MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
I haven't bought any in years. The last set just needed a new (well, used from eBay) footpack for a change in car but looks like I need new bars for just changed car.
Are Thule still the be-all-and-end-all?
What about these Wispbars? Any good? I like the idea (probably more the "look" 🙂 ) of enclosed bars, but I occasionally have to use them for transporting long lengths of skirting, and the slight overhang of traditional bars is useful for tying down loads I suppose, so I'll stick with the traditional for now.
As for Roof Boxes, pretty much everything looks better value than Thule. I do currently have my eye on a box on gumtree, pending negotiation. Is there any trade-off in quality with buying, say, Exodus? Thule seem to be a bit "How-bloody-much?" once you go for anything aero or with dual-opening, extra features etc.
https://www.roofbox.co.uk/ is the place to go.
I quite like the whispbars we have - they fit between the roof rails and the rubber filler in the track is compressible so you don't have to take it out to put stuff in there. You can get "overhang" ones too.
[s]No cheaper than Thule bars though.[/s] About £100 cheaper than Thule equivalent...
[quote> https://www.roofbox.co.uk/ is the place to go.
Yeah, I'm familiar with that site. I might be trying to go second hand this time round.
I quite like the whispbars we have
Are they really as quiet/fuel-efficient as they claim? They certainly look the business.
Roof box: I'm using a chuffing massive one we picked up from the local buy/sell FB group for £20 including square roof bars and a history of stickers.
As pictured here:
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Only opens on one side and we generally put a tension strap or two around it to make sure it stays shut. Not perfect, but crucially it didn't cost me £500+ 🙂
No doubt the correct STW response will be the [url= https://www.thule.com/en-gb/gb/cargo-carrier/car-top-carrier/thule-excellence-xt-_-611906 ]Thule Excellence XT - The world's most exclusive roof box (£ 1,150)[/url] 😀
Are they really as quiet/fuel-efficient as they claim? They certainly look the business.
Don't really notice the fuel efficiency, but they are quiet. Can't tell they are on the roof and leave them on all the time.
We've got Pro-Rack aero bars, pretty sure they were called Whispbars when we bought them (seven years ago). Seem to be called S-wing now, and have an elliptical cross-section whereas ours have a 'wing' shaped cross-section. Anyway, they are very, very quiet. I'm pretty sure I couldn't tell whether they're fitted or not just by the sound.
Recently bought a Hapro Traxer 6.6 roof box, which I'm very happy with. After the initial set-up it fits in about a minute, light enough for me to chuck up the roof bars of an SUV on my own (but easier with an assistant). Feels a little flimsy when opened up (but the same is true of all that I've tried, even Thule and Yakima) but is solid/rigid when locked. opening both sides is very handy.
Don't really notice the fuel efficiency, but they are quiet. Can't tell they are on the roof and leave them on all the time.
Yep, 598 on aero bars here and don't notice them at all.
Yep, 598 on aero bars here and don't notice them at all.
😯
You didn't mention... 😆
Anyway, Thule aero-bars or Wispas?
In the usual history of these things, I'll ignore what everyone else has written and tell you what I have:
[b]Bars:[/b] Cruz aluminimum. Notionally aero, but in reality pretty square and create a lot of noise when used without the box. Strong and useful for moving sheets of plywood around.
[b]Would I buy them again?[/b] No. I'd go for the most aero Thule or Wispbar I could.
[b]Box:[/b] I've got a Kamei (can't remember the model). Opens both sides (has been useful once or twice). Seems well built and has survived various trips and all sorts of overfilling. Haven't used it for the past couple of years but will always keep.
[b]Would I buy it again? [/b]Yes. Only PITA is storage when not on the car.
EDIT: box is a Kamei Corvara 310. All bought in 2011 from roofbox.co.uk and they were very helpful.
Tbh, I'm half-thinking of hiring. I can hire a bling Thule Excellence for a week for £35, local pick-up. Which doesn't seem bad value given the cost of buying anything half-decent.
Popular topic....
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/halfords-roof-box-and-bars
Thule stuff here, not that I actually use it much. Huge roof box that I picked for cheap a few years ago thanks to the owner listing it really badly on ebay 🙂
It lives in the garage, suspended on its side, flat against the wall and doesn't take up too much space really. I originally bought one of the Thule winch thingies to suspend it from the ceiling but having it at head height right in the middle of the garage was a PITA if you wanted to do anything in the garage without the car there.
Had Atera aero bars previously. They were good, came from roofbox, reasonable cost, very solid. Quiet-ish when on. Easy to put on or remove (5 minutes).
Have La Prealpina bars now. Cheaper, fittings not quite as nice as Atera, functionally work just fine though. Again, quiet-ish when they're on. Don't remove them very much.
Recently bought a set of G3 bars from Micks Garage for a trip home - pretty damn good for the money and noticed no difference with my old Atera bars except for a few extra minutes fitting them. Box wise I've a box that belonged to my folks, a Jetbag, made in West Germany! Noise wise no noticeable increase or decrease when compared to the Ateras. The Ateras are available for sale but I live in Ireland which could be an issue with postage.
our box is Karmei Corvara, plenty decent size. hoist up inside garage when not in use. remarkably simple to put on. from roof box as previous persons have said 🙂
But of course. After all, who doesn't love Tongue?
I again went to my cars $tealer and got a better deal than Thule etc. Bought a second hand Thule box from a guy off here a couple of years ago. Think he'd had it 4/5 years, still works perfectly so definitely worth the second hand sort of money.
Thule closed end aero bars with a long Kamei Dolphin. (All from roofbox.co.uk)
Get a long narrow box and you can get a bike or two next to it.
We have a 30 year old Halfords one on decade old at least Halfords square roof bars.
It's big, square, cheaply made and carries loads of crap at the expense of about 5-7mpg.
It only opens on one side.
We use it 3-4 times a year and it's fine for family holiday type stuff and has survived some shit weather.
I can't imagine spending Thule money on something like that which is usually just full of clothes and camping bits for such irregular use.