Roof carriers

thelawnet

Got to drop the kids off at my parents before we go on holiday. Parents have asked us to bring our bikes. We don't have a carrier, though I do have Thule roof rack (with aero bars).

Obviously I could ride the 25 miles to their house while the wife drives, but we're coming back in the evening, so that's not a great option.

So I guess it's time for us to buy the carriers, which will be occasionally useful, though not very often really.

Any thoughts on these el-cheapo jobs:

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/p ... htm#tabrev
or
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... 65515#dtab

We need to carry 3 bicycles, two Giant Sedona hybrids, and one Islabikes Beinn 20"

nicklouse

must say i really like the Thule 509?



but TBH a tow bar mounted for 3 bikes is the easiest.

thelawnet

509?

Thule do 530, 561, and 591

http://www.roofrackshop.co.uk/bike/thul ... rriers.htm

The Hogester

thelawnet wrote:

509?

Thule do 530, 561, and 591

http://www.roofrackshop.co.uk/bike/thul ... rriers.htm

He means the 591 by the look of it.

Eskimo427

I have a set of Halfords Advanced roof carriers and they are the same as thules ones. They came as a 2 for 1 deal.

Just a thought.

nicklouse

The Hogester wrote:

thelawnet wrote:

509?

Thule do 530, 561, and 591

http://www.roofrackshop.co.uk/bike/thul ... rriers.htm

He means the 591 by the look of it.

true the dyslexics mind and the Thule numbers. i still keep having probs with the 561 that i might also be getting (i think i asked for the price on a 165 )

bomberesque

personally I'm not a fan of rooftop carriers. we went to the alps with 2 bikes on the top 2 years ago and came back with them in the boot. The difference in fuel use was immense. Plus they make your car about a billion meters high, which is fun when stopping for drive thro mikkeyDs :shock: crunch :?

Now I put a roof top box on top and the bikes in the car. Safer that way too (especially when the bikes are worth more then the car. You can get a top box with a plexiglass panel so the kids can see out

but given the need and choice, I would go with a towbar rack as Nick says. 'Course a tow bar can be a pricey addition to a car....

mintmota

I've got the thule 591's top quality kit ,expensive though , but i had to have em to match my roof bars

thelawnet

bomberesque wrote:

personally I'm not a fan of rooftop carriers. we went to the alps with 2 bikes on the top 2 years ago and came back with them in the boot. The difference in fuel use was immense. Plus they make your car about a billion meters high, which is fun when stopping for drive thro mikkeyDs :shock: crunch :?

Now I put a roof top box on top and the bikes in the car. Safer that way too (especially when the bikes are worth more then the car. You can get a top box with a plexiglass panel so the kids can see out

but given the need and choice, I would go with a towbar rack as Nick says. 'Course a tow bar can be a pricey addition to a car....

Most people's cars wouldn't fit a bike I would think?

My large saloon doesn't....

Fuel consumption isn't too much of an issue as we wouldn't use them very often.

keirtristan

I have some Cruz Biki lockable ones for about the same price. Decathlon do something similar as well.

canada16

I am going to be dumb, as I hate take the wheels off and sticking my bike in my fiesta.

Will the roof racks fit any car?

I have a 04 fiesta.

Thanks or is it better to have the hatchback ones that stick to the back.

I am only looking for one at 30.00 40.00 as well.

Sorry to hijack

keirtristan

canada16 wrote:

I am going to be dumb, as I hate take the wheels off and sticking my bike in my fiesta.

Will the roof racks fit any car?

I have a 04 fiesta.

Thanks or is it better to have the hatchback ones that stick to the back.

I am only looking for one at 30.00 40.00 as well.

Sorry to hijack

You need to get roof bars specific to your car then the cycle carrier fits on the roof bars.

canada16

But all cars can have the roof mount thought... Yes?

keirtristan

Any that you can fit roof bars to, yes.

You'd be lucky to get roof bars and a roof top cycle carrier for £30 -£40.

tjwood

Roof mounts seem far superior to tailgate mounts, both in their stability and in the fact that you can get in and out of the boot without taking the bike off.

Sure they may affect fuel consumption a bit (the MPG in my Ford Fusion diesel goes down by about 15% with the bike on the roof) but as the ultimate alternative would be to have a bigger car or a van they would drink more fuel anyway.

The Thule ProRide 591 is excellent, very easy to use, and feels very well built.

thelawnet

tjwood wrote:

The Thule ProRide 591 is excellent, very easy to use, and feels very well built.

but at up to £250 for 3, so it should be

nicklouse

done over a ton with a bike on mine 8)

Andy B

nicklouse wrote:

done over a ton with a bike on mine 8)

Also might have done this with 2 bikes on Thule 591's....

Top quality & worth every penny, excellent service from Thule, I hamfistedly broke a tyre tray, Thule sent a new one FOC. 8)

Cheapest on the web (that I can find):

Under £130 for 2:
http://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehs ... go9bQdIV6t

nicklouse

also done over a ton with 3 on a Thule towbar carrier on the back of the van.

Plus 2 bikes and a roll cab a 9X3M marquee, food, Beer and other stuff.

It was rit hard winding the old 2.4 D to hit 100Kmh

Oh and the other was legal and mph.

tjwood

Andy_B wrote:

Cheapest on the web (that I can find):

Under £130 for 2:
http://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehs ... go9bQdIV6t

http://www.skidrive.co.uk/cycle/product ... tno=591000 is a bit cheaper, as they offer free delivery.

canada16

17kg max? :?

Thats like 34 lbs.

Not very good.

My bike is light than 17kg but what if you had a DH bike.

nicklouse

you use a different carrier set up.

Andy B

canada16 wrote:

17kg max? :?

Thats like 34 lbs.

More like 37.4lb

I'd say that the carrier caters for the majority of bikes with that weight limit