Part 4 of 4 in Trailers & Bicycle carriers
How fast may you drive with a bike carrier? All the rules
With a bike carrier you may drive as fast as without one: not 90 as with a trailer. Plus the rules for number plate, lights and load.
Written by Chris Prosman Reviewed by Dirk van Zuijlen
Updated Reviewed on 4 min read
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A bike carrier is not a trailer. So you may drive just as fast with it as without. But your number plate and lights must stay visible, and the carrier with bikes must not get too heavy.
How fast can you drive with a bike carrier?
Just as fast as without a bike carrier. A bike carrier is not a trailer, so the 90 km/h limit for trailers does not apply.
| Road | Car with bike carrier | Car with trailer |
|---|---|---|
| Inside built-up areas | 50 km/h | 50 km/h |
| Outside built-up areas | 80 km/h | 80 km/h |
| Autoweg | 100 km/h | 90 km/h |
| Motorway | What the sign shows: during the day (6 am–7 pm) usually 100, in the evening sometimes 120 or 130 | 90 km/h |
How fast can you drive with a bike carrier on the motorway? As fast as the signs show. Also check the manual of your bike carrier. If it gives a lower maximum speed, stick to that. Read more about motorways under motorway speed limits.
Can you drive 100 km/h with a bike carrier?
Yes. Does the sign say 100 and does the carrier’s manual allow it? Then you may do 100. Drive more calmly in strong wind or with a heavy carrier. Bikes on the roof catch a lot of extra wind. Compare with speed with a trailer.
Bike carrier rules in the Netherlands: number plate and lights
Do the bikes cover your number plate? Then the carrier needs an official white number plate with the same number as your car. A handwritten sign is not allowed. Do not take the yellow plate off your car: it stays on.
Do the bikes cover your rear lights? Then the carrier needs its own lights:
- two red rear lights;
- two red brake lights;
- two amber indicators;
- two red reflectors.
Connect the plug and check everything once the bikes are on. A bike carrier is only for bikes: strapping a suitcase onto it is not allowed.
| Picture | Check | Limit |
|---|---|---|
 | Sides | Carrier and bikes stick out no more than 20 cm beyond each side of the car. |
 | Height | Car, carrier and bikes together at most 4 m from the ground. Watch out for low bridges and car parks. |
How heavy may the bikes on a bike carrier be?
The carrier and the bikes together must stay within two limits:
- the load capacity of the bike carrier. You find it in the manual.
- the nose weight of your car and towbar: how much weight may press on the ball. You find it in your car’s handbook and on the towbar’s plate.
The lowest limit counts. An example with 2 electric bikes: the carrier weighs 17 kg and each e-bike 25 kg. That makes 67 kg. May the ball carry 75 kg, but the carrier only 60 kg? Then it is too heavy.
Take the batteries off e-bikes before you put them on the carrier. That saves weight. Putting your bikes on the roof? Then also check your car’s maximum roof load.
Loading bikes onto a bike carrier: in which order?
Put the heaviest bike on the carrier first, closest to the car. The lightest bike goes at the back. That way the weight presses less hard on the towbar.
- Fit the bike carrier to the towbar as the manual says. Check that it clamps tightly and does not wobble.
- Remove loose parts, such as batteries, bags and child seats.
- Secure every bike with the carrier’s clamps and straps.
- After the first few kilometres, check that everything is still tight.
Practise like the exam
Example questions like in the CBR exam
Real questions from the Theorio app. You can expect similar questions in your CBR exam.
Question 1 of 4
Which bike carrier has the correct license plate?
Tap the answer you think is right.
Are you allowed to transport a suitcase on your bike carrier?
Tap the answer you think is right.
What colour is the license plate of a bicycle carrier?
Tap the answer you think is right.
Is it allowed to drive like this if your bike carrier covers the license plate?
Tap the answer you think is right.
Answers and explanations for the example questions
Question 1: Which bike carrier has the correct license plate?
Correct answer: Bike carrier B
Bike carrier B shows an official and clearly visible license plate.
Question 2: Are you allowed to transport a suitcase on your bike carrier?
Correct answer: No
A bike carrier is solely intended for bicycles and therefore not for suitcases 🚴❌.
Question 3: What colour is the license plate of a bicycle carrier?
Correct answer: White
Because the bicycle carrier covers the yellow license plate of the car, you are mandatory to mount a white license plate so the number remains visible. Pay attention: legally, a bicycle carrier is not a trailer, which means the specific speed limit of 90 km/h for trailers does not apply here and you may simply drive at the allowed speed of the car 🚗.
Question 4: Is it allowed to drive like this if your bike carrier covers the license plate?
Correct answer: No
The license plate must always remain visible. Ensure an extra white plate, so you always remain recognizable 🚫🔍.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to questions that often come up on this subject.
May you carry a suitcase on a bicycle carrier?
Do not use a bicycle-only carrier as a luggage shelf. Carry only the type and quantity of goods the manufacturer designed it for. A suitable purpose-designed load system may carry luggage, subject to attachment, mass and loading rules.
How fast may you drive with a bike carrier?
As fast as without one: 50 km/h inside a built-up area, 80 km/h outside a built-up area, 100 km/h on an autoweg and 130 km/h on a motorway, unless the signs say otherwise. The 90 km/h for a car with a trailer does not apply, because a bicycle carrier is not a trailer. Do not drive faster than the maximum speed the manufacturer of the carrier states.
May you drive 100 with a bike carrier?
Yes. Where 100 km/h applies to cars, you may also drive 100 with a bicycle carrier. On a motorway where 130 is allowed, you may also do 130 with bicycles on the back, as long as the carrier is suitable for it.
Is a bike carrier a trailer?
No. In law a bicycle carrier on the tow bar or on the roof is a load carrier: load on the car, not a separate vehicle. That is why the load rules and the speed limits of the car apply. If the carrier covers your number plate, it does get its own white number plate with the car’s registration number.
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