Any strong opinions / experiences on way or the other.

For my purposes, it’s for occasional use initially, i.e. my wife deciding we should go out straight after I finish work so coming to pick me up rather than me bike home first (hence muddy bike which I’m getting fed up of cleaning up after, plus soon there will be kiddies competing for space inside the car and apprently strapping them to the outside of the car isn’t on). I used to use the strap on types, but they’re way too much hassle for an occasional use so I end up chucking the bike in the car.

Are the towbar types easy to clip on, i.e. could my wife “just” clip it on when coming to get me? I’m thinking that the roofrack type could be left on semi-permanently so it’s always there when needed?

Any thoughts appreciated.

I always liked the roof rack like you say you can leave it on all the time..you just need to remember there on there! ); I have a van now which makes it even easier

Have tried roof, tow bar and strap on (ahem) and my preference is for roof mounted. Allows access to boot (some tow bar mount racks do this too), quick to put bikes on, can be left on car too. Only down side for me is that bikes are more exposed to the elements at high speeds. For really long trips I’d probably prefer a tow mount…probably better on fuel too.

I’ve got the flash Thule racks with the dial to tighten thingy. Worth the extra compared to cheaper Thule and halfords options imo. Probably worth thinking about hight of your vehicle and partner etc and that it takes a bit more strength to get bikes up there. None of this may be an issue for you though.

Depends whether you care about fuel consumpton really, seeing bike racks and roof bars left on top of cars is a bit of a pet hate of mine, shouts lazy and couldn’t give a **** about the environment.

Towball mounted racks can be very easy to just clip in (Aiston) or clamp on (Thule, some easy (expensive) some require a spanner to tighten (cheap).

Tow bar for me – easy to load, they’re out of the way, better fuel economy & you don’t have to remember how high your vehicle is when entering some car parks or motorway tolls.

Fork mounted roof rack using these carrier
Very secure

having had a tow bar mounted rack for three years and now using roof I’d highly reccomend the tow bar…

Tow Bar – Pro’s = very secure, don’t get crud dropping on your roof, you can go more than 120kmh rating of Thule roof racks :lol:, they’re classed as an ‘immovable object’ for insurance purposes, they don;t wobble around at 70mph and give your frame a lot less wear and tear/chafing and they don;t affect MPG. Most racks drop down easily to gain access to boot and you don’t worry about going under car park barriers

Tow Bar – cons = cost. Decent Thule carriers are £200 – £400 plus £200 plus for tow bar

These lot seem to have good deals for the towbar option:

Roofbox

We’ve a Thule euro thingy with grabbers that hold the bikes on. I got a 3 bike one, with an add on bit for a 4th, to take the family’s bikes.

Good things are security, I’ve got locking nuts for the grabbers, the mpg, etc and ease of loading ( although getting 4 bikes on and avoiding the frames rubbing is a bit of a puzzle, and one journey can wear through to metal). It does drop down to allow boot access.

Bad thing is that it’s quite heavy (20 kg) awkward to manhandle into place, and has grounded on uneven car park ramps and verges.

Overall though we use it a lot, including regular long journeys to the lakes, and I’d certainly recommend over the strap on ones.

EDIT Mine came from roofbox too

What stratman said (although never grounded it). Towbar all the way, might cost a bit more but will pay for itself in terms of mpg and speed of loading (not to mention dropping bikes on roofs or low entrance damage).

Have used both roof and tow ball, roof racks are much easier to use as they are always on the car, fuel consumption differences and hence the environment were unnoticeable between racks on and off (44.9mpg with racks and 45.1mpg without), tow ball racks are quite heavy and a bit of a faff to fit, roof racks leave car covered in muck after a muddy ride, lifting bikes may be an issue for your wife depending on weight of bike and height of car, tow ball racks easier to load bikes on (less lifting). If looking after the car is important go for tow ball, if not go for roof. Another thing to bear in mind is cost of a tow ball if not already fitted to car and then the cost of a rack is quite a big outlay compared to roof bars and racks.

recently changed car and gone from roof mount to towbar. roof mount is quicker as mounts are always on and ready (nick wtf are you on about, no one takes a roof bar off when not in use!). towbar rack heavy for a woman, fine for a guy. mpg was the big plus for me, taking mount off when not in use (easily nick!) saves lots, plus less drag with bikes.

