Bike Roof Carriers

[400bhp]

Huge car like an A4............bikes inside, wheels off. Still room for people and other luggage.

Nope

 

[RhythMick]

So... If I buy Thule bars, I simply need to buy different Feet for different cars? All feet fit all bars but not all cars... Cool?

If so, it should be cheaper to buy 2nd hand bars and buy new feet?

I have a set of virtually unused Thule bars and feet (757 pack, they fit any car with factory fitted rails I think but google Thule 757 to be sure). I changed make when I changed car.

I was gonna stick em on eBay but let me know if youre interested. They can't have been used more than 3/4 times.


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[RhythMick]

This seems as good a place as any to post this...

I'd like to transport some bikes. On the roof of my Audi A4 2002 saloon. I can spend a bit of cash but would like that cash to be an investment.

Are there any racks that you can buy that are universal? Obviously it cant be one rack for ALL cars but can you buy decent racks that will fit MOST saloons?

I know it's £200 or less versus thousands on a car, but if I could get something that could easily be moved to mates cars, and obviously my future cars, that would be awesome.

Ta

Notwithstanding my cheeky advert below for my Thule bars, actually I'd really recommend the ProRack S-Wing bars and feet. When I bought my Subaru Outback I switched to them and very glad I did ...

- the same bars work with multiple feet, so at worst you may need to buy a new feet pack
- they are so aerodynamic that I just leave them on the car. My Outback is advertised to do 44.1 mpg combined and I'm averaging just over that, so they can hardly be hurting my consumption.
- it's a right royal pain taking any bars off, so go for those you don't mind leaving on
- they look cool


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[Scruffmonster]

Thanks mate but I dont have factory bars. they're common on the estate, I have a saloon.

 

[User269]

Dude, it's not a Tardis... There is zero chance of getting 2 bikes, luggage and people into an A4. I've struggled with 2 people and 1 bike.

A rather silly car then.

 

[Scruffmonster]

A rather silly car then.

Huh? Cars arent designed to carry bikes inside...

You'll be looking for a long time to find a car that'll take 2 bikes, people and luggage without any external help. That's the reason they can charge several hundred notes for solutions to that problem.

 

[fossyant]

- they are so aerodynamic that I just leave them on the car. My Outback is advertised to do 44.1 mpg combined and I'm averaging just over that, so they can hardly be hurting my consumption.

The outback is shaped like a brick anyway . Assume that's diesel.

 

[smokeysmoo]

How much do you want for them?

If this was for me then a quick check shows they're selling on eBay for around £50 each, so a ton for the pair collected/posted and we'll have a deal.

The cheapest I can see them new, (via a quick Google) is HERE for £133.60 for 2 (+ shipping?) The rest are more like £80 each!

 

[smokeysmoo]

They're still more £16 (+ shipping?) more expensive than my hardly used ones FWIW I find them very lightweight, being all alloy construction I don't feel they're heavy at all

 

[Scruffmonster]

Am I missing something here?... Why are these;

http://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rb...cruz_roof_bars/Qx@w,6M42VAwp3@Rb{~cC4ure5KtWW

So much cheaper?

They are £200 Cheaper than an Atera set up and £230 cheaper than a Thule set up. That's a massive difference.

If I'm going to be using these maybe 2-4 times a year, and removing the roof bars every time, is there really that much additional value there?

 

[400bhp]

Last year I went to France on hols - took 2 bikes on the roof, using the Thule 531 carriers (about £40 each). I decided that driving into a car park with a barrier and the bikes on top would be a good idea & ended up bending the bikes (now fixed) and the carriers.

I got a cheap EUR20 pair from a Decathlon store in france. The differences between them were that the Decathlon ones weren't quick release fitting and had to be bolted on to the roof bars, they didn't have a lock, they had different cheper straps and they didn't look as nice. IMO both were about as sturdy as the other.

I would rather spend a bit more on the carriers. The resale on Fleabay is pretty good for Thule carriers too.

 

[fossyant]

Nothing massively wrong. No specific wheel anchors - simple strap set up. No quick release on the support bar - if you aren't bothered, and are OK with the time it can take to load/unload then not an issue. One thing to note, When mounting to the roof bars, ensure the foot plate for the support bar is mounted directly on top of the roof bar to reduce flex - Thule ones are designed for this.

Just watch the bike weight though 15kg limit is the weight of a reasonable MTB/hybrid - i.e. a £300-£400 bike.

If you find the Halfords Advanced (Thule) ones on offer then they will be about £100 for 4, not £100 for 2.

 

[400bhp]

What I often do when removing the carriers is to remove the roof bars and leave the carriers in tact on the bars. It all comes off in a reasonably easy to carry square. Can then just lean up against a wall in the garage.

 

[fossyant]

What I often do when removing the carriers is to remove the roof bars and leave the carriers in tact on the bars. It all comes off in a reasonably easy to carry square. Can then just lean up against a wall in the garage.

This is what I do - also good for musle building

 

[Scruffmonster]

Well the trip isnt until September so I'll keep my eyes peeled for cheaper carriers on GumTree/eBay and maybe if the Halfords Advanced offer comes up I could go for those, total package would be £150 which is my upper limit.

It's the extortionate cost for Thule roof racks that amazes me. It's two bars and 4 feet. There's no craftsmanship involved. Maybe I'm being Naive, I just dont see the extra value in an £80 price gap in roof racks. (£50 Cruz Vs £130 Thule).

Thanks though everyone.