"It’s impossible to make a blanket statement about which type of carrier system is the best," says Rene Filippek of German bicycle club ADFC.
The least elaborate method is to transport the bike inside the car. "However, this only works with estate cars or vans," says bicycle specialist David Kossmann. “In normal cars, you often have to remove the wheels from the bike,” he says.
Rear-end racks: Handier, but won't always fit
Rear-end carrying systems are mounted on the tailgate of estate cars, but there are also models for saloons and even convertibles. “But the vehicle must also be approved for it,” notes Kossmann. Using one on a car with a glass tailgate, for example, is out of the question.
"A disadvantage of the rear carrier is also the limited rear visibility – and you shouldn’t use the rear window wiper.” Most of these systems are mounted such that the bikes are perpendicular to the car, but there also some in which they run parallel. “The advantage of this is that the vehicle is not widened,” says Kossmann.
The roof: Cheaper, but more complicated
The classic method for transporting bikes is on the roof, which is one of the cheapest kinds of mounts. The advantage? With these systems, you still have full access to the boot and no reduced rear visibility.
The list of disadvantages, however, is long.
You'll notice the first one as soon as you have to mount the bike. Doing so on your own is tricky at best as you'll need to lift the wheels up onto the roof. A heavy electric bike will only make things harder. What's more, this can quickly scratch the paintwork.
On top of this, driving characteristics will change, especially when there's crosswinds.
Driving into a garage, meanwhile, can also mean the end of your bike if there's not enough height.
The high wind resistance leads to increased fuel consumption, while the mounting height of roof racks are usually awkward and uncomfortable. But with prices starting at around US$250 (around RM1,100), roof systems are also among the cheapest options on the market.
Roof racks, however, tend to do poorly in tests. “On the slalom course, which simulates an evasive manoeuvre we’ve seen some bicycles on the roof snap right off,” says industry reporter Holger Ippen. In rear-end collisions, poorly secured roof cargo can also turn into dangerous projectiles.
A trailer hitch carrier. — All pix by dpa
Top choice: Trailer hitch
The favourite among the experts are systems for the trailer hitch. “The low height makes them easy to load, and some models even have a loading ramp for heavy electric bikes,” says Filippek.
"A big advantage of these systems is the fast, one-point mounting and the fact that the bicycles do not have to be heaved onto the vehicle’s roof," says Ippen.
"In addition, they stay in the car’s slipstream, causing less noise and making for lower fuel consumption at high speeds than with a roof transporter," he adds.
The lower centre of gravity also has a positive effect, especially when it comes to pedelecs, which tend to weigh around 25kg.
In terms of price, however, the hitch carriers rank at the top. Buyers can expect to invest around US$400 to US$600 (up to RM2,600) for a good system, says Ippen. Depending on the model of car, there may also be the added cost of the trailer hitch itself.
No matter how you transport the bikes, experts say you should make sure it's dry when you mount, to avoid anything slipping free, and to take off any removable parts that could come loose. You wouldn't want a bike light hitting your windscreen at high speed on the highway.
