Car rack for bikes

[Tiger10]

I personally prefer roof racks

The only issue you will have is the rack will need two of you to lift on, the Thule ones are quite heavy when you have a 4 bike system.

Why don't you try taking the bikes off first.

 

[jonny jeez]

looking for a rack for two adults and child bike. I would like a good one to last a long time but should I go rear rack or roof rack ?
Pro's/ Cons ?
Peoples preference ?
I don't want to have to cut rear bumper or make bid alterations as such which led me to the roof rack but unsure of stability.
If it makes any difference it will go on my car a 2011 Toyota avensis estate

This may sound like a joke but I am certain I read on these pages, a thread warning against roof mounted racks for carbon frame bikes...am I imagining that?

It was something to do with the wind stress or something like that.

I shall google for a link

Edit, apparently is the potential damage from the clamps, crushing the frame in a way that it is not designed to be pressured

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

It should only beep (it has to by law) when there's something connected to the light socket. Is that the case?

Yep

 

[fossyant]

Why don't you try taking the bikes off first.

Thats with the bikes off. 4 racks and a thule aerobar is heavy

 

[Hill Wimp]

I have Saris Bones 2. Very pleased with it. Nice and robust and Wiggle did have them on offer.

 

[Julia9054]

I have Saris Bones 2. Very pleased with it. Nice and robust and Wiggle did have them on offer.

Bought one of these 2 weeks ago for our trip to France. It needed extra attachments due to the tailgate being glass at the side. The attachments were out of stock in all retailers so had to take it back. Went to Decathlon and bought the Thule instead.

 

[marknotgeorge]

Yep

Fair enough.

 

[stearman65]

I've just bought a Theraplay /Triad motability tricycle, delta style. As we live in a retirement apartment, my car is my garage for the trike, but when we are off on a trip I would like to mount the trike on the car roof. My car is a Citroen Picasso factory fitted with roof rails, I have sourced a pair of cross bars to span the roof rails from Ebay, but need 3 locking shoes to locate the wheels. I've done some searches on various site but can't seem to source exactly what I want. Anyone with a similar situation overcome it?

 

[I like Skol]

I have had the Thule roof system for over 10yrs now and it has been used on multiple cars with just a change of footpack. Would not go to a rear mount system even if it were given to me. Just got back from a week in Brittany with the 4 bikes on the roof and it was simplicity itself. I can just about manage to handle the rack on and off the car myself (I am taller than Fossy and possibly a bit 'stronger in't arm') but if he is handy I get my young teenage son to give me a hand so it isn't difficult.
As for stability, my 2005 B5.5 Passat saloon isn't renowned for great handling but I have no concerns about tipping the car over even with 4 bikes up top and driving enthusiastically on twisty roads. There is a vid knocking about on youtube of a 591 roofrack being tested on a desert rally car doing fast laps of a rough course and the system took a hell of a battering before the rack eventually (inevitably) failed.
Yesterday I had to make a mad dash from Plymouth back to Manchester when returning from France and did a lot of the journey at speeds of 90mph or more (on private roads of course! ) and the 4 bikes were perfectly secure. Fuel economy was atrocious and couldn't get over 100mph due to wind drag......

To contrast this, my brother has a Zafira so went down the Thule towbar mounted rack route. He had to have a towbar and electrics fitted and then still can't put the bikes on until the boot is loaded. He is also very restricted to how the bikes are loaded and they do not seem to be very secure at all so he has to fasten a strap around the final bike and tie it to the roof rails for peace of mind.

Buy the Thule roof rack, you will thank yourself in the long run and if you are only carrying 2 bikes this leaves ample room for a roofbox or some picnic chairs or a surfboard/kayak/handglider etc....

 

[jamin100]

If you have a towbar then I highly recommend a bakrak.
Ive used mine for bikes ... and when I needed to take a fridge to the tip

http://www.bak-rak.com/multiexamples.htm

 

[Nibor]

made by men in dark satanic mills in Lancashire
http://www.pendle-bike.co.uk/?gclid...4icJSayEjXXKpsvCVkCA4Wv1EfAXcFtfwgaAp8r8P8HAQ

 

[John the Monkey]

We've always had roof mounted systems - usually Atera bars (we generally get 50-60% of their value back by selling them on when we change cars.

We're trying Cruz's cheap bars this time, and they're ok, although the fitting system isn't as nice as Atera's.

We had Cruz Bici carriers initially, which are quite agricultural, but cheap, and not half bad, I have to admit. I recently bought a Thule Freeride for my bike, and whilst it's about 3x the cost, the difference in quality is very apparent - the Thule is easier to fit, locks to your roofbars and is easier to secure a bike to. I've used hired Atera Giro carriers, and while they're ok, I prefer the Thule Freeride, personally .

We've also used the bars for a roofbox - even on our Corsa, a long medium box fits alongside the freeride nicely. To lift the bikes onto the roof, we used to carry a small set of steps in the boot.

Whilst a towbar rack is appealing, we don't have a need to tow anything, and the recurrent cost is higher than replacing car specific roofbars with each vehicle change.

 

[John the Monkey]

D'oh - forgot to mention - we've always bought (and used them for hire once ) from Roofbox - they're excellent, and I'd recommend them without hesitation.

 

[stearman65]

HMMM Maybe I should have mentioned I'm on a strict budget. I already have the roof rails on the Picasso, the bars from Ebay in aluminium around £35, so all I need are the 3 shoes or whatever the technical term is to lock the wheels onto the bars. I cant post links yet, but the item numbers on Ebay are
351651871877 for the bars, & something similar to this for the shoes 381028839894 .
Stearman65.
PS remember it's a trike!

 

[I like Skol]

If you get the Thule system make sure you ask for a matched lock suite. I can't remember who I bought mine from (like I said it was 10+ yrs ago) but this was a no cost option on my order.