Berlingo and bikes inside the car is a much better option for me. Given how much extra drag you get from bikes on the Saris Bones RS rear-mounted rack I used to use, I dread to think what it’s like for fuel efficiency with cars on the roof. Looks sketchy at high speeds on a windy day too IMO.

And there are really quite a few tales on here and elsewhere of people driving them into barriers etc.

I have the both the Thule Euro Classic towbar rack and 591 roof rack. Both are great bits of kit, well made and stable. I prefer to use the towbar mounted one, it’s quick and easy to install/remove but it is heavy as mentioned by others, your wife might struggle.
The roof mounted rack drags a bit and more awkward to fit but not difficult. I don’t like the leaving the rack on the car so it has to come off which isn’t what you want to be doing when you’re back from a ride, cold and knackered.
Stoner has a towbar mounted rack that looks to be lighter but just as good as my Thule one.

nick wtf are you on about, no one takes a roof bar off when not in use!

I suspect that plenty of people do (or maybe it is just me?), it takes about 5 minutes and easily makes a couple of mpg difference to fuel efficiency, not to mention the wind noise!

To be honest I only use my roof bars with a roof box these days, I also realised that after about five years of putting bars on, putting box on, taking box off, taking bars off, that it was a hell of a lot quicker to take the bars off leaving the box still attached to them, maybe that’s the way to go with the bike racks too?

Literally takes 5 mins to tighten the feet up onto the bars.

Not being funny but aren’t you all missing something? Mark, how strong and how tall is your wife? I have both a towball mounted rack and a Yakima roof rack jobby. Both are brilliant the Yakima is the quickest thing to mount to, taking seconds to do. The towball mounted one takes three bikes and slides away from the car for access to the boot which is vital.
All this info stands for squat if a, mrs mark can’t reach to put the bike on the roof or b, mrs mark isn’t strong enough to fit the towball mounted rack. The towball one is heavy and quite awkward to fit and I know for a fact that my better half isn’t tall enough to lift a bike up and on to the roof of the car, vw touran.
Hope that helps.

I have roof mounted and tow-ball mounted and will go for the tow-ball most of the time.
Not sure which racks you guys have but the one I have (Atera Strada) only weighs about 14kg’s so less than a supermarket MTB, and takes 3 bikes, (extra 2 kg when in 4 bike mode) so not exactly heavy. They are quite expensive though.
No issues with rubbing etc once you work out the bike locations, you move the wheel wedges & straps to the correct location and it’s easy every time afterwards.

I’ve had both

Only down side for me is that bikes are more exposed to the elements at high speeds.

Disadvantages and advantages to both roof and tow bar.

On roof in bad weather the bikes end up clean and I never had any bearing problems from water ingress that I put down to roof transport. On a tow bar they end up covered in road filth and in Winter in salt.

Roof bars are worse for consumption but whether it’s OK to leave them on all the time depends on what sort of driving you do. Biggest impact is at motorways speeds. Tow bar more secure but I never had a problem with fork mount racks.

Avoid like the plague – anything that holds onto the car with Nylon straps. Fork mounts much more secure than down tube clamps.

Why not look at the lightweight tow-bar option for those times, it can live in the boot and when your wife comes and picks you up – just dropped on. Like these:

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=thule+towbar+bike+rack&num=10&hl=en&rls=ig&biw=1287&bih=656&tbm=isch&tbnid=41IWqXib6mBmAM:&imgrefurl=http://www.towbarworld.co.uk/&docid=XIZjgCBfTaRT_M&imgurl=http://www.towbarworld.co.uk/970Xpress%252520Bike%252520Rack2.jpg&w=591&h=800&ei=3tBzULzxBqqX1AWswoHoDA&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=125&sig=101090050581490456565&page=1&tbnh=112&tbnw=80&start=0&ndsp=22&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0,i:86&tx=51&ty=44

I have the roof mounted Thule ones (that everyone else seems to have). Seem very good, but there’s no way my wife can lift the bikes into place (and she’s from Yorkshire, so pretty tough). It’s a fairly tall car though.

