Roof mounted bike carrier

[GTR27]

I've just started getting into MTB and am looking at roof mounted bike carriers.

So far something like a thule prorack 591 looks the easiest thing possible to load (very important) - however, what bars do you recommend? I will have to load mine and my wifes bikes onto the roof (no issue with lifting/weight and i'm 6ft tall so no height issues) and wondered if anyone has some feedback/experience with this sort of thing?

They both wont fit in the boot as we have two kids in car seats, so without taking both wheels off both bikes (pain in the arse) we cant put them in the boot. Dont have a towbar, and that seems like a even more expensive solution.

Also, anywhere in Brisbane I can buy them and get them fitted? I've found an online place (roofracks online or something) that will do two thule carriers plus roof bars for about $800-850.


I have a specialized epic, and the wife has a "liv" something or other (some ladies version of giant brand mtb). Ease of loading/unloading is crucial as i'm the one that will have to do it many times. Have an octavia wagon, so already got roof rails.

[carbyfed]

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[Reichter]

Skoda sell these items.

Accessories: Transverse Roof Racks (Wagon) Total $ 522 *
Accessories: Bicycle Carrier Total $ 239 *

[GTR27]

The skoda ones appear to be Thule rebranded racks. If they do them for $232, then that's a little cheaper than what most stores seem to charge for thule ones.

The bars however appear quite expensive compared to what stores sell - unless they are the flash extendable/retractable ones that slide out so you fit it past the roof edge, then slide them back on.

Where did you buy your racks from carbyfed?

[LunchboxVRS]

Iv always put my bikes on the roof using the Thule roof racks and the proride. But to be onset I'm sick of having to load them on top and placing the roof racks on the car. I don't leave them on as my current car (polo gti)has the gutter clamp type and it leaves a mark if left on to long. Plus you have to move the car outside to put the bikes on. And it becomes expensive if you forget there on and drive in a garage or low car park ect. I know a tow bar and carrier is not cheap but I got the Thule 3 bike Thule Australia » Products » Bike Carriers » Thule 927 VeloCompact 3 Bikes (carry 4 bikes with additional adapter 9261)
And the westfalia Towbar readyfor my VRS when I get it next week. Bikes can be lodged in side and it locks on the tow ball with the push of a lever. Can even expand to four when the kids grow up. It tilts down so you can still open the boot and get to stuff.
Some of this might not apply to you of course but might help

[GTR27]

Factory towbar is ~$1500, plus the bike mount = $2K+ option compared to ~8-900 for roof mount.
I dont want an ugly cutout non-factory bar (which is slightly cheaper) and the cars towing capacity (mostly ball weight capacity) is so spectacularly crap (75kg) that you pretty much cant tow anything anyway - a light box trailer is about it.

Where I live I have to back the car out of the garage to get the bikes, so that's not an issue. I have to get out of the car to open the garage (no auto door) so no chance of me driving into the garage. Roof carrier will suit us perfectly and still allow full access of the boot (where the kids bikes will go)

[LunchboxVRS]

Factory towbar is ~$1500, plus the bike mount = $2K+ option compared to ~8-900 for roof mount.
I dont want an ugly cutout non-factory bar (which is slightly cheaper) and the cars towing capacity (mostly ball weight capacity) is so spectacularly crap (75kg) that you pretty much cant tow anything anyway - a light box trailer is about it.

Where I live I have to back the car out of the garage to get the bikes, so that's not an issue. I have to get out of the car to open the garage (no auto door) so no chance of me driving into the garage. Roof carrier will suit us perfectly and still allow full access of the boot (where the kids bikes will go)

The westfalia Towbar is not a cut out. It's better then the factory one at half the price. It's detachable. I paid $1250 all up for Towbar and rack from shopping around. It's a few hundred more but it holds an extra bike (if you buy the expansion kit) and you can tow stuff.
But each to there own.

Westfalia Towbar for Skoda Octavia 7 2013- Detachable Tow Bar A40V 0688-800-000S -Euro Car Upgrades

[GTR27]

It looks similar to the factory bar but despite what that site says, the car is rated to 1500kg tow weight (with brakes) and 75kg ball weight, so any extra build quality in that westfalia bar is not legally usable on our cars.

$1200 is better than the $1500+ the factory one wants - but does it fit in the spare wheel carrier like the factory one? And the tow ball carrier you linked to was 900 - so it would be $2100 all up, rather than ~$850. I'm never towing anything with this car so it's kind of a moot point.

Thanks for the link for that bar though, i'll let someone else I know about it as they are looking for a bar for just that - towing a little box trailer around.

I've been trying to make the time to get to a shop to inspect carriers myself, but just smashed for time at the moment. Will get there eventually though!

