Smart fortwo Folding bike rack

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Permalink Reply by Ian Pellant on February 1, 2010 at 4:32pm

Looks like a custom job using Yakima components.

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Permalink Reply by Joseph Perrotta on February 2, 2010 at 3:03am

Well thats very observant but I was hoping for something a little more specific?
Know what I mean?

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Permalink Reply by Ian Pellant on February 2, 2010 at 6:22am

I know what you mean... I have a couple of Yakima bike rails and cross bars that I used in the US, then brought them back to Australia... and have been looking for a pair of extension bolt rods to screw into the smart tow points... no luck.

Occasionally someone manages to get some threaded rod or welds onto a couple of smart tow bolts and makes a custom rack... you have a pic of such a venture. It most probably is not certified for road regs; so may not be commercially available.

Yakima did have Q Towers that fitted the smart roof... but they seemed to have withdrawn them from their web site. They wouldn't sell to Australia... so I still have a pair of Yakima bicycyle rails and no way to mount them.

Yakima roof systems use round bars. Most others these days use "aero" bars.

Good luck.

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Permalink Reply by Joseph Perrotta on February 2, 2010 at 11:15am

Fortunately here in Canada I've yet to see any kind of certification to have a a bike rack commercially viable
I guess there's a lot more red tape in Australia for conducting business there.
regards

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Permalink Reply by Ian Pellant on February 2, 2010 at 4:44pm

A lot of Aussie red tape... the smart factory rear rack was caught up it in. Apparently some seat warmer passed a reg that rear mounted bike racks must not obscure any part of the cars tail lights and brake lamps. If it does, the rack must be fitted with auxilliary lights, and have a licence plate fitted... that cuts a lot of the spare wheel / tailgate mounted racks into the unapproved list... still see a lot on the roads... just waiting to be booked.

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Permalink Reply by Joseph Perrotta on February 2, 2010 at 9:35pm

That ridiculous! How can it not obscure any part of the rear lamps or license plate.If you stand behind the vehicle with two bikes mounted on the rear your plates will obstructed as well as part of your lenses since the bikes are usually larger than the car itself!
I guess money grabbing exists where ever a vehicle is allowed to travel. So lives the transportation industry
regards mate

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Permalink Reply by Ian Pellant on February 3, 2010 at 6:22am

That's why the smart factory rack has a light bar and place for a second licence plate.

..and is expensive and hard to find.

See attached.

Attachments:

• smart rack.JPG, 60 KB

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Permalink Reply by Wayne Tebbe on June 19, 2010 at 2:09am

Hey guys, have not seen this item before but I do manufacture a smart car adaptor that mounts to the tow holes and you can then insert a HitchCaddy. That is a hitch mounted golf bag carrier for vehicles and motor bikes. I have a couple of customers that remove the HitchCaddy when they want to install their bike rack. Have a look at www.hitchcaddy.com

Thanks and take care

Wayne Tebbe

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