I be worried about damage to the towing device when tilting / sliding bike carriers?

 

I have the Strada EVO 3 & had the same worries when I read similar instructions on weight limits on my E Class towbar (Same 90kg weight limit decreasing with distance) but have never  had a problem on that. I can't find where I read it at the moment but I did find something that reassured me shortly after I fitted it. If you bought yours from the Roofbox Company their customer services might be able to shed light on it.

This exact topic came to my attention yesterday.

 

I have ordered a Tow bar on my S3 combi for this reason, but i have a 4 bike mounted tow bar rack. The overall length my the rack is greater than the length permissible as per the pdf, (im not that concerned to be honest about that as its only 20cm over and the addtional 20cm is just a plastic trim cover around the lighting board......  but the weight limit to the max length does not make sense to me at this stage either. It suggests the longer the rack, the less weight over all you can have. (due to the centre of gravity)

 

Taking into account I have had this rack many years and used many times (covering vast mileage) on my E60 without any issues, to say im a bit naff'ed off is a understatement. Had this information been given at the time of ordering i may of re-assessed and it was only by going out and looking online for a manual to read (sad I know) is the only reason I found out.  -- otherwise, chances are i would never of looked in the manual and never knew.

 

My feeling here it will be fine, due to the weight of the bikes we have... but then that begs the question ........

 

The core reason for the tow bar was to offset the cost of having to buy new roof bars and bike holders, plus to odd time to use a families garden trailer.

 

 

 

And to top it off, the SKoda Accessories PDF does not include tow bar mounted bike racks

Edited 26 November, 201510 yr by RickTT

Given the sort of acceleration, braking and shock loads a 2 tonne caravan can apply to the towball (And I believe the 280 bhp 4WD Superb is rated to pull 2200 kg), there's very little chance a bike rack will come anywhere near this unless someone crashes into you.

Given the sort of acceleration, braking and shock loads a 2 tonne caravan can apply to the towball (And I believe the 280 bhp 4WD Superb is rated to pull 2200 kg), there's very little chance a bike rack will come anywhere near this unless someone crashes into you.

 

I agree.

Need to check the manual to see if the above has been amended...

 

As thepsycholist says, the lateral load a caravan puts on the towbar will be far greater than the bikes.

 Thule 2 bike carrier on factory fit tow bar. Factory fitted bar well worth the money.

I'm not sure if I have missed the point but most cars of the same size have a similar weight restrictions on them so if it wasn't suitable for the Superb it wouldn't be suitable for the majority of cars so would mean manufacturing the racks would be pointless.