Bikes on the roof in the wind

Given that it’s stupidly windy out there, and I’m driving two and a half hours to BPW tomorrow, should I be concerned about slinging a bike on the roof rack (Thule 591) or am I being a massive idiot in even beginning to be worried ?

The bikes usually safe against a constant 70mph wimd on the roof anyway, can’t see a variable 25mph extra being an issue

glasgowdan – Member

The bikes usually safe against a constant 70mph wimd on the roof anyway, can’t see a variable 25mph extra being an issue

Not usually a 70 mph side wind though.

Bye bye anodised finish……I used to use a wrap of inner tube to protect the paintwork when using roof carriers for that reason.
I don’t worry now they’re in the back of a van 😆

Lucky the forecast is 25-30 then and not 70?

Gusting to 50 though – 20-30 is fine, it’s the gusts I’m a little concerned about

I think you’re a bit of a thule for even going to BPW tomorrow. Downhill tracks and jumps are not fun at all when it’s very windy.

Given a choice I would pop it inside if I could find a way as it might make for a comfier ride if nothing else.

davidtaylforth – Member
I think you’re a bit of a thule for even going to BPW tomorrow. Downhill tracks and jumps are not fun at all when it’s very windy

Yeah, because I got the choice of the weather when I booked an uplift

Yeah, because I got the choice of the weather when I booked an uplift

Seriously?

Why book it for a windy day then? Or do the other ones sell out to quickly?

I really can’t decide if you’re just trolling now

Why cant you put the bikes in the car?

He is!!!!!!!!!

The problem with having bikes on the roof anyway is fuel consumption is affected. You’ve also got to keep your wits about you more, as it’s quite common to drive under a low barrier and damage your bikes and/or car.

If you regularly make these sort of trips, it might be worth considering a van?

it’s quite common to drive under a low barrier and damage your bikes and/or car.

Really? Classic dtf post!

My road bike has been ok on the roof in all weathers recently. Drive 70miles a day commuting with it (cycle the last few miles into city centre).
Bit of frame-rub but copes with 85mph and recent gusty winds with no issues.

Seriously?

Bikes will be fine. Enjoy bpw tomorrow.
I would stay off the big cable thing though.

A mate and I drove to North Yorkshire on the motorways a few years ago with two delicate carbon road bikes on Thule 591 roof mounts in tbe remains of Hurricane Whoever.

Conditions were so bad that day that Ben Swift abandoned the event.

The bikes, car and 591s all survived unscathed.

Some tosh on here

I have no issues in high wind with those carriers, in fact my mate driving behind me this morning commented on how little they were moving.

Not everyone want to put shit up bikes in their car.

Fuel consumption decline is barely noticeable and the convenience makes it worth it.

As for regularly driving into low barriers 🙄

Fuel consumption difference are huge. I get about 60 mpg at 80 ish no bikes, drops to late 30’s with bikes

Cheers guys,

Played it safe in the end and found a tarp for the inside of the car. Sure the carriers would probably have been fine, but when I saw the guy pulled over on the M4 with a snapped carrier (not a thule one though) I was a little glad I had or that’d have made me nervous if mine’d been on the roof too.

Can’t say I’ve noticed much of a difference in fuel economy with a bike on the roof either, least not huge. Guess compared to the slab of a focus I drive, it’s not that much extra resistance.

All in, decent day out there today, though a little shame there were a few closures.

Be thankful you’ve never experienced your cycle carrier coming away from the roof rack on a dual carriageway and seeing your beloved bike bouncing along the road with other drivers swerving to avoid.

Crossed forth road bridge when closed to high siders with bikes on roof. Had to stop afterwards as wind had twisted one front wheel round. Bar and ratchets held fine but high volume tyre allowed the wheel to twist. Thule 591.

Bruk. Guess that was since tolls were abolished. Was once sent over kincardine when it was gusty on the way to the puffer.

I’ve never understood single people or pairs driving around with bikes displayed like trophies on the roof or boot. Just madness. Take them apart and they will fit inside most cars where they’re safe.

I’ve never understood single people or pairs driving around with bikes displayed like trophies on the roof or boot. Just madness. Take them apart and they will fit inside most cars where they’re safe.

