Boot Rack or Roof Rack ?

K2

I'm getting a couple of mountain bikes in a few weeks for fooling around on forest tracks. My motor is a saloon so I will need either a boot or roof rack. My preference at the moment is the boot rack, based on price and ease of loading, but does anyone have any experience or opinion on either methods of carrying bikes on a car which might change my mind.

(Apologies if this has come up before but I could not find anything using the search facility)

uberwolf

hmmmm,

I reckon the trade off is something like this,

Roof rack - easier mounting, if it's a permanent fixture, otherwise it's prob 6 of 1 half a...

Roof rack - protects bikes from damage, they're securely placed away from the other bikes. But there's a much greater drag factor, it definitely removes from your top speed and adds noticably to your fuel costs.

Rear Mounting - bikes knock off each other, rub constantly - unless you're consistently border line anal re: having padding in place (this is easily done once you figure out the best way to do it. I found pipe lagging/insulation to be v.good at this. A bike shop might be able to sort this out as well though because they come in the boxes with some of it on them ). I have gouges into carbon fibre to testify

- obviously the drag factor is negated though.

I'm not sure how I'd swing TBH.

K2

thanks for the reply uberwolf, I think you are right, its much of a muchness. Price and easy loading will decide, the bikes I'm getting are pretty basic so I'm not too concerned about scrapes and dents.

Raam

I bought a boot rack for about 80 euro and I have no problems with it.
It fits 3 bikes and I've never seen any noticable scratches on the bikes after a trip. You just have to be careful to position the bikes so that they don't damage each others derailleurs

KR

Genghis

Boot racks were on sale in Aldi a few weeks back €34.99. I personally know of two people who individually managed to pick up one at two different stores as late as last weekend (Thurles and Tullamore). If you are near an Aldi that isn't Parnell St, then I'd give them a shout. In each case there were only 2/3 left in stock, so expect them to be all sold out later this week.

Good quality, too.

ednwireland

i remember a bike mag article a few years ago where the drove a hatchback along a cobbled street at 20mph with 3 bikes on a boot rack and it pulled the hatch off which is why i always use a thule roof rack (lockable )with lockable bike carriers (locks just paranoia on my part but when you've shelled 300 yoyo on racks ad carriers i'd hate someone to nick them and then theres the bikes !
personally wouldn't use a boot rack. you can take roof rack off as quickly as a boot rack in my experience.

dandare

I use a boot carrier -> usually for one light weight.
I keep my eye on it but I can drive as normal.
Last weekend I had two on it and was not at all confident driving with it.
It wobbled quite a bit more -> even though I has it secured as well as I usually do.
I was put off a roof rack as I would be afraid I would pull into a car park -> under one of the height restriction barriers and open the car like a tin of beans. I have also witnessed a bike not secured properly comming of a roof rack and the following traffic smashing it up -> true story!

So Im no nearer to awnsering ur question. The boot carriers are fine for me for 1 lightweight (approx 10kgs). I dont think you could be confident of their 45kg limit -> and I wouldnt dream of carrying 3 bikes.

Ideal solution -> large estate car of people carrier -> keep the bikes inside!

Raam

dandare wrote:

The boot carriers are fine for me for 1 lightweight (approx 10kgs). I dont think you could be confident of their 45kg limit -> and I wouldnt dream of carrying 3 bikes.

have you had a bad experience with the boot racks?
When I'm using my one I constantly check the mirrors, but like I said, I've used it with three bikes on it and it does the job no bother. The rack I have has six separate hooks to attach to the car (two for the top, two for the bottom and two for either side), so if you tighten them correctly you should be ok. The arms on the rack have a slight tilt at the very end to stop the bikes slipping off, and it has a rubber coating on it to keep the bikes in place. Finally, it came with some loose 'ties' to secure the bikes to the rack.

I have never used a roof rack, so I can't comment on them but I think a boot rack is fine!

