Can anyone recommend a bike rack? Ford Fiesta

I am sure this has been covered all over the internet – but I tend to think you lot are a straight talking bunch and was wondering if anyone could recommend a good bike rack for my ’64 plate 4-door Ford Fiesta?

I have always just gotten away with taking one or both wheels off to put my bike in the back of the car, but it does cause issues. Say if my wife and I go on a trip and bring my bike; it requires some serious jenga with my Enduro bike with both wheels off alongside our bags.

Keep on having to put down sheets etc, make sure my bike is cleaned straight away, and avoid pressing the brake lever. Also for example if we want to give someone a lift we can’t, and just the general time it takes. I’m sure you know the woes.

My car doesn’t have roof bars, nor a tow bar. I am not really a “car guy” and don’t drive all that often so I am not wanting to have to make car changes if it can be avoided. Would be carrying either my Enduro bike or my carbon road bike (so the clamp system needs to be suitabe). If it could take 2 bikes for trips with friends then that would be a bonus but not crucial.

From your real world experience, is one of those Saris Bones ones good? Any other recommendations?

Left field option – sucker-type roof rack? The rock bros rip-off version of the Seasucker one is reasonably-priced and well-reviewed. You can switch it between cars and avoids need for a light bar that some rear racks generate, due to obscuring tail lights.

@drlex – thanks for the recommendation! My colleague was trying to punt one to me a few years ago, but for some reason I did not trust it. I might look into that option again, I had read some concerning stuff but I am sure they have gotten better and better. Is there a way to lock the bike on there? Say if I am nipping into the Green Welly Stop.

Partner just sold a Saris Bones – Went for a decent price (to the buyer!) on ebay – I’d have a look on there cos there’s a load of second hand ones hardly used (like hers was).

I always used a Halfords £35 job on my cars, went from a Saab 9-3, Mondeo, Passat etc. had 3 bikes on a 3 hour drive back from Exeter recently.. the only benefit from spending out on a fancy Saris or similar is it’s quicker to rack the bikes up. Otherwise they are all much of a muchness.. until you start transporting beefy ebikes that is.

ps. even with a £600 Westfalia, if you don’t fit the thing properly, you can still have a disaster or close to it!

Hmm, can’t embed links anymore parp

On a Fiesta, you’d probably need electrics for a light board to be legal with bikes on the back, so you may as well just get a cheap towbar fitted just for the ease of rack fitting and loading.

I’d go for roof bars and a Thule bike carrier if it were me, often available cheap from FB marketplace or similar.

I know you say you don’t have roof bars on the car but you can fit some for not too much money – https://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehsel3.php?emulate=roofbar&query=7666&srsltid=AfmBOopcxqMD-Zlynlfs-X5kJ3T4rgIQh75qgHZ_NXSSGxu8C7xY9N7E

Saris Bones 2 – the way the bikes are positioned meant I didn’t need a numberplate or lights for my golf and it is super easy to load/unload and really stable.  Love it.

Get yourself a saris gran fondo 2nd hand off eBay.

Came here to recommend Roofbox but hooli beat me to it.  Very knowledgeable, excellent service.

I have roof bars with Thule Pro Ride and Free ride carriers attached. These ended up fixed permanently on my previous car. Easy to use without faffing with the bikes.

I’ve also a Halfords 4 bike tow bar carrier left over from the now departed campervan. This was even easier to use but had a (not insurmountable) impact on parking and wouldn’t work with longer wheelbase mtbs.

I’ve borrowed a friend’s Sea Sucker two bike rack as Tesla roof bars are currently unavailable (and ludicrously expensive),  if you are happy popping the front wheel off, I can’t see why you’d need anything else. Did the run from London to French Alps happily without peeling the glass roof off or losing suction. We stayed at 70mph with the odd 80mph blip to overtake.

I would never leave any decent bike attached externally on a vehicle unattended, locked or otherwise.

