I’m looking for a way to carry three bikes on my Octavia VRS hatchback. I’m not all that keen on a boot carrier so was looking at roof mounted options. Does anyone use carriers that go on the roof and can fit three bikes on? I’m thinking it’ll be a bit of a tight fit widthways and don’t really want to have to turn bars etc. Otherwise, can someone recommend a high mounted boot carrier for three bikes that doesn’t obscure the number plate and lights etc as I don’t have electrics for a separate number plate board?
Cheers.

Got three Thule racks on the roof of our Volvo v60

Not really much hope on the rear as the bikes go where the lights and plate is normally. Are you sure you can’t get a power out? I thought most modern cars just had a plug in there.

Can get four on the roof of mine just slide the racks on so the bikes are top to tail if that makes sense.

2006 so not particularly modern really.
I have seen some high mounted rear carriers but seeing as I need some roof bars anyway I thought I’d have a look at roof mounted ones. All the pictures seem to just show two bikes on top. Maybe I could mount the center carrier backwards so the bikes bars don’t clash? Just a thought?

Oops. Seems you beat me to that idea then.
What make and model cycle mounts do you have shredder?

@chopper thats what im saying

1 fwd >
1 back <
1 fwd >

etc etc

Thule carriers on Thule bars notning fancy / different.

Mate has an Octavia vrs estate and 3 bikes top to tail on the roof is easy.

3 on the roof is easy, I’ve got thule 591s, you need to turn the locking mechanism around on one carrier so that it’s still accessible from the side you’re loading from if you want to be able to top and tail them.

I’ve had four on an Astra. Didn’t need to change the arm.

If you want more space on roof bars, make sure you get the aero bars rather than standard bars. You can then use the T track connectors, rather than clamps that wrap around the bars and you get much more usable space as you can mount carriers further out on the bars, directly above the “feet”. I’ve done four this way with no trouble on a 3 series, which isn’t particularly wide.

That’s sorted that then, so thanks.
Second question. Frame mount vs fork mount?
The only time a friend put my bike on his frame mounted carrier, there was a bit of mud caught in the clamp and it rubbed a lovely area of paint off my frame.
So…I’m thinking fork mounted, but what about different axle sizes? Mine’s quick release but do they take various sizes without having to buy special adapters?

I have both but for four up, I’d say 591s.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/rmAs4w]Loaded[/url] by woldspinner, on Flickr

It’s worth considering using Thule sidebars

yeah they do various axle mounts, but they aint cheap

got 3 bikes + a roofbox on my mates thule bars to france last year

take the pedals off and uf necessary rotate the bars round for easier mounting

I’ve just bought Thule slidebars and as mentioned you can go wider than the feet, unlike the aero bars giving you lots more t track. Mine come out slightly beyond the roof but not beyond the side panels….so doesn’t
T look as sleek or trendy as wrap around aero look but I’ll definitely be able to get 4 on there when alternating front back.

I can cram three 591’s with modern medium sized trail bikes with 760-800 bars on top of my Alfa – just. It’s tight, and wind noise is more noticeable than with two more centrally.

YMMV. Depends how wide your roof is. The Alfa tapers quite sharply. I’d think more than three and you’d be approaching SWL for most bars and more importantly rooves. It’s not really intended as a weight bearing member…

I’ve had 4 thule 591s on the roof of my octavia Estate. Top and tail them, drop the saddles and jobs a gooden. It does act like a sail though!

Agree with all above regarding the Thule 591 being possible 3 up. Got an old passat and square bars and the clamp from the bar to the roof rail is the only limitation of getting a fourth that the aero solution suggested will solve.

Only word of caution is that if you go aero make sure you always want a specific number of carriers on the roof. You can leave the T brackets in the aero bars but you need to cut the rubber trim to space out the brackets. Once you’ve cut the rubber trim for the spacing for ‘n’, you’ll get horrendous wind-noise if you then switch the set up to n + 1 or even, controversially, n – 1.

+1 for the Thule solution.

There’s loads of flexibility with the mounting options to ensure the bikes fit, before you need to worry about removing pedals and twisting the bars.
4 x Thule roof bars – Octavia