KR

dandare

Ive not had a bike fall off or anything like that, but as I said I dont feal very confident driving with more than 1 bike at a time. Mabey because thats all Im used to.
Your rack sounds like its the same as mine with its hooks etc. I find that no matter how tight u pull the straps the bike always has a bit of play also.

sarenka

is there anything that could be put inside car/van to lock the bikes in secure position while driving?
We have a small van and boot/back rack is not an option as we would have to loose the door. Roof rack is just very expensive as we would have to buy 2 and install roof bars.
The best idea seems to be keeping bikes inside but don't want them to move around too much.
Any advice?

ednwireland

http://www.bikeinside.de/en/

sarenka

Thanks endwireland.
That's extreme! Great stuff for real fanatics! :-)

I'm after sensible (not so expensive) solution to putting bikes as they are (both wheels on) inside to van and just ensuring they don't wobble and fall around...

Peterx

If you have a towbar the towbar mounted bike racks are rock solid. I had a strappy boot rack before but it was a constant worry watching it bounce about in the rear view mirror.

The peace of mind with the towbar mounted one is nearly worth the price of geting a towbar fitted!

the pendle one I have http://www.pendle-bike.co.uk/shopping/towbar-racks.php is very neat when not in use, the two bars the bikes sit on lie flat in the boot. Thule and others have fancier ones which take up much more space in the boot but have the advantage of keeping the 3 bikes apart.

+1 on the pipe lagging for keeping the forks ungouged. Regrigeration lagging is denser than waterpipe lagging too.

The roof ones are cool and great until you drive into a barrier or low rise carpark. bang!

sarenka

Thanks Peterx
Will check out this option, sounds interesting.

cython

If you just want to put the bikes inside a van, then you could probably get a lot of mileage out of some bungee cords, and maybe a sheet or 2 of decently thick foam padding, or even something like an old duvet? Assuming, of course, that you have something in the cargo area of the van to lash the cords too? A group of friends of mine have used the same strategy for small and large numbers of bikes in the past, including bringing a load of bikes to France by ferry, so it is well doable.

sarenka

Thanks Cython.

I was actually thinking of an old think blanket covered with plastic cover (to keep van relatively clean) and two heavy but small bike stands (catching front or back wheel to support from falling over) and bungee cords.
I'm probably a bad researcher as i can't find bike stands I'm after...

I just had a look at tow bar racks, but they all are seem to be design to go outside the car/van.
We really want to keep bikes INSIDE the van.

smacl

dandare wrote: »

So Im no nearer to awnsering ur question. The boot carriers are fine for me for 1 lightweight (approx 10kgs). I dont think you could be confident of their 45kg limit -> and I wouldnt dream of carrying 3 bikes.

We regularly carry 4 bikes around on one of these racks. Had some scraped paint on one of the bikes and the boot of the car, you have to watch where the pedals are pointing to avoid the latter. The trick seems to be getting the bikes very close together and tied up tight so there is no movement whatsoever. You also need to tighten the straps after the bikes are on, as the load causes weight re-distribution.

If I had a car with a tow bar, I'd most likely go for one of these.

langdang

For those interested in carrying bikes inside a van/mpv/4x4 you could try the PVC diy approach

http://www.utahmountainbiking.com/goodies/TruckbedBikeRack.htm

ednwirelands link looks very promising too. Some people knock up a DIY version of that with some 2x4, dunno where they get the bits to bolt the forks to tho...


Just bought a new (to me) bike carrying wagon, can't wait to try getting the bikes in..

lennymc

My bcw (bike carrying wagon) is an oul hatchback with the seats down. COmfortably carries 1 bike, however, I will need to carry 2 bikes soon, so am going for the roof mounted ones. I have the boot mounted racks but they allways seem to scrape something (car or bike) so I dont really like using them. The towbar and rack option is just too expensive for me at the moment, so i think the roof is the best way for me to go. I just need to watch out for low bridges :eek:

ednwireland

langdang wrote: »

For those interested in carrying bikes inside a van/mpv/4x4 you could try the PVC diy approach

http://www.utahmountainbiking.com/goodies/TruckbedBikeRack.htm

ednwirelands link looks very promising too. Some people knock up a DIY version of that with some 2x4, dunno where they get the bits to bolt the forks to tho...


Just bought a new (to me) bike carrying wagon, can't wait to try getting the bikes in..

