Best roof rack for a carbon bike?

DJA1973

Hi All

Just bought a shiny new carbon bike and would appreciate advice and opinions on the most bike-frame-friendly and secure (lockable) bike holder for a roof rack.

Many thanks

smidsy

smidsy wrote:

Look at this thread, quite useful info regarding roof mounted bars.

viewtopic.php?f=40042&t=12844053&p=17522125&hilit=cycle+rack#p17522125

AND Use the search :P

ellotreacle

Give the guy a break. Plus maybe the OP wanted up to date info as your link is a year old. :?

I've been in the same dilemma recently after ordering my new carbon bike. And to be honest you will have to take everyone's opinion in to account then make up your own mind.
From what I've found out about roof carriers, the ones that clamp the down tube are a no no, but people still use them with no problems, the roof carriers that attach front forks are the most advisable, but you have to be vary weary not to damage the dropouts loading and unloading the bike in to it.
I've been in contact with carbon bike manufactures and lots of bike shops and the all say the same things, the best way to transport the bike is either in the car or behind the car on a carrier.

The following are responses I received:

The rack that clamps the fork is definitely the better option of the two, However, extreme caution needs to be taken when you remove the bike from the roof that you don't lever against the dropout, thereby damaging or breaking the fork. Inside the car or a towball mounted rack are definitely the safer options.
But the fork mounted if there is no choice, just be careful.

Another was 'Basically it's the better idea to transport a carbon fiber bike inside the car or on it's back. Anyway you shouldn't go too fast with a bike on a car roof because you will create massive wind force on the bike'

Yes a lot of people will come back with the usual, it can't have more down force on it than a fat b@stard like me on it going down hill at 40mph, or the, mines been use on my roof for the past 3 years and I've had no problems!!

Me personally, I don't want to take the risk, so I've just booked my car into the garage to have a tow bar fitted, and bought a carrier for the back, it also suit for the kids bikes on holidays. So managed to justify the extra spend to the wife.

Now you have the info the choice is yours,
Hope you enjoy your new bike, what did you get?

smidsy

ellotreacle wrote:

Give the guy a break. Plus maybe the OP wanted up to date info as your link is a year old. :?

No it started then but was updated last month actually

nathaneddy

I'm curious about this, too.

FoldingJoe

Not tried one, but this looks like a good option:

http://www.saris.com/en/bike-racks/vehicle-racks/trunk-racks/gran-fondo.html

DJA1973

ellotreacle wrote:

Now you have the info the choice is yours,
Hope you enjoy your new bike, what did you get?

Thanks Ellotreacle for the excellent post - great advice I will follow-up.

I treated myself to a Bianchi Sempre Pro with Campag Athena and hand-made wheels. Just need the damn weather to ease up a bit so I can get out and enjoy the bike.

Thanks again!

dave in swansea

My lbs showed a picture of a carbon frame that had rubbed through where clamped on a roof rack.
Schmoos blogspot back in Jan of this year

mcrine

Hi there

I had a thule roof rack and used this with a carbon frame which clamped the down tube with no problems, I now have a new carbon framed bike and was like yourself told not to clamp the frame. So I purchased the sarris fondo as in the previous post ,this only attatches to the wheels of the bike.

This works very well and is much easier to load than the roofrack there is less wind resistance and due to the way the bikes are carried all lights and number plate are visible.

The down side is the bike and rack can not be locked as some roof mounted ones can. It only takes a couple of minutes to fit or remove the sarris to your car and will fit easliy inside it when not in use.

I changed to the sarris as the new bike was more expensive and I just didnt want to risk it, even though I had no problems with the roof rack

Chrissz

I use either the boot or a roof mounted rack that clamps the front fork.

I would feel very uncomfortable with a boot/rear mounted rack as the back of the car (especially when extended for a rack) moves/bounces around a lot more than the centre (i.e. roof). This means that the bike frame can take quite a pounding on the top tube - especially with all the bloomin pot-holes littering the roads at present.