Bike Racks

y33stu

Sorry if this isn't the best place to post this, but we've bought a 2014 Nissan Qashqui Acenta, and I'm struggling to find a bike rack that fits, as the car has a rear spoiler. I had found this one http://www.micksgarage.com/proddetails.aspx?pid=5070666, but struggled to find any reviews.

I'm planning on driving to southern France from Newcastle in the summer, so I need to be sure I'm getting something suitable for 2 decent road bikes.

Any help or advice would be helpful, cheers.

lostboysaint

Just had a quick click on the link and that doesn't look like it'll work with a spoiler either - again, the top straps need to go over the top of the hatch and that means they'll go over the spoiler.

t4tomo

bikes in the boot (wheels off) and any luggage that wont fit in with them on a roof rack /in a roof box?

keef66

Can you not remove the spoiler from the Cashcow for the duration of the trip? They ain't exactly the most aerodynamic of vehicles, and strapping a couple of bikes on the back is going to provide more down-force than a cosmetic spoiler anyway.

zx6man

Only option I could do was the roof on my Qashqui.

y33stu

@ Lostboy saint - It does say it's compatible on the site, but as you say, that was my concern too.

@t4tomo - I'm travelling for 2 weeks, with a 1 year in old in tow, so the car will be packed with stuff for him. Hence need a bike rack as no space for bike.

@keef66 - that could be an option but not sure how practical that is. It's also the mrs car so I;'m pretty sure she wont want me pratting about taking the car to bits!!

@zx6man - Is yours the 2014 model or older? I can find racks to fit the previous model 07-13 but not 14 onwards. A roof rack is looking likely, albeit that will be much more expensive.

lpretro1

Fit a two bar and then a towbar mounted rack?

rafletcher

lpretro1 wrote:

Fit a two bar and then a towbar mounted rack?

This, best all round solution.

86inch

Couldn't agree more, i had an Atera Strada 3 with the 4th bike option - it was fantastic.
Now using Thule 591 on roof bars as we tow a caravan, almost as good but difficult to get bikes on the roof of a tall car.

jimmocrates

As a slight aside, any advice on roof bars for a Qashqai with rails? I've still got 2xThule 591 with T bars, so need one thats compatible. Some roof bars are just so bloody ugly.

rolf_f

Jimmocrates wrote:

As a slight aside, any advice on roof bars for a Qashqai with rails? I've still got 2xThule 591 with T bars, so need one thats compatible. Some roof bars are just so bloody ugly.

You bought a Quishquash and you are worried about putting ugly roof bars on it?!

navrig2

lpretro1 wrote:

Fit a two bar and then a towbar mounted rack?

Agreed but compared to £64 for a rack a tow bar solution is very expensive. £200 for tow bar and the same again for the carrier?

sporttourer

SARI GRAN FONDO - is suitable for a 2014 onwards Nissan Qashqai according to their website. It holds the bikes vertically by the wheels, leaving the lights & number plate unobscured so no need for a lighting board. Approx £150.

We have just bought a new Qashqai as well but as we already have a tow bar mounted rack, the easiest option was to have a tow bar fitted.

Had we not had the rack already I would have considered the GranFondo and used our 2 roof mounted carriers when we need all 4 bikes ( which is only really for holidays & the odd trip).

lostboysaint

lpretro1 wrote:

Fit a two bar and then a towbar mounted rack?

Or a tow bar. But regardless of slippage of sausage fingers or auto-correct error he's absolutely right. A tow bar and a decent tilting rack is the way.

lostboysaint

sporttourer wrote:

SARI GRAN FONDO - is suitable for a 2014 onwards Nissan Qashqai according to their website. It holds the bikes vertically by the wheels, leaving the lights & number plate unobscured so no need for a lighting board. Approx £150.

We have just bought a new Qashqai as well but as we already have a tow bar mounted rack, the easiest option was to have a tow bar fitted.

Had we not had the rack already I would have considered the GranFondo and used our 2 roof mounted carriers when we need all 4 bikes ( which is only really for holidays & the odd trip).

It is just like any other hatchback/tailgate rack, it has top straps that need to secure to the top of the hatch, therefore going over the spoiler. Of course you can fit it - you could fit any rack the same, but by the time you've loaded the weight of the bikes on and it's all pulling nicely down on the spoiler.

pmannion9

I have a Focus with a spoiler too.
I went tow bar and tow bar rack as It was the best solution and I knew I would get a lot of use out of it...
The rack tilts too which allows easy access to boot..
Also very quick to load bikes .
High outlay initally but well worth it if you transport bikes frequently...

Giraffoto

Jimmocrates wrote:

As a slight aside, any advice on roof bars for a Qashqai with rails? I've still got 2xThule 591 with T bars, so need one thats compatible. Some roof bars are just so bloody ugly.

Thule wing bars, no question.

southdownswolf

Over the years I have accumulated just about every type of bike mount available for my wife's cars (Picasso's, Grand Scenics etc) but 90% of the time we use a towbar mounted solution. If we are fitting a roof box and just taking my bike, then I use the roof bar carrier. The rear mount carrier never gets used anymore.

If you don't want a towbar fitted, then I would go with roofbars and bike carrier, rather than trying to fit a rear door/window carrier. More expensive, but roof bars are useful to have as your family grows...
Roof bars are as cheap as £50 for square ones or £100 for the aero type. We have Thule wingbars which work out even more expensive, but they will last a lifetime and can be swapped between cars, so worth it if you can afford them. Then it is your choice of cycle mount for the bars.

Have a look here

y33stu

Thanks for the help all.

I know full well that a tow bar is the best solution. But I don't think I'll use it other than once a year on this trip to france. So I was hoping to make do with a rack to keep the costs down - albeit a good one for obvious reasons.

t4tomo

y33stu wrote:

@t4tomo - I'm travelling for 2 weeks, with a 1 year in old in tow, so the car will be packed with stuff for him. Hence need a bike rack as no space for bike.

Get a roof box for the "stuff" and put the bikes in the boot. Cheaper than a tow bar rack solution. Leave the 1 year old in the car. If it's just the one nipper you can 60% fold then back seat too for more luggage space.

sporttourer

It is just like any other hatchback/tailgate rack, it has top straps that need to secure to the top of the hatch, therefore going over the spoiler. Of course you can fit it - you could fit any rack the same, but by the time you've loaded the weight of the bikes on and it's all pulling nicely down on the spoiler.[/quote]


So why is this the only rear mounted rack that ANY manufacturer recommends to fit to the Qashqai ?
There must be something different about it than all the others, even different models of their own make.As this is the only SARIS model that they recommend.