Bike Carriers & Towbar Bike Rack Installation

There are dozens of options out there for bike carriers and they’re not all created equal. Some bolt onto your towbar, some hang off the boot, others sit up on the roof, and picking the wrong one can mean scratched paint, a wobbly ride, or a fine you didn’t see coming.

While Tom’s Towbars doesn’t stock bike carriers, we do support customers in finding the right carrier for their car, bike and use case.

If you’re looking for expert advice and guidance, you’re in the right place. Our Manager has years of experience with towbar-mounted bike carriers both installing them at work and using them personally.

Towball/Towbar mounted bike carriers

These are the most common choice for good reason. The carrier clamps onto your towball or slots into your towbar, which means the weight sits low and the bikes stay rock-steady on the road. They’re easy to load (no lifting bikes over your head), they keep your bikes away from the paintwork, and many of them tilt down so you can still open the boot with the bikes loaded.

Platform vs hanging styles

Within the towbar category there are two main designs. Platform carriers hold the bikes by their wheels on a tray, which is gentler on the frame and far better for heavier bikes and e-bikes. Hanging carriers suspend the bikes by their top tube on padded arms, which tends to be lighter and cheaper but isn’t ideal for step-through frames or anything heavy. If you’re carrying e-bikes, go platform every time.

Boot and strap-mounted carriers

These strap directly onto the boot or hatch using a system of belts and hooks. They’re the budget-friendly option and they pack away small, which suits people who only head out occasionally. The downside is they can rub against your paint, they’re fiddlier to fit securely, and they’re not great for anything weighty.

Roof-mounted bike carriers

Roof racks keep the back of your car completely clear, which is handy if you’re towing a trailer or caravan as well. The flip side is the lifting, hoisting a bike above your head gets old fast, and you’ve got the ever-present risk of forgetting the bikes are up there when you pull into a low car park. They also nudge your fuel use up a bit.

Spare-wheel mounted carriers

If you drive a 4WD with a rear-mounted spare, there are carriers built to mount onto the wheel itself. A neat solution for the right vehicle, though obviously limited to cars set up that way.

How to choose the right one for you?

Do I have the right towbar?

Most bike carriers require a towbar to be fitted, even if you’re not towing a trailer. A Class 2 towbar is perfectly suited for this and is one of the most common reasons people come to us. You don’t need trailer wiring for a bike carrier, just the bar and tow ball.

How many bikes?

Be honest about your maximum, not your usual. A two-bike rack feels limiting the moment the kids want to come along.

Are any of them e-bikes?

E-bikes are heavy, often 20 to 30kg each, and that changes everything. You’ll want a platform-style towbar carrier with a weight rating that comfortably covers your heaviest bike, plus a bit of headroom.

Whats your towball weight rating?

Every towbar has a maximum download it can carry. Add up the weight of the carrier plus your loaded bikes and make sure it sits safely under that limit. If you’re not sure what your towbar is rated to, that’s an easy thing for us to check.

How often will you use it?

If it’s an every-weekend thing, spend up on something quick to load and tilt-away. If it’s twice a year, a simpler carrier will do the job.

Will it block your number plate?

Depending on the carrier and how many bikes you load you might block your number plate and you’ll need an auxiliary number plate and possibly a light board to stay legal.

Staying legal on WA roads

Wherever you are in Australia, your number plate and rear lights have to stay clearly visible when the carrier and bikes are fitted. Your plate needs to be legible from 20 metres away, and an obscured plate can land you a fine.

If your carrier or bikes block the plate, you can’t just scrawl your rego on a bit of cardboard, that’s actually illegal and will still cop you a fine. You’ll need a proper auxiliary number plate, which is an official duplicate of your existing plate. And if you’re driving at night with the plate relocated, it has to be lit, which usually means a light board or a number-plate light so your plate and indicators stay visible.

Summary: visible plate, visible lights, no homemade plates. Get those three right and you’re sweet.

We'll fit it for you

Bought a towbar carrier and not keen on wrestling with it yourself? Drop in and we’ll fit it for you and make sure it’s mounted securely and sitting right. And if you don’t have a towbar yet, we can sort that out at the same time so your whole setup is ready to go.