Bike racks from XLC – maximum flexibility and safe transport
Is your next car trip around the corner? With an XLC bike rack, you need never be without your bike, even on holiday. These easy-to-use rear bike racks safely transport your bicycles and e-bikes anywhere.
When travelling by car, it can be a real challenge to fit everything in your vehicle, especially a bulky bike. An XLC bike rack can be the ideal solution to save space when you travel.
Do you want to know more about the advantages of a bike rack? Just scroll down to the bottom of the page!
A car rear bike rack offers numerous advantages:
More space inside the vehicle for luggage and passengers
Easy and quick loading
Lockable and secure
Increased payload
A bicycle rack frees up space inside the vehicle, and loading bikes onto a rear rack is easier and faster than heaving them onto your car roof. With rear bike transport, for example on the tow bar, there’s also no need to disassemble your bikes.
There’s no need to worry about your valuable bikes if you take a short break on your car journey. All XLC models, such as the Almada Work-E, can be locked. With a lockable rear rack, your bikes are better protected from theft.
Please note: Although the car with the bicycles mounted is not much higher than usual, remember when parking that the overall width of your vehicle can be greater with bikes in tow.
Another key advantage of a rear bike mount compared to other rack models is the load capacity. In most cases, rear tow bar bike racks can handle more weight than roof bike racks.
SPECIAL E-BIKE RACKS
E-bikes are usually heavier than normal bicycles. When transporting e-bikes, choose a bike rack designed to carry heavier, larger bikes. Tow bar racks are the best option. As the name suggests, they attach to the vehicle's tow bar and, depending on the model, can transport one or more e-bikes. The maximum load of the e-bike rack isn’t the only thing to bear in mind. The maximum vertical load of the tow bar is also important when choosing a rear e-bike rack. This can vary greatly depending on the vehicle type and clutch fitted.
A rear bike rack makes loading and securing heavy e-bikes a breeze, thanks to the low mounting height and accessibility. An additional access ramp is particularly convenient for loading heavy e-bikes.
WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING A REAR BIKE RACK
You probably have a few questions before you decide on the best XLC rear rack for you. We’ve summarised the most frequently asked questions.
If you want to get to grips with "finding the right rear rack for your needs", visit our blog.
FAQ
1. Are there any special requirements for my tow bar?
The tow bar must be made of steel. The bicycle rack is not suitable for tow bars made of aluminium or cast iron (GGG40). If in doubt, contact your dealer.
2. Can I transport tandems or bicycles with an extremely long wheelbase?
The bikes may protrude a maximum of 40 centimetres to either side of the rear light, and the maximum width of the loaded vehicle with bikes is 2.55 metres.
3. How fast can I drive with a mounted rear bike rack?
We recommend a maximum speed of 130 km/h. If driving abroad, make sure you’re aware of the maximum legal speed for the roads you’ll be travelling on.
4. What is the difference between the Azura Easy WT and the Azura Xtra WT rear bike mounts?
The Azura Xtra WT rear bike rack is tiltable. This means that the boot of the car can be opened despite the rear bike rack being mounted.
5. Can I use XLC rear bike racks on an electric vehicle?
Please contact your car manufacturer about this before purchasing your rear bike rack. Some tow bars on electric vehicles are only approved for a towing load, not a vertical load.
6. Can bicycles with carbon frames also be carried with XLC bike racks?
The Almada Work-E model is equipped with special frame clamps for carbon. With our Beluga and Azura models, we do not recommend transporting bicycles with carbon frames due to the clamping.
7. Is there a compatibility chart showing which bikes fit on which bike rack?
Due to the variety of frame shapes, a general compatibility overview is not possible. Final compatibility can only be ensured by test mounting. Special adapters are required for mounting some low step bike models. The CC-X33 adapter is suitable for the Azura and Beluga bike rack. The adapter CC-X61 can be used for the bike rack Almada Work-E.
8. Do accessories have to be removed while transporting the bikes on the bike rack?
We strongly recommend that accessories such as baskets, bags, etc. are stowed safely in the vehicle during the journey.
9. Can I protect my bike from dirt while driving with a cover?
We strongly advise against the use of a tarpaulins or cover, as the additional surface area exposed to the wind may adversely affect handling.
10. How many kilograms of total weight are the XLC bike racks suitable for?
The individual load capacity of the respective bike rack can be found in the user manual. However, it is important that the permissible total weight of the vehicle's two bar is not exceeded under any circumstances. This means that the total weight of the bicycles plus the empty weight of the rack must not exceed the maximum load of the tow bar. If in doubt, an XLC dealer can help with any uncertainties. With e-bikes, weight can be saved by removing the battery.
11. For which countries are XLC bike racks approved?
XLC bike racks are only approved within the EU.
12. Can XLC bike racks be extended to transport a third bike?
The models of the Azura series can be extended to a third bike with the extension set. The Beluga model is available in a version for two bikes and one for three. The Almada Work-E is designed exclusively for transporting two bikes, especially E-MTBs.