They are safe if someone stays with the car as opposed to the faff of taking bikes apart and getting the car dirty etc.I personally would not do any real journey if I was riding myself, probably half hour tops.

I’ve never understood single people or pairs driving around with bikes displayed like trophies on the roof or boot. Just madness. Take them apart and they will fit inside most cars where they’re safe.

And get your nice clean car covered in shit after a wet muddy ride?
What’s the problem in keeping you care clean and keeping the bike outside.
If it rains on the way home you might even get your bike washed.

I want to save the cost of fuel instead of having a massive steel sail on my car so I undo the QR on the wheel and stick it in the car, an old curtain keeps the car clean

I’ve never understood single people or pairs driving around with bikes displayed like trophies on the roof or boot. Just madness. Take them apart and they will fit inside most cars where they’re safe.

Depends on the car and bikes. We have a small car and the bikes do fit if we take the wheels and seat posts out, but its so much easier to stick them on the rack (tow bar rack). It also gives us more space inside the car if we are going to an event or holiday. On my own i’d still use the rack for convenience.

Duplicate, oops

globalti – Member
I’ve never understood single people or pairs driving around with bikes displayed like trophies on the roof or boot. Just madness.

I use a Saris Bones for my bike on family hols / trips away etc. Once you have a child and a dog, there’s no chance of getting a dismantled bike even in an estate as well… Yes, it’s a pain when you stop for lunch / need to let the dog out for a pee but it’s either that or leave the bike behind (or the dog or the kid but had no success there).

I’ve had a bike lifted off a Thule rear rack in really high winds. A massive gust just lifted it, snapped the retaining straps, it bounced down the M60 and was run over by an artic. There wasn’t much left of it 🙁

Bikes always go inside the car since then. Having said that, I don’t think I’ve ever driven in winds that high. It was horrendous!

My 2 rear passengers would be delighted if i put my bikes on their lap on the way home from centre parcs in a couple of hours.

I’ll take the chance on the roof.

Are people really worried about fuel consumption with bikes on the roof for just one or two journeys? I’s about 0.5p per journey difference.

The bikes will be fine (as you may have found out already). High winds are not very high in reality and the forces acting on the bike as a result of wind resistance are not very much at all – hardly the steel sail as someone referred to. I’ve seen a video on YouTube of someone stealing a bike off a Thule 591. He successfully stole it but he had to climb on top of the car and yank on the bike with all his body weight for a good couple of minutes before it finally gave up and released the bike, so they are actually quite strong and easily able to withstand very high winds.

If I were leaving the car unattended in a car park for any length of time or overnight i’d put them inside the car, but apart from that one and only scenario, putting bikes in cars is what people do before they invest in a decent set of roof bars and a Thule 591.

aside from the fact that the OP is sorted, just drive slower, which you should in these conditions anyway!

I had a bit of a scare with my Mukluk on mine. Coming over the Huntly -> Tomintoul road in horrendous conditions.

Up until that point (I’d not long had it), I’d been using a single bungee on the front wheel, which had been fine all the way up the A90, but as conditions deteriorated the front wheel pivoted and the bike twisted in the carrier (Thule 591) and ended up on it’s side (but over the roof).

Thankfully no damage was done to bike or car. But I use three straps on the front wheel now. Never had any issues with 29/29 etc, as the tyre sits in the trough better.

A trip several years ago Driving with two DH bikes on the roof of a Corsa to go and ride at Mountain Ash (pretty much the same trip as driving to BPW) put me well off roof mounted racks: didn’t help fuel consumption, and certainly didn’t help the stability of an already pretty unstable car in cross winds and driving rain, helped clean the bikes up a bit though…

In an ideal world I would carry bikes fully assembled inside the car, but while have a car big enough to do that, more often than not there are other passengers and often multiple bikes, so bikes on the back is often the best practicable solution for me…

Decent Boot liners, or even a nice big tarp are good investments whatever you do, simply to keep the crud from bikes or just muddy kit from getting ground into the car’s linings…

Not everyone want to put shit up bikes in their car.

That’s what tarps are for. Seriously, it’s not a difficult problem to solve.

FunkyDunc – Member
Fuel consumption difference are huge. I get about 60 mpg at 80 ish no bikes, drops to late 30’s with bikes

You use 1.5x the normal amount of fuel due to bikes on the roof? Sounds unlikely…