Bikes on a hot tin roof.

fat bloke

I'm in the process of buying a roof rack of some description to take two additional bikes (in addition to the towbar mounted rack I already have).

The options are

- seasucker - prices are gone crazy. The mini-bomber is kinda the smallest two bike carrier, availability is limited and it's pretty much 500 quid. It used to available for less than 400 but not any more for whatever reason. Anyway, there's the traditional - can I really trust it, heart-in-the-mouth doubt that's associated with suction pads.

Alternatively you have the tried and tested Thule bike carriers which can be fork or frame mounted.

Problem with the frame mounts is that they can be dodgy on carbon frames.
Problem with the fork mounts is that you need room in the boot for two front wheels - and wheels are bulky ol things when you've a boot full of suitcases and such.

I'm kinda leaning toward the thule 598 cos it's kinda the latest and newest and it's carbon frame friendly and compatible. But with two of those and the car-specific rack that I have no option but to buy it's pretty much 500 quid as well...

Anyone any personal recommendations. - The rack will only ever carry good road bikes.

mr spuckler

how many bikes have you on the towbar rack?

not addressing your question but i gave up on roof mounted racks for one of the reasons you mentioned, having to get a new roof rack with every change of car, as well as the towbar which i use for other purposes anyway. that said i only carry 2 or maximum 3 bikes.

fat bloke

mr spuckler wrote: »

how many bikes have you on the towbar rack?

not addressing your question but i gave up on roof mounted racks for one of the reasons you mentioned, having to get a new roof rack with every change of car, as well as the towbar which i use for other purposes anyway. that said i only carry 2 or maximum 3 bikes.

Yeah, you're dead right.

You're not addressing my question!:pac:

fat bloke

@Mr Spuckler. I have a very good 3 (+1 if purchased) tow bar rack but I don't like putting any more than two bikes on it cos there's a greater risk of rubbing and scratching etc. I definitely wouldn't put 4 on it. So for family cycling we're looking at regularly (as possible) carrying 4 bikes - 2 on the back, 2 on the roof.

The Seasucker is fork mounts so you're looking for space to shoe -horn two front wheels as well, but its compatibility is universal.... but -it's also quite unsecure in terms of thievery, so when you take the bikes off, you really have to take the rack off as well and store it in the boot. They're never bloody simple are they, these things! :rolleyes:

mr spuckler

they sure aren't! and i've had a good bike robbed from a thule 591 roof mounted rack before despite being 'locked' to the rack. not sure if the newer versions are more robust but the locking mechanism on the 591 doesn't stand up to any pressure.

i obviously don't know your setup but i've never had any issues with rubbing or scratching on my towbar rack (thule 9403) with 3 bikes mounted on it, 2 of them carbon road bikes. that said i tie them down with miles of ratchet straps to prevent movement of pedals etc.

my inclination would be towards making a 4 bike towbar mounted rack work but it sounds like you already have your reasons for ruling this out.

Tigerandahalf

Would you consider getting a trailer to hold all 4 bikes? Not ideal though for parking or reversing in tight spots.

In terms of bikes scratching Halfords sell foam dividers that can be placed between the bikes on the rack.

ednwireland

Cost me about fifty quid last time I changed car just needed a different thule footpack kit for the roof rack and halfords in Sligo were helpful and knowledgeable.

Tigerandahalf

ednwireland wrote: »

Cost me about fifty quid last time I changed car just needed a different thule footpack kit for the roof rack and halfords in Sligo were helpful and knowledgeable.

Depending on the width of your car there are 3 widths of roof bars that can be bought. Most big saloons and family cars would take the widest bar.
Unless there is a roof bar out there now that can be adjusted.

fat bloke

Ah c'mon lads, give me some credit. I haven't pulled this query outta my rear end. I've done a lot(!) of research on the subject and I've had rear and roof racks of various sorts on lots of different cars, so the original question is a considered one, if anyone who has experience of modern fork-secured v's frame-secured roof racks for road bikes and would like to share that experience, then that's ideally what I'm looking for.

cdaly_

If you're using a fork-escured rack, you could strap the front wheels to the mounted bikes rather than putting them in the boot.