2x4 and a couple of these then



http://www.wiggle.co.uk/delta-hitch-pro-fork-mount/

langdang

ednwireland wrote: »

2x4 and a couple of these then



http://www.wiggle.co.uk/delta-hitch-pro-fork-mount/

thanks for the link, some price for what they are tho, aren't they?
How much PVC pipe could I buy for 40yoyo I wonder? If I can get the bikes in upright with front wheels on then I'm definitely gonna try the PVC rack...

ednwireland

langdang wrote: »

thanks for the link, some price for what they are tho, aren't they?
How much PVC pipe could I buy for 40yoyo I wonder? If I can get the bikes in upright with front wheels on then I'm definitely gonna try the PVC rack...

god you cant please some people get an old axle and skewer and make your own then

langdang

Recession recession lad;):D

manwithaplan

I have bars on the roof of my car but, on long family trips, they are usually fully occupied with a large roof box. I use a boot-mounted rack for those longer trips - six strap model - I find it secure and it does the job well. The problem is that it's slow enough to fit, load and tie everything up and it stops the kids being able to hop into the back seats (it's an MPV) so I can't leave it on. There's no way I would use it to carry bikes regularly.

I can flatten my rear seats and a number of bikes fit comfortably inside so that's my solution for heading to races etc when I don't have to carry any more than one passenger. If I didn't have that option, I would definitely go with the roof-mounted rack for regular use.

ThisRegard

I have a quarter width roof box and two roof bike carriers, although I haven't tried yet I reckon I'd get all 3 on the roof.

Remembering low bars is an issue though, you even have to avoid express lanes on toll roads.

cdaly_

sarenka wrote: »

Thanks Cython.

I was actually thinking of an old think blanket covered with plastic cover (to keep van relatively clean) and two heavy but small bike stands (catching front or back wheel to support from falling over) and bungee cords.
I'm probably a bad researcher as i can't find bike stands I'm after...

Don't use stands that hold the wheel for transporting a bike. The wheels will end up subject to forces that they're not built for and you'll end up with buckles. Support the frame in some fashion instead.

sarenka

cdaly_ wrote: »

Don't use stands that hold the wheel for transporting a bike. The wheels will end up subject to forces that they're not built for and you'll end up with buckles. Support the frame in some fashion instead.

Never crossed my mind so thanks for pointing it out!

Lumen

cdaly_ wrote: »

Don't use stands that hold the wheel for transporting a bike. The wheels will end up subject to forces that they're not built for and you'll end up with buckles. Support the frame in some fashion instead.

Several types of high quality roof rack support the bike only by the wheels. I'm not convinced it's a bad idea; unloaded bikes are light and the forces are small.

I dislike boot racks intensely. They are terrible with deep section wheels and unusable with a disc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4wNQzqrbhs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBHZCUXiqRA

barrabus

i have a tow bar rack and love it . It is unbelievably convenient on and off in two seconds, really handy picking people up avec velo.. rock solid.
I also have roof system, would really only use for trip to france or something. had a bad moment on a rainy day once when every thing was going wrong a few years ago, beware height restrictions!

@Lumen I dont get your intensity?

Lumen

Tow bar rack is a load less hassle than boot rack, but isn't there still the issue of bikes knocking together against each other and the rack structure?

barrabus

Lumen wrote: »

Tow bar rack is a load less hassle than boot rack, but isn't there still the issue of bikes knocking together against each other and the rack structure?

not on my one, there is a rubber U shaped things on the bar and you sit the cross into it..so no knocking..
also less noisy driving.

rab!dmonkey

I use an old 'Paddy Hopkirk' boot rack to carry my DH bike. It weights just under 20 kg but as long as I tie it down tight, everything's grand. I use the same rack to carry my XC bike along with my two brothers' bikes. It's a bit of a squeeze, but it's fine so long as everything is pushed in as close to the car as possible. Ideally though, a I'd use a tow ball rack so I could open the boot with bikes in tow.

On a somewhat related note, does anyone know if there's anything illegal about towing a cyclist with a motor vehicle?

dingdong1234567

ednwireland wrote: »

2x4 and a couple of these then



http://www.wiggle.co.uk/delta-hitch-pro-fork-mount/

Ringed up this setup for the back of my Transit Connect:


Lenght of 2X2, bit of marine ply and a few screws. Jobs a good un!

