Viewing 23 posts - 1 through 23 (of 23 total)
  • Roof bars v rear mounted rack
  • justa
    Free Member

    Need to buy a carrier that will carry two bikes – I know towbar mounted is the best but for how much it will get used I’m not spending the £££££££ – my car only takes a detachable bar that costs about £300 !

    So roof bars with 2 carriers v a rear mounted rack i.e Halford advanced metal clamp ?

    I think roofbars are more solid but I know they hammer fuel economy – what do people use on here and whats the best ?

    cheers

    PePPeR
    Full Member

    I use a tow bar mounted rack, I reckon it won’t take much longer judging to get the money back over the roof mounted rack, once you take the dreadful fuel economy into account.

    My friend had a petrol car and when we used that to go to Wales it jsut drank the juice like it was going out of fashion, with my Sedona with the tow bar rack it makes no difference to my fuel consumption at all.

    Munqe-chick
    Free Member

    Don’t use either put both bikes in the car with seats down. Too expensive to risk it! borrowed a friends bike rack (rear mounted) and it was hideous constantly thought it was goign to fall off, was shaky and looked very insecure! I just want a bigger car for ease when putting bikes inside!!

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middling Edition

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middlin...
    Latest Singletrack Videos
    maxsatnav
    Free Member

    dont bother chuck the bikes in the car (hatchback or estate helps here) save you ££££££s for some bling and fuel

    I do

    Garry_Lager
    Full Member

    The rear mounted rack will be cheaper and should be very safe, provided you get a half decent one. One that threads the straps inside the car is good for piece of mind, no way can that fall off. Roof racks will be more expensive, way less safe IMO, and hammer the mileage. If you’re as absent-minded as I am there’s also a good chance of totalling the bike when you drive into a garage or something.

    Only hassle with the rear racks is that they can scratch **** out of your car and bikes if you’re not careful. Depends on the design I suppose, but I was forever arsing around with padding etc to stop the bikes rubbing / straps grinding the car boot.

    Richyb
    Free Member

    My opinion is that you’re much better putting them on the roof. I used to carry them on a rear roof rack and it was a pain, they scratched my car, took a lot of securing and fettling and were a constant distraction when driving. Obviously rear tow mounted has some advantages but I really think the best place for your bikes is up on top of the car. The only argument against is fuel economy but that is massively outweighed by the practical advantages and reality of use. It’s just so much easier to put a usually dirty bike straight on top of your car when finishing a ride, no messing around undoing wheels and messing around with straps etc.. And the bike is locked away essentially out of reach. I’m always amazed how much this is discussed on here, as far as Im concerned getting some decent roof racks has revolutionized my week in, week out biking experience,its easily worth the extra tenner or whatever lost in fuel economy.

    justa
    Free Member

    I need some sort of rack – can’t fit two bikes, three people, a dog and luggage into my car…..

    good point about totalling the bike when you drive under something low…

    rack wise i was thinking of the mont blanc easygrip with a shed load of copter tape on my car to stop it getting scratched

    geoffj
    Full Member

    I’m with RichyB – on the roof, up out of the way. Our petrol Passat estate loses about 15% on the mpg. Thule 591s and aero bars are the best way IMHO.

    ebygomm
    Free Member

    Use a Thule proride similar to the one you’ve pictured. No towbar and no money to get one at the time, so only option was a rear mounted one. But it’s been great, it’s absolutely rock solid, boot needs to be opened to remove it so it’s ‘locked’ to the car, tyre rails mean no fiddling and adjusting like with some of ones you hang the bikes on, doesn’t obscure lights/numberplate. It does affect the fuel consumption a bit on longer motorway journeys, but if we’re going far we tend to put the bikes in the car, bike rack used for more local trips. A lot of the places we go have the height barriers on the car parks which is why I wouldn’t go for a roof rack.

    uplink
    Free Member

    Be careful – it is very easy to forget you’ve got bikes on the roof

    RDL-82
    Free Member

    got one of these and had no problems, and fuel doesnt seem to be effected, but i dont pay that much attention anyway tbh.

    rear mount rack

    justa
    Free Member

    uplink – ouch, thing is i could see me doing that…..

    RDL-82 – thats a low rise one so prolly won’t affect fuel economy as much – but you will need a lighting board etc…

    sootyandjim
    Free Member

    The only argument against is fuel economy……

    Not sure where you usually ride but a hell of a lot of the car parks I park in when I go MTBing have height restriction beams.

