What Should You Consider When Using a Towbar-Mounted Bike Rack?

Spring is almost here, and with it, the time to use the (new) bike rack for the towbar. Can any towbar be used for transporting bike racks, and what happens if the rack suddenly obscures the license plate? This checklist helps prepare for the start of the cycling season.

Can I Use a Bike Rack on Any Towbar?

In general, towbars from Westfalia-Automotive are suitable for use with bike racks. Exceptions to this are towbars for Audi 80/100/A4/A6 models built before mid-1990s. These used the material GGG 40. Towbars made from this material are not suitable for use with bike racks. From around 1996, the material GGG 52 has been used for detachable towbars. This material is comparable to St 52-3 and can be used for bike racks without any concerns. The respective markings GGG 40 or GGG 52 are stamped on the side of the towbar neck.

Some bike rack manufacturers require the use of towbars where the tow ball is made from St 52-3 or an equivalent material (e.g., GGG 52). Westfalia-Automotive towbars without markings are generally made from St 52-3.

Note: If your Westfalia-Automotive towbar is an aluminum construction, we can provide you with a certificate approving its use with bike racks.

How Much Weight Can the Bike Rack Carry?

To find out how much weight your bike rack can carry, you first need to check the nose weight capacity of the towbar and the minimum nose weight or D-value required for the bike rack installation. These details can be found in our installation manuals under the product details. (Please also consider the bike rack's own weight).

To calculate the maximum weight of the bikes, you need to subtract the bike rack's weight from the towbar's nose weight capacity. The bike rack can then be loaded up to the resulting maximum weight.

Example calculation: If the towbar has a nose weight capacity of 75 kg and the bike rack weighs 20 kg, it can be loaded with a maximum of 55 kg.

What Should I Do if My Bike Rack Covers the License Plate?

Those who have chosen a towbar-mounted bike rack have made a good decision. The days of laboriously mounting bikes on the roof rack are over.

However, it can happen that the loaded rack obscures the license plate at the rear of the vehicle. Some might think of creating their own cardboard plate to solve the problem, but this is not compliant with regulations!

Whether the license plate is partially or completely covered, the plate on the bike rack must meet the same requirements as the original license plate. Only the sticker is not mandatory on the duplicate plate.

Those who do not comply with the rules endanger road traffic and must expect fines!