Mate has the tow bar mounted one. Looks great, but I use the towbar for towing, so not an option.

Having got my own rescue service ( Mum whos now semi retired ) I use a Thule roof mount.

Its fine for me but :-

The cars an old Polo so the odd scratch on the roof doesnt really matter.

Mum doesnt use motorways much so the noise, fuel consumption doesnt really matter.

I like to fasten the bike on the roof with a chain if I do borrow the polo to go to the lakes etc because I dont trust the lock on the rack If i nip into a supermarket so that does catch the roof.

Like has been said previous, the muck off the bike does come down onto the roof and makes a mess.

If it was a newer car, I would consider a Towbar mount, just to keep the car from muck / damage but for this banger of a car its fine.

I can’t lift the bikes on to our roof mounted one, I am just not tall enough.

Atera Strada 3 + 1

Not cheap but used a lot and works very well.

Roof only option for my CRV as the rear door swings out not up. Also has a foot pack, not roof bars to mount to, so removal of roof rack is a pain. Hence four 591’s on the roof at all times. Speed of load/unload is faster than fitting a carrier and adding bikes, fuel consumption worse. Having it on all the time means it isn’t used just for “trips out with the bikes”.

I have yet to find a bike that did not fit to a 591.

I can’t lift the bikes on to our roof mounted one, I am just not tall enough.

Might I politely suggest a step? Our CRV is tall and then some. A step is a worthy addition.

I really want one of these
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA4HaKthwcs[/video]

but actually I just make do with a roof mounted one which tends to live on the car over summer when there is a lot of running around – just for all the reasons already mentioned.

just so i’m subscribed 🙂

on roof = too much drag
on tailgait = can’t get in boot.

one of my buddies got one of these http://northshoreracks.com
They are the bomb! totally awesome.

Neither, I just bought a car big enough to take bikes without significant dismantling!

I’ve a roof rack (which I’ve never bothered to fit) and a boot rack (which I fitted, then realised it obscured the numberplate so would need electrics + towplate.

Stoner, how is your baby trailer attached to the rack?

Had both now just use a tow bar mounted one.
easy, quick, better mpg.

Most modern cars have rear seats that fold down so reaching in to the boot isn’t the problem some people seem to make out.

I also like the fact that i can see the bikes when i’m driving.

If its only one or two bike Thule do a light weight version that clamps on to the ball.

Most modern cars have rear seats that fold down so reach in to the boot isn’t the problem some people seem to make out.

Not been a problem with saloons and hatches I’ve had, the boot has always opened with my Thule towbar rack in position – and most racks also have a tipping option, if needed.

Ransos : am away from pc till later so pics when I get back. But general jist is to use the tray, one of the wheel ratchets, the longest clamp arm, and some straps. Safe and secure for 1,000 miles this summer.

Bought a Automaxi roof rack and Thule 591 for my wifes Peugeot 307 brand new with delivery for less than £100.

Brilliant for going to Wales with lugguage and a dog, put it all on in less than 10 mins first time and comes off in 5mins. Bikes take 30secs to go on and off (just remember to use a cloth for stopping downtube damage).

Never use it locally as I always chuck my bike in the boot for fuel economy.

Best buy Ive made in a long time (especially after my losing a bike off the back of a rear mounted one!)and no need to take two cars to Wales.

Ransos : am away from pc till later so pics when I get back. But general jist is to use the tray, one of the wheel ratchets, the longest clamp arm, and some straps. Safe and secure for 1,000 miles this summer.

Thanks. Our Croozer takes up quite a bit of boot space, and I hadn’t considered attaching it to a bike rack.

