Atera Genio Pro Advanced – Our group test of 7 rear-mounted bike racks

The Genio Pro Advanced is German brand Atera’s flagship rear-mounted bike carrier. It promises trouble-free bicycle transport. Read on to find out whether Atera can keep their promise with the € 900 rear-mounted carrier and why we think of it as the Lamborghini of bike racks!

The Atera Genio Pro Advanced is the only rear rack in the brand’s portfolio with a tilting function. At 21.2 kg, the Atera Genio Pro Advanced is also the heaviest rear rack on test after the Thule Epos 3. The Genio Pro Advanced is available online for around € 900, excluding accessories. If you want to transport three bikes, you can optionally purchase an additional rail for about € 174.

You can find an overview of this group test here: The best rear-mounted bike rack – 7 models head to head

Bicycle carrier hit or buyer’s remorse? The Atera Genio Pro Advanced in practice!

Imagine a 21 kg package that you must carry from the garage to your car every time you want to transport your bikes. That’s exactly how the Atera Genio Pro Advanced feels. Mounting it on the tow hitch is the easier part. Once placed on the hitch, the rear rack will stay put. You then unfold it, the mechanics of which is reminiscent of a gull-wing door, and lock it in place with a lever. With that done, the Genio Pro Advanced sits securely on the tow hitch. We were impressed with the high-quality workmanship and the fact that the entire rear carrier is placed very close to the ground – the lowest point of the rack is just 32 cm above the asphalt, making it the Lambo of rear bike carriers. The low height is convenient when mounting the bikes, as you don’t have to lift them too high. However, if you’re planning to go on wild off-road rides with the rear rack, you’ll have to bear the rack’s low ground clearance in mind.

Unfortunately, securing the bikes is cumbersome and time-consuming compared to the other rear carriers on test. We had to do a lot of turning, adjusting, and rearranging the bikes to get them to fit. The Atera has the smallest distance between the rails of all the racks on test, which makes mounting bikes considerably more difficult. It feels a little like an engineering challenge to get the bikes securely mounted. Considering the price, we expect easier handling, as with our Best Buy, the Spinder TX2 Plus, for example. With the bikes attached, the carrier can be easily tilted via a foot pedal. The package also includes two adapter plates, which, with a little more effort, allow you to increase the tipping angle. As such, the Genio Pro Advanced is also compatible with large tailgates. Installing the optionally available add-on rail isn’t as quick and tool-free as promised by Atera – you’ll first have to fiddle with assembling the rail with the supplied wrench. Furthermore, the third rail only works with light and narrow bikes. The space on the additional last rail simply isn’t enough for another mountain bike, and you would end up scratching your bikes.

Should you buy the Atera Genio Pro Advanced? Who is and isn’t it for?

Due to the small distance between the rails, we can only recommend the Atera for road and city bikes. Be sure to check if your bikes are compatible with the rear rack before buying. The additional rail is convenient for families with a child. We cannot recommend the Atera to the eMTB and MTB community because the distances between the rails are too small and the bikes are likely to get scratched. You’ll have to resort to foam padding between the bikes every time you transport them – not cool!

Conclusion on the Atera Genio Pro Advanced

The Atera Genio Pro Advanced boasts high-quality workmanship and a tipping angle that accommodates cars with large tailgates. However, the narrow distance between the rails makes securing the bikes cumbersome and time-consuming. We didn’t experience the trouble-free bicycle transport promised by Atera due to the closely spaced rails. Overall, the Atera Genio Pro Advanced is somewhat limited considering its price, and falls short of expectations.

Tops

• easy to mount on the tow hitch
• ample space for the tailgate
• high-quality workmanship

Flops

• small gap between the bikes
• moderate compatibility
• expensive

For more information, visit the Atera website.

The test field

You can find an overview of this group test here: The best rear-mounted bike rack – 7 models head to head

Words: Robin Ulbrich Photos: Antonia Feder