I've only ever used frame-secured racks, cheapest I could find in the likes of Halfords or NorAuto (France). No carbon in my case though.

ednwireland

I have a thule 591 which is frame mount and never had a problem with it although the front wheel always feels wobbly.
I have an old fork mount thule roof carrier which I've been using for over 20 years which is always solid.
Only disadvantage is finding somewhere to put the wheel I've always meant buy the thule wheel carrier but need to find it on a sale !
Never had an issue with any type of frame on either road bikes or mtb everything fits and has stayed on.
Just knocks the fuel efficiency a bit.

Ryath

fat bloke wrote: »

@Mr Spuckler. I have a very good 3 (+1 if purchased) tow bar rack but I don't like putting any more than two bikes on it cos there's a greater risk of rubbing and scratching etc. I definitely wouldn't put 4 on it. So for family cycling we're looking at regularly (as possible) carrying 4 bikes - 2 on the back, 2 on the roof.

What rack is it? I'm in the same boat my self looking to carry two adult bikes and two kids bike for a trip to France in summer and future family cycles. Am pretty much set on Thule Velocompact 927 3bike+1extra adaptor. Want to avoid putting the bikes on the roof if I can avoid it. I could get away this summer with the youngest 20" wheel bike in the boot so could manage with out the extra adaptor just yet. Would be tricky though with a boot full of luggage.

Mugser

I use Thule 591's with these on carbon frames

https://www.mantel.com/ie/thule-carbon-framebeschermer&utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping?gclid=CjwKEAjw5_vHBRCBtt2NqqCDjiESJABD5rCJOjp9ugx5Hz0i2UjvWCzfvdLm64zzxQ3vLuyd8AtsTBoCa0vw_wcB

ThisRegard

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Depending on the width of your car there are 3 widths of roof bars that can be bought. Most big saloons and family cars would take the widest bar.
Unless there is a roof bar out there now that can be adjusted.

The thule roof bars can fit multiple widths, well mine can anyway. You just slide the footpack up and down to fit the width of your roof bars.

As to the original question, I have ProRide 591s and don't have any issues with them, but I don't have carbon bikes, I just about make it on the fork front. I've hit the roads in spots on dodgy roads travelling from one side of the county to other and they've always felt stable, once you get used to seeing the shadows on them sway back and forth on the road ahead and beside you.

I wouldn't trust the locking mechanism on it, like most locks. What I usually do is use a u-lock and cable lock and lock the bike to the roof rails also. And I rarely leave the car out of my sight anyway when the bikes are on it.

fat bloke

Ryath wrote: »

What rack is it? I'm in the same boat my self looking to carry two adult bikes and two kids bike for a trip to France in summer and future family cycles. Am pretty much set on Thule Velocompact 927 3bike+1extra adaptor. Want to avoid putting the bikes on the roof if I can avoid it. I could get away this summer with the youngest 20" wheel bike in the boot so could manage with out the extra adaptor just yet. Would be tricky though with a boot full of luggage.

It's an Athera Strada. I'm sure the 4 bike set up can be made to work, I just have never been comfortable putting that many eggs in the one basket, particularly with the price of "good bikes" these days.

fat bloke

Mugser wrote: »

I use Thule 591's with these on carbon frames

https://www.mantel.com/ie/thule-carbon-framebeschermer&utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping?gclid=CjwKEAjw5_vHBRCBtt2NqqCDjiESJABD5rCJOjp9ugx5Hz0i2UjvWCzfvdLm64zzxQ3vLuyd8AtsTBoCa0vw_wcB

Yeah, that's sort of what I'm looking at - the choice is two of those 591's, which are pretty good value, but then if you add in the cost of those carbon frame protector jobbies, it brings you closer to the 598 which kinda has that protection built in, plus a torqued ratchety thing to stop you over-tightening.

Guess I just have to make a decision really.

fat bloke

fat bloke wrote: »

Guess I just have to make a decision really.

And I did. Factory roof rack fitted yesterday and Chain Reaction, oddly were by far the best value for Thule pro ride 598's. Should be arriving this week. All I need now is a eurosport feed direct to the car and a sunroof so I can stand up, stick my head and shoulders out and wave a red flag at bunches of cyclists.

RonanCFD

Have you considered this one?

Yakima frontloader

It gets around some of the issues you have with the two Thule options. Got a good write-up on road.cc.