Storage space for a tow bar rack, when not in use, was a big consideration for me. Plus I know that fitting it and then removing it again and putting it out of the way somewhere, 2-3 times a week, would have started to grate pretty quickly. Especially in the dark, when tired and hungry after a night ride. Leaving it on is not an option for me. I’m usually trying to squeeze in rides at the weekend, around the family, so any time saved faffing makes that more likely to happen. Pretty sure the wife would refuse to tilt and reset a rack for access to the boot, so that would be a pain when we go away too (once a month). Once you have roofbars, they have other uses, roof boxes and other non-bike carriers for example. No noticeable noise from the bars either (Pro Rack Whisper bars). I’ve had cheap racks before, glad I saved for the Thule 591 this time, worth it for regular use.

Another option for towbar mounted rack.
Very easy to fit and fairly secure.
http://www.maxxraxx.co.uk/

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/accessories-tyres/36052/bike-carrier-test

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/accessories-tyres/36154/cycle-racks-tested

I leave a roof mounted Thule thingy (the one you turn to clamp shut – defo the best type)on all the time, and fit a Thule Eurocarrier (three bike) if im taxiing my mates about.

Roof one is much easier to use IF you can lift your bike above your head, Towbar one seems more secure but is very very heavy on its own and a faff to install, remove, store away. On the roof you get wind noise and mud all over the roof. On the back you get limited boot access, corroded spoke nipples in winter…

If I were having one option, it would be the roof

On my Passat I used thule aero bars with 591 pro racks with full lock pack on. Pros ease of putting them on (two minutes) every bike fits.
Cons; MPG which is why you should take them off when not in use, mud on roof/drainage channels/door seals, wear on paint of frames if you aint heli taped them and the raising of the cars centre of gravity/handling changes.
I have now got a Honda CRV that already has a towball so have borrowed a tow ball mounted thule rack which actually clears the rear spare wheel but any bag loading will have to be done via the glass of bags left on floor in rear. Thule did used to do an articulated armed verison for side opening rear doors like the CRV etc but they dont do them any more. My main worry with towball mount will be burning a wheel in the exhaust flow like I did with a diesel Land Rover Defender with my road bike on a tow ball mount-expensive mistake!!!
I am looking forward to no decrease in mpg but am also considering a full length boot liner for the CRV for £100 and just put the bikes in the boot with seats down.
Dont think any of us have made OP’s choice any easier 😀

I have a a set of Thule roof bars & 3 Thule carriers (the 530 model) & I’ve had these for a couple of years now.

My brother has a towbar mounted rack also Thule.

I’ve had the rear mounted type carriers in the past (halfords own & a saris one), which I was happy to see the back of.

Here’s what I reckon are the pros & cons

Roof – pros: easy boot access, good separation between bikes (less damage potential), cheaper than a towbar (I managed to get the 3 racks & my bars all in for under £150 (bars were 2nd hand)), easy to expand capacity by buying another carrier provided there is room on your roof

Roof – cons: noticable effect on fuel economy, low barrier restrictions, mine has a tendency to whistle (only noticable with the window down), can be hard to fit certain full sus designs, can be restricted on weight your roof can support (mine is limited to 50kg including the bars), mud on the roof (doesn’t bother me – my car is cheap and old), slightly harder to fit bikes onto the rack due to height, especially DH rigs

Towbar – pros: better fuel economy than roof, no barrier restrictions, no real weight of bike restrictions, slightly quicker to fit/remove than a roof rack, easier to fit bikes in place (no lifting onto roof), no mud issues

Towbar – cons: need to be careful when reversing (my brother also had somebody reverse into his rack when it was fitted), need to be more careful about bikes touching when fitted, some designs limit boot access, expensive if you need to get a towbar fitted at the same time

I’m very pleased I did pay the little bit extra to get some Thule kit – well worth it.

I do always remove my bars when I’m not using them. I leave them fully assembled so all I need to do is pop the bars on the roof, then fit the four clamps.