New car means I need a new way of transporting my bike. I’ve always driven pick-up trucks or estate cars to avoid all the faffery of carriers.

Is there any one stand out product in the world of roof mounted carriers? I’m curious about these wheel/axle types. My wheels are 20mm bolt through and in my mind at least (based on no practical experience) it seems like a good idea to bolt the lowers to the carrier.

Any advice or experience/product recommendations much appreciated.

If you can look at tow bar racks. Less faff than roofracks and less chance of a bike garage interference fit issue.

Thule 591 neatly avoids any axle standards issues. Clamp near the BB, two wheel straps, done.

By far the easiest I’ve used, the biggest effort is lifting your bike to the roof in the first place. Only downside is clamping cables if they run through there (although I’ve never really had an issue) and possibly scratching if a bike is dirty – I just helitape where the clamp goes.

simon_g – Member

Thule 591 neatly avoids any axle standards issues. Clamp near the BB, two wheel straps, done.

How is it in terms of security? A mate of mine has a barracuda design which is very similar and he arrived to the trails one day with his bike leaning rakishly off the side of the car.

parkesie – Member

If you can look at tow bar racks. Less faff than roofracks and less chance of a bike garage interference fit issue.

I can’t really get my car in the garage anyway without a huge amount of careful manouvering. Last time I tried it was to swap the clutch out in the Subaru. Wife doesn’t wan’t anything interfering with the boot, and I’m not sure I want to be messing with lightbars and all that crap. Also, car doesn’t have a towbar so by the time I get that fitted and get a decent rack it won’t be cheap.

Been using a thuke 591 for the last 6 years and never had any issues. Bike mounts in about 10 seconds and that’s it.
Don’t bother buying anything else really!

Security is great fella. Bike doesnt budge. The clamp turns with a dial and keeps bike secure.. the straps help it not move at all. Did 3 hours today with two on my roof.

Probably my favourite non-bike bike related thing I own! Cant recommend enough.

Thule 591

They just work.

Had many years trouble free use across a number of bikes and cars.

Really good solution and I don’t know anyone who has bought one and regretted it.

Thule 531 and Halfords Exodus bars/feet, nothing wrong with them in anyway that I have found, yet…

Always used roof mounted carriers and never had any issues so far with the carriers. One thing I would consider is height of your car and, to some extent, your height: all was fine when we had standard height cars but when we had a heigher 4×4 it was quite a balancing act trying to get 30lb+ of bike (worse if wet and muddy) over your head then stepping up into the rear door opening to then be higher enough to get the bike on the rack…I stepped back once not realising how high I was as I removed a bike and fell back scratching my car and ended up with a badly twisted ankle 😳

Just about to sell our three Thule 591s. They’ve been great, totally secure and solid, but going to a four bike towbar rack as MrsMC is only 4’10”.

591 is great but depends on frame design. The clamp position can interfere with some pivot points and can be difficult to clamp, so worth checking if your frame has any pivots on the lower bit of the downtube.

Rock solid with my road bike though – and the Isla bike Rothan even fits in one!

Never failed to clamp a bike to a 591 (BMX, shopper, Giant Trance, carbon road bikes…). Not secure in any way, I always use a decent cable lock if I plan leaving unattended (I also use a Kryptonite inside the car too). With four on the roof, I can just about clamp my recumbent trike by the wheels too 😀

I’ve used both the thule 591 and 532 and they both work equally well. For me the only reason to chose one over the other is if the frame isn’t compatible with one of them. The 591 clamps above and below the downtube (can be an issue with some FS frames) whereas the 532 clamps on the sides of the downtube.
591 is also good for kids bikes as it can reach the top tube instead.
Also +1 for heli-tape on the frame.

I have a the BMW badged version of the Thule 591 with the ratchet dial and it is good, but I much prefer a tow bar carrier and have ordered my next car with a tow bar just for this reason. My main gripes apart from lifting the bikes on (fine if you just have two on so are either side, but can be a pain if there’s more in the middle), are the impact on fuel economy (about 20-25% on the motorway), the wind noise (hideous on the motorway) and the mud falling on my car when the bike is filthy. The tow bar carrier addresses all of these.

If you will only use it for low speed short journeys then they’re fine I guess, and obviously much cheaper than getting a tow bar fitted etc.

Seasucker! Simple, quick, easy to store, rock solid.

591 are great, and I’ve not had any hesitation doing long motorway journeys with them. Towbar racks also have a huge impact on fuel, so it’s horses for courses.

We’re selling our two now, along with the footpack for roof rail and a pair of bars, because my wife uses the rack more than me and the roof on our current car is a bit too high for her. We’re just using a cheap boot halfords one as the bike’s never left unattended on the car so it suits us fine.

I really fancy the seasucker but it is seriously pricey. Even pricing up brand new everything Thule is cheaper (non-aero as I’ve never had a problem with wind noise…the stereo drowns that out!).

you will forget about it at some stage and you will rip your bike off the rack when you go under something

Thule 591 security. However I would never leave a nice bike in a car park!

[video]http://youtu.be/0Yu4vEsD9WA[/video]

591 is reassuringly clunky. That helps with peace of mind.

