Bike carriers for carbon frames

Mickyg88

I've just bought a carbon framed bike and need a suitable bike carrier for on the car, I currently have one that fixes on the back of the car with two horizontal arms that the top tube sits on, I was thinking of buying a Thule roof carrier with a clamp onto the down tube but the bike shop where I ghot the bike say that's not suitable, and that I need one that clamps onto the wheels only, has anyone seen one that fits the bill, or can any advice be offered as to what's right or wrong, many thanks

cougie

My mates bike and mine are both carbon and they've been on the top of a car using the down tube clamp on the car roof for hundreds of miles.

If you're sensible with the clamp and use some foam to take up the slack, then its fine.

dgstewart

I use Atera Giro AF carriers (http://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehs ... .php?15100) for all my bikes, including my carbon road bike. As noted above, this works fine - just don't clamp the down tube to death. I put a sock round the down tube before closing the clamp just to provide a bit more cushoining. Used it for numerous long drives (3 to 4 hrs) without any trouble.

Crankbrother

A million people must be wrong ... Imagine using a bike carrier to carry a bike ...

Ffs you rely on a carbon bike to carry you around ... At what point do you think turning a dial with a couple of fingers is gonna crush the thing?

gsk82

thule rack that fastens onto the forks and rear wheel. don't forget you'll also need a wheel carrier or to put them in the car though

http://www.thule.com/en/GB/Products/Bike-Carriers/RoofCarriers/Thule-OutRide-561#

paul64

Micky, the general consensus amongst the large number of roadies and MTBers I know is that tow-bar mounted bike platforms are the best but very very expensive. After that some prefer roof mounted and some prefer rear-mounted carriers.

Personally I did not like roof bars due to the hit on fuel economy and the increased wind noise. The bike racks on the bars added to this and I did not like the feeling of the bikes being up there. I also did not like the Halfords Premier rear-hatch mounted carrier I used for a couple of years as it scratched the body work where it attached, the pivot joints that take the strain would stress and bow or bolts would bend, most designs seem to be like this.

My recommendation to you would be what I use now, a Saris Bones. I use a 2 because it's all I need but they also do a 3. It folds up so can sit in the car permanently, is really easy to put on the car when you need it and you can use it with an MPV, Hatchback, saloon or convertible, it's kind to the car and importantly kind to the bikes. I use it for both mountain bikes and my carbon framed road bikes, in fact I think it harder to get a kinder design for the road bikes as the top tube sits in the two arms and then a fastener around the seat tube to stope it rocking, I then use a flexible cable (mind has gone blank on what we call them) hooked through the front wheel from the rack to the chainset with light tension only just to stop the front wheel from spinning, all so simple. I would not hesitate to buy another Bones if it wore out and I wish I had discovered it earlier.