UKH

I've been recommended the Atera Strada DL 3 or Genio Pro for this.

The DL3 seems to give the most door clearance, and I've seen youtube videos of it working with a tailgate T5, but it doesn't look like there's enough clearance to open barn doors. And if you could, I'm not sure you could step over 2 bikes to get access to the back of the van, which is the whole point.

Has anyone had experience of this, or seen alternative solutions?

(I've got a Fiamma 2-bike door fitted rack at the moment, but it won't take two modern wide-fork MTBs)

Not sure about a VW, but you can with  Vivaro

and get in and out if you open the doors fully (150°?). Another concern might be the width of your handle bars when pushing the rack back up, I can't put mine on the first position next to the van, but not a problem for us as Mrs J has narrower bars 

Thanks for the info. Which rack are you using? The Altera DL3 seems to give the best clearance. The T5 doors only open to about 90 degrees. I've thought about the handlebars, but it's only my bike that's got very wide ones. 

Faimma do ones for VW that attach to the barn door;

I can't personally recommend Fiamma racks though; we had one and it bent really easily. 

Sorry, yes it's the DL3 I have.

Now you have said it I've a friend with a T5 and a DL3 rack. He can open the doors but as they don't open more than 90° getting in and out with the bikes on is possible, but more challenging. 

I had a T5 with barn doors and used an Atera Strada DL3. Very solid and well designed, not cheap but worth it. The Roof Box Company from whom I bought it said it was the only one which went back far enough to allow barn doors to open fully. However I chatted to a couple on a ferry who had a DL2 on a barn door T5 and they said it went back far enough, but I'd check this before buying.

I tried a Fiamma rack which mounted to the nearside door. I sold it after one fitting. It was a right fankle to get fitted right, it seemed a good way to scratch the paint on the door edges, there was a screw-down rubber bung which put some of the weight on the easily cracked back bumper and you had to take the bikes off if you wanted to open the doors.

Yes I've got that at the moment. I agree, and i hate shutting the back door with 2 bikes swinging about on the track.

I thought that but have just discovered that there's a door stop release catch on the door hinge that I never knew about. It even says PRESS on it! So please let your mate know.

Thanks. I agree with your comments on the fiamma rack. I've bought the DL3 and getting tow bar fitted tomorrow. That leads to its own can of worms as I have rear parking sensors, which will obviously detect the rack, and possibly the tow bar itself. 

I had a detachable tow bar on a BMW estate some years back. The bike rack sent the reversing sensors mental. Can’t recall if the bar alone did it, but I never left it on unless I was using it. Good bit of kit though, I wished my van had had one instead of it’s fixed towbar, (or working sensors) I probably wouldn’t have needed to buy my neighbour a new radiator for her Polo.

I've got an Atera strada tilting bike rack on my t5 with barn doors. It works really well. It's the 3 bike version. I think the two bike version doesn't tilt as far or offer enough clearance to allow the doors to open.

It's rock solid when on the van. Much better than those carriers which hang off the doors. 

The towbar fitters told me that if it was retrofitted they might be able to put a switch in to switch of the sensors when carrying the rack. But then they tested it with a magic computer plug-in thing and discovered that it was factory fitted, so would cause the problem you describe.

But they downloaded a software fix from VW so that plugging in the towbar electrics disables the rear parking sensor. But it wasn't cheap.

I don't know if other brands do the same.

Have got it all fitted now but not used it with the bikes yet.

Seems good but quite heavy and awkward to hold in place single-handed while trying to read and follow the obscure instructions for fitting it on the towbar for the first time. Will try to get someone to help next time as I'm an old man with a dodgy back.

Nothing to add regarding the T5 but the DL3 is one of the best accessories I've ever bought. It's well made and feels really solid on the tow bar.

In fact I've actually owned two DL3s. The first one took one for the team in a French motorway rear ender and yes it got a bit bent out of shape, but the bikes and my car were unharmed (not even a scratch). It probably paid for itself there and then! I was even able to drive home without having to leave the bikes behind as it still felt secure enough despite the moderate mangling and broken light casings. I replaced it as soon as I got back though to be on the safe side. Expensive but not as expensive as the bikes and car it saved!

I have the DL3 + 4th bike add on. It's so easy to fit once you get the knack.

Place on floor behind vehicle, use on hand to hold above where the number plate is and one hand to pull the handle back. Lift onto the ball, push forward with the handle and then pull back slightly. Now it has enough grip to adjust left and right to get it central. Support the back slightly as you pull down the handle and you get a good lock - the green should be visible on the indicator bar.

I found it a bit laborious to begin with but you will soon find the knack. It's pretty ergonomically well designed for the weight. I held it by the upright loop (with the top-tube clamps on it) and took the weight of the rest on my thighs. I'm tall and have to be careful with my back. Heaving it in and out of the shed was another matter, but that's more to do with my war zone-like shed rather than the rack.