Bike rack

AFAIK if your bike or the cover obscures your lights you will need a lighting board and electrics to connect it to. Can you manage without the cover if it's workable. Other alternatives are a tow bar and a bike rack mounted on that, or smaller wheels on your bike.

I go along with Harry.   Also a marker board should be considered

i have the same problem with my 2018 Broadway so only tend to use the cover if the weather is a "bit iffy" while parked up

Caraman wrote:That’s interesting.  When I discussed this with Marquis before buying the Nuevo, which as standard is fitted for but not with a bike rack, they said a lighting board was not needed but my concern then was the rear number plate being obscured rather than the rear lights.  It’s only after fitting a bike that the proximity of the wheels to the lights becomes apparent.  The rear lights on the 2019 Nuevo are quite elongated and tall so not all of them are obscured and viewed at distance perpendicularly from the rear, neither are obscured.  It’s viewing at an angle that causes the obscuration.

Should it have been obvious to Marquis that once the bikes were being carried, they would obscure the registration plate ? If so, then their advice is incorrect. It is an offence for the registration plate not to be easily readable and a bike obscuring it will complete the offence.

Similarly, any obscuring of your lights may be an offence and if the bikes or bike rack can’t be repositioned to avoid this, then a lighting board will be required. Without digging further, from memory, I’m fairly certain there is similar legislation covering brake lights, which applies during daylight. 

Phil j wrote:i have the same problem with my 2018 Broadway so only tend to use the cover if the weather is a "bit iffy" while parked up

The owner's handbook for our 2013 Broadway states,
"Cycle Rack. In order that a cycle rack can be fitted, the rear panel coach work has been strengthened accordingly. Timber is bonded into the bodywork immediately above the rear light units, laterally across the vehicle. This allows the lower mounting brackets for the Fiamma Pro C cycle rack to be fitted in a suitably reinforced area".

Rather when retro fitting, it appears that the latest coach builds by design, have lower mounting points for the Fiamma, hence problems arising of obscuring the rear lights. I recall an earlier post where the need for a lighting board was necessary but needless extra expenditure on a Mercedes coach build for the same reason.

I have no knowledge of the design of the Fiamma rack in question here, but with the Fiamma rack made for VW T4/5/6 vehicles, it is possible to relocate the actual rack (the structure that the bikes stand on) vertically (up or down) on the frame.  It requires the drilling of two new holes for the hinge pins/bolts on which the rack is mounted.   This may offer a simple solution to the problem. It did for me. Keith

my view (and I had two vans with rear racks prior to having garages) forget the cover and the marker board.
covers are a waste of time, a pain to put on, and to store when soaking wet...just wipe the bikes off if wet....and if without a cover they're not reall obscuring the lights, don't bother with a marker board

Don't think I’d ever have a bike rack on a Motorhome again personally... I’d Go for a tow bar and tow bar fitted bike rack next time for the reasons already stated, plus our rear window is coming out on our current journey which I can only put down to the flexing on the rear wall with our bikes, which are both lightweight no more than 11kg each, (thank goodness I didn’t bring my Haibike e-mountain bike 25kg) ironically I’ve always have had these concerns about bike racks previously which is now worryingly proving itself so.

Caraman wrote:Thanks Bolero boy.  You have experience of rear racks and covers which I don't.  It might be a bit of an overkill in this country to use the lighting board when there is no cover fitted but for the price and peace of mind it seemed worth it.  When we travel on the continent it will obviate the need for a rear marker board which I understand is a legal requirement.  What are other people's views on bike rack covers - are they worth the trouble and expense?  Quite a lot of people have them.

In Spain (and Italy too I think) you will need the rear marker board in addition to the lighting board. We have a tow bar carrier and still use the rear board in Spain. I spent some time investigating if we needed it, but couldn’t find anything to say we didn’t so we use it as there are countless bored police parked on the motorways just looking for some small misdemeanour to stop us. However we haven’t used it in any other European countries as it is a nuisance to put on and our cover hasn’t got a plastic envelope.

As for covers, to some extent I agree that they are a nuisance. But we now have expensive ebikes and, especially when travelling in winter, I like them to have some protection against the elements. We probably wouldn’t bother if we had less valuable bikes. Currently we’re in Holland and the locals on the whole don’t bother and they all have good quality ebikes.

Over in europe I've seen a number of motorhomes with bike / scooter racks that are attached to the chassis underneath, its like an extension to the chassis and looks a very good option, saves on having a tow-bar fitted just to use for carrying bikes.

With regards bike covers I'm with others in that they are a waste of time and a faff to put on and off, we have one but never use it! Just the obligatory reflector and diagonal striped safety board clipped over the bikes.

