Bike carriers

[cath]

Does anyone have first hand experience of a BTS tandem carrier.  Is it as good as it sounds?  Is it easy to use?  I have been using a Pendle carrier but have just bought a new car that has a higher roof, so I need something that will get the tandem on top as I can't reach!

[leechy]

My only experience is with the pendle, I'd repost this in the tandem section if I were you.

Having said that, it depends on the vehicle. Some will take these back loader jobbies that you get on motor homes... then again our tandem sticks out by about 4 inches on each side of the motor home, so would stick out miles on a car.

[John S2]

the tandem Club have a booklet on carrying tandems by car.  It strongly advises against carrying tandems across the back of a vehicle because of the legal complications of the overhang if there's an accident - that advice was inserted on solicitor's advice.  It speaks highly of the BTS but the person who wrote the booklet (me) was going off TC member experience generally as I've not used one myself.  I used a home-made horizontal-on-top when it was just one tandem, then a home-made vertical-on-top (same concept as Pendle) when it was tandem + adult solo + assorted child solos on top, and now a trailer (bought second hand and adapted at home) which recently took 2 tandems, one adult solo and three child's solos to the Lakes.
http://www.tandem-club.org.uk/nf2002/faqs/tandemsbycar.pdf