What is the perceived wisdom on carbon frames on roof mounted racks? I've currently got a Saris Bones rack but my nice new frame is getting rubbed as it moves around on the bars so I'm looking to change to a safer type of rack. Am I better off going for a fork mounted rack to avoid and clamping of carbon frames or are the latest Altera Giro / Thule 591 fine to use with carbon frames?

Bike is a Trek EX 9.8 with Fox F120 RL forks. Car is a 5 door BMW 1-Series.

No one got any thoughts on this?

Why not put some protection around the clamping area i.e. towl, rubber etc to stop it rubbing? Oh and clean that part after a ride before you re-mount it? Don't think its because its carbon – a lot of rack do that – happend on my Alu HT.

Given the option I think I would go with a fork mounted rack on a carbon frame. However I have put my carbon roadbike frame into my Giro rack without any problems. As suggested above I put some helicopter tape onto the frame where the clamp jaws sit.

If you are buying roof bars then the genuine BMW ones are very good and quick to fit, and from memory weren't too expensive.

Why not just put it in the boot, or is that not possible?

Your carbon frame is designed to take a hell of a lot more punishment than it will get from the roof rack. Just think of the forces going trough it when you jump off a drop off. I don't think the light clamping forces of a roof rack are going to cause any problems. They don't for thin walled aluminium so why should they for carbon fibre. My carbon Scott Genius has been fine and I use a Thule rack. The fork mounted racks are just a pain and as you have to put a muddy wheel in the boot why not the whole bike, they kind of defeat the purpose of a bike rack. Not just that many work manufacturers advise against them and do not warranty forks broken in them as they say they put undue strain on the fork lowers!!

Many manufacturers like fox and rock shox are fine with fork mounts, their recent warranties specifically show the fitting with little diagrams and advise making sure you clamp the bike squarely – the main exemptions tend to be all carbon forks. You get a much more solid fit on the bike with a fork mount because you have a nice dimensionally standard area in which to fix the bike rather than the fairly random shape/size of frame tubes.

Last time I put it on the rack I wrapped it up a bit better but I'm just a bit worried about actually damaging the carbon. I've had a couple of different Alu bikes on the rack with no probs at all but both my carbon Trek and a mates carbon 'dale have been taking some damage.

Bikes in the back isn't really an option. It's physically possible to just about get two in there but muddy bikes + car interior don't really mix all that well.

Trek + BMW. Naff's the right term [sorry, couldn't resist :)]

Thule fork mounted rack was the best rack I've owned. Front wheel went in the boot, easy to lock at fork mount. Simples.

Get a tarp for the back of your car and sling the bike in, safer, saves your fuel consumption, definitely avoids damage to your bike etc.

Nah – they are going to have to go on the outside. Big question for me is still fork mounted or not….

Sounds like it's not a problem to put suspension forks on a fork mounted rack and they look like they should be more solid. I read that it can be a little tricky to get the tension right at the fork. Boxelder – you didn't have a problem with this? Was it a Thule 561 rack?

Often see normal roof mounted carriers rocking on motorways. But never seen fork mounted racks having problems.
Happily carry my Ibis on fork mounted racks. Doesn't effect fuel economy to badly either.