bike transport roof or behind car?

clayboy

Hello all,

Looking to get a new bike rack, must hold 3 bikes, for a Volvo v70.

What are your opinions on the best place to carry them. roof or on the rear of the car?

Been looking at tow bar mounted racks, but I will need to purchase a tow bar as well. Extra costs.

or

do I get the thule roof bar mounted cycle carrier?

cheer's, Nick.

nicklouse

Towbar mounted.

clayboy

Cheers,

That was my first choice, but thought I would ask due to the extra cost of a tow bar.

Seem to have bought the only Volvo not to have one fitted.

rokt

Look at a Atera Strada DL 3 bike tow ball mounted bike rack, I have one
& yes it's excellent. You can also add a forth bike via an adapter for around
£70.

Look at The Roofbox Company. You can also see the on YouTube.

Hope this is of some help.

StillGoing

Rokt wrote:

Look at The Roofbox Company. You can also see the on YouTube.

+1 on this, but go roof mounted. Thule manufacture roof bars for just about every vehicle with either front fork or down tube securing and locking mechanisms. There's pros and cons with roof and towball systems, but for me, roof mounting is preferable. With roof mounting you get drag, but you know if the bikes have come insecure (never happens but...) and a thief is more conspicuous if they decide they are going to take one. With a towball a bike might fall off (have seen it happen on the A14 when 2 bikes fell off the back of a car leaving the bikes in the inside carriageway) and a thief has plenty of cover to duck down while they break the lock before riding off with your bike/s. It's also less hassle to get into the rear of the car if you need to if you have a roof mounted system.

dabber

Pros and cons of both... personally, I've got the Atera Strada DL 3 tow bar mounted rack. An excellent bit of kit and very quick to attach and very secure as far as bikes falling off or getting damaged - as far as getting the bikes nicked, well it has a locking system but like all of these built in locks it would be easy enough to break in.
One advantage of towbar mounted is entering height barrier areas and if you are likely to do things like a French trip on the autoroutes and toll booths.

lostboysaint

nicklouse wrote:

Towbar mounted.

That.

Done the whole lot, taken them in the car, put them on the roof, put them on a rack on the back but nothing is as good as a towbar mounted rack - as long as you make sure it tilts/slides to allow access to the boot/hatch.

shadow4532

have a word with your volvo dealer. when i got mine i talked them down to £270 for a 3bike towbar mounted rack. I had the towbar done at the same time though. fyi this was the one in Yeovil.

springtide9

Dabber wrote:

Pros and cons of both... personally, I've got the Atera Strada DL 3 tow bar mounted rack. An excellent bit of kit and very quick to attach and very secure as far as bikes falling off or getting damaged - as far as getting the bikes nicked, well it has a locking system but like all of these built in locks it would be easy enough to break in.
One advantage of towbar mounted is entering height barrier areas and if you are likely to do things like a French trip on the autoroutes and toll booths.

+1

Roof bar are pretty good and would highly recommend them (like the Thule carriers). But as I now have a car with a towbar, a rear towbar mounted is IMO preferable.... they will be much more secure on a fixing that is designed for towing a caravan than on the top of the roof.
The other main advantage is that you can get 4 bikes on the back... I personally wouldn't want 4 bikes on the roof as the bars flex enough with 2 bikes in the wind..

rafletcher

lostboysaint wrote:

nicklouse wrote:

Towbar mounted.

That.

Done the whole lot, taken them in the car, put them on the roof, put them on a rack on the back but nothing is as good as a towbar mounted rack - as long as you make sure it tilts/slides to allow access to the boot/hatch.

And another vote for towbar OR rear (Saris Bones) mounted. Thule tow-bar (well actually tow BALL) mounted ones can be got that tilt to allow acess to the boot with bikes attached. Also have lights included.

clayboy

A big thank you for all of the replies.

Cheer's, Nick.