Best bike roof rack

jamesd

Looking for an option to bring my bike on a family weekend away, our car is a Nissan qashqai and the road bike is carbon and has 12mm thru axles.and disc brakes.

Looking for stability plus ease of putting up / down the bike.

Thule 598:
http://www.halfords.ie/cycling/bike-racks/roof-mounted-bike-racks/thule-proride-598-roof-mounted-bike-rack

or else

Thule Thruride
https://www.thule.com/en-gb/gb/bike-rack/roof-bike-racks/thule-thruride-_-565000

I am wondering would the thruride be more stable but maybe harder to lift the bike onto ?

bikedude

I have the 598 is easy to fit the bike on and off, and is handy you don’t need to take the wheel off and find a space in the car for it.
Is more practical if you use more frequently.
Bike is at full height on the top of the car.

The trueride will be more stable and the bike will be lower in the car, but you need to fit the wheel in the back of the car.

The 598 holds in the bike frame, but closer to the bottom bracket and have a torque mechanism so you don’t crush the carbon frame. The trueride don’t touch the frame

For fuel consumption without the bike I imagine the trueride is a bit more aerodynamic, so should be better and more silent.

Would say the 2 would be similarly easy to fit the bike.

jamesd

Would you mind the bike good and stable on the 598?

check_six

The most important thing with bikes on the roof is a sticky note on your steering wheel to remind you the things are on the roof. There have been a couple of horror stories on here about people trying to drive into carparks with height limiting bars forgetting about their precious bikes!

loyatemu

jamesd wrote: »

Would you mind the bike good and stable on the 598?

I've driven long distances with my kids mountain bike on a 591 (which is virtually the same) - it's rock solid. Obviously remove anything that might potentially come loose like saddle bags, lights etc.

jamesd

Thanks all - went ahead and ordered the 598.

bikedude

jamesd wrote: »

Would you mind the bike good and stable on the 598?

As long as you take some time do double check all is correctly adjusted is very solid.

Good bike (MTB) is the one I use the most in the bike rack. No problem on smaller roads or motorways speeds

saccades

jamesd wrote: »

Would you mind the bike good and stable on the 598?

Fine when I go racing over in England.

07Lapierre

Here's another option:

https://seasucker.com/collections/bike/products/hornet?lshst=collection

I have the talon single bike rack and i love it! So easy to put on and off and won't mark/scratch the cars paintwork.

jamesd

07Lapierre wrote: »

Here's another option:

https://seasucker.com/collections/bike/products/hornet?lshst=collection

I have the talon single bike rack and i love it! So easy to put on and off and won't mark/scratch the cars paintwork.

They look great, id bo nervous of them holding on the bike.

loyatemu

07Lapierre wrote: »

Here's another option:

https://seasucker.com/collections/bike/products/hornet?lshst=collection

I have the talon single bike rack and i love it! So easy to put on and off and won't mark/scratch the cars paintwork.

:eek: there is no way I would trust suction cups to hold my bike onto the car!

07Lapierre

jamesd wrote: »

They look great, id bo nervous of them holding on the bike.

loyatemu wrote: »

:eek: there is no way I would trust suction cups to hold my bike onto the car!

I was the same...but Ive been using it now for a few months and i'm very impressed with it. Once its on its not going anywhere!

I'd go as far as to say that if you attached a hook to the suction cups, you could probably lift the whole car with a crane without a problem. they really are that strong.

Once you arrive at your destination, you just lift a small tab on each suction cup and off they come! It only take a few seconds to attach/remove from the car.

check_six

07Lapierre wrote: »

I was the same...but Ive been using it now for a few months and i'm very impressed with it. Once its on its not going anywhere!

I'd go as far as to say that if you attached a hook to the suction cups, you could probably lift the whole car with a crane without a problem. they really are that strong.

Once you arrive at your destination, you just lift a small tab on each suction cup and off they come! It only take a few seconds to attach/remove from the car.

I'd be more reassured if I didn't think that my rear window wouldn't just fall out ... :eek:

07Lapierre

check_six wrote: »

I'd be more reassured if I didn't think that my rear window wouldn't just fall out ... :eek:

actually the first time i attached it, i attached the main suction cup to the roof, but i found the metal is so thin nowadays that the whole car roof flexed quite a bit! :eek: (it's much more rigid when attached to the rear screen and I've driven on the motorway with it)

youtheman

I recently fitted the Thule 598 to my Mazda CX5 (SUV).  Like all Thule devices, it is well engineered, so no problems there (except for the risk of wipe out if you drive under a low barrier!).
One significant thing to note.  Due to the cars higher roof, if you add the height of the bars and then the bike, I found that I could not access the bike from ground level (and I'm 5' 10" tall).  So I had to open the rear door, step on the door cill and get someone to pass the bike over my shoulder. So it's a 2 person job (and quite awkward at that).

jamesd

youtheman wrote: »

I recently fitted the Thule 598 to my Mazda CX5 (SUV).  Like all Thule devices, it is well engineered, so no problems there (except for the risk of wipe out if you drive under a low barrier!).
One significant thing to note.  Due to the cars higher roof, if you add the height of the bars and then the bike, I found that I could not access the bike from ground level (and I'm 5' 10" tall).  So I had to open the rear door, step on the door cill and get someone to pass the bike over my shoulder. So it's a 2 person job (and quite awkward at that).

With me being 5ft 7 I might run into the same if not a worse issue.

I spotted this online - Moki DoorStep
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/666339959/moki-doorstep

ednwireland

or you could just buy a set of folding steps when they are next in lidl or aldi (or just not buy a SUV)

Hurrache

jamesd wrote: »

With me being 5ft 7 I might run into the same if not a worse issue.

I spotted this online - Moki DoorStep
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/666339959/moki-doorstep

Same as myself, and I have a low enough estate car. One time the bike did tipple over and land on my head when putting it up, so what I do know is throw it up and then use the sills of the back door to stand on and fasten it down.

mirrormatrix

I have the 598. Haven't used it in well over a year. Just throw the bike(s) in the back instead now. It's quick enough to take on and off, but never going to be as handy as putting it the bike in the back of the car.

But then I never have more than one passenger

I have whacked the bike off barriers at the toll so that probably partially explains my current apprehension.

jamesd

I have a caddy van myself for most of my biking trips but my wife wants to spend a few days away down in Clare with her family so I'm just planning ahead so I could get a few spins in while down there.