I have the Thule Aero bars on my car, but the wind noise is doing my head in. I usually leave the bike carriers (pair of Thule Proride 951s) on the car for convenience.

My bike rack/bars are fitted according to the instructions (onto a BMW 3 series estate, with the newer lower/flush type roof rails). The wind noise seems worse than when I had the same kit fitted to an old shape Passat estate and my old Nissan Juke company car.

Are there any tips for reducing the wind noise and is it worth upgrading to the newer style of bars. They are supposed to reduce noise, drag and be more efficient, but are more expensive.

Any tips welcome.

I had aero bars with 3 Thule 591’s on my 3 tourer (a 10 plate with the older rails) and it was noisy over 60. I now have the wing bars and same 591’s on a new 5 tourer with the flush rails and it is a lot quieter. Don’t know if its the wing bars, the flush rails or the car.

I think the bike carriers cause the noise rather than the bars though

Oh, have you got them as far back as poss ?

Wingbars on a mk5 golf with three 591’s on.

Anything over 45mph and it whistles badly.

Don’t waste your money

Have you put the rubber strips in place down the centre?
Took me a while to realise putting them in really helps with the wind noise!! I just cut them either side if the bike carrier.

I have whispbars. They whistled like a mofo over 50mph until I replaced the rubber strip that I’d removed to make fitting the racks easier.

It’s harder to fit the racks now but it’s very much worth it. Silence..

I have 2 sets of rubbers. One for the 591’s (holes cut out for 9 bolts) and 1 set uncut when 591’s aren’t fitted.

Still whistles like a mofo regardless of whether the rubber strips are fitted or not. The bars on their own with uncut rubbers are silent. I’ve had them up to silly speeds with no noise & very little change in mpg

Huh, I had hardly any noise from bars, 591s and bikes all up there.

The bars on their own with uncut rubbers are silent. I’ve had them up to silly speeds with no noise & very little change in mpg

That’s handy for those people who like driving around with empty roofbars. I just saved my pennies and bought square bars after much consideration.

honda aero bars on my CTR mule and no noticeable noise with bike fitted to 591.

Thanks for all your comments. Seems to be quite a few different results, depending upon individual situations. Does look like the bike mounts themselves make things worse.

I have fitted the rubber strips. I cut them around the bike carriers. However, I don’t think they fit very well (as I had already cut them to fit on the Nissan Juke set up). Perhaps there are small gaps in the gutter where the rubber and bike mounts don’t meet, which don’t help. I think I also have not bothered fitting the rubber on the small bit of underside of the bars this time, it looked like a bit of a faff.

I think the bars are as far back as possible – the bike carriers can’t go too much further back as otherwise the back will touch the boot when it is opened.

My brother has a xc60 and has taken the wing bars off, as he said it whistled badly on the roof.

I know in the USA people quite often use those fairings/spoilers (they usually have the brand in massive letters on them, i.e. Yakima/Thule etc), but I am not sure I am ‘outdoors enough’ for that…

I just turn the music up.

I used to keep the Thules on my Mark IV Golf all the time, and there was a bit more wind noise, but nothing that bad at motorway speeds. Standard bars and the 1st gen bike racks where you took the front wheel off (no idea what model).

I just depressed the rubber to fit my 591s. That may help.

i have wing bars and on their own they are almost silent, but with the 591 on they make a noise. The noise / wind resistance from the 591 and bike is way more than the bars give.
i had aero bars for my previous car and the wings are quiter on their own, but not really any different with the racks fitted.

I would save your money.