Can the rear doors be opened with a bike rack on a van?

Travelling by campervan offers a great deal of freedom. By fitting a bike rack to your campervan, you can even cycle on paths inaccessible by vehicle to explore the surrounding area freely, without restrictions.

However, a technical concern remains: will installing a bike rack block access to the boot and prevent the rear doors from opening? For practical daily use, retaining full access to the rear of the vehicle is essential.

Mecatek (formerly Sawiko France), an independent manufacturer specialising in the design of equipment for leisure vehicles, offers you concrete answers and tailored modular solutions.

The different types of bike racks for vans

The market offers various portage technologies that are mainly distinguished by their anchoring method. Depending on the specificities of your van, Mecatek offers three types of approved fastenings that meet European standards:

• The hinged fixing It is ideal for large vans, such as the Fiat Ducato, Peugeot Boxer, Citroën Jumper, Opel Movano (from 2022) and Mercedes Sprinter. This system uses the strong anchor points of the original door hinges.
• Chassis mounting It is designed for vehicles such as the Ford Transit Custom, Renault Master, Nissan NV400 or Opel Movano (pre-2022). If the original vehicle structure does not allow for this, the addition of a chassis extension and dedicated supports is required to securely anchor the device under the vehicle.
• The tow ball mount This is the most flexible solution as the bike rack can be fitted or removed in just a few minutes. However, this solution requires the vehicle to have an approved tow hitch designed to support a bike rack. Some models are offered as a kit including the bike rack, tow hitch, and wiring harness. It is recommended to have the tow hitch fitted by a professional. Finally, particular attention should be paid to, on the one hand, the lower weight of bikes on this type of carrier, and on the other hand, the weight of the bike rack and its load. The latter must be compatible with your vehicle.

In this guide, we will detail the specifications of the hinged and chassis-mounted mounting systems for the van.

Which models allow the rear doors to open?

Opening the rear doors with a bike rack on a van is possible, provided you select equipment specifically designed for this constraint. Basic fixed standard models permanently block rear access once the bikes are installed.

To meet this challenge, Mecatek has developed the VAN-BIKE range including the VAN-BIKE 2 and the VAN-BIKE 3).

Resting on a common platform, these models differ in their anchoring: the VAN-BIKE 2 attaches to the hinges while the VAN-BIKE 3 Anchor directly under the chassis. Their major common mechanical feature is their ability to move completely away from the bodywork to allow for door travel, even when the support is fully loaded.