lightning

Well-Known Member
I need to carry two mountain bikes in our Defender 90.
It's possible to get them in the back if l take them apart, but it's a load of hassle.
What l need is a towbar mounted bike carrier.
There are plenty of those about but can l get one that will clear the spare wheel?
The only alternative would be to buy a trailer or remove the spare wheel. Neither of which l really want to do.
 
I can get one bike in OK. The other is a bit of a nightmare but yes it's possible (we have a CSW with the seats in the back) But l also want to take the bikes on holiday when the back will be full of among other things our boat and outboard motor.
 
A friend of ours uses a tow ball rack which clears his spare. Not sure what make it is though. If you're trailering the boat why not put the bikes in the boat?
 
I have a simbars one, remove spare, fit boss onto studs, refit spare. The defender/disco one takes 4 bikes but if they're good bikes you don't want to squeeze more than two on.
 
Here's the boat, not much room for bikes with this in the back of the Defender!

Okay, I guess if I had a similar conundrum, I'd put the boat on a roof rack (without engine) and the bikes in the back of the 90. Taking front wheels off bikes would give more room for outboard inside Defender....or swap 90 for a 110! :)
 
I have a fairly generic bike carrier that I actually bought for my old car. It's the type that hinges in the middle to adapt to various shapes/sizes of car boot.
What I do is take the spare wheel off the back door, and stow it inside. The carrier can then be rested on the door-mounted spare wheel carrier, and the straps tensioned up. A couple of bikes can be hung on the carrier, and a lighting board fitted (as the bikes will obscure the lights/number plate.)

You do have to take the bikes off in order to open the rear door, but the carrier can stay attached.

bikes.jpg

I'm thinking of modifying it by welding a plate on, drilled so as to fit over the studs on the spare wheel carrier- this would be more secure.
If you have a swingaway spare wheel carrier, you should be fine leaving the spare on and hanging the bike carrier on the wheel itself.
 
Here's a shot of two on a spare wheel mounted carrier. Worked fine, you do have to think about security obviously.
bikecarrier.jpg
 
I've got a Halfords spare wheel cycle carrier, all good, used twice, £25 collected from Doncaster, or delivered to Thirsk, we're going away tonight .. :)
 
You can get cycle carriers that mount on to the spare wheel
I've got a Halfords spare wheel cycle carrier, all good, used twice, £25 collected from Doncaster, or delivered to Thirsk, we're going away tonight .. :)
I had one for me dads disco, should work on a fender, sold it to some one on here years ago. I currently have a halfords universal carrier for me estate car. Not bad at all(no good for fenders but a good enough carrier). I couldn't get me trek in the back of a 90ht when I had it.
 

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