What MTB car rack and roof bars?

Hi I’ve got a Seat Leon (normal roof) I’m needing to get a roof rack and bike rack (long MTB 1265).
They seem expensive.
thule proride 598 seems to be the best runner.
Any suggestions?

I’d obviously like to keep the cost down but want something decent.

Cheers

⬆️

I’ve always used Thule – they are expensive (when you first make the outlay) but always lasted. It’s the car that gets replaced before my bars – when that happens you just have to purchase new mounts which makes it more reasonably priced. If you go to a Thule dealer it is possible to get all the locks to the same key – makes it so much easier.

Just seen that the Thule proride 591 is buy one get one half price in Halfords at the moment.
Not much use if you only want one though.

As above Thule are expensive initially but last forever.

I have a set of Thule Wingbars and footpacks I need to get rid of, from a Mk2 Focus. If they’re the right fit you can have them for a sensible price.

Only getting rid cos we changed to a much wider car with roof rails.

Square profile bars are cheaper than the aero bars – some people claim big differences in fuel economy between them both, but I’ve never seen the differences myself (admittedly I’ve not down a test of both bars on the same car).

Ebay tends to have decent deals if you know the codes for the individual parts, suspect Gumtree is also a good source.

some people claim big differences in fuel economy between them both

I’ve never understood this mentality. If I have the bars on then there’s also either a roof box or a bike up there. I doubt the bars make any different within that. The only reason I can see is if you’re leaving the bars on the car permanently, but mine only take 5 mins to fit or remove so not a problem.
I have Thule square bars and footpack. They were more expensive than others but it was the footpack design that made the choice for me – so much easier to fit and remove than other brands were.

I second the Thule racks. Not that I have used any of the well-made competitors but my 591 has been used literally daily for 5 years and still works flawlessly.

Most manufacturers use some variant of a Thule rack rebadged. So I have a mix of a BMW rack (Thule 591), a Volvo one (Thule 598, updated version of the same rack) and a Thule-branded Up-ride (599).

You can often find random brand ones cheaper if you can be arsed to search. I got the Volvo one from here (which is a good deal and great service) https://www.swedishcaraccessories.co.uk/aluminium-bicycle-bike-rack-thule-proride-598–100-p.asp

Having said that, you need to check the rack will actually fit your bike. I can just about fit my XL 5010 (1260mm WB) on the ProRide racks (591/598) but the frame clamp is in the wrong place and the wheel trays are at the limit of their extension. Which is not ideal, hence the new 599 which seems to fit the bike well, but NB my bike is 27.5. A 29er with the same WB would be tighter on that style of rack I think.

The only reason I can see is if you’re leaving the bars on the car permanently

I have never taken mine off. Apparently non-aero bars can cause whistling too.

Have had Thule products for years and have Aerobars (older style) and a 598 and 591 on my Beemer battle wagon.

Recently put Yakima Highspeed fork mounted racks on top, which are rock solid and don’t rub the frame like the 591/598. An online retailer (Roofbox) gives you free wheel bags with these.

I also have an Atera Wingbar on my Leon Estate and they are superb. Better value than the equivalent Thule bars.

Look on eBay/FB Marketplace…my Thule bars were only £30 as I had all the foot packs from an older car.

As above, I’ve always used 591s. They’re pretty much faultless and last. Well worth the initial outlay (although I bought my most recent pair for £80, my original ones I bought new about 15 years ago are still in regular use on my mates car).

That said, I like Yakima stuff as well and their new rack which holds the front wheel in a looped bar kind of thing looks dead easy and solid to use.

In comparison, I have the highly regarded Atera Strada towbar rack for my van and hate it so would never entertain anything else from them (I assume they do roof mounted racks too).

I have never taken mine off. Apparently non-aero bars can cause whistling too.

Leave my Aero bars on the Mini all the time. Reasonably quiet without the bike racks but with the racks attached they may a fair bit of noise. Doesn’t bother me…

Thule every day. I have 4 of the older Pro-rides (591?) that are still going strong after years of use. Had to replace the odd plastic bit (strap, front wheel guide) that have gone brittle and broken after years of use but they are easy to find and cheap enough.

