I need to buy a bicycle carriers [to carry max 2 bikes - most of time will carry only 1 bike]
I need to fit this in Suzuki Ignis [here's a pix for quick reference - tinyurl.com/5emfuh]
Question:
[1] Which is better - roof or rear carrier? [better in the sense of price, ease of fix etc.]
I saw one rear carrier at Halfords but it requires extra lighting!
[2] any particular carrier recommendation? [as cheap as possible provided doesn't fall of]
Thanx
|
Looking at the back door of the Ignis any rear mount carrier is going to obscure either lights or number plate. That doesn't seem to bother most people but if you want to do it properly you'd need a trailer board.
If you have a towbar and wiring, there's a Thule RideOn 2-bike tow ball mounting carrier that has lighting built in and costs about £75. If not, and you have or can fit roof bars then the budget roof mounted carriers are fine at about £20 each - I've used those myself and I certainly felt much happier than with a rear mounted one just hooked on to and resting on the tailgate.
Edited by Manatee on 29/11/2008 at 19:56
|
|
|
Rear carrier needs extra lighting which means towbar and electrics fitted not a cheap option.
Best bet roof mounted bars plus cycle carrier which is cheaper option, look into Motorworld stores as they tend to have slightly cheaper options than Halfords.
I have used both systems in past and find roof mounted cycle very stable as long as you use good quality bars ect.
Halfords tend to use Thule very good but expensive Motorworld use Auto maxi which are equally as good but not as expensive.
Do not be tempted to use rear mounted cycle carrier which obscure the lights as our local plod makes a good income from stopping motorists with this system on their way to Centre Parcs and issuing fines for obstruction of the lights.
I have to say having followed cars fitted with these things and having 5 bikes slung on the back I tend to agree with the plod as on dark nights you cannot easily see the cars.
|
|
Thule do a great one which just clamps onto the downtube. Wheels stay on, bike completely secure and it locks on too.
|
|
|
>>Best bet roof mounted bars plus cycle carrier which is cheaper option,
Assuming you can hoist the bike(s) up
Beware any low branches of trees and especially car parks with height restrictions !!!
>>look into Motorworld stores
>>
( if it still exist in your area - check administrators)
>>as they tend to have slightly cheaper options than Halfords.
I used a very very cheap bar mounted carrier that clamps to the bike down tube and it was fine on a regular Mway run London to Oxford.
If you have a large diameter down tube on your bike the check the clamp will fit it.
If you have non standard frame shape, again check if clamp will line up with the down tube.
>>I have used both systems in past and find roof mounted cycle very stable as long as you use good quality bars ect.
Compare prices of bars from OE and Thule. You appear to only need simple cross bars to fit your rails.
www.thule.co.uk/appguide/carMakeList.asp
Think this is yours @ £100+ Ouch
tinyurl.com/5dxrdd
Ebay??
Carriers - www.thule.com/Thule/ProductListPage____83122.aspx
>>Halfords tend to use Thule very good but expensive Motorworld use Auto maxi which are equally as good but not as expensive.
|
|
The one I've used is the Thule ProRide. I can confirm that it fits unusual downtubes - both my Giant Trance and my friend's Reign were secure.
|
|
|
|
Do not be tempted to use rear mounted cycle carrier which obscure the lights as our local plod makes a good income from stopping motorists with this system on their way to Centre Parcs and issuing fines for obstruction of the lights. I have to say having followed cars fitted with these things and having 5 bikes slung on the back I tend to agree with the plod as on dark nights you cannot easily see the cars.
I suspect it's actually more to do with obstructing the number plate, hence reducing the opportunities for speed cameras; but I do agree that obscuring the indicators and brake lights is downright stupid.
Pity the police aren't a bit keener on ALL lights that don't work.
|
|
|
|
I have Mont Blanc Barracuda bike carriers on roof bars, the set came in at just under £200, but its well made, secure and easy to use. As I have a company car with a plastic hatch, towbar or hatch mounts were out of the question.
If you go for roof mounts -
how heavy are your bikes, how comfortable are you lifting them [when knackered after a good ride ;-) ] (try lifting one up above head height to get the idea)
how far do you have to lift ? i.e. how tall are you and how high will the carrier be ? I'm only 5.6" and mine are borderline - If I park the car on a sideways slope, one side will be easy, the other not.
How easy is it to take the carrier/bars off ? It's quite easy for me to take the whole assembly off in one peice by undoing the bars. Unfortunately, as they have no locking mechanism, so could any passing scrote...
I reckon leaving the bars/mounts on makes about 3-4% difference to fuel consumption
beware of height limiters on car parks
the sight of the shadow of your own bicycle overtaking you can be a bit disconcerting at times !!!
hth
Edited by borasport20 on 30/11/2008 at 10:26
|
I use a Pendle rear carrier, but it is towball mounted and does require extra electrics for a trailer board. However it is incredibly easy to use when fitted. I suppose it depends how often you would need it, as mine is in use most weekends and more often in the holidays, I thought it would be easier to load and unload ( my eleven year old is tall enough to load it and she's a shorty) and it can carry up to four bikes (subject to the noseweight limit).
It can make a car uncomfortably long in car parks, but it also doubles as a work stand!
|
|
Don't listen to them! I've been using the rear mounted carrier on the Astra Estate for 10 years. The Ignis tailgate looks pretty similar, but the spoiler could thwart the necessary flat hooks which slot onto the top edge of the tailgate if you have the very secure Thule type like mine. The weight of the whole assembly is borne on the rear bumper- mine is plastic and hasn't been damaged at all. You don't need a lighting board if you have this type that lifts the bikes up above the number plate and lights. This Thule carries 2 bikes securely, and with extension packs can take 3 or 4. The wheels sit in runnels and take the weight of the bike, and the versatile clamps can grab many places such as bars, seat post, frame tubes etc. The roof types are OK if you have light racing bikes and