I have a 2010 FL2. I don't have a tow bar or electrics.
I want a rear mounting bike rack to take a couple of adult bikes any suggestions.
I dont really want the expense of getting a tow ball and electrics fitted but if thats the only way i will do that.
I really, really don't want to roof rack mount them.

halfords high mount rack work well £60 ish or for 100 ish the premium one with better mounts


both lift the bikes over the lights so legal without extra lights, see this weeks (last weeks?) auto express for a buyers guide At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

I know what you meen but in the end I went for a towbar mounted one with built in lights. Its lockable carries up to three bikes fits in minutes
will tilt down to alow great access to the boot. Best carrier I ever bought. Last thing I wanted to do was to damange the cars paintwork

+2 for towbar mounted

superspark
May I ask which brand + model towbar mounted bike rack did you buy that you so highly recommend
I'm under pressure from her Ladyship to get this job done

I know which tow bar it will be, but the tilting bike rack itself - there's just so many choices out there

agreed bar mounted is better but for occasional use the halfords one does the job much more cheaply and you dont need a towbar on your car and future cars. At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

CG
With my two it will have to be the TB mount. I can just see them bashing, denting, scratching and breaking the rear of the FL2 if left to their own devices to put their bikes (and they must as I won't) onto a tailgate bike rack.

Daughter nearly took out a rear light cluster with her skis winter 2010/11 - so that close encounter hastened the fitment of rear light guards. Imagine what the pair will do with bikes

This really will be for occasional use and only reasonably locally, I would rather spend the money on the bike than on a otherwise useless and expensive lump of steel hanging out the back. Can you have the electrics fitted without the tow bar, is that something a reasonably mechanical/electrically minded person can do and do I have to pay large sums of money to dealer to activate it?

Yes the make is Thule 3 bike carrier cant remember the model number but its the very latest one out just before the light clusters changed to LED. Theres a one time adjustment to make then its one lever to push down which locks on ball plug in lights quick strap bikes on and off you go.
To see them in action just type in Thule towbar bike carrier on utube. There you will watch fitting from start to finnish just pick the rack that best suits your needs

£99 from most places this rack, very good rack for the money too!

Click image to enlarge

Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated

+3 for towbar mounted bike racks. I've had 3 kinds of bike rack on various cars.
A Thule hang on held in place by gravity, friction and various hooks and straps. It didn't matter what you did to secure things, the bikes swayed an rubbed either each other or the bodywork. Mounting the number plate and lights was always a pain.
A Witter ZX88 tow bar bracket mounted rack. Better than the above, fitted in seconds, not as much weight hanging off of door edges. Still no sensible way to mount the lights etc and the bikes move around.
A carrier from Roofbox.co.UK. Mounts on the towbar in under a minute. Lightbar already fitted so just plug it in. Bikes stand on their wheels so no swaying around. You can drive across a ploughed field and nothing moves. Bikes tilt to give access to the boot. And you can secure the rack to the tow bar with a padlock.
I've still got the first two hanging around if you want either let me know and we may be able to get the Freel2 courier service to help out.

By the way, I've no connection to any company mentioned here or any axe to grind with them either. The products did what they were supposed just not as well as I wanted them to.

I've a saris bones 3 which works fairly well, was just using it today with 2 of three bikes made from what feels like cast iron!! Holds them on well, no wobbling around and I for mine for 100 notes of the bay.

Admitidly not as food as a tow bar rack but I weren't prepared to shell out a couple hundred for the ball and then a 100 for the rack.

Also the saris looks petty nice and is completely rust proof

Should have took a picture today with it on but I forgot Freelander 2 TD4 Auto, SE, Narvik Black, Alpaca full leather, Rear Headrest Entertainment System, 6 CD, 18 HSE Wheels, Privicy tints

Im not really going to argue on this as I admit mounted ones are better, BUT I have twice carried two adult bikes on holidays 100mile plus away from home, no dents scratches loose bikes etc, just stop after a mile or so and test the straps for tightness. no problems.

However you have to drive directly to your destination no extended parking as some could/will nick your bikes. Only option would be to take your bikes off and chain them to a lamp post - but then you'd have to stop down the road to recheck the straps after refitting - and on.

If I want to move the bikes for short trips locally I just bung them in the pickup truck, so Im sticking with the cheap bike rack At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

Cheers to all that gave their opinion/experience.
I now have had a chance to look at some of the items suggested and will probably go with the Halford's advanced one. If I already had a towball I would have gone for a towball job but for the occasional use I plan it makes no sense.

Hi,

Sorry to jump on this old thread, but I'm looking to get a cycle carrier for my 2011 Freelander 2 XS SD4. I'm looking at using it a few times (one long journey coming up in November) and maybe the occasional trip to a park.

I looked at the towbar options and the Landrover garage quoted me £780 just to have a towbar plus electrics fitted, or £1180 for towbar, bike carrier plus lighting board...
The roof rack, rails, cross bars and bike carrier etc option came out at £920.

So given that I probably won't keep the car more than a couple of years from now, I'm very much against spending that much for the occasional bike trip!!

The leaves the following options:-
1> Saris Bones 3 (£110 ebay/amazon -> £150 Halfords)
2> Halfords/Exodus Advanced High Rear Mounted carrier (£99 Halfords).
3> Halfords High Rear Mounted carrier (3 bikes £59 halfords)

My questions are does anyone have pictures of the 3 carriers on the back of the FL2?
From what I have read, it seems that the Bones and Halfords high carrier will work on the FL2, but nothing anywhere suggests that the Halffords/Exodus (/Mont Blanc Easy Grip) Advanced carrier will work on an FL2.

Any feedback would be most welcome.

Thanks