Attaching trailer plate to bike rack

Repost as originally posted in wrong forum.

Following on from discussions some time ago about having to use a trailer plate when carrying bikes on the Nuevo because of lights being obscured.  Because of one thing and another we haven’t taken the bikes with us since, however we are ready to go very soon.

We want to use a cover for the bikes, so we will obviously need to attach the trailer plate outside of that.  It sounds a silly question, but what have you found is the best way to attach it?  All we can think of at the moment is stretching some luggage elastics round the sides.

Any suggestions welcomed.

Yes, luggage elastics a.k.a. bungee cords would be my solution, otherwise ratchet straps. Can't think of any other easy way.

Are you sure the lights will be obscured? I presume you've put the bikes on to check?

We used to carry bikes on the Fiamma rack, and never found a problem - but the rack or lights may be positioned differently on your later model.

A suggestion for the cover. If you haven't already got one, I'd advise against the Fiamma one. We had one and it was flimsy rubbish. It was so floppy it snagged on the bikes as I tried to fit it, and after only a few uses it was torn and in holes.

We then got one from Taylor Made, and it's infinitely better. Far thicker material, practically indestructible and much less snagging as it is fitted. They are not cheap, but you only buy one once!

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Just a thought.

Dave

Thanks for your suggestions Dave.

The lights are definitely obscured, not completely but enough to be a problem.  Hubby used to be a Police Officer and has no doubt that we would be illegal without a trailer plate.

I’ll have a look at Taylor Made, though we already have a Fiamma cover that we used to use on our previous van (no light obscurement on that one!) so will use that for now as long as it lasts.

When the cover isn’t fitted tying the lighting board directly onto the outside bike is easy.  When the cover is fitted I use two longer cords attached to the lighting board that crossover the the whole load and stop the cover from flapping in the wind.  It took a bit of experimentation to get it right.  There are probably better ways of doing it.  You have described the lighting board as a trailer plate.  If it’s designed for a trailer it will have triangular reflectors.  If it’s to go on the back of your bike rack the reflectors should be rectangular or round/oval but not triangular.

Well, the rain stopped for a couple of hours earlier so out we went and had a practice loading bikes and attaching plate.  Hubby found that with a few Heath Robinson fixings he could attach the plate at the very bottom of the rack so that the cover can be put on and tucked under the bike wheels so it doesn’t affect the plate at all - problem solved.

Caraman, no problems with legality of the plate - as said there’s an ex cop in charge here!  Triangle reflectors have been replaced with correct ones.  The use of the term trailer plate merely reflects my ineptitude in describing it correctly.

We then got one from Taylor Made, and it's infinitely better. Far thicker material, practically indestructible and much less snagging as it is fitted. They are not cheap, but you only buy one once!

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Had next delivery of my Taylormade bike cover and completely agree.
It makes the Fiamma/Thule covers look very cheap, flimsy and way too small for 2 adult bikes.

The Taylormade is definitely worth its extra cost.