I. am buying a hybrid e-bike and would like any hints on that issue and also what type of bike rack I should get and who should I get to install the rack.Thanks in anticipation. Cathy
Bicyclecamper said
12:50 PM Jan 30, 2022
If you can fit. or have a tow bar, you can gets ones that just fit to the hitch, some bike shops sell them, as do, I think Supercheap.
Peter_n_Margaret said
02:15 PM Jan 30, 2022
My advise is NOT to put it on the back of the MH.
Most, even with very good covers, are quickly wrecked by the dust and grit that gets into everything.
Many others vibrate until the mount fatigues and they fall off.
If you must take it with you, find a way to get it inside.
Cheers,
Peter
KJB said
02:24 PM Jan 30, 2022
Katerina wrote:
I. am buying a hybrid e-bike and would like any hints on that issue and also what type of bike rack I should get and who should I get to install the rack.Thanks in anticipation. Cathy
Extremely dusty position to carry anything ...and modern push/electric bikes DO NOT like dust. (I have first hand experience as I carry a small motorcycle on the back of our Fifth Wheeler. ) KB
Whenarewethere said
03:36 PM Jan 30, 2022
Use an air gun to remote dust from the rear. We have 3 compressors in parallel & air tank. With a venturi gun you can then clean the nitty gritty with Perrier bottled water at 0.5L/minute.
Even Wifey is happy to get on the tools!
wombat50 said
04:21 PM Jan 30, 2022
Alot of ebikes can be a bit heavy. will you be able to lift it on and off the rack with out straining yourself.
EJP said
04:57 PM Jan 30, 2022
I have a 27.5" MTB e-bike which weighs 25 kg and use a carrier which fits into the towbar hitch receiver on my car. The carrier is approximately 10-15 kg and is rated to carry 2 bikes at 60 kg max. It is a Thule brand and I bought it from a bicycle store. Although the carrier attaches securely to the towbar, the bike does bounce around a bit and I don't think I would like to fit this to the rear of a motorhome. I don't use this on the caravan, I carry a conventional bike on the drawbar. If you do fit a carrier to the motorhome, ensure it is securely fixed and use a good weather cover and tape over the battery connections. As others have said, dust and water will get in everything.
Karramar said
05:47 PM Jan 30, 2022
EJP wrote:
I have a 27.5" MTB e-bike which weighs 25 kg and use a carrier which fits into the towbar hitch receiver on my car. The carrier is approximately 10-15 kg and is rated to carry 2 bikes at 60 kg max. It is a Thule brand and I bought it from a bicycle store. Although the carrier attaches securely to the towbar, the bike does bounce around a bit and I don't think I would like to fit this to the rear of a motorhome. I don't use this on the caravan, I carry a conventional bike on the drawbar. If you do fit a carrier to the motorhome, ensure it is securely fixed and use a good weather cover and tape over the battery connections. As others have said, dust and water will get in everything.
How does it go for dust on the drawbar of the van? When we head off around Australia we would like to take our (conventional) bikes with us - hadn't thought of the dust/rattle issue. As we will be doing some pretty nasty corrugated roads from time to time.
cjt55 said
07:26 PM Jan 30, 2022
If you want a 5 Star bike carrier then check out GRIPSPORT. They make them for every conceivable position anywhere on a car, camper, motorhome or Caravan. I had one installed on the A Frame of my previous Caravan and the bikes where up high enough to be out of the dust and road grime. They cater for everything. Just ordered one for my new campervan which I can fold down to be able to open the back of the vehicle. They are not cheap but they are solid and I would not get anything else.
EJP said
08:19 PM Jan 30, 2022
Karramar, I don't have a big issue with dust with the bike on the drawbar, but we do tend to stick to the bitumen. With the bike tied down tightly it doesn't move around, it can get wet if if driving in the rain though. A bit of WD40 and a wipedown tends to fix that. If you have 2 bikes on the drawbar be aware of the extra weight on the towball. On corrugated dirt roads you will get dust, but properly secured they should not be a problem.
travelyounger said
05:37 AM Jan 31, 2022
Katerina wrote:
I. am buying a hybrid e-bike and would like any hints on that issue and also what type of bike rack I should get and who should I get to install the rack.Thanks in anticipation. Cathy
Hi
I had bikes on back of van never again now on front and much better
Most motorhomers put inside but remember to always lock them especially hybrid bikes as they are targeted by the low lifes
dogbox said
11:25 AM Jan 31, 2022
are they legal to ride on public roadways , i thought i seen a segment on one of the cop shows of some young people using them to go to the pub an getting booked for dui and unregistered uninsured motor vehicle
Whenarewethere said
11:44 AM Jan 31, 2022
dogbox wrote:
are they legal to ride on public roadways , i thought i seen a segment on one of the cop shows of some young people using them to go to the pub an getting booked for dui and unregistered uninsured motor vehicle
Every State has different rules, unlike Europe where things are consistent.
