Bike rack for car (Toyota Corolla) recommendations please!

[francisbarton]

A friend of mine has asked me to ask the collective yacf knowledge and wisdom about car racks for bikes - the kind that go on the back, as opposed to roof racks, I guess.

She has a Toyota Corolla (2002), if that matters, and needs to put two bikes on the rack.

What's the best rack in terms of:  easy to assemble, easy to put bikes on and secure them (ie. if just one person available), sturdy and strong, made of decent, long lasting materials, position on the back of the car so that restricted rear view visibility kept to a minimum.

Any particular brand names/suppliers recommended?)

I know nothing about this I'm afraid, but I am sure many of you do.  Your recommendations please!

I think their car is like this one:

[tatanab]

I used to use a Saris Bones https://www.cyclesportsuk.co.uk/index.php?manufacturers_id=154 which I found easy to use and compact when folded.

[clarion]

Good range at decent prices from roofbox.co.uk

I ought to mention that I used them to get a roofrack for my Toyota Avensis - very hard to find, it seems

[rafletcher]

, position on the back of the car so that restricted rear view visibility kept to a minimum.

Anything on the back will restrict the view, even those that are tow bar mounted - which are the ones that probably restrict the view the least, and the type I woud recommend, having used various strap secure types.

[Really Ancien]

The difficulty there will be the height of the rear light clusters and number plate. It is illegal to obscure them and the Police have the occasional crackdown. Any model that is low enough to load easily will need a numberplate and lighting board. Any carrier high enough to avoid that would be difficult to load.
We have a Thule, well made, Car Car in Garstang near Preston are very good for this sort of thing. Bear in mind that they cause a lot of drag.
Thule ClipOn High 9103,9104: Thule Rear Door Cycle Carriers: Roof Bars Lancashire: Roofbars Lancashire: Roof Bars Preston: Roofbars Preston: Thule Roofbars Lancashire: Thule Roof Bars Lancashire: Thule Load Carriers Lancashire: Roof Racks Lancashire

Damon.

[bikenerd]

Our Thule one is a really good design.  It doesn't attach with straps but with two metal poles that are then snapped together.  Erm, it's difficult to describe but it is very secure and solid when on the car.  The only downside is that it is rather heavy and is a two person job to get the rack on.  They are also expensive, as bike racks go, but worth the money in my opinion.
This is the one we have: it clears the lights on our Skoda Fabia.

edit: snap with Damon.  Must be a Lancs thing!

[francisbarton]

Thanks very much everyone, my friend really appreciated the advice.  Nice work by the YACF collective as ever.