In Spain you have to know the current regulations well to carry a bicycle rack correctly.
Failure to comply may lead penalties of up to €200
There are several types, but the most important and to which the same regulations apply are those of the tailgate and ball.
In the case of bicycle racks that go on the roof, the Regulation tells us that the Maximum height allowed in total of the vehicle is 4 meters.
The number of bicycles that can be transported is up to 4, which must be very fastened
For this they have to use approved roof racks and bike racks
They must be very well secured with the bar's own approved fasteners.
They are an alternative to roof racks but you have to take into account the regulations and the size of the load.
It is a comfortable way to transport them and cheaper than ball ones
This type of fastening It must be previously approved and with the permits in order.
To be able to carry the bicycles, the bike racks usually have an integrated number plate and set of lights.
In the case of wanting to transport bicycles in a van, the Legislation is the same as in vehicles.
Keep in mind that the load cannot protrude more than 15% of the length of the vehicle if it is indivisible or 10% if it is.
It is also mandatory that headlights and vehicle license plate are perfectly visible from all angles
You must carry a V20-type sign, since any load that protrudes from the vehicle must be marked
They are signals that warn other drivers that the load they carry exceeds the length of the vehicle.
It is a square panel (50X50) with alternating diagonal stripes of white and red.
There are 3 different situations in which they must be used, taking as a reference the size of the vehicle and the mirrors
In this case, the mirrors do not count, they would have to be signaled with an approved V20 signal.
In this case, 2 approved V20 plates must be used on the sides of the load in an inverted V shape.
In this case the load can NOT be transported
The regulations also indicate that driving at night with the load, this must be marked with a red light.
If the bike rack does not have built-in lights, the LED lights that are carried on bicycles could be used.
Yes, although it is advisable to remove it when not in use.
It is important that the sign and the load are securely fastened and that they are also as sheltered as possible from the wind.
It is recommended to use all the anchor points that the sign carries, preferably using elastic tie straps or tensioners, not recommending the use of plastic clamps.
When placing these signs, the following points must be taken into account.
We hope that with these indications you have no doubts about the current regulations to be able to transport bicycles safely.
In any case, we recommend that you visit the DGT website for more information. https://revista.dgt.es/