Roof racks - what should I know?

[B20PV]

I use a through axle fork mount (mtb) and it can be a bit fiddly to hold the bike stationary with one hand while trying to get the axle through the fork, especially on my wife's SUV with a high roof. Once threaded in, the through axle fork mount is rock solid.

 

The fork mount also has a lower overall height compared to a frame mount.

 

Wingbars if you don't like noise.

[The expat cyclist]

So this is what needs to get a roofrack.

[ChrisF]

https://www.thule.com/en/za/roof-rack/car-racks?q=4M68NnPTw

 

just change the model type to get your vehicle ....

[ChUkKy]

I used a Thule Roof Rack for quite some time.

 

Had no issues with damage at all. Fits very well and the guys at Thule showed me how to take it off and put it back on again.

 

I kept it on the Roof 99% of the time as it was a mission to store iwithout taking it apart.

 

Never felt like I was going to forget about it, was always aware of it. 

 

Worked very well for me

 

Same with me, no damage to my car whatsoever in the 5 years it was attached to the roof. 

[ChUkKy]

So this is what needs to get a roofrack.

 

Escapee had his roofrack on one of those, but his was the Boksburg edition.... ST.

[BigDL]

I have had Thule roof racks pretty much permanently on my cars since 2010 with the bike carriers fitted. Only time I had damage was trying to fit them to my wife's qashqai some time ago and I managed to scratch the roof because I was trying to fit the complete unit with bike racks straight from my car. Got rid of the Qashqai anyway as it was junk.

 

Can't go wrong with Thule racks with wing bars

[Grease_Monkey]

My experience...

 

Thule roof racks mounted to bakkie load bed. It is the best decision I have ever made, coming from a Thule towbar carrier. Getting 4 mtbs on is a breeze because there is actually space between bikes unlike towbar carrier. Thule roof racks are seriously easy and quick to operate, load 4 bikes in under 5 mins, no need for rubber between bikes or protection anywhere.

 

I leave the racks on permanently - has been so for around a year now, no signs of wear on the racks themselves, no damage to bakkie either. Leaving the racks on is a big plus point for me as I travel with bikes 4 out 7 days of the week and removing and mounting the towbar mount became a pain - and leaving it on was not an option as the bakkie just became stupidly long and impossible to use and park in Pretoria. Departure angle when driving offroad also became really horrible with the towbar mount on. The one thing you do have to be aware of is the added height (you can't use certain highway toll lanes, cannot use drive thrus, cannot use undergound parking). I know these seem obvious, but has nearly caught me out once or twice after a long ride where my brain was putty - luckily no incidents though.

 

With the roofracks I also feel my bikes are a bit out of harms way. The one precaution I do take on longer road trips is to put cloths around fork stanchions of all the bikes - just in case of a stone or something flying up and hitting it - has not yet happened though.

 

As for the taking it on and off often - if this is what you want to do, rather get a towbar mount. The roofracks are very convenient if you leave them on, but will become a hassle if you want to remove them every time after use. I personally love the way it looks on the bakkie, but I can see how it may not appeal to everyone when mounted on a sedan or hatchback.

 

EDIT: The ones I use allow me to mount the bike with front wheels on the bike. I can imagine taking the wheels off every time would be a pain the ass, so would recommend getting one where that is not necessary.

[ChrisF]

Thanks for the feedback.

[Milosh]

Thule is the way to go 

 

Think of price of car and bike and spend in line with what you are trying to protect. 

 

Get the ones where you don' t have to take off front wheel,  that is a proper PIA

[openmind]

Roof mounted bike racks are not worth the risk - you will wreck a bike at some point. It takes only one slip of the mind when going into the garage/parking lot/under a tree etc. etc. I wrote off a lovely steel Pinarello more than 20 years ago this way and will never put a bike on the roof again.

[ChrisF]

This thread has many happy owners, and the very sobering post by Openmind ....

 

Today I took the plunge.  Dont want the drive train full of grinding paste when I do my dirt trips later this month.

 

 

RESPECT, and a huge thanks, for the excellent staff at Thule Tygervalley at Willowbridge.  NICE to see people taking pride in their work and doing a proper job.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

uhm ja ...       

 

1,75m and a rack on a RAV4 =

 

PS - Owner is a cyclist and actually understands our needs ....

['Dale]

Read somewhere about increase in fuel consumption due to air resistance

Do some research if this point interests you

 

Sterkte

[ChrisF]

Read somewhere about increase in fuel consumption due to air resistance

Do some research if this point interests you

 

Sterkte

 

JIP, I will monitor this.  I have a decent profile of town and touring consumption.

 

 

But then again, even the platform bike carrier adds about 0,5km/l at moderate speeds ....

 

 

Going to Oudtshoorn on the 15th, should be able to do some testing along the Route 62.

 

Then a week later heading to the Orange river, near Kakamas .... was going to be mainly tar, now I may well include much more gravel roads.

 

 

So should know soon enough.

 

 

The other question - how will this impact the fuel consumption when not having a bike on the rack ..... wont be testing this with these two trips.

 

EDIT :

Removing the rack between bike trips certainly wont happen .....

 

been watching a couple of videos .... fitting the cross bars takes a fair bit of time.  But with everything set up as it is now, removing and fitting the bike rack is VERY quick.  So I may well remove the "bike rack" (not the cross bars) between trips.  Having the platform carrier for local trips makes it possible to reserve the roof-rack for the longer gravel trips.  O-well, time will tell ...

[ChrisF]

So this is what needs to get a roofrack.

 

 

MJ speak to your local Thule dealer.  They have a WIDE range of "mounting feet" for all types of vehicles ....

[Twaatie]

My experience...

 

Thule roof racks mounted to bakkie load bed. It is the best decision I have ever made, coming from a Thule towbar carrier. Getting 4 mtbs on is a breeze because there is actually space between bikes unlike towbar carrier. Thule roof racks are seriously easy and quick to operate, load 4 bikes in under 5 mins, no need for rubber between bikes or protection anywhere.

 

I leave the racks on permanently - has been so for around a year now, no signs of wear on the racks themselves, no damage to bakkie either. Leaving the racks on is a big plus point for me as I travel with bikes 4 out 7 days of the week and removing and mounting the towbar mount became a pain - and leaving it on was not an option as the bakkie just became stupidly long and impossible to use and park in Pretoria. Departure angle when driving offroad also became really horrible with the towbar mount on. The one thing you do have to be aware of is the added height (you can't use certain highway toll lanes, cannot use drive thrus, cannot use undergound parking). I know these seem obvious, but has nearly caught me out once or twice after a long ride where my brain was putty - luckily no incidents though.

 

With the roofracks I also feel my bikes are a bit out of harms way. The one precaution I do take on longer road trips is to put cloths around fork stanchions of all the bikes - just in case of a stone or something flying up and hitting it - has not yet happened though.

 

As for the taking it on and off often - if this is what you want to do, rather get a towbar mount. The roofracks are very convenient if you leave them on, but will become a hassle if you want to remove them every time after use. I personally love the way it looks on the bakkie, but I can see how it may not appeal to everyone when mounted on a sedan or hatchback.

 

EDIT: The ones I use allow me to mount the bike with front wheels on the bike. I can imagine taking the wheels off every time would be a pain the ass, so would recommend getting one where that is not necessary.

Can you post some pics please

[Spirog]

 

 

Thule-1.jpg

 

Thule-2.jpg

 

Thule-3.jpg

 

Thule-6.jpg

 

Thule-9.jpg

 

 

What did this setup cost in total?