Bike rack help

[jeremy]

Hi all,

We’re brand new to EV cars so please excuse my ignorance!

I’ve got an MG5 Exclusive and am looking for a rear mounted bike rack.

Can anyone help?

 

[Les burrows]

Hi all,

We’re brand new to EV cars so please excuse my ignorance!

I’ve got an MG5 Exclusive and am looking for a rear mounted bike rack.

Can anyone help?

Hi Jeremy, welcome to the forum, the MG5 cannot be fitted with a Tow bar if that’s the type of cycle carrier your looking for, plus if your car is a new one the long range version, then the roof bars can be loaded to 75kg max, but the earlier models pre about October 2021, can only take max 35kg on the roof bars, please don’t ask why as no one appears to know, so in a nutshell if your car is the long range 61kwh version 75 kg max, if it’s a standard range 52kwh 35kg max on the roofbars, max means crossbars and cycles, so total weight, sorry I can’t be of more help.
Les

 

[jeremy]

Hi Jeremy, welcome to the forum, the MG5 cannot be fitted with a Tow bar if that’s the type of cycle carrier your looking for, plus if your car is a new one the long range version, then the roof bars can be loaded to 75kg max, but the earlier models pre about October 2021, can only take max 35kg on the roof bars, please don’t ask why as no one appears to know, so in a nutshell if your car is the long range 61kwh version 75 kg max, if it’s a standard range 52kwh 35kg max on the roofbars, max means crossbars and cycles, so total weight, sorry I can’t be of more help.
Les

Cheers Les

I was hoping to find one that straps to the boot in some way if you have any experience of that.

I’ve been reading posts about the roof bar debacle (mostly with my head in my hands about the ridiculousness of it all!).

Thanks for your help

 

[Emu7]

Coincidence! I had the same thought this morning. We had a tow ball on our old Astra estate and were hoping to do similar on the MG5. Why can't it have a towball fitted?

 

[Les burrows]

Coincidence! I had the same thought this morning. We had a tow ball on our old Astra estate and were hoping to do similar on the MG5. Why can't it have a towball fitted?

Now there again no one knows and if you take a look underneath the 5 it looks like it already has one there or a least theres a very strong bar with what looks like a mounting bracket and it’s already got threaded holes in it.
But no MG state can’t have a tow bracket fitted to the car, so if you did ignore that and fit one ( as Im sure you could ) your insurance would probably be invalidated.
Les

 

[Les burrows]

Cheers Les

I was hoping to find one that straps to the boot in some way if you have any experience of that.

I’ve been reading posts about the roof bar debacle (mostly with my head in my hands about the ridiculousness of it all!).

Thanks for your help

Hi again Jeremy well I know the type your talking about straps with hooks on at the top that hook over the top of the tail gate and straps at the bottom to faster under the rear bumper in some way I have in my garage which I used when my kids where young ( God’s that’s going back a few years now ) but I have no idea if that type is available today probably are can you use that kind of thing sorry I don’t know is my answer but if they are still available from some where I would speak with your insurance company first and see what they say as that could well class modifications I guess.
As well as that the tailgate hinges justtook a quick look at don’t appear to be very strong in my opinion just a single fixing one on each side so again I don’t know sorry can’t be of more help.
Les

 

[AdamMGEV]

I tried one of those racks that you strap to your boot but personally I didnt trust them and a lot of people said they're not exactly legal and if anything happened you'd be in trouble. Personally I got a Hardcastle £30 roof bar and a good bike rack for my electric mountain bike that weighs a ton. But I have mastered getting it up there with a small step ladder and a bit of strength. That's on my MG5 standard range

 

[Gomev]

My daughter and husband have just returned from a trip to Centre Parcs and used one of those strap things to transport 2 bikes there and back without any problems on the back of their Hyundai Sante Fe. I have no idea where they got it from but I will ask later today.

 

[Archev]

Strap on Bike rack for sale here if anyone interested. Last used on a Renault Clio but should fit many other cars.

 

[jeremy]

Thanks everyone, all really useful. I think we might see if we can get something and try it out. I’ll let you know how it goes

 

[rogerco]

Now there again no one knows and if you take a look underneath the 5 it looks like it already has one there or a least theres a very strong bar with what looks like a mounting bracket and it’s already got threaded holes in it.
But no MG state can’t have a tow bracket fitted to the car, so if you did ignore that and fit one ( as Im sure you could ) your insurance would probably be invalidated.
Les

Which model Les? On my 1970 5 (sr) I see a transverse box section joining the ends of the longitudinal main chassis members which has one threaded hole (about 10mm dia) towards the RH end (drivers side). The transverse member is directly behind the grill like bit on the plastic bumper and the threaded boss lines up with a cutout/popout just to the left bottom of the RH rear lights (I'll post a photo if that's not clear, but its getting dark now).
I'm not sure what it could be for - a towing eye perhaps? There is only one hole and being offset to the side it would be no good for mounting a bike carrier from.

