We will soon get a Cmax and I’m looking at the best way to carry a muddy bike or one with full mudguards. This rules out going inside. Currently use a tow bar which means having the rack and light bar clogging up the boot.
Some roof systems have bars ,then a bit bolted on that ,then another bit bolted on that. Mrs Zip would not approve.
So going with the system pictured and just need a lockable don’t know it’s there bike rack. Needs to take one bike ,a 26 or a 29.

Think you’ve basically found your answer, but for one bike I’d go Thule wingbar edge with 591 bike rack.

There’s no such thing as a don’t know it’s there bike rack, they all run perpendicular to the bars so it’s obvious.

The Thule stuff is all silver so if you have a dark coloured car it’s even more obvious

Saying that, I really rate the Thule stuff

Thule wing bars here, not very unobtrusive though…

seasucker?

The Thule stuff is all silver so if you have a dark coloured car it’s even more obvious

My roof bars (Thule) are all black, it’s only the bike racks themselves that are silver. So if you take the carriers off it’s black bars and feet on a black car, which is OK.

If the OP is trying to avoid roof bars, that need mounting to the roof, and then a way of holding on a bike it will mean you need bars going across and then a bike carrier at 90 deg to those bars. There is no real way of hiding the fact you have a bike on a roof, as you have well a bike on your roof.

Why would the missus not approve, is it looks or hassle? Putting bikes on my roof takes about 10 mins, 2 bars, 4 bolts, lock in place, slide the carriers on, mount bikes and go. Just remove when you are home. Takes up the same space in the garage as the bike rack

Strap your Missus to the roof, bike in the car. Job done.

They’re all fairly noticeable but I think the combo of a set of Whispbars (that fit between the rails) and a Thule 561 (mounts front hub to rack) is probably as close as you’re going to get both in terms of looks and noise.

I use this above (plus a wheel bag for the front wheel) and originally planned to remove them when not in use… they’ve never come off the car. Only thing worth noting is if you’ve a sun roof you may have clearance issues with the low profile bars.

The 591 is a bit less of a faff as you don’t have to remove the front wheel but IMO not as secure or as neat a solution as the 561.

Thule wingbars here too attached to Volvos roof blades, bit of a stretch getting the bike on the roof of my XC60 but only do it occasionally. I have to open the rear doors, lift bike onto rack, strap wheels in, let go!!!! then lift up the securing bar and clamp the downtube..

Never done this in a breeze and I’m not looking forward to the first day I have to either. 🙄

Normally the bikes in the car, I mean thats the point of an “estate” innit, but occasionally I have a couple of folks in there too, hence the rack.