Ok this may have been covered.
But i have the 1.2 Sport with the spoiler, and to make matters worse i have the sunroof.
Not the electric one, but the solid glass roof thinggy!

Is there a bike rack that i can mount somewhere on my new little car?
I really want something that will be solid as i have 2 bikes worth £2K each and really dont want them falling off or getting damaged in any way.

Something that will fit on the 500 without damaging it or my bikes, and i dont care about money as long as its good.

Thanks guys and gals

I need one of those too, I'll be keeping an eye on this thread

so i take it a roof rack is out of the question then


strap on racks wont fit because of the spoiler (and if you read the letter of the law they are technically Illegal

((as they dont affix to a load bearing part of the car and the tailgate lid is an unknown entity when it comes to hanging £4k of bikes i wouldn't trust it seen too many dumped on the motorway))

and the hooks and straps muller the paintwork


your only other option that i can think of (please dont cry) is to fit a Towbar the rack below will fit on my swan neck so a detachable ball would be fine....


can be had for about £110 (plus electrics)

then use a rear rack that way (you will have electrics to run a lighting board) and a real solid mount for your bikes....


i have this one



http://www.towsure.com/product/416-Clipper_2-Cycle_Ball-Mounting_Carrier


now it doesn't look much but it can take my weight doing push ups on it (im 14 stone)

has a locking point (for a padlock) but no securing strap ( i use one of these

http://www.towsure.com/product/195-Ratchet_Strap

and a kriptonite cable locked into the shackle padlock

Hi Andy.

Thanks for your advice and suggestion.
I dont mind fitting a tow bar, but i would prefer not to.
And i suppose i cant do a roof rack because of the sun roof correct?

My brother has one of those towbar bike holder thinggys and it works well.
We had £6K worth of bikes on there all the way to wales and it was solid, at first i was really worried but it holds, so ye thats fine.

If i wanted to get a tow bar thing fitted how would i go about that and where do i get it from Fiat? And would it cut away any of the bumper or anything or does it just fit under it and pop out at the back? But would that not affect its ground clearance? As is going over bumps?

SavellM said:

If i wanted to get a tow bar thing fitted how would i go about that and where do i get it from Fiat? And would it cut away any of the bumper or anything or does it just fit under it and pop out at the back? But would that not affect its ground clearance? As is going over bumps?

Click to expand...

first off decide what towbar you want as there are 3 main types.....

Flange ball (one that bolts onto the bracket)



swan neck



detachable





(if you have parking radar you might favour a detachable ball for obvious reasons)


thats your first selection to make....

a flange ball is more adaptable you can unbolt the ball and fit all sorts to the mounting but they tend to be a bit big.......

swan neck will only take a towhitch or a carrier designed to fit directly to the ball (so you can't tow and carry bikes at the same time)

detachable is like the swan neck but can be removed...

then the wiring you have 2 basic options a 7 pin plug (UK) spec which does the main road lights (caravan users have 2x 7 pin plugs) or the newer eec 13pin standard (tbh i would just go for the 7 pin plug)


Most Fiat dealers sub contract out the work to local towbar fitters I was told on the quiet that my dealer uses Doncaster Towbars. and another fiat dealer uses towone (hull)

thsi one needs NO bumper cut

http://www.towequipe.co.uk/products...r-swan-towbar-fiat-500-hatchback-2008-on.html

but even the model you get needs a cut if the towbar fitter is good this shouldn't be an issue..




likewise gone are the days that they have to drill your babys body work they now literally bolt in place in pre drilled holes in the chassis legs

ground clearance shouldn't be an issue (its saved my bumper on one occasion when i was backing into a farmers gate hole when the road was closed due to an accident..)

(mine was fitted by Towone trailers in Hull FWIW)


list of other fitters

http://www.ntta.co.uk/buyers_guide/towbars.html

Wow dude your a genius!

Thanks so much! I'll look at getting that, but one exact one like that, but detachable would be preferred! Is there one like that?

SavellM said:

Wow dude your a genius!

Click to expand...

hey dont go that far my Ego wont take it


http://www.towequipe.co.uk/products...alia-detach-towbar-fiat-500-hatchback-07.html

or

http://www.towequipe.co.uk/products...-tow-bar-brink-detach-towbar-fiat-500-07.html





but as with the brink mines a swan neck but if i wanted to i could remove the towball by undoing 2 bolts.......... i leave mine on after seeing some demented woman allowing her Almera attempt to mate with my Punto needless to say the towball provided the perfect contraceptive an left her front bumper grill and no plate in bits

Hey Andy.

I think im gonna get this one!
http://www.towequipe.co.uk/products...-tow-bar-brink-detach-towbar-fiat-500-07.html

Do you have any pics of it on a 500 by any slight chance?
And a really good bike rack that will fit on that?
Also with it being Detachable is it ok to have a bike rack that fits on the ball?
Will it hold, from pressure pushing down on it?

Sorry for being a bit anal, i just want to make 100% sure.

Take a look here: http://www.car-roofracks.co.uk/hang-on-bike-rack.htm
Dont forget that these type of racks still have straps that attacht to the tailgate!

I would only really trust Thule for this sort of stuff-take note of the max weights. (although your bikes sound as if they should be light?)

The Brink detachable towbar has a max vertical weight limit of 60kg

SavellM said:

Hey Andy.

I think im gonna get this one!


Do you have any pics of it on a 500 by any slight chance?
And a really good bike rack that will fit on that?
Also with it being Detachable is it ok to have a bike rack that fits on the ball?
Will it hold, from pressure pushing down on it?
.

Click to expand...

it will hold the crucial value is the nose weight not sure what the 500 is my gp is 75 KG

(edit 60kg on the 500)

http://www.brink.eu/trekhaak.php?li...=1&PHPSESSID=2f1111993a4e38210ccf8167d6b227bd


the brink my mate used to have locked into place there is no way it will undo (they have a small lock as well to prevent any chancer taking your towball for a walk)

SavellM said:

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Click to expand...

Jay boy :devil:


(hmmm carbon :yum: )


id also invest in one of these along with a lighting board

http://www.towsure.com/product/13163-Fiamma_Rear_Warning_Sign




don't give the blind driver behind the excuse

Ye might just have to!
Might find some electronic LED ones just to save my bikes and my car

Thanks again Andy, really appreciate your helpful advice.

I've got a removable Thule fitted to my 500. It cost £251 fitted by Indespension, complete with single 7-pin electrics. This was done through my dealer before I took delivery of the car. I can thoroughly recommend them.

Thanks Chris.
I'll call up my dealer and see what they say if they can do it or not!

you can get thule roof bars for the 500 with or without the glass roof cost is about £130 (halfords) then use the bike carrier of you'r choice and the 500 being little lifting bikes onto the carriers aint a real biggie this is the option i'm going to go for as i have no storage for a tow bar mount bike carrier and the rear mount's i have a feeling maybe wider than the car !!!