In general the motor must not be over X watts & there must be a speed limiter according to the maximum limit of each state.
If you are on road & you E thingy is over those limits & you get caught you will be charged with driving an unregistered road vehicle. It could hurt in more ways than one.
Buzz Lightbulb said
11:44 AM Jan 31, 2022
dogbox wrote:
are they legal to ride on public roadways , i thought i seen a segment on one of the cop shows of some young people using them to go to the pub an getting booked for dui and unregistered uninsured motor vehicle
It's against the law to ride any type of push bike whilst over 0.05 blood alcohol.
The use of electric bikes varies from state to state and is usually regulated by the speed.
EJP said
11:54 AM Jan 31, 2022
E-bikes are legal in Australia if they are pedal assist, not fully electric powered, the motor limited to 200 watts, and the motor speed limited to 25 kph, ie the motor cuts out at 25 kph and after that you rely on pedal power. They are heavier than normal bikes but are great for old blokes like me when tackling hills, head winds, rough terrain etc. Battery range is between 50-100 kms depending on conditions and battery size.
Oka374 said
07:33 AM Feb 3, 2022
Not to be pedantic but it is 250w maximum pedal assist.
Katerina said
08:12 AM Feb 3, 2022
Thank you so much for all your replies re:
my e- bike purchase and what type of bike rack I should or should not use for my motorhome. I am taking it all in hand and will let you know how it goes. Thanks. once again for taking the time to help.
Mike Harding said
11:49 AM Feb 3, 2022
Do you have a charging regime worked out for the e-bike?
---
A word of caution, to all, regarding bike racks on the rear of caravans:
A few weeks ago I was driving through Myrtleford, Victoria and approaching a tee junction when a car/caravan drove past on the main road so I was viewing it sideways on; there was a very slight dip in the, bitumen, main road but when the caravan passed over it at 60kph the double bike rack attached to its rear vibrated over an arc of about 500mm!
I suspect the driver had no idea of this issue and I'm sure if you attempted to move the bike rack by hand it would feel solid, nevertheless its design or fitment is clearly wrong and it is only a matter of time before metal fatigue causes the rack to break off completely and land itself and two bikes in the path of a following vehicle and likely kill someone.
Unless you are *certain* your bike rack is solid under all conditions then I strongly suggest you ask a friend to observe it as you drive over a bump or dip.
Whenarewethere said
12:25 PM Feb 3, 2022
Mike Harding wrote:
...it is only a matter of time before metal fatigue causes the rack to break off completely...
We have had a couple of roof rack bolts break, plus metal fatigue in 2 other areas. We always let the tyres down for less than perfect roads.
Fortunately we have all the tools to make repairs on the run. Removing snapped off bolts is an exercise in itself.
The roof rack mass is also over the centre of the car.
Bikes hanging off the back will have far more stress on the mounting structure. Probably something along the lines of inverse square distance for increased stress. An engineer can clarify that.
At the very least mount them to the caravan chassis & check daily. Probably a good idea to have a camera viewing these add-ons so you can catch a problem before it becomes a lethal weapon.
dogbox said
12:39 PM Feb 3, 2022
BIL had a couple of e-bikes in his shed on charge ,shed burnt down. cause of fire was the e-bikes
Mike Harding said
01:16 PM Feb 3, 2022
dogbox wrote:
BIL had a couple of e-bikes in his shed on charge ,shed burnt down. cause of fire was the e-bikes
About four years past an Australian company who wished to import e-bikes were put in touch with me with regard to the electrical and EMC compliance regulations which need to be met in order to import electrical products into Australia. The company is established in its field (25 years) and has about 30 employees.
I began the process for them and identified all the regulations they needed to comply with, their overseas suppliers had some of the required approvals but not all so we began the task of obtaining those - from start to finish this process, overall, can take a few months.
