Roof racks

"adownhiller" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've had my old car for around 6 years now, and after all those years of

having

Quoted message said:

a bike slung in the boot every weekend its in a bit of a sorry state.

Finally, the other day I sorted my finances and have bought a new car, but

I'd

Quoted message said:

like to keep it in its nice clean condition, so I'm looking at alternative

ways

Quoted message said:

of carrying my bikes. Ideally a towbar rack would be my preferred option, but the car hasn't got

a

Quoted message said:

towbar. I could get one fitted, but I'm reluctant to do so as its more

expense

Quoted message said:

and I think it'd spoil the look of the car. So I've been looking at roof racks. The car has roof
rails on it already,

so

Quoted message said:

fitting one would be no problem. I've had a look around and I think the

best

Quoted message said:

model seems to be the Thule range:
roofrackwarehouse.co.ukinformation.aspxOpen ↗ I've worked out I can probably
get the full setup to carry 2 bikes for

around

Quoted message said:

£200.

Anyway, my question is: Before I go spending my cash on this system does

anyone

Quoted message said:

have any experience with them, and how stable they are? Obviously I'm aware that these systems are
designed to be robust enough

not to

Quoted message said:

break, but my bike's pretty heavy, and I'd be mildly dissapointed to look

in my

Quoted message said:

rear view mirror and see it bouncing down the road after me. Anyone

currently

Quoted message said:

use this type of system? Any problems?

I have the Yakima King Cobra roof carrier mounted to Yakima towers and rails. It carries my Intense
M1 and Bullit fine. Both bikes weigh about 40-50lbs each. Easy to load too. Just roll the bike into
it and lock it down. I've seen friends with the Thule rack you're looking at and it seems a bit of a
balancing act to get the downtube into the holder. This caused the bike to fall with the pedal
gouging the paint of his car. He's fairly short and his car is tall.

Mike

Michael Dart said:

I have the Yakima King Cobra roof carrier mounted to Yakima towers and rails. It carries my
Intense M1 and Bullit fine. Both bikes weigh about 40-50lbs each. Easy to load too. Just roll the
bike into it and lock it down. I've seen friends with the Thule rack you're looking at and it
seems a bit of a balancing act to get the downtube into the holder. This caused the bike to fall
with the pedal gouging the paint of his car. He's fairly short and his car is tall.

Mike

Cheers Mike, I ride an M1 too so it's good to have a recommendation from someone with the same bike.

adownhiller said:

I've had my old car for around 6 years now, and after all those years of having a bike slung in
the boot every weekend its in a bit of a sorry state.

Finally, the other day I sorted my finances and have bought a new car, but I'd like to keep it in
its nice clean condition, so I'm looking at alternative ways of carrying my bikes. Ideally a
towbar rack would be my preferred option, but the car hasn't got a towbar. I could get one fitted,
but I'm reluctant to do so as its more expense and I think it'd spoil the look of the car. So I've
been looking at roof racks. The car has roof rails on it already, so fitting one would be no
problem. I've had a look around and I think the best model seems to be the Thule range:
roofrackwarehouse.co.ukinformation.aspxOpen ↗ I've worked out I can probably
get the full setup to carry 2 bikes for around £200.

Anyway, my question is: Before I go spending my cash on this system does anyone have any
experience with them, and how stable they are? Obviously I'm aware that these systems are designed
to be robust enough not to break, but my bike's pretty heavy, and I'd be mildly dissapointed to
look in my rear view mirror and see it bouncing down the road after me. Anyone currently use this
type of system? Any problems?

A couple of points. Firstly, to mount a rack on the rear of the car, you don't need a tow bar.

Secondly, getting a bike on the roof is a bit of a 'mare (especially, if as your name suggests, you
have to get hulking great downhill bikes up there). If you slip, your bike will do nasty things to
your roof.

Finally, Thule are very nice, but expensive with it. You can probably get something similar for
less money.

bomba said:

A couple of points. Firstly, to mount a rack on the rear of the car, you don't need a tow bar.

Secondly, getting a bike on the roof is a bit of a 'mare (especially, if as your name suggests,
you have to get hulking great downhill bikes up there). If you slip, your bike will do nasty
things to your roof.

Finally, Thule are very nice, but expensive with it. You can probably get something similar for
less money.

We discovered that wagon + rack + bikes = too tall to enter local covered garage/car park. I know
I'd forget they were up there some day and hit a tree or other overhanging obstacle with my precious
bike. Much easier to hang them off the back where I'm reminded of their presence every time I check
the rear-view.

-Charlotte

Quoted message said:

We discovered that wagon + rack + bikes = too tall to enter local covered garage/car park. I know
I'd forget they were up there some day and hit a tree or other overhanging obstacle with my
precious bike. Much easier to hang them off the back where I'm reminded of their presence every
time I check the rear-view.

-Charlotte

Just about everybody I know has done the bike into the garage door header. Fortunately for me....it
was my wife's bike (though I was driving) <(;-}. Didn't hurt the bike but sure messed up the car
after the bike fell off the front wheel carrier and stayed hooked to the back.