I'd be a bit careful weight wise with towbar fitted racks.....the towbar  might be 25kg, the rack the same and a couple of ebikes another 50kg....that's 100kg hung well put beyond the rear axle, so will add (say) 125+ kg to the rear axle...
I'm sure there are many 3.5t vans out there that don't have is sort of spare capacity on the rear axle...
I would definitely weigh the van in 'full race trim' (incl passengers, bedding, pots/pans, books, electrical items, coats and other clothing, kitchen/fridge/freezer supplies, tools awnings, chairs, tables, windbreaks etc, etc) noting particularly the rear axle loading before sourcing a heavy towbar and fitted rack....
good luck.

We have weighed our van loaded for a long trip and we had 90 kg to spare on the payload. I am very keen on everything that goes in the van as regards weight and don’t travel with a full tank of water. You’re right in that it is easy to exceed the weight, but with diligent packing it can be done. 

CC, have also seen several of those cycle carriers attached to the chassis in Europe. We looked into one -Swaiko- before getting the towbar but it was very expensive. Bet they pay a lot less in Europe!

CC wrote:Over in europe I've seen a number of motorhomes with bike / scooter racks that are attached to the chassis underneath, its like an extension to the chassis and looks a very good option, saves on having a tow-bar fitted just to use for carrying bikes.

We had an Alko Sawiko Velo III carrier fitted a few years ago to our Broadway to carry 2 e- bikes. We used to have a standard Fiamma rack with 2 Raleigh Shopper bikes .

It was expensive, had to be carefully measured and supplied to order for fitting by Heart of England Motorhomes at Long Buckby, but it is not something we have had the slightest regret doing.

Quite apart from the fact that it is low to the ground so lifting the heavy bikes on is very easy, it makes the van plus bikes feel very much more stable when driving, especially on roundabouts or twisting roads. It folds up when the bikes are off and can be removed altogether if no bikes or for transfer to another van.

We use a bike cover with the e- bikes because we don’t want the electronic bits and controls to get full of grit or too wet. We use a striped reflective backboard whenever we travel: if it improves safety in countries where it is compulsory then it improves safety everywhere. It certainly makes the back of the van more visible.

Edit to add: it also allows the rear, kitchen window to be opened fully when the bikes are on and doesn’t obscure the view as the Fiamma did.

We have the same issue with the bike rack/lights on our Nuevo.  Caraman, could I ask who you contacted at AS?  Could I be cheeky and ask what they are charging for the socket too.  Also, us not being technical folk, would you be able to explain more about how to access the connection behind the cooker?
It will be a while before we’re able to take our bikes in any case, because we got rear-ended after only having the van 5 weeks (we’re 90% sure the driver was on the phone but can’t prove it)  It’s probably going to be the end of the year before it’s sorted, the whole rear panel needs replacing and they don’t keep them as spares so we have to wait for a manufacturing run.  It would be nice to have a socket and board ready to fit when it’s all fixed.

Crikey Caraman, sounds like you’re having a nightmare, I hope it gets sorted soon.  Fortunately we can still use ours despite the dents, cracks and very wonky bike rack, it just looks a mess from behind.  We’ve had some snagging issues too, the shower mounting was cracked, the toilet flush ran constantly, and the trim above the cab was a total mess - all three were fixed this week.  We’re still awaiting replacement of the blind on the front rooflight (it won’t shut) then fingers crossed the snagging is all sorted.  In fairness, it was a demo van so most of our snags have probably been caused by the general public poking and prodding!
Thanks for the information, I’ve just ordered an Aldi lightboard and hubby is going to have a crawl under the van tomorrow and see what he can find connection-wise then he’ll email AS.  We have a very good local independent garage who looked after our previous van for many years so we’ll probably ask them to connect it up for us.

So.. hubby has found the connector, has got the part we need on order from AS, and having seen the lie of the land so to speak is confident he can connect it himself.  The lightboard hasn’t arrived yet but hubby thinks we will need to buy a 13 to 7 pin adapter (or 7 to 13 pin, can’t remember which - good job he’s on it!). These are only about a fiver on amazon.
A big thank you to Caraman, and indeed this forum, the knowledge gained here is saving us a fortune.

Page Turner wrote:
It will be a while before we’re able to take our bikes in any case, because we got rear-ended after only having the van 5 weeks (we’re 90% sure the driver was on the phone but can’t prove it)  It’s probably going to be the end of the year before it’s sorted, the whole rear panel needs replacing and they don’t keep them as spares so we have to wait for a manufacturing run.  

So sorry your van was shunted from the rear and the damage caused. Assume you have other driver's details and was the police involved? Any likelihood other driver was using a mobile phone at the time of the RTC can be investigated by police. As regard replacement of whole rear panel, there may be an opportunity to have the cycle carrier mounted higher to mitigate obstructing rear lights. This may be feasible if extra bonding is built into the rear panel to support Fiamma cycle carrier plus loading up to 60kg. Regards.