Is anyone using the bike prep to attach a towball bike carrier?

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kaiz
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Post by kaiz »

Life Pro Performance, Manganese gray, Heat pump, Tow bar, 0792 / 2.1.

Sparky
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Post by Sparky »

So I've had a chance to connect my hitch up to the car and and the Thule bike rack to the hitch. Anyone interested it's a Thule 916020 rack specifically for ebikes as it will carry two bikes with a maximum weight of 30kg per bike. The rack itself weighs 19kg. It cost £260 in 2017 when I got it from Decathlon. I'm adding photos here to show what I'm on about. The rack requires a minimum clearance of 65mm from the centre of the ball to the bumper of the ID3. I measured this on the car and its a tad over 70mm so it fits but it's a close fit and you would be wise to protect the bumper to avoid scratching it. I used a bit of card as shown in the pics, but this is a heavy rack so you need to be very careful when lowering the rack onto the ball. The electrical socket on the car is a 13 pin so you need an adapter to take the standard 7 pin plug of the bike rack. These are readily available for a few pounds on eBay.
I don't know what my Haibike weighs, but I'm sure along with the rack itself it is

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within the 55kg limit for the hitch. If I wanted to carry another bike I'd have to get the scales out but I don't carry the battery or saddlebag on the bike when transporting although they are on the bike in the pics. Hope this helps anyone wanting to transport stuff, it's much cheaper to order the bike prep along with the car, it can be retrofitted but it's expensive!

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mph
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Post by mph »

Thanks for the information about using the bike rack on the tow bar. Was this a factory fitted tow bar, or dealer fitted?

The reason I ask is that I know the dealer fitted tow bars have a weight limit of 55 kg, but that the factory fitted ones are supposed to have a limit of 75 kg. However, VW have produced different versions of the ID3 manual that state 55 kg and 75 kg, and I have not yet seen hard evidence that the data plates on the factory fitted ones do show 75 kg.
Sparky
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Post by Sparky »

As far as I know mine is the 55kg limit. Factory fitted. I think the data plate in the hitch area says 55kg. I wasn't aware of any 75kg limit - seems a bit high to me.
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Post by Deleted User 192 »

mph wrote: Sun Feb 28, 2021 9:13 pm Thanks for the information about using the bike rack on the tow bar. Was this a factory fitted tow bar, or dealer fitted?

The reason I ask is that I know the dealer fitted tow bars have a weight limit of 55 kg, but that the factory fitted ones are supposed to have a limit of 75 kg. However, VW have produced different versions of the ID3 manual that state 55 kg and 75 kg, and I have not yet seen hard evidence that the data plates on the factory fitted ones do show 75 kg.

I didn’t think these were factory fitted, even if ordered at the same time as the car...?
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kaiz
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Post by kaiz »

Mine is also 55kg, dealer fitted.
But I don't think, they are different. Or...
Life Pro Performance, Manganese gray, Heat pump, Tow bar, 0792 / 2.1.
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kaiz
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Post by kaiz »

shop.volkswagen.nl/auto-accessoires/vervoer-en-vrije-tijd/trekhaken/10A092150-steunhaak-id3-tbv-fietsendrager
Stated also 55kg.
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Sparky
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Post by Sparky »

As far as I know if ordered along with car they are factory fitted and have a max load of 55kg. They can be retrofitted by dealer at significant cost increase over the factory fitted one.
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kaiz
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Post by kaiz »

Sure, it is in the pricelist. Question was, if the load limit is different.
Life Pro Performance, Manganese gray, Heat pump, Tow bar, 0792 / 2.1.
mph
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Post by mph »

Thanks Sparky. That's worrying as I need at least 67 kg to carry two electric bikes.
Sparky
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Post by Sparky »

I have checked the documentation and there is conflicting info. On the car plate it says 55kg. In the supplementary book entitled Technical Modifications ID.3 it says "The maximum load (carrier system including load) of the bicycle carrier fitted on the ball coupling is 75Kg." This supplementary book came along with the main manual in the document wallet. I'm puzzled. My ball coupling was definitely factory fitted.
gailjon
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Post by gailjon »

Could they be weights with the bike rack attached plus 55kgs or 75 kgs total load without the bike rack attached? My Atera Strada without the fourth bike attachment weighs 18kgs so a 20kg buffer for the weight of the rack seems reasonable.
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gailjon
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Post by gailjon »

Should have read your reply more closely as I've just repeated what you said!

I do think total weight of 75 including rack is the correct one and 55 plus the rack is what is on the sticker.
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kaiz
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Post by kaiz »

Oh, I found also a paper.
Die maximale traglast (trägersystem inklusive zuladung) des auf dem kugelkopf montieren fahrradträger beträgt 75 kg.
Google translate: The maximum load (carrier system including payload) of the bicycle carrier mounted on the ball head is 75 kg.
So it is, when you use VW bike rack, what should then be 20 kg. :P

I've been thinking, that can I give some smaller car a little tow, or the tow bar leaves the car with bumper and maybe half a car. :P
There is no place/permission for tow hook on the back.
Life Pro Performance, Manganese gray, Heat pump, Tow bar, 0792 / 2.1.
OldFartAtPlay
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Post by OldFartAtPlay »

Ah well, 55kg max load counts me out of buying an id3. My 2 ebikes weigh about 43kg, plus bike rack 14.5kg, 57.5kg total. Shame. Looks like I'lkl have to consider id4 instead.
Ah maybe not, have just read latest comments re it poss being 75kg including weight of bike rack. Will have to be certain about this!
Sparky
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Post by Sparky »

My interpretation is that it has to be 75Kg including the carrier, but as you say you'd have to be sure. Just how you would confirm this I don't know, perhaps a direct contact with VW? Not sure a Dealer would know.
gwr
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Post by gwr »

I've got the Tech with bike prep. and the information in the technical modifications addition to the manual definitely states 75kg total weight on the ball head.

It's a heavy piece of kit and was tied to a luggage cleat using the quick release strap on the bag when I picked up the car, which leaves it lying on the boot floor. I've added an extension strap so it can go in the under-boot which is neater. You certainly wouldn't want it flying around in a crash.
gwr

ID3 Tech 2.3

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mph
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Post by mph »

gwr,

Is there a data plate behind the number plate, to the right of where the tow bar fits in? In another forum an owner posted a photo of this plate on his car which showed 55 kg. He believed his tow bar had been factory fitted, but there seemed to be some possible doubt about this.

If yours has such a plate, and you could perhaps post a photo of it showing (presumably) 75 kg, I would find that very reassuring.
gwr
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Post by gwr »

Here is the plate, the technical modification title page, and the section referring to the towball capacity. The plate lists 55kg and the manual 75kg. Both are quite specific so it seems most likely the plate is allowing 20kg for the carrier.

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gwr

ID3 Tech 2.3

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mph
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Post by mph »

Thank you.

VW do seem to be trying hard to cause confusion. I wonder how one is supposed to reconcile the 'maximum two bicycles' symbol with the fact that the ID3 price list includes an optional VW bicycle carrier that carries three bicycles.
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