I need a roof mounted bike rack.

I’ve cough a few cough bikes!  MTB/ Cross/ road/ BMX.  So i’m looking for a carrier which will take them without adjustment.

I think that means i want fork mount of front wheel mount, rather than a frame mount – like a Thule 598. Will i have to move the arm back and forward between a big 29 and a bmx on a arm type rack?

I’m looking at Yakima frontrunner, Atera Giro AF but i’m undecifed about fork mounted racks.

I like the look of fork mounted racks – but appreciate they are a bit more work – I like to imagine this is me. In reality I’ll be driving my Wife’s Golf Match!

Thule 599 UpRide all the way. It’ll take them all down to 20″ and as it only clamps the wheels, not the frame, it’s good with crazy linkages and fragile plastic bikes. I have one and it switches between my MTB, road, gravel and my son’s road and CX bikes without even needing to be adjusted. Just shove ’em in and tighten it up.

The only downside is that, because it clamps the wheel, it’s not very mudguard-friendly, but I would say that this is its only drawback. Oh, and the £150 pricetag…

I’ve got a roof rack (aero, natch) with Thule 591 and 532 bike racks on them. They’ve taken the kids’ bikes with 16″ and 20″ wheels and adult bikes with 26, 650b, b+ and 29er wheels sized from 15 to 21″ frames, carbon, aluminium, steel…

The Thule racks are easy to adjust for different bikes – like a couple of seconds to slide the wheel clamps to teh right place. The main ‘arm’ that clamps to the frame can pivot freely so adjusts to whatever size bike you’re fitting with no hassle.

Cheers fellas.

The only downside is that, because it clamps the wheel, it’s not very mudguard-friendly, but I would say that this is its only drawback.

That’s going to be an issue.  Never even thought about that.  Might rule out fork mount too.

The Thule racks are easy to adjust for different bikes – like a couple of seconds

I’m learning so much!

I have some Atera Giro AF+ racks.

They’re the type that clamp the downtube.

Basically they fit anything with twenty seconds of effort.

To load up you put the bike on the rack and clamp the down tube. Then you slide the wheel chocks along the rack to meet the tyres, do up a wing nut to clamp the chocks in place and then ratchet straps through the wheels.

I can get four bikes loaded in about ten minutes (including turning handlebars on kids bikes due to bar/wheel clash).

I did find that I had to adjust the position of the wheel tray relative to the frame/roof bar clamps when I first set them up for my 29r and wife’s long front centre hardtail but my road bike and 26r fit in the new position. One time only job.

Mine came from http://www.roofbox.co.uk who do great package deals…

If you go on their website you’ll find great videos on set up and using nearly everything they sell and service has been too notch when I’ve ordered from them.

Bear in mind that fork mount might mean adaptors to fit varying hubs.

I use a 598, often switching between gravel and MTB with no adjustment bar a little slide of a wheel tray and tightening up straps and clamp.