Up on the roof or at the stern? Taking the bike with you on the road, you should take some safety precautions. The most important thing at a glance:
Stuttgart (dpa / tmn) – Who transports bicycles by car, they must assemble safely according to the Highway Code. They must not slip or fall during emergency braking or sudden avoidance and thus hinder other road users.
This is reported by the expert organization Dekra. Baskets, drinking bottles, rechargeable batteries or other loose attachments on the bike are to be dismounted. The tightness of the mounting screws on the carrier must be checked. It is best to fix the frame on the support bar and tighten the tires. Additional drawstrings can reduce vibrations.
Who uses a rear carrier, mounted first the heaviest wheel and then the lighter. This keeps the stern load as low as possible. Motorists must also pay attention to the corresponding vertical load of the trailer hitch. The amount depending on the car usually 50 to 100 kilos and should not be exceeded, so Dekra. Somewhat heavier than conventional are sometimes electric bicycles. That’s how two Pedelecs plus carrier system weigh 70 kilos.
If the wheels ride on the roof, pay attention to the permissible roof load. The center of gravity also shifts upward, so that especially curves must be driven slower. Even for crosswind, the car is now more susceptible, braking distances are longer and the acceleration slower. A feeling for the packed car with bicycles gives a brake test. How fast can be driven with the respective system, is in the instructions of the manufacturer, usually the maximum 130 km / h, so Dekra.