Best Bike Rack for Car?

hum3z
hum3z Posts: 23
edited January 2010 in MTB buying advice
Yep, looking to transport my bike on the back or top of my car and wondered which/what was best to buy in terms of value and efficiency

replies appreciated!
thanks

Comments

  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    Overall best set up is a towbar mounted rack, but it's expensive. It won't fall off and won't mess up your fuel efficiency. Then roof racks, then boot mounted. Roof racks are more secure than boot, but mpg suffers.
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • BigVern35
    BigVern35 Posts: 15
    I've just got a 2nd hand Saris Bones 3 from ebay. I tried a few out and this was the best by far. Its ABS and aluminium so its light, doesn't scratch the car, folds up small and looks funky as well.

    They do a 2 bike and a 3 bike version. They're £130 new but I got one for £40.

    Can't say enough good things about them.
    Whyte 19 Steel
    Boardman Comp Hybrid
  • steve77345
    steve77345 Posts: 52
    Hi,

    Thule 905 has served me well over the past year. You get a 2 or 3 bike version, towbar mounted, very sturdy, tilts so you can get into the boot too and you can lock the bike onto it, no movement at all helps me feel my pride and joy is safely on the back of my car when bombing down the motorway. Expensive and a tad heavy to cart back and forward to the shed all the time but should last a good few years woth the investment I think.

    Steve
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    Mess up fuel efficiency? It's a bike not a shed. I reckon I get no more than 2mpg worse with two bikes on the roof.

    For towbar mounted racks you need a towbar. Which is gay. And you'll reverse them into a wall at least once. And you'll knock the wheels off when you misjudge with extra width of your car. Unless you have some silly heavy "motorbike without an engine" (DH bike) then a roof mounted Thule 951 Pro is the only rack you ever need.
  • matt748
    matt748 Posts: 194
    Surf-Matt wrote:
    Mess up fuel efficiency? It's a bike not a shed. I reckon I get no more than 2mpg worse with two bikes on the roof.

    Agree with you that it's not that bad.
    Still averaged over 40mpg with 3 on top en route to Afan. Lost about 5mpg I reckon.

    Matt
    Trek Fuel EX8 '09
    My Pics
  • hum3z
    hum3z Posts: 23
    love this forum

    thats saved me some time

    the Saris Bones 3 is the monkeys nuts...

    cheers guys
  • POHB
    POHB Posts: 40
    For towbar mounted racks you need a towbar. Which is gay.

    Not as gay as getting to the carpark and having to unload all the bikes coz you don't fit under the height restriction. Or worse, loading the bikes up in the carpark, then trying to drive out and having to unload again coz you forgot the height restriction.
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    TBH, I put my bike in the car (out of the muck on the motorway, can't get damaged, can't be stolen), so I don't know how much a roof rack affects efficiency, I just know that they do.
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • CraigXXL
    CraigXXL Posts: 1,852
    Roof mounted do cause more drag and noise, MPG is lowered but not much. I've had both and towbar mounted is much better.

    You can do all the things that Surf Matt describes and a lot worse with roof mounted racks but if you do then someone should have you shot never mind allowed to drive.
    GT Force 1.0

    Evil Sovereign
  • Briggo
    Briggo Posts: 3,537
    CraigXXL wrote:
    You can do all the things that Surf Matt describes and a lot worse with roof mounted racks but if you do then someone should have you shot never mind allowed to drive.

    Just have a big note on your dashboard saying the cars height with the bikes ontop, I whack a sticky notepad to remind me and place it over the rev counter as you dont need to see that when carting bikes about, not like you'll be going hell for leather.

    So long as you keep an eye out, sorted ;)
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    Indeed - if you forget there are bikes on your roof, it's time to consider whether you have the intelligence to actually drive a car. A glass sunroof does help though just in case...

    Do any of you know about airflow over cars? Any of you know how important the shape of the rear is? If towbar mounted racks don't effect fuel efficiency, my name is Sharon. You have a heavy towbar in the way of the air then a heavy rack spoiling the air "release."

    Dirt also gets sucked up the back of cars showering your bike in possibly the worst kind of debris possible - greasy road gunge and even salt - they stay almost spotless on the roof.

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