Hi all,

Pretty new to this and was hoping to get some opinions from you all. I have a couple of trips planned over the next couple of months and at least 2 of them will require me to transport 3 mountain bikes. I am seeking advice on whether to go for a roof rack or boot rack. A tow bar rack is out of the questions and they seem to be an even spread of pros and cons of my other options. Any advice and opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Dan

Roof rack

Pro’s:
*Get to look manly lifting bikes on and off
*keeps bikes cleaner
*less chance of scratched paint on the car by the rack/straps

Cons:
*Heavy bikes are a PITA, as are more than 2 bikes
*Mud on the roof of the car
*Noisy
*MPG will make you wince
*Can’t see the bikes, roof racks stress me out

Boot rack
Pro’s:
*Easier to lift bikes on and off
*Barely any impact on MPG
*car stays clean

Cons:
*Can’t really be left on the car when not in use
*Bikes can pick up traffic grime if it rains
*Can’t access boot (apart from over/through the back seats, or if you get a sliding/tilting model)

I got a towbar rack that fits in seconds, apart from a bit of black grime once in a while I can’t fault it.

*MPG will make you wince

I’ve used both (roof and boot) and either one made little difference to my MPG.

depends on the car I guess?

boot rack pros – you can get into restricted height car parks etc.

slackboy – Member
boot rack pros – you can get into restricted height car parks etc.

Check vehicle height/length T&C’s if travelling on a ferry, it normally favours rear racks, also worth working out what height your car plus a roofbox comes out at…

Tow bar mounted racks are massively better than roof rack mounted carriers, which are massively better than boot rack carriers.

There’s no way i’m trusting myself with a roof rack carrier again. Surprising how many height restrictors there are.

*Can’t see the bikes, roof racks stress me out

I was like that, until I opened the sunroof and could see them wobbling about.

I shut that thing FAST

boot rack pros – you can get into restricted height car parks etc.

I pretty sure a few on here will confirm that it’s perfectly possible to drive a car with a bike on the roof into a height restricted car park. 🙂

Boot racks where the bikes are hung on a couple of arms – no. Gives me the willies thinking about them wobbling about and scratching each other.

Personally, I prefer a roof rack as it keeps everything out of the way, and I’m quite tall so lifting bikes on & off isn’t too difficult.

Or better, a van, and keep everything inside. Although I’m assuming that’s not an option for the OP.

Oh and a tow bar carrier pro – people behind you in traffic get a good view of how expensive your bike is 8)

In order of preference…

Inside car/van if possible.

If not inside, towbar mounted rack.

If not towbar mounted rack, up on top.

If not up on top, then a rear hatch mounted rack as an absolute last resort with lots of padding/packing to stop things rubbing, and consider taking the wheels off and transporting them inside

Thanks for all the help people. I think I am going to go for a roof rack.

Potential money saving tip – if you’re looking for Thule bike carriers, scour eBay for bike carriers being sold still attached to roof bars. For some reason, this usually ends up being substantially cheaper than buying bike carriers separately. Chances are you’ll end up with a set of roof bars unsuitable for your car to shift on, but if you can figure out what they’re intended to fit, you might make a chunk of your cash back. Or just add a new foot kit to suit your car and you’re in business. In the past, I’ve picked up a set of roof bars complete with a pair of bike carriers for less than people were asking for a single second hand bike carrier. Madness.

Oh, and if your car doesn’t have a sunroof, enjoy checking shadows and reflections at every available opportunity to make sure the bikes haven’t fallen off. Or maybe it’s just the more paranoid types that do that kind of thing… 😳

I agree with hopkinsgm. ebay can be excellent for picking up Thule bits.

I’ve managed to get “free” bars in the past by buying bars + feet and selling the feet or vice-versa. The trick there is buying bars locally from someone who won’t post, then being willing to post stuff to your buyers.

In order of preference…

Inside car/van if possible.

If not inside, towbar mounted rack.

There are no other options 🙂

Also worth bearing in mind how big your bike is versus the width of your car if you’re going to use a rear rack.

Also consider that your bike / bikes (in your case) will probably obscure your rear lights, indicators and license plate. This means the additional faff of a light and plate board.

I prefer roof mounted racks for week in week out convenience. So convenient to ride upto the car at the end of a ride and dump your bikes in the racks in a matter of seconds. The mud on the roof doesn’t bother me – it washes off pretty quick when the rain next comes round. Also it amazes me the number of people that are concerned about getting a bit of mud on the roof of their car but are happy to put a muddy bike inside the car.

I use the Tow bar mounted rack when going anywhere with the family – with an SMax getting 4 bikes on the roof is a pain for someone of my height getting the two bikes on the inner positions. but the tow bar rack is less convenient – you have to be a bit more careful loading the bikes to avoid contact, parking is a problem due to the significant extra length if you have a 4 bike carrier, so not feasible to leave on all the time. And it obscures access to the tailgate even though it tilts out of the way – it’s good to be able to sit on the back of the car when you’re getting changed and having complete access to the boot. I also use the tow bar rack when going to France on hols – I remove the roof bars for max mpg, and no need to use the rack when over in France, so the rack comes off and goes in the boot.

I used to use boot racks back in the day – frightening. Never had a problem with them but they do wobble about a bit, render your tailgate/boot useless and are just a general faff, and all that contact with the car body makes me wince.

So none are the ideal solution for every situation. Get a van for that!

not read ALL of the above, but ……

my thule tow bar rack annoyed the hell out of me taking it on and off constantly (even though it was only one bolt), because you wouldn’t want to leave it on all the time…. then you have to store it somewhere when its off. its easy for bikes to rub against each other. limited boot access is a right pain. electric connection went dodgy after a year with all the on and off business.

Roof rack, fit and forget. makes approx. 3mpg difference on my hatch with no bikes on. roof gets muddy and gritty in winter (so no good on a posh car). I feel I can corner better with bikes on the roof, the tow bar rack I was scared watching them roll afew inches back and forth around hard corners/roundabouts. Bikes cant rub against each other.

Vans are best, but after that roof racks for me.

oh, and bikes on the rear seemed to hit fuel economy hard on my car, possibly more so than up top.

Just another quick pro for the roof: I’ve never had another car shunt into the roof of my car, whereas 3 clowns have spannered into the back, which would’ve been much more tearful had the bikes been on there. Thules on the roof thank you.

Can’t say I’m a fan of having an unrestrained bike inside the car either – if you do have to stop quickly, the bike probably won’t.

Vans are best, but after that roof racks for me.

^ that.