[LunchboxVRS]

It looks similar to the factory bar but despite what that site says, the car is rated to 1500kg tow weight (with brakes) and 75kg ball weight, so any extra build quality in that westfalia bar is not legally usable on our cars.

$1200 is better than the $1500+ the factory one wants - but does it fit in the spare wheel carrier like the factory one? And the tow ball carrier you linked to was 900 - so it would be $2100 all up, rather than ~$850. I'm never towing anything with this car so it's kind of a moot point.

Thanks for the link for that bar though, i'll let someone else I know about it as they are looking for a bar for just that - towing a little box trailer around.

I've been trying to make the time to get to a shop to inspect carriers myself, but just smashed for time at the moment. Will get there eventually though!

I paid $1250 for both. I just shopped around. Mind you the rack was the floor model so got a little off.
When I say better I mean quality not kg rating.

[aware]

I've got the Skoda ones which are Thule racks. I have the Thule 591 racks (which I kept when I traded in my XV for the Octavia). Easiest bike racks I've used - had Thule Outride 561 (which I chose as part of the deal I got when I bought the XV in 2014) and they were hopeless with the MTB. I have a 2010 Specialized Pitch which weighs about 12kgs - I wouldn't want to go to a much heavierbike than that on the roof.



I had a towbar mounted rack on my 2005 Forester and it was straight forward and easy to use - but I don't ride all that often anymore due to work and uni. If I do ride, it's around here on some of the tracks near home so I don't carry the bike anywhere for those rides so the towbar was of no use to me. Until I decide to buy another sailing dinghy...

[brad]

Where I live I have to back the car out of the garage to get the bikes, so that's not an issue. I have to get out of the car to open the garage (no auto door) so no chance of me driving into the garage. Roof carrier will suit us perfectly and still allow full access of the boot (where the kids bikes will go)

It's not so much the garage - it's the 2m clearance car parks, drive-throughs and low hanging tree branches as you drive to the trail head. If you go roof mounted then I recommend you put a simple sign on the dashboard that says something like "BIKES! 2.8m" or whatever jogs your memory.

[GTR27]

I dont plan on going to the shops with bikes attached to cars. It's for transport to and from cycling areas (Mountain bike). None of the routes I need to travel have such short height restrictions - plus its a good idea to put a warning on the drivers sun visor to indicate bikes on roof (a lot of carriers come with such a device already). Thanks for the heads up though.

[spud75]

I know this is a bit late, but got distracted while trying to reply when OP first posted. I have Whispbars, and they really are quiet. They take all the standard bike racks and attachments. Have had snow board carriers on as well as mont blanc barracuda bike racks. I have a fork mount for my aero frame road bike as there is no way to mount that with a frame mount. And I wouldn't want to. The barracuda (now called the roof rush) http://www.montblancgroup.com/roof-m...asy-go-21.html is used for alu road and alu hybrid with child seat on the back.

The only issue I have is that with the barracuda the weight of the hybrid brings the base of the rack REALLY close to roof, hence I put a cloth under the rack on the roof. Repositioning the rack and bars would prob alleviate the issue, or a different rack, but I have had the rack for ages. I love that that the bars sit very low on the roof, but the closeness can be an issue as I have said. I have carried two road bikes melb-adelaide on the roof with fork mount thule and barracuda, and once with just the fork mount thule. Zero issues when using either carriers for any trips. (one trip did push the A3 fuel consumption up to 5.0L/100km though...)

My whispbars are not through bars, as I wanted to keep the bars look clean and not completely destroy the look of the car. The A3 has similar bars.

The skoda has S44W's and were about $280 for the bars. I think Mazda uses then rebranded now. The bike carriers were about the $220? mrak when I got them. The fork mount is a thule. I got the whole lot from roofrack superstore.

http://www.whispbar.com.au/products/11/rail-bar

[Greg Roles]

Second thumbs up for Whisperbars here, have had all manner of roof racks over the years, and these both look the best and are the most quiet and aerodynamic. Front wheel off is always a better option for roof mount, as it both lowers the loading height, and drops the weight on the racks, and makes the whole setup more stable and aerodynamic. Just file down the quick release recessed area on your forks if you still have QR, or get a front axle kit that allows quick adjustment, makes your life a whole lot easier!

Like the former poster, I'm utterly in love with a towball mounted bike carrier now, but then I do have a Yeti with the big slab back, and it looks right set-up like that. I'd never go back.

[woofy]

I've been thinking of getting Whispbars for years now as they are what Hyundai OEM for the Santa Fe. I doubt the same set would fit on both cars now I have rails on both. I was intending to use a roof box or maybe a basket up there for camping once a year.