    I’m sure I’m not the only person who has forgotten the bike is up their as he pulled into a car park equipped as such.

    😳

    In my ever-so-humble opinion (gained having used the three main options) and in the order that I would recommend.

    – If you can put them inside. Buy a cheap bike bag if you are worried about dirt or even cheaper, a couple of black plastic bags.

    – Rear tow ball mounted rack. Unless fitted by numpty they are rock solid. My prefered method if I’m carrying all the family bikes.

    – Decent rear tailgate mount rack. Before I got a tow bar rack I picked up a Thule tailgate mount rack cheap at a Halfords sale and unlike their own brand rack or others of the ilk they are rock solid. The only problem is that the hooks that attach at the top of the tailgate ca cause paint wear if you don’t pad them out a bit.

    – Roof mount. Really the last option. You’ll use more fuel, you may forget they are up there and drive under a heigh restriction beam (doh) and if the better racks aren’t completely rock solid, as an old bike of mine found out as it bounced off the bonnet after the mate who was driving that day’s fairly expensive roof mount rack (Mont Blanc Barracuda) it was well secured to before moving off failed after an emergency stop.

    Yes I’ve not had much luck with roof mount racks which may have clouded my judgement slightly but thats my tup’ence worth.

    Popocatapetl
    Full Member

    I ‘ve got a halfords advanced metal clamp that cost about £60 last summer. it is easy to mount, takes only seconds( i reguarly swap it between a Ford focus and a BMW 3 series) and comes with spare mount bars for swapping different vehicles. it is a boot/high mount and doesn’t require a separate lighting board (dependent on your vehicle). Pros- quick to mount and easy to use, takes 3 bikes e.g. a fuel ex8, a Hoo koo e koo and the nippers 20″er. Cons- scratches the hatch back lip to bits! easy solution – evo stick some old inner tube to the clamping faces, job done.

    Richyb
    Free Member

    I ride in and around west Yorkshire essentially, I ride every tuesday night all year around Hudds/Halifax/Calderdale area and weekends away in the lakes and elsewhere (3 to 4 times a year), I used a rear mounted rack for about 2years including a trip to the alps and I would reccomend roof bars and rack to anyone, it’s seriously improved my biking, there’s only one height barrier I have to remember up at the flouch. It’s just a small factor far outweighted by the practicalities of having roof racks.

    RDL-82
    Free Member

    @ justa cant comment on the light board as my license plate is low down in the bumper and is clearly visable, but obviously every car different

    sootyandjim
    Free Member

    I’m slightly puzzled that getting a different means of carrying your bike on your car seriously improved your biking!

    Even though I had bad experiences going to/from the places I used my MTB with roof mount racks the riding has always been as good. With the bike rack attached to the car and me being on a bike, in the hills, the actual means of getting said bike to said hills couldn’t really have much effect on the enjoyment of my riding.

    oxnop
    Free Member

    I have 2 roof mounted Thule carriers, one is the version where you take the front wheel off (which I cant fault) and one where both wheels stay on.

    After 3 yrs of trouble free use the latter came a cropper on way to Llandegla on friday as the middle bit that holds the bike upright decided to fail and the bike fell over while I was in the fast lane on motorway!!

    Luckily my missus’ meta fell into my bike, it made a right ding and after noticing that about 10 cars behind me flashing we realised something was up. Im off to Halfrauds tom to buy another like the one I use for my bike as I think its are safer and makes much less noise.

    Popocatapetl
    Full Member

    Richyb
    Free Member

    Sorry but that’s my feeling it’s made things quicker, easier and less stressfull especially as I’m usually carrying a mates dirty bike as well.

    sootyandjim
    Free Member

    Oxnop – I may have the entire clamp section for one of those Thule downtube carriers available if you’d like it for nowt.

    It was the only bit to survive my coming together with a height restriction beam unscathed (the tray bit was totalled).

    Blurboy
    Free Member

    I run 4 racks on the roof of a 4×4..need to use steps but no issues in 5 years+ use. Racks easy to swop from car to car and feel more secure locked on roof out of way. No issues of boot access and added advantage of arriving home with washed bikes when it’s raining. Economy not really an issue if only using once a week ish.

    oxnop
    Free Member

    Cheers sootyandjim for the offer but I dont trust that kind of carrier now! I dont know if you ever found yours to be unstable when in use, i did. I’ll be pleased to see it go.

Viewing 23 posts - 1 through 23 (of 23 total)

The topic ‘Roof bars v rear mounted rack’ is closed to new replies.