591 here. Solid as a rock across several mtn and Road bikes.

Brilliant design, dead easy to use.

Leave them on all the time

airtragic – Member

Seasucker!

Goddamnit why does STW complicate everything.

I’ve got both a 591 and a couple of 532’s on our Corolla Verso roof. As mentioned they do destroy fuel on long journeys but they’re so easy to fix bikes on and I struggle as I have trials bikes with high bottom tubes and low top tubes which makes clamping them a nightmare (the 532 clamp doesn’t reach the downtube on either my 20″ or 26″).
Wish I’d gone for 591 to start with!

Thule 591. Rock solid.Only issue I had was crossing the Forth Road bridge when it was closed to high sided vehicles when the wind twisted a front wheel round. The clamp held firm and bike and car were fine.

Does go back to the bit about forgetting you have it attached. Had I been more switched on I would have detoured to avoid the bridge.

I’ve just gone for a Seasucker. Pretty cheap from probikekit with 20% off an already discounted 30% which was a steal. Only changed as my new car can’t have a tow bar nor does it have fixing points for a conventional rack either bolt on or clamp.

I’d still be using a Thule system if it wasn’t for the choice of car as I’m still very very wary of suction cups plus expensive bikes and potential for a lot of damage should the fall. However the first outing went without a hitch so I could be worrying about nothing.

used the thule 591 today, hassle free, i would defo recommend.

Orange Lad – Member

I’ve just gone for a Seasucker. Pretty cheap from probikekit with 20% off an already discounted 30% which was a steal. Only changed as my new car can’t have a tow bar nor does it have fixing points for a conventional rack either bolt on or clamp.

I was thinking about the Seasucker last night but then I realised I’d need to remove it at the trails, then re-mount it otherwise I’d be leaving £300 worth of kit just stuck to the roof.

Another 591 user here, have had them on the last 2 cars and covered a few thousand miles with bikes on the roof, I bought mine as friends had been using them for years without issue.

Changing car this week and will be going for a towbar mounted rack this time, but will be keeping the 591s just in case.

Is there any one stand out product in the world of roof mounted carriers?

Yes the thurle 591 is just about perfect, ridicuasly easy to use. To solve reaching up that high for shortasses/centre racks I bring you…

Sotrage stand thingymabob

It also keep tools in the top, for pre/post ride fafing.

You can buy it for a tenner elsewhere

Height shouldn’t be an issue as I’m average height and it’s a normal car (Focus).

I use the Thule 561’s on my CRV as it keeps the overall height down 591’s are very good but I found the pivot on my Superlight prevented optimal positioning of the clamp and needed padding around the pivot to prevent damage. 561 is more faff but rock solid. I also use Thule Slidebars and a folding stool which make loading so much easier seeing as I am a shorthouse and helps prevent damage to the car. Slidebars are very chunky mind you.

Thule 591 security. However I would never leave a nice bike in a car park!

I don’t think it’s any worse than any other roof carrier design to be honest. If someone’s willing to stand on your roof and heave away at it they’ll all fail. Reasonable cable lock lives in the boot for if I have to leave it unattended, and even then it wouldn’t be for more than a few minutes.

glasgowdan – Member
. Towbar racks also have a huge impact on fuel, so it’s horses for courses.

Must be car specific – on my Range Rover the towbar rack had almost zero impact on fuel economy. Got an Audi saloon coming so would imagine that would be affected more. Will report back!

591 and 531 here. The 531 is used only occasionally hence I spent less on it compared to the 591s. I drove over 1k miles this summer with them with no issues other than they whistle a bit between 40 and 60mph. Halfords Exodus aero roof bars (on a Mondeo) which are good too.

They all work fine but the 591s are clearly easier and quicker to use. Security would be much the same I reckon – all of them are going to be vulnerable to someone committed. FWIW, if I’m travelling any distance I’d use cable/d-locks and or zip ties – not really to stop it but it makes it a lot more hassle and prevents the simple forcing that can sometimes work.

A mate had a new 561 on his car with his Mavic FS on top, and 50 mins down the road the bolt had worked loose and the bike went flying down the road! He wonders if the bike is too heavy/big for that type of locking mech. Be careful!

Just got 2 of these & I have been impressed:
http://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehsel4_tab.php/car-specific-accessories/yakima_frontloader_bike_carrier_8002104/Qx%40w%2C6M42VAwp3%40Rb%7B%7EcC4ure5Lf%60%7EBGTp6t

jimjim I agree you wouldn’t want to leave it on the car whilst it’s parked up at a trail centre but for the 3 minutes it adds at each end of the journey I don’t see it as a problem. But then like I said previously I didn’t have a choice because no conventional rack will fit my car.

i got an estate car because i hate roof racks. its great if its just me or me and a mate off somewhere for the day but have just realised if all the family are on board theres no room for any bikes! doh.

so currently debating whether to go Seasucker, or go all out and have a towbar fitted then get myself a Thule 927 or similar. neither option are particularly cheap!

I like to add a pair of straps going diagonally down from the frame to the roof rails. Twisting them stops them making that annoying humming.

do you need to buy the 15mm thru-axle adapter or does one come in the set??