Defender Bike Rack

Hi All,

I have just put a Britpart Spare Wheel Hanger on my 300tdi 90 in preparation for a bike rack going on the back.

I went cheap on the bike rack (see pics) and got one that consists of two bars with bolts and washers in the end, and they basically bolt into the spare spare-wheel holes. I'll be honest and I'm not too happy with this as it looks like it could damage the alloy wheel.

Anyway, I'm now looking at getting a different kind of rack for the spare wheel which bolts to the wheel carrier. I can only seem to find them for Discoverys and wondered if it would fit my defender??

Link here: Land Rover Discovery 2 bike bicycle rack carrier | eBay
Any ideas?

Don't think it has to be a defender specific carrier, there are a number of 4X4 bike racks out there that would do the job.

I'm looking at fitting a pair of these Wiggle | Saris Track Trap Bicycle Fork Mount (TR1BLK) Car Racks into the back of my pick up as i've never really liked the idea of having my precious bike rattling away on the back.

On the plus side if you've got a hard top the bike would be kept secure and dry inside with these.

Using one of these on my Defender 90, 1994 300 Tdi

Mont Blanc CM08 - 2 Bike 4 X 4 Spare Wheel Mounted Carrier: Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Leisure

i have one of the disco ones you show ,it has a triangular plate that goes over the 3 studs that hold wheel on with a center piece of box section that pokes through wheel center ,once fitted ,carrier can be put on removed easily without disturbing wheel .the big difference is the disco has a plinth and short studs similar to wheel hub and defender has similar after vin 2A but before it uses long studs,

ukmgranger said:

Hi All,

I have just put a Britpart Spare Wheel Hanger on my 300tdi 90 in preparation for a bike rack going on the back.

I went cheap on the bike rack (see pics) and got one that consists of two bars with bolts and washers in the end, and they basically bolt into the spare spare-wheel holes. I'll be honest and I'm not too happy with this as it looks like it could damage the alloy wheel.

Anyway, I'm now looking at getting a different kind of rack for the spare wheel which bolts to the wheel carrier. I can only seem to find them for Discoverys and wondered if it would fit my defender??

Link here: Land Rover Discovery 2 bike bicycle rack carrier | eBay
Any ideas?

Click to expand...

we have used one similar to the two bolt on bars that fit into the spare wheel holes without too much trouble, it carried herladyships wheel chair with ease, the only fault i found was thatyou had to take the spare wheel of every time you wanted to remove em. a right P I T A.

I dont like bike carriers that fit onto the spare wheel/rear door due to the doors lack of real strength. You can of course get carriers that mount behind the towbar, but some of these still require a strap that hooks over the top of the rear door.

Im about to order a roof rack that slides out and then tilts down for loading my bikes up. This keeps the strain off my rear door, and means I can still tow my caravan.

The disco 2 one will have a different PCD so dont get that.

G

Try one of these. Think Paddocks or Mailorder4x4 do them.
Simbars | Our product range | Tig welding | Nylon dip coating | Large radius tube bending | Cycle racks | Security cages | Land Rover accessories

Not cheap, but Thule make good tow-bar mounted bike racks with integrated light/numberplate bars. Got to be better than hanging all the weight off your rear door.

Thule 9503 RideOn 3-bike Towball Carrier | eBay

(although actually they don't seem too pricey second hand, so could be cheap after all)

I have just ordered the Britpart spare wheel hanger and I am hoping to be able to fit the Simbars 4 bike rack that I have on my old disco I (shortly for sale).

The simbars rack served me great on the disco and I have seen people fitting to rear wheel carrier and looking at the pics of the rear wheel carrier it should fit.

Note - simbars made a different boss/adapter (which stays on behind the wheel forever) for the Disco 1 and Disco II. I have the disco I boss/adapter.

I have seen on this or another forum pictures of a simbars fitted to a defender wheel carrier - the boss was triangular - the same as mine. Can't see the pictures any more - but it might have been this thread - Defender bicycle rack? - LR4x4 - The Land Rover Forum

I will let you know how I get on.

