Car Bike Rack

[Bad Company]

I'm sure this must have been asked before but Mrs BC and I want to take our bikes further afield by car. Some years ago we bought a bike rack but never managed to get the bikes anywhere without damaging the car's paintwork.

Presumably there are better bike transport systems available now?

 

[Speck]

I'm sure this must have been asked before but Mrs BC and I want to take our bikes further afield by car. Some years ago we bought a bike rack but never managed to get the bikes anywhere without damaging the car's paintwork.

Presumably there are better bike transport systems available now?

There are good racks and there are cheap racks, I have a Mont Blanc and it is very stable. If you are careful fitting it, it doesn't cause any damage. Just been round Britanny and Belgium with two bikes on.

 

[Bad Company]

There are good racks and there are cheap racks, I have a Mont Blanc and it is very stable. If you are careful fitting it, it doesn't cause any damage. Just been round Britanny and Belgium with two bikes on.

Thanks Speck. That looks really unstable with the bikes sitting so high but at least they are held well away from the car. I will take a look at a Mont Blanc.

 

[MJN]

I'd second the Roofbox.co.uk recommendation - recently bought some Thule Aero bars and Aterra Giro roof-mounted carriers from them and have been extremely pleased. Being up on the roof means absolutely no risk of paintwork damage and no rats-nest strapping, obscuring rear lights, etc - a couple of minutes and I'm away.

Mathew

 

[Bad Company]

[QUOTE 1141384"]
Try www.roofbox.co.uk. They have a good range and will advise you on what's best for your particular car. Their customer service is excellent. I emailed them once about an issue and within 5 minutes they had called me back.
[/quote]


That looks like good site - thank you. Going to have to buy a different car though - no bike rack for a TVR.

 

[MJN]

What model TVR? If it's got a rear bumper a Saris Bones might be compatible.

Mathew

 

[Bad Company]

What model TVR? If it's got a rear bumper a Saris Bones might be compatible.

Mathew

Chimaera 5 litre - no rear bumper I'm afraid but thanks anyway.

 

[MJN]

It's hard to tell if the Chimeara's bumper is big enough - it could well be. However the biggest issue is likely to be the fibreglass body panels - edge clipping the securing straps could be pushing your luck too far.

Another car as you say, and then you're spoilt for choice!

Mathew

 

[Norm]

[QUOTE 1141390"]
Oh right. So the real reason you want the rack is so that you can get home when your TVR breaks down.
[/quote]

 

[Bad Company]

[QUOTE 1141390"]
Oh right. So the real reason you want the rack is so that you can get home when your TVR breaks down.
[/quote]


Owned it from new in 2002 and now done nearly 70,000 miles with no breakdowns or major faults.

That is the 4th TVR we have owned with no real problems.

 

[Bad Company]

[QUOTE 1141393"]
No major faults?[/quote]

Funnily enough it cost £1000 for a new prop shaft just yesterday but that was it's first major repair bill. Average that over the years of ownership and the mileage and I think it has been cheaper to run than a mainstream care - apart from the fuel costs of course.

BUT the tiv is much more FUN.

 

[MJN]

Funnily enough it cost £1000 for a new prop shaft just yesterday but that was it's first major repair bill.

Ouch. Major indeed!

 

[Bad Company]

Ouch. Major indeed!

Yes it was expensive but I think the job is very labour intensive.

Back to the op my local bike shop has suggested a tow hook for my BMW. The bikes will be held well away from the car.

 

[lanternerouge]

Eesh these bike racks are expensive aren't they?

I am looking for one for my VW Golf possibly after yesterday's horror show. I've got a bog standard Halfords rack, never had any probs at all with it until yesterday - just went out to the Trans Pennine Trail for a pootle with the gf. On the way back her bike fell off til hanging by just a cord!! Put them back on in diff order, re-tightened everything, away we go... happened twice more, ended up on hard shoulder of M56 with traffic screaming past having to re-do the whole thing, put mine in the boot and just hers on rack... by the time we'd got another 5 miles down the road the whole thing had nearly come off... I must be doing something wrong but no idea what as I've used it many times before....

Just thinking, possibly someone in the house changed the angles on it for storage and I put it on there without checking.... only thing I can think of... scary though!

 

[Andrew_P]

I tried those strap carriers I had a BMW 5 saloon it flexed and moved around so much I wouldn't go over 45mph. Wanted to take my bikes on holiday and take the kids to trails and parks etc. So when I changed car to 5 touring I bought a detachable hidden towbar and a Thule G5 909 TUV approved @ 85mph cost a fortune but use it almost every weekend and I am 100% confident of bikes staying on and zero chance of damage.

I get one kids bike inside the estate and three on the rack. Expensive but if you use them a lot well worth the cash