Same as above – the roof bars only ever get changed because the car gets changed. If they are any use to you, I have
– Thule footpack that was used on a 2004 BMW 3-series touring and 2004 VW Touran (clamps onto roof rails)
– Pair of roof bars that went on the BMW
– Pair of roof bars that went on the Touran (wider than the BMW ones)

I can probably find the pack numbers and bar lengths. If they’re of any use (to anyone) make me a reasonable offer or they’ll sit in the loft for another 10 years!

Thule are great, my 561 has been with me for well over a decade now I’m sure.

Roofbox are selling them for £115 at the moment with a free wheel bag.

Sounds like a no brainer.

All the same keys would be ideal.

Thanks guys 😁

@flyingmonkeycorps

What size it it? Where are you located!

DM me if you want

Cheers

These are the cheapest I could find (Branded Volvo but they are Thule) – https://www.swedishcaraccessories.co.uk/aluminium-bicycle-bike-rack-thule-proride-598–100-p.asp

I didn’t end up buying them as some popped up on FB marketplace for a very good price and local. I have used the company for loads of things in the past and they are legit.

I got a 598 recently probably from that Swedish website, it was Volvo branded but standard Thule 598 apart from that. I think I was watching it on eBay for around £80 and then they offered 10% off so worked out much cheaper than anywhere else was offering at the time. I also own a 591 and definitely think the 598 is worth the bit extra if you’re keeping it long term

I’m going to follow the herd here, and say that Thule just works. Have a mix of 591 and 598, and the 598 is worth the extra, especially for thin walled frames (with the carbon protector that Thule sell). It has a force limiter.

For the bars, I went to Altera for a while, and despite the torque key that came with the bars, the pin snapped. Roofbox were great and replaced them with Thule wingbars. The equivalent pin is double the diameter on the Thule.

Having said that, you need to check the rack will actually fit your bike. I can just about fit my XL 5010 (1260mm WB) on the ProRide racks (591/598) but the frame clamp is in the wrong place and the wheel trays are at the limit of their extension.

If it’s just the front wheel (which is was for me but I couldn’t tell you the wheelbase) – the clamp can be loosened to slide along a couple of inches along the rail. Makes everything line up nicely for my Cotic Rocket and Bird AM9 (both in large).

@ed- I’m pretty sure they’re 118 bars, but I’ll double check the part numbers and get back to you.

Think I actually bought them off someone on here way back

If it’s just the front wheel (which is was for me but I couldn’t tell you the wheelbase) – the clamp can be loosened to slide along a couple of inches along the rail. Makes everything line up nicely for my Cotic Rocket and Bird AM9 (both in large).

I hadn’t actually realised that, that may well help a bit. Thanks. Ditto the spinning-the-bars 180° trick.

In my case it’s the overall length too – both wheel trays are slid as far outwards along the bar as possible but perhaps I could make the clamp fit more neatly on the downtube. Still, MTB racks need to match the length of MTBs!

Recently spent a fortune on new bars and Thule Fork mount carriers for our new car.

Was previously using Whispbar aero-X bars and fork carriers which worked well, but were looking a bit tired. They will be donated to my brother as his car as roof rails.

Do you need a roof rack *for* a bike rack or as well as?

If the former the sea sucker or similar are great, 2 minutes to put on /take off, any length you can fit on your roof and significantly better in use than you may imagine!

I prefer my racks bolted, wouldn’t trust suckers on my filthy car! Plus do you have to remove when parked for security?

Anyway Thule are great but by no means bomb proof I’ve replaced loads of split straps and cracked trays. I keep spares in the boot now, but the point is you can get spares easily (and sometimes free)

#1 issue is frozen mechanism on icy mornings! Even had to defrost coming home late evening. Probably not a Thule only problem.

As above Thule are expensive initially but last forever.

Not quite forever if you don’t spot the barrier when you drive into the car park…🤦
Although spare parts are available it wasn’t that much cheaper than buying a whole new one…

Plus do you have to remove when parked for security?

The empty rack genuinely takes 2 minutes to stow in a foot well. If it’s complete with bikes it’d take no
longer to get off the roof than a bike from a thule rack which is to say about 30 seconds unless you’ve locked it to the car directly.

Eg https://youtu.be/WB4ThUOTT0s