I have a rear mounted 3 bike rack, the type that hook over the top, sides and bottom edge of the tailgate.

Im away on holiday to Cornwall soon and planning to take mine and my sons bike down (approx 200mile each way).

Ill have a small roof box on, and have also got some Paddy Hopkirk inverted roof mounted bike racks, but they never seem particularly stable and its a fair height to lift the bikes to (even allowing for me being 6'3'' and my son a giant at 6'6'' )

My question is, how safe/secure is it to carry 2 adult mountain bikes, as the side straps hook onto the glass edge of the rear window and the lower support sits on the tailgate handle ??

I think I'd be a bit worried about that description, especially taking load on the side of the rear glass but if the main load is on the top of the tailgate and this is only for side stability (never seen it before) it may be OK. I have a fixed towbar solely to carry a bar-mounted bike rack for 2 mountain bikes (moved it from my previous FL2 to this one for that reason) Gone... 2013 XS TD4 Manual Firenze Red
Gone... 2008 (09MY) XS Td4 Manual Stornaway Grey
Prior... 2003 G4 Discovery 2, 1998 Disco 1 and 1997 Disco 1 Company car before that
Also gone in Nov'13, after 7.5 yrs, to new owners with time for more TLC - 1980 Series III 88
Current 2015 Discovery Sport HSE 2.0

the load bearing is done by the top straps (over the boot lid) and by the lower frame (sits on the boot handle which I know is held on by 6 bolts)
the side straps are just there for lateral support and not load bearing.

budget doesnt stretch to a tow bar being fitted and programmed.

rack is similar to this

http://www.halfords.com/motoring-travel/ro...mp-fitting

I wouldn't be happy with it sitting on the tailgate handle - it may be held on by 6 bolts but it's just a plastic moulding and could break under stress. It might also move around enough (the handle, that is) to damage the paintwork (as mine seems to have done slightly without a bike carrier fitted). I've used this kind of rack on other cars but I've never liked them.

Im happy enough using it on short local journeys but the distance to Cornwall with 2 bikes on it gives me food for thought.

As you say, with the weight of 2 bikes, for a fairly long journey, is the stress going to be too much ? (rhetorical question )

When I had a tailgate-mounted rack for wife's car (Fiesta then Scenic), we could adjust the support strap lengths top/bottom to make the bracket sit at different places. Can't you arrange the main support to sit on the panel below glass and above rather than on the handle?
I'd rather have them on the roof provided they are on a reputable rack mount and factory support rails, even if loading and unloading is a bit tricky, you seem to have two suitable pairs of hands to avoid scuffing the paint on the way up and down. Gone... 2013 XS TD4 Manual Firenze Red
Gone... 2008 (09MY) XS Td4 Manual Stornaway Grey
Prior... 2003 G4 Discovery 2, 1998 Disco 1 and 1997 Disco 1 Company car before that
Also gone in Nov'13, after 7.5 yrs, to new owners with time for more TLC - 1980 Series III 88
Current 2015 Discovery Sport HSE 2.0

yeh its just the stability/security pro's and cons for roof mounted over boot mounted.

roof is probably the best place for load bearing abilities and minimising potential damage to car or bikes but the bikes tend to wobble a fair bit when up there.

boot is probably the best place for stability and ease of loading but the stresses on the window and boot handle possibly arent sustainable for a long journey.

I'll have to trial fit the roof racks with the top box to see if they all fit on.

With regards to fitting the boot rack lower down, it then sits on the bumper, but obscures the lights and number plate completely and a light board is not really an option I have.

would a rack like this cover the number plate?, if so, i bet the boys in blue would be interested on the mway, lets face it, they have little else to do!   MY2014 SD4 XS
Ipanema Sand

MY10 TD4-e GS Manual
Lago Grey Now retired after 8 trouble free years

Do they even have boys in blue on the motorway any more?? (other than the occasional unmarked money grabber )


I thought it was just the highway wombles on there these days, disguised as plod ?

Ahh, you mean the ones who put out cones when there is no need!  MY2014 SD4 XS
Ipanema Sand

MY10 TD4-e GS Manual
Lago Grey Now retired after 8 trouble free years

thats the ones

a thankless task but somebody has to do it

You'll need a number plate taped to the rearmost bike - trailer light board depends if your rear lights are obscured or shine through the spokes OK Gone... 2013 XS TD4 Manual Firenze Red
Gone... 2008 (09MY) XS Td4 Manual Stornaway Grey
Prior... 2003 G4 Discovery 2, 1998 Disco 1 and 1997 Disco 1 Company car before that
Also gone in Nov'13, after 7.5 yrs, to new owners with time for more TLC - 1980 Series III 88
Current 2015 Discovery Sport HSE 2.0

with the rack up high it only really obscures the high level brake light.

the number plate is visible if I position the straps right, and the wing lights are still visible, thats why I sort of prefer it.

Ive got a couple of months before I go so will trial fit the roof racks on with box, and also try the rear rack out a few times locally.

I used one of those style things on the back of my Clio Sport going from Norfolk -> Wales for a weeks worth of mountain biking with no issue. My concern was it ripping the spoiler off but it seemed fine.

Ours could be adjusted enough and had some huge bits of padding to make it stay away from any handles/wipers sticking out. Keep meaning to try it out on the FL2.