+1 for one of the Rock Bros suction racks.  I’ve had one for years, but not used it for a while.  I used it for 2 years straight though on top of an Octavia in all weathers and it was solid.

I’ve never heard or seen anyone say they have had one fail.  I’d have used it on my current car (Nissan Cube), but it’s got a funny roof with channels in it.

If my next car has a suitable roof I’ll be either using this one again, or buying a fresh one!

I know what you mean, they are a bit of a leap of  faith at first. I’d honestly trust it more than my current roof bars and Thule carriers 🙂

I have a Rockbros suction rack and it’s been fine. It does take a bit more time to prep and fit than others and I have had one sucker come undone but that was totally my fault for rushing and not installing it properly. I’d happily recommend them to other people.

I had to return a Bones after trying it on my wife’s previous gen focus, as the straps rubbed on the plastic spoiler, and it only fitted 1 out of the three bikes we had.

Now on roof bars and a mix of Thule 598 and Yakima High Road, both are great, except the Thule can be a pita around water bottle cages. If starting again I’d go with ones that clamp by the wheels. They’re more expensive but just fit everything without hassle.

There’s an era of Ford Fiesta that isn’t approved for roof rack use.  Vehicle check on roofbox.co.uk suggests it’s only the 3 door (2008-2017) that’s impacted so OP is probably ok.

You should be able to check that through Roofbox by putting in the reg no. Into the find parts box.

Boot rack would probably have to be wheels out and high up to not obscure lights and number plate.

If it were me I’d get a roof rack and carrier (I like this method anyway).  I reckon there’s less risk of an error than with a sea sucker in installing and you can do both wheels on.

I’ve have the same car and was fed up of getting the inside filthy after a ride, I went with the Rock Bros mount and its been perfect.

I ordered it from the Rock Bros eBay store as it was cheaper than Amazon and I got the Thru axle adaptors for free.

I managed to a get an additional rear wheel sucker for free (long story!) so I put the front wheel on the roof using the free sucker and lean it towards the cross bar (tie it with a strap) and it supports the bike even more to stop it wobbling.

Very nervous using it for the first time but I’m a little bit better now after using it for 18 months!

I liked the Seasucker roof mount enough to get the solo version for boot use.

Recovering daughter’s bike one day.

Edit: can’t post an image. Bah!

Slight hijack, for those of you using the roof sucker type racks, does anyone use it on a fixed glass panoramic roof? I’ve got a Fiat 500 with one which runs pretty much from the front windscreen so it would need to be on the glass for the fork mount. I’d rather go with this solution as opposed to a towbar as it would work out a lot cheaper I think than getting one fitted and then have to get a towbar mounted rack. Only ever need to take one bike too.

I think the instructions advise against using it on a glass roof but I’m sure there are plenty of Tesla owners using them.

When it’s on my roof (without the spare wheel supporting it) the bike will rock a small amount, if I really rock it left and right you can see the roof skin flexing.

I guess the risk is that the glass roof won’t flex like a roof skin does.

Trying again on the image posting.

I think Ford sell Thule roof bars. The price was reasonable last time I checked (although that was for a Focus) and at least you know they fit if buying from there.

Then Thule carriers from wherever you get the best price, would be the standard answer.

Otherwise maybe suction cups, as above.

think the instructions advise against using it on a glass roof but I’m sure there are plenty of Tesla owners using them.

I emailed Sea Sucker on this and received a reply which advised that reports of cracked roofs were on early Model 3s and were in their opinion from faulty roof installations.

They told me I was fine to use their product on a model Y…

The Tesla online manual advises against using any non Tesla products on their vehicles.

There are Facebook images online from Sea Sucker showing the front rack positioned right at the back of the roof near the rear cross member, this puts the rear wheel on the boot lid at the base of the rear screen. I imagine this reduces the amount of stress on the panoramic glass roof.

We were overtaken by a Dutch plated model Y, with 2 bikes fully on the roof, they were hammering along obviously unconcerned…

@tuboflard drop Sea Sucker an email and see what they say.