[rogerxp]

Thought you guys might have some experience with these so could help with the pro's and con's.

My Daughter got a bigger bike for Christmas and my little boy got a chunky trike thing which both basically fill the QQ+2 boot. Thinking ahead of myself, this years UK holiday is going to be tricky with the boot already full even before my wife shoves all her shite in .

Think a bike carrier will be needed before summer so just doing a little research in advance.

Options are -:

OEM Rear Bike Carrier - £230 (obviously doesn't include the price of a towbar)
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...tchlink:top:en

Thule Rear Bike Carrier - £215 (no need for a towbar)
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...tchlink:top:en

OEM Roof Mounted Bike Carrier - £90
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3008283913...84.m1423.l2649

Obviously cheaper versions of all are available but would likely go for the higher quality brands. At this stage it'll just be my Daughters bike on the rack but will probably end up getting a bike myself too (and ultimately carry more bikes once little man gets older).

Any thoughts?? Does the roof mounted fuck up the mpg/noise significantly. Are the roof mounted ones difficult to use (i.e. lifting bikes up/down). Does the non-towbar rear mounted ones damage the paintwork or affect access to the boot. Any comments welcomed.

[AlwynMike]

Originally Posted by rogerxp

Thought you guys might have some experience with these so could help with the pro's and con's.

My Daughter got a bigger bike for Christmas and my little boy got a chunky trike thing which both basically fill the QQ+2 boot. Thinking ahead of myself, this years UK holiday is going to be tricky with the boot already full even before my wife shoves all her shite in .

Think a bike carrier will be needed before summer so just doing a little research in advance.

Options are -:

OEM Rear Bike Carrier - £230 (obviously doesn't include the price of a towbar)
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...tchlink:top:en

Thule Rear Bike Carrier - £215 (no need for a towbar)
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...tchlink:top:en

OEM Roof Mounted Bike Carrier - £90
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3008283913...84.m1423.l2649

Obviously cheaper versions of all are available but would likely go for the higher quality brands. At this stage it'll just be my Daughters bike on the rack but will probably end up getting a bike myself too (and ultimately carry more bikes once little man gets older).

Any thoughts?? Does the roof mounted fuck up the mpg/noise significantly. Are the roof mounted ones difficult to use (i.e. lifting bikes up/down). Does the non-towbar rear mounted ones damage the paintwork or affect access to the boot. Any comments welcomed.

I use a towbar mounted one, but I have a towbar for the caravan, otherwise it would be prohibitively expensive.

I wouldn't use a car mounted one on principle in case it damaged the paint over a distance at speed.

I would suggest a roof mounted one - again I have an advantage having a Touring! I used a roof rack on my 5 series saloon with no issues, although I did put some thin chamois on the paint before clamping the bar down. Some bars can HOWL (even costly ones) if they aren't mounted right - they have a slot at the bottom, and at the right (or wrong!) angle that acts as a whistle that is painfully loud at anything over 30mph. This happened to me at the start of a French trip. All OK on the test run, but with the car loaded, the angle of attack was just in the painful spot. 10 minutes with duct tape closed the gap and it was quiet for the rest of the trip.
You will notice some fuel consumption penalty. Oddly, the worst effect with a rear mount carrier was from the lighting board. I mounted it secured to the handlebars and seat of a mountain bike. This put it just above boot height of the 5er, and the wind resistance was immediately noticeable, even at sensible speeds. I relocated to resting the light board on the pedals and all was fine.

Mike

[doughboy]

We use 2 Thule 591 roof carriers on some whisbar aero roof bars, very good combo IMO. Steady and very easy to load, you use two hands two lift the bike on (fork and seat tube) then they have a single handed securing mechanism so you can still hold the bike with one hand as you secure it.

Unlike some bike racks that need 3 or 4 hands to operate.

Oddly they whistle with no bikes on but are quiet when loaded, but as Mike says thats very specific and some duct tape would fix that If i could be bothered.

They'll limit your speed to 80 tops else they get a speed wobble on. With two bikes on its helps if you cross bungee between them to help steady the handle bars.

[rogerxp]

Thanks chaps. Appreciate the input (and potential cost saving ).

[davyk31]

I have seen damage caused by rear mounted non towbar versions therefore would avoid them. Roof seems best option so long as you can be careful when lifting the bike up. Get bars that can also be used with a roof box to give you that option in the event you sometime need more luggage space.

Alternatively hire bikes wherever you holiday using the cash saved from not needing to buy a bike rack.

[Sir_Pigley]

I would pay the extra and get the towbar system, even if it means extra expense, for these reasons:

1. On my wife's Touran 4 bikes on the roof reduces mpg from around 47mpg to less than 35mpg.
   
2. A towbar mounted system can be used on the spur of the moment if you fancy going for a bike ride at some local forest or other track. Roof mounted bars and cycle carriers take much longer to fit when needed and hence you won't bother doing spur of the moment stuff
   
3. I'm a shortarse and so lifting the bikes up on and off the roof is challenging - I have to stand on the sill and then have someone behind me to stop me overbalancing backwards, or dropping the bike on the roof. I use a stepladder at home, but don't have that option at the destination because the car tends to be too full of luggage to take a stepladder with you. All this may not be an issue if you are tall, but it is still more difficult than a towbar mounted system.

[daveyM3]

Another vote for the Thule 591 with aero roof bars. I've used this for a few years now and it's great. The Thule system is really secure and easy to get the bike into and out of.

[themetz]

I went down the tow bar route too - pricey but worth it. I even fitted the electrics kit myself (saved £150!).

[rogerxp]

Originally Posted by themetz

I went down the tow bar route too - pricey but worth it. I even fitted the electrics kit myself (saved £150!).

Fancy doing another me old bean?? Did you use the same big whacking knife that you used to wire a plug & nearly lose your finger

[peterg1965]

Roger, get the tow bar one. It makes it easier for when you buy the caravan

[ian_m]

thule 591 + wing bars
bought as a package, got matching keys for free - one key does all the locks its ok much improved since i last used thule products five years ago

[N8N]

Can you guys get Rocky Mounts bike mounts on your side of the pond? I prefer them to the Thule roof mount stuff. They are less expensive (here in the US at least) and seem to be higher quality. The only downside is if you have Thule or Yakima roof bars you have to carry two keys as RM uses different lock cores from either, but IMHO they are the way to go.

Thule recommends that you remove the roof rack and carriers when not using them, which isn't a really bad idea, but if you don't the hardware in the fork clamps can rust. RM makes their skewers etc. out of stainless steel. When I asked if there was any problem leaving a carrier on the car for a day or so in the rain the email response I got from RM was something along the lines of "no, of course not. Why would there be?" No brainer choice...

[rogerxp]

Thanks for all your thoughts chaps; appreciated.

I do like the idea of the towbar/rear mounted rack combo but is going to set me back around £500 which is by far the most expensive but think provides the best solution (no drag, reduced wind noise, ease of access & removal, leave the roof free to potential roof box, etc). We'll have to see how full my pockets are feeling when the time is right.

Reaching the roof on the QQ+2 is a pain in the arse as I'm 'average' height, I can't reach it easily when washing it (rarely admittedly), so the thought of lifting a bike above my head & onto the roof doesn't excite me. But, for the cost, and the occassional use, shouldn't be ruled out.

I'll think on...

[ian_m]

i wouldn't worry about that

my eldest used to put a mountain bike on a pug 107 roof, he's 6'1" and still had to take a pair of steps to lift the thing on and off