About half way through the sole owner of the company attended a trade fair where he met the head of a competitor company who he was on friendly terms with, said competitor was already importing e-bikes: "Did you go through the approvals process?" my man asks - "Nah", says competitor, "we just shipped them in and sold them." My man now decides he doesn't need to meet these approvals either, pays my last invoice and says he won't need anything else from me.
Two years later I hear, through the grapevine, that at least two of his bikes/chargers have caught fire and caused damage but, I believe, no injuries. Ho hum....
It is a **REQUIREMENT** that any electrical item sold in Australia conforms to and displays a "Regulatory Compliance Mark" (RCM) - if it doesn't then don't buy it is my advice.
It is a **REQUIREMENT** that any electrical item sold in Australia conforms to and displays a "Regulatory Compliance Mark" (RCM) - if it doesn't then don't buy it is my advice.
My understanding is that this applies to the charger (240V), but not to the bike itself???
Is that correct?
Cheers,
Peter
Mike Harding said
07:15 AM Feb 4, 2022
Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
My understanding is that this applies to the charger (240V), but not to the bike itself???
Is that correct?
No.
For most (all) domestic electrical products there are two components which must be satisfied in order to gain RCM compliance:
1 - Electrical safety
2 - Electro-magnetic emissions
Therefore the charger would be "in-scope" for both requirements but the bike only for 2 (EMC).
There are very few products which are not "in-scope" of the RCM, the only ones I can think of offhand are a battery and perhaps something like a basic torch although probably not a torch which incorporates a dimming ability.
The problem lies in the fact that RCM compliance is not actively enforced and is, essentially, a self policing scheme. However my client who decided to sell without RCM approval was very fortunate no one was injured or killed when his product caught fire as it's lack compliance would have quickly been noted and he could have found a manslaughter or similar charge heading his way.
Whenarewethere said
08:54 AM Feb 4, 2022
My Olight dimmable LED head torches have CE stamped on them.
I recently bought a new battery for my camera. Cost 3 times a no name brand. Just not worth the risk.
For most electrical and electronic equipment you need compliance with the EMC directive 2014/30/EC, implying a EMC test suite to be carried out with a positive result. In case of mains supplied equipment you will also be subject to assessment to the LV Directive 2014/35/EC, which is also true for all radio equipment, regardless their supply. Most equipment also need compliance to ROHS II
The Declaration of Conformity, or in short DoC is the final step in the EC approval assessment. If you want to read more, read our tutorial on EC market access.
The Declaration of Conformity should be available to the authorities at the point of entry on the European Market. This means that it should (also) be signed by your European representative if your company resides outside the EC. It's main purpose is to show proof of liability for compliance with EC regulations involved to the authorities and to customs.
I. am buying a hybrid e-bike and would like any hints on that issue and also what type of bike rack I should get and who should I get to install the rack.Thanks in anticipation. Cathy
Most, even with very good covers, are quickly wrecked by the dust and grit that gets into everything.
Many others vibrate until the mount fatigues and they fall off.
If you must take it with you, find a way to get it inside.
Cheers,
Peter
Extremely dusty position to carry anything ...and modern push/electric bikes DO NOT like dust. (I have first hand experience as I carry a small motorcycle on the back of our Fifth Wheeler. ) KB
Use an air gun to remote dust from the rear. We have 3 compressors in parallel & air tank. With a venturi gun you can then clean the nitty gritty with Perrier bottled water at 0.5L/minute.
Even Wifey is happy to get on the tools!
How does it go for dust on the drawbar of the van? When we head off around Australia we would like to take our (conventional) bikes with us - hadn't thought of the dust/rattle issue. As we will be doing some pretty nasty corrugated roads from time to time.
Hi
I had bikes on back of van never again now on front and much better
Most motorhomers put inside but remember to always lock them especially hybrid bikes as they are targeted by the low lifes
Every State has different rules, unlike Europe where things are consistent.
In general the motor must not be over X watts & there must be a speed limiter according to the maximum limit of each state.
If you are on road & you E thingy is over those limits & you get caught you will be charged with driving an unregistered road vehicle. It could hurt in more ways than one.
It's against the law to ride any type of push bike whilst over 0.05 blood alcohol.
The use of electric bikes varies from state to state and is usually regulated by the speed.