Lumen

barrabus wrote: »

not on my one, there is a rubber U shaped things on the bar and you sit the cross into it..so no knocking..
also less noisy driving.

Which one do you have?

manwithaplan

rab!dmonkey wrote: »

On a somewhat related note, does anyone know if there's anything illegal about towing a cyclist with a motor vehicle?

Nothing at all. It's great craic with the kids although I'm not sure if it's allowed on a motorway.

WTF

Lumen

rab!dmonkey wrote: »

On a somewhat related note, does anyone know if there's anything illegal about towing a cyclist with a motor vehicle?

Not if you're riding for HTC Highroad.

High Nellie

I have the one on the towbar and it's a very good solution. Only two bikes though - three at a push. You need to be careful if you are finnicky about frame pain though.
The roof is probably the best but I decided against it as I would inevitable end up driving under a car-park barrier at some stage. Also the problem with wind drag for normal driving.
This rear mounted ones with straps look a bit iffy to me

instinct

Im using tow bar mount and its the business. Can cruise up and down the m50 all day long and no need to worry.

70euro for the mount from halfords (Thule) and luckily the car came with a tow bar but maybe your lucky and gumtree / donedeal has something.

Lumen

instinct wrote: »

Im using tow bar mount and its the business. Can cruise up and down the m50 all day long and no need to worry.

70euro for the mount from halfords (Thule) and luckily the car came with a tow bar but maybe your lucky and gumtree / donedeal has something.

This looks the business. No frame contact. Some kind of tilt function to give access to boot.

rab!dmonkey

manwithaplan wrote: »

Nothing at all. It's great craic with the kids although I'm not sure if it's allowed on a motorway.

WTF

It's called an uplift, bro; not all bikes are designed for going up hills. :rolleyes:

Lumen

OK, having spent far too much time researching this I am sold on the tow hitch idea, due to:

- Lack of hassle in car parks with height restrictions (specifically parks around Dublin where I go with the kids).
- Better aerodynamics so lower fuel consumption and noise at motorway speeds.
- Easier to get the bikes on and off.

The Thule Sidearm system which I liked the look of for roof mounting isn't available outside the US, and there are some reports of bikes coming off, particularly MTBs with squishy tyres and front suspension. Maybe it hasn't been approved for sale in Europe.

Roof systems take up less space when not fitted and can be left on the car, but I think once you go past two bikes the reach issues are a problem - I have bad memories of nearly falling off the support car during the RAI last year.

CSS do a decent range of Thule kit (better than Halfords) although their prices seem a bit extreme.

I think I'll probably go for the THULE 909 Euroclassic G5 3-bike towball Carrier. It looks a bit massive though.

I still hate my Saris boot rack, but that's due to the hassle with straps and the way the bikes are suspended freely. The tow hitch ones with wheel supports seem much better.

edit: comparison of Thule 909 with cheaper 9403/9503 here. Halfords do the 9403 for €185, CSS do the 909 for €555. Main difference seems to be speed of installation (990 better) and bike retention - clamp (909) vs straps (9403), they both have integrated number plate & lighting, the 9403 is better with kids bikes.

Towequipe do the 909 for £420 (€475) shipped to Ireland. They responded to my e-mail about shipping charges in 5 mins so seem organised.

barrabus

Lumen wrote: »

Which one do you have?

Dunno .. borrowed off my dad about years ago.. I really do mean to give it back:rolleyes:, it is quite baisc but it works.

Lumen

Lumen wrote: »

I think I'll probably go for the THULE 909 Euroclassic G5 3-bike towball Carrier. It looks a bit massive though.

Sorry for continuing my thread hijack. Just one more thing...

The THULE 909 Euroclassic has folded dimensions of 137cm x 70cm. This makes it impossible to fit in most boots, so you can't just feck it in the boot while you're out cycling or not using it.

The Altera Strada DL seems more practical, as it's "only" 1000 x 250 x 720 mm when folded, although the frame clamps don't seem as well designed and (according to reviews) take more time to set up as they have to thread through rather than go over the bike frames.

In Dunboyne today I was checking out the team cars. The custom roof racks they have are amazing. One of them had "LEO VEMO" stamped on the clamps, which has defeated my Google-fu completely.

I'll shut up now.