OK - bike rack fitted (not by me as rear door also needed some welding) and triangle Simbars boss for Disco 1 fits fine.

But as you can see the whole for the padlock to secure the rack is on the top instead of the bottom.
So I drilled through.

But the rack didn't slide on far enough to line up the wholes (wheels must be fatter).
So I drilled the rack tubing too in the same place.

Padlock doesn't reach anymore so I'll secure with a nut and bolt until I find a better solution - can't remember what there called but its like a large pin with a whole in one end which I can put my padlock through. To be honest - it's not about security from theft - more ease of getting on and off (having to tighten a bolt is a bit awkward).
So here it is with a bike on:

Seems sturdy enough.
Just remember if you go this route the simbars spare wheel boss for a Disco 1 is different to a Disco 2. I used a Disco 1 one. No idea what the Disco 2 one fits like (may be better?)

lyron said:

we have used one similar to the two bolt on bars that fit into the spare wheel holes without too much trouble, it carried herladyships wheel chair with ease, the only fault i found was thatyou had to take the spare wheel of every time you wanted to remove em. a right P I T A.

Click to expand...

God, bet that scares the crap outta her!!!

LeadFarmer said:

I dont like bike carriers that fit onto the spare wheel/rear door due to the doors lack of real strength. You can of course get carriers that mount behind the towbar, but some of these still require a strap that hooks over the top of the rear door.

Im about to order a roof rack that slides out and then tilts down for loading my bikes up. This keeps the strain off my rear door, and means I can still tow my caravan.

Click to expand...

Never got around to updating this thread, so here goes..

I ended up buying the Karritek roof rack so that I can carry the bikes and tow the caravan. Works a treat..


Slide the rack out, and lower it..





Load up yer bikes..





Lift it back up and slide it back in..




The Karritek fits onto any flat roof bars, I have the Thule bars along with the Thule 591 bike carriers..

Try this guy
Bike Racks & Trailers Supplier UK - Dave Cooper

Land Rover Defender bike bicycle rack carrier | eBay heres 1 on ebay dude

postieparr said:

I'm looking at fitting a pair of these Wiggle | Saris Track Trap Bicycle Fork Mount (TR1BLK) Car Racks into the back of my pick up...

Click to expand...

Ive just ordered one of those off ebay

postieparr said:

Don't think it has to be a defender specific carrier, there are a number of 4X4 bike racks out there that would do the job.

I'm looking at fitting a pair of these Wiggle | Saris Track Trap Bicycle Fork Mount (TR1BLK) Car Racks into the back of my pick up as i've never really liked the idea of having my precious bike rattling away on the back.

On the plus side if you've got a hard top the bike would be kept secure and dry inside with these.

Click to expand...

I mounted 2 of these on a metal bar, with a rubber cushion on each end and a tie-bar in the middle. That way it could be clamped between the wheel boxes and the bikes clipped on, or removed in 20 seconds. I ended up making a couple of these for mates who put them in the back of their pick-ups.

Harry

Lying in bed and reading this thread so no pictures and cant tell you the make but can find a similar one on ebay.

I am about to sell my bike rack that i use on my 110. Its mounted on the tow bar and has two large arms that slot into the holder . These arms are shaped like the letter r and can accomodate three adult bikes easily and four at a push if theyre secured well to the holder.

There is no weight at all on the backdoor, its all supported by the towbar fixing. Then the bikes are held on with bungee straps

If youre interested PM me and i'll get piccies and proper details

Sounds like a perfect solution Boris113. Have you got any pics of the made up bar/rack as i might have a go at making one myself?

Boris113 said:

I mounted 2 of these on a metal bar, with a rubber cushion on each end and a tie-bar in the middle. That way it could be clamped between the wheel boxes and the bikes clipped on, or removed in 20 seconds. I ended up making a couple of these for mates who put them in the back of their pick-ups.

Harry

Click to expand...

Id like to do similar, What do you mean by 'rubber cushion' and 'tie bar' please?