But this does give me the idea that it might be possible to construct a bracket which clamped around the transverse box section member and dropped below the bumper with a plate to mount bike carrier from (not a tow ball but something like the carrier Land Rover made for the first generation Freelander - not sure if they still do it. It didn't use the ball to mount it.

 

[rogerco]

Thanks everyone, all really useful. I think we might see if we can get something and try it out. I’ll let you know how it goes

Generally the rear mounted bike carriers (which are still widely available) have two straps with hooks which hook over the top edge of the rear door and take the load, plus other sideways straps for stability and bottom straps which hook under the bottom of the door and are tensioned to hold the carrier against the rear window and door and stop it bouncing around.

On the MG5 (sr at least) the top edge of the door where the straps would hook is a plastic section which feels pretty flimsy and I wouldn't trust to take the load, also the profile of the top of the door is not good for the straps. I decided I wasn't going to risk it and don't have a solution yet (I rule out roof bike carriers as they are blooming difficult to load and unload unless you ride a super-light stripped down road bike)(plus the windage will kill your range)

 

[AdamMGEV]

Generally the rear mounted bike carriers (which are still widely available) have two straps with hooks which hook over the top edge of the rear door and take the load, plus other sideways straps for stability and bottom straps which hook under the bottom of the door and are tensioned to hold the carrier against the rear window and door and stop it bouncing around.

On the MG5 (sr at least) the top edge of the door where the straps would hook is a plastic section which feels pretty flimsy and I wouldn't trust to take the load, also the profile of the top of the door is not good for the straps. I decided I wasn't going to risk it and don't have a solution yet (I rule out roof bike carriers as they are blooming difficult to load and unload unless you ride a super-light stripped down road bike)(plus the windage will kill your range)

I have a roof rack for my electric mountain bike which weighs a ton and with a small step ladder get it up quite easy, so to speak

 

[MichaelJHunt]

I would fit a tow bar to mount a bike rack on. If it is possible to find someone to fit it, which is very unlikely.

You could these, but no idea if they do one.

MG MG5 towbars | Westfalia

Towbars for MG MG5, Please select your vehicle.

shop.westfalia-automotive.com

Don’t tow with it though.

Just my opinion.

 

[Les burrows]

Which model Les? On my 1970 5 (sr) I see a transverse box section joining the ends of the longitudinal main chassis members which has one threaded hole (about 10mm dia) towards the RH end (drivers side). The transverse member is directly behind the grill like bit on the plastic bumper and the threaded boss lines up with a cutout/popout just to the left bottom of the RH rear lights (I'll post a photo if that's not clear, but its getting dark now).
I'm not sure what it could be for - a towing eye perhaps? There is only one hole and being offset to the side it would be no good for mounting a bike carrier from.

But this does give me the idea that it might be possible to construct a bracket which clamped around the transverse box section member and dropped below the bumper with a plate to mount bike carrier from (not a tow ball but something like the carrier Land Rover made for the first generation Freelander - not sure if they still do it. It didn't use the ball to mount it.

Hi rogerco you must have a typo in you post (1970 5SR) I think 2020 5SR like mine you have as you can see on my Avatar, yeh we are taking about the same bar behind the rear grill effect and you could be correct in asumming the threaded holes in it could be for a towing eye, have to admit I hadn’t thought of that point, but if so why do MG say the vehicle is not rated for towing or the fitting of a towing equipment

Above here you see MichealJHunt thank you Mike, as posted a link to a company doing a tow bar for the 5, well ok as I said in my post to Emu7 #5 i was sure someone could make one but I would be speaking to the insurance first before I would fit one as he car is not rated for it by the manufacturer.

What will be very interesting to see is when the new model arrives to take a look under the back of that as that car is going to have towing equipment fitted I believe.

This reminds me of the roof rail debate that went on for months at the start rails where Decorative only, then we had an upgrading to 35kg next the 5 LR as arrived now the rails have an uprating of 75kg yet no one can see anything different in any of them so will be interesting to see what’s under the back of the new model. Also why would companies like Westfalen-automotive be offering towbars for the car if they must not be fitted.
Les

 

[Ozzie1989]

I would fit a tow bar to mount a bike rack on. If it is possible to find someone to fit it, which is very unlikely.

You could these, but no idea if they do one.

MG MG5 towbars | Westfalia

Towbars for MG MG5, Please select your vehicle.

shop.westfalia-automotive.com

Don’t tow with it though.

Just my opinion.

When I click the link and put in my details it basically says call us, whereas other cars it advertises the bar for sale.

Anyone called them to see if they actually make one?

 

[Les burrows]

Yeh I found the same as Ozzie 1989
Les

 

[peter]

I went in person to Halfords yesterday to ask in person if anything suitable for my mgr excite. The guy looked all around for fixing points in door and looked at boot, but said nothing they had was suitable.

 

[AdamMGEV]

I asked MG and a towbar company that fits for EV cars and both said you can't. So if you did i don't think it would be legal.

 

[MichaelJHunt]

I asked MG and a towbar company that fits for EV cars and both said you can't. So if you did i don't think it would be legal.

You should be able to fit something as a bike carrier, not for use for towing. No different to the something that straps onto your boot lid.