Gary

"adownhiller" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Michael Dart said:

I have the Yakima King Cobra roof carrier mounted to Yakima towers and rails. It carries my
Intense M1 and Bullit fine. Both bikes weigh

about

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

40-50lbs each. Easy to load too. Just roll the bike into it and lock

it

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

down. I've seen friends with the Thule rack you're looking at and it

seems

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

a bit of a balancing act to get the downtube into the holder. This

caused

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the bike to fall with the pedal gouging the paint of his car. He's

fairly

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

short and his car is tall.

Mike

Cheers Mike, I ride an M1 too so it's good to have a recommendation from someone with the
same bike.

My rack is on a Ford Escort Wagon so the bike is worth more than the car. ;^) This makes he rack is
about chest high to me and an easy reach to load bikes.

Mike

"adownhiller" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've had my old car for around 6 years now, and after all those years of

having

Quoted message said:

a bike slung in the boot every weekend its in a bit of a sorry state.

Finally, the other day I sorted my finances and have bought a new car, but

I'd

Quoted message said:

like to keep it in its nice clean condition, so I'm looking at alternative

ways

Quoted message said:

of carrying my bikes. Ideally a towbar rack would be my preferred option, but the car hasn't got

a

Quoted message said:

towbar. I could get one fitted, but I'm reluctant to do so as its more

expense

Quoted message said:

and I think it'd spoil the look of the car. So I've been looking at roof racks. The car has roof
rails on it already,

so

Quoted message said:

fitting one would be no problem. I've had a look around and I think the

best

Quoted message said:

model seems to be the Thule range:
roofrackwarehouse.co.ukinformation.aspxOpen ↗ I've worked out I can probably
get the full setup to carry 2 bikes for

around

Quoted message said:

£200.

Anyway, my question is: Before I go spending my cash on this system does

anyone

Quoted message said:

have any experience with them, and how stable they are? Obviously I'm aware that these systems are
designed to be robust enough

not to

Quoted message said:

break, but my bike's pretty heavy, and I'd be mildly dissapointed to look

in my

Quoted message said:

rear view mirror and see it bouncing down the road after me. Anyone

currently

Quoted message said:

use this type of system? Any problems?

Check out the Yakima Raptor carriers. They can fit massive down tubes (helpful for DH rides) and,
best part, you don't need to take off the front wheel. Bikes go on quick, and I've driven 90 minutes
plus at over 75mph with a Sugar on one and a Kona Roast on the other...there was no swaying, nothing
came loose, etc. Perfect.

I got mine for ~65 US each, and the mounts that adapt the Yakima racks to my factory Subaru rails
were about 20. Not bad.

Chris

Not to put words in Mike's mouth, but he mentioned Yakima towers and rails. If you're planning to do
the towers and bars, it'll be secure. If you're going to fit the carrier to a factory roof rack, I'd
be thinking twice. Some factory racks are total junk.

Just my $.02

"adownhiller" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Michael Dart said:

I have the Yakima King Cobra roof carrier mounted to Yakima towers and rails. It carries my
Intense M1 and Bullit fine. Both bikes weigh

about

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

40-50lbs each. Easy to load too. Just roll the bike into it and lock

it

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

down. I've seen friends with the Thule rack you're looking at and it

seems

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

a bit of a balancing act to get the downtube into the holder. This

caused

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the bike to fall with the pedal gouging the paint of his car. He's

fairly

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

short and his car is tall.

Mike

Cheers Mike, I ride an M1 too so it's good to have a recommendation from someone with the
same bike.

"Gwood" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"adownhiller" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Michael Dart said:

I have the Yakima King Cobra roof carrier mounted to Yakima towers and rails. It carries my
Intense M1 and Bullit fine. Both bikes weigh

about

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

40-50lbs each. Easy to load too. Just roll the bike into it and lock

it

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

down. I've seen friends with the Thule rack you're looking at and it

seems

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

a bit of a balancing act to get the downtube into the holder. This

caused

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the bike to fall with the pedal gouging the paint of his car. He's

fairly

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

short and his car is tall.

Mike

Cheers Mike, I ride an M1 too so it's good to have a recommendation from someone with the
same bike.

Not to put words in Mike's mouth, but he mentioned Yakima towers and

rails.

Quoted message said:

If you're planning to do the towers and bars, it'll be secure. If you're going to fit the carrier
to a factory roof rack, I'd be thinking twice. Some factory racks are total junk.

Just my $.02

Exactly what I was going to say. ;^) Yeah, don't bolt 'em to the factory rack. The one on the Escort
is a joke. I wouldn't strap Clark Griswold's dead Aunt to it.

Mike

Quoted message said:

Just about everybody I know has done the bike into the garage door header. Fortunately for
me....it was my wife's bike (though I was driving) <(;-}. Didn't hurt the bike but sure messed up
the car after the bike fell off

the

Quoted message said:

front wheel carrier and stayed hooked to the back.

A quick possably money saving idea....Make a BIG ASSED sign to hang from the inside of a garage door
that says "GOT BIKE" or something. Make it big and bright. Hang it from the inside center of the
garage door with string or a light chain. You will be reminded of the bikes every time you go to
drive in because it will hang right in front of your car. When the door is closed, it will just lay
flat against the door.

Todd