[Closed] what car bike racks?

Used a tow bar ones for 22 years, the first one in 1987 we made and then added to it as the girls came along, bought a Thule 2 years ago and thats ok for 4 bikes

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Tracey

could the wind bend the rotor?

How fast are you planning to drive !!?

I don't think it makes a great deal of difference whether you have a roof or boot mounted system. Racks are a very clear case of "You get what you pay for" . Cheap racks will damage your car, and your bike, well designed ones will fit, and look after your bike. I've never heard of disc rotors being bent in the wind though.

Spend as much as you can, or accept the fact that your boot's going to get mucky occasionally.

I have bot a tow bar mounted and rear hatch mounted carrier. The rear hatch carrier made a right mess of my car after 1 use. ended up with a small golf ball size dent where the sucker went. Bought a tow bar one and is really good, but I am now thinking of a roof mounted one. Problem with tow bar one is you need to take it off when you are not using it or you wont be able to park. Roof rack system probably works out more expensive, but put it on once and forget about it.

could the wind bend the rotor?

How fast are you planning to drive !!?

say a ton on motorway. i know the rotors bend pretty easing with minimal force on them just worried the force of wind could bend them? i guess its not happened to anyone haha

to be honest im not really that arsed about the car i ragg it all over to get to trails but i am bothered about the bike so will a cheap one put my bike at risk im looking to spend around 40 maybe more and carry up to 3 bikes... pretty cheap i know.

Come to Glasgow and I'll give you one for free if you don't mind it ****in your car lol 🙂

thule roof system all in is about 150 for the roof rack plus 70 squid for each bike rack, where as their tow ball one is about 200 squidlys. I think you are heading for a world of pain and the horrible anguish of watching your beloved bike bounce down the motorway all the way until it goes under the wheels of a truck, from the miniature widscreen of your rear view mirror; if you go for the cheap option. it's a bit like helmets....how much do you like your head the shape it is now? Pay for peace of mind!

i bought a value roof rack and some cheapo roof mounts from halfords a few years back it was good for a few trips to switzerland when i was living overseas but ive now got the thule 591 racks and they are so much better, probably not anymore secure id say but they are so much easier to use and adjust than the cheap ones

andyRT you give me nightmares mate!

I got a Thule 3 bike tow bar rack that hold 3 bikes for 100. Comes with a lifetime guarantee so cant be that bad. Got it from Halford the middle of last year.

£40 - You are going to struggle. If you already have roof rails, then you can get cross-bars and bike carriers in halfrauds for pretty reasonable money - but from memory still a fair bit more than £40.

The turbulent wind at a ton tumbling around behind your car won't bend your discs though.

i went for the roof option as we need access to the boot, got a thule outride 561. it's awesome, for a rack! works a treat, easy to use. what else can you say?!

this one:
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(not my bike or car!)

in fact, this one:

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my bike and our old car!

thule

Do you ever ride from a car park with a height restriction on it? If so, do not get a roof-mounted rack unless you can guarantee you will always remember the bike is on top...

id have been better with one of those flatboy as with the full bike on my little old fiesta the bike looks huge its over front and back of the roof 😉

i'm so nervous about putting my bike on them and that sort are lower and look more secure to me, with the locked QR mount for the fork. seems to work pretty well, and doesn't stick up so much!

I've got a Paddy Hopkirk Snowdon strap-on (fnarr fnarr) rack that you can have for £30 (less than half price) if you're anywhere near the M25?

Only used it a couple of times before I changed car.

I agree that you're unlikely to get anything decent for £40. the very cheapest racks strap onto the car (causing scratches and dents and lots of scary wobbling) and give you two long poles onto which you just pile up the bikes. you're left having to strap the bikes on any way you can. they're really not very good.

You get what you pay for definitely.

We've tried a few of the cheaper options and now use a towbar mounted, wheel-support Pendle, which we've been using for about 8 years.

We can get into the boot, even with bikes on the rack. We usually remove the rack between rides, but that's just a matter of unplugging the electrics, pulling a split-pin and lifting the rack. it takes about 10 seconds and we store it on the drive. It doesn't stick out that far behind the car that parking's a problem, although it might be an issue of you've got a huge long estate, mondeo for example.

The rack's very stable at high motorway speeds and when having fun on twisty roads. I've never had a roof rack, but people who've had both say you get much better fuel economy with the bikes behind the car than on top. It's nice to be able to look in the mirror and see that the bikes are OK rather too.

The brake rotors haven't bent yet. 🙂

cheap option: take them in the car, and buy a cheap sheet to keep the mud off your interior.

sorry about the nightmares

haha yeah thats what i do now but am looking to go for longer trips so need the space in the car really.

and thanks chakaping but i live right up north nowhere near m25 which i am thinking is the ring around london? cheers though.

reckon ill go for a rear mounted or a trailer if i can afford one cos i am bound to forget that they are on top. especially after winding roads on the way to trails.

Thule 9402

remember if you do go for a tow bar mounted rack you might need to factor in the tow bar price as-well....not sure exactly how much that would be. Maybe £150ish?

nice one cheers folks