Thank you so much for all your replies re:
my e- bike purchase and what type of bike rack I should or should not use for my motorhome. I am taking it all in hand and will let you know how it goes. Thanks. once again for taking the time to help.
Do you have a charging regime worked out for the e-bike?
---
A word of caution, to all, regarding bike racks on the rear of caravans:
A few weeks ago I was driving through Myrtleford, Victoria and approaching a tee junction when a car/caravan drove past on the main road so I was viewing it sideways on; there was a very slight dip in the, bitumen, main road but when the caravan passed over it at 60kph the double bike rack attached to its rear vibrated over an arc of about 500mm!
I suspect the driver had no idea of this issue and I'm sure if you attempted to move the bike rack by hand it would feel solid, nevertheless its design or fitment is clearly wrong and it is only a matter of time before metal fatigue causes the rack to break off completely and land itself and two bikes in the path of a following vehicle and likely kill someone.
Unless you are *certain* your bike rack is solid under all conditions then I strongly suggest you ask a friend to observe it as you drive over a bump or dip.
We have had a couple of roof rack bolts break, plus metal fatigue in 2 other areas. We always let the tyres down for less than perfect roads.
Fortunately we have all the tools to make repairs on the run. Removing snapped off bolts is an exercise in itself.
The roof rack mass is also over the centre of the car.
Bikes hanging off the back will have far more stress on the mounting structure. Probably something along the lines of inverse square distance for increased stress. An engineer can clarify that.
At the very least mount them to the caravan chassis & check daily. Probably a good idea to have a camera viewing these add-ons so you can catch a problem before it becomes a lethal weapon.
About four years past an Australian company who wished to import e-bikes were put in touch with me with regard to the electrical and EMC compliance regulations which need to be met in order to import electrical products into Australia. The company is established in its field (25 years) and has about 30 employees.
I began the process for them and identified all the regulations they needed to comply with, their overseas suppliers had some of the required approvals but not all so we began the task of obtaining those - from start to finish this process, overall, can take a few months.
About half way through the sole owner of the company attended a trade fair where he met the head of a competitor company who he was on friendly terms with, said competitor was already importing e-bikes: "Did you go through the approvals process?" my man asks - "Nah", says competitor, "we just shipped them in and sold them." My man now decides he doesn't need to meet these approvals either, pays my last invoice and says he won't need anything else from me.
Two years later I hear, through the grapevine, that at least two of his bikes/chargers have caught fire and caused damage but, I believe, no injuries. Ho hum....
It is a **REQUIREMENT** that any electrical item sold in Australia conforms to and displays a "Regulatory Compliance Mark" (RCM) - if it doesn't then don't buy it is my advice.
RCM
My understanding is that this applies to the charger (240V), but not to the bike itself???
Is that correct?
Cheers,
Peter
No.
For most (all) domestic electrical products there are two components which must be satisfied in order to gain RCM compliance:
1 - Electrical safety
2 - Electro-magnetic emissions
Therefore the charger would be "in-scope" for both requirements but the bike only for 2 (EMC).
There are very few products which are not "in-scope" of the RCM, the only ones I can think of offhand are a battery and perhaps something like a basic torch although probably not a torch which incorporates a dimming ability.
The problem lies in the fact that RCM compliance is not actively enforced and is, essentially, a self policing scheme. However my client who decided to sell without RCM approval was very fortunate no one was injured or killed when his product caught fire as it's lack compliance would have quickly been noted and he could have found a manslaughter or similar charge heading his way.
My Olight dimmable LED head torches have CE stamped on them.
I recently bought a new battery for my camera. Cost 3 times a no name brand. Just not worth the risk.
For most electrical and electronic equipment you need compliance with the EMC directive 2014/30/EC, implying a EMC test suite to be carried out with a positive result. In case of mains supplied equipment you will also be subject to assessment to the LV Directive 2014/35/EC, which is also true for all radio equipment, regardless their supply. Most equipment also need compliance to ROHS II
The Declaration of Conformity, or in short DoC is the final step in the EC approval assessment. If you want to read more, read our tutorial on EC market access.
The Declaration of Conformity should be available to the authorities at the point of entry on the European Market. This means that it should (also) be signed by your European representative if your company resides outside the EC. It's main purpose is to show proof of liability for compliance with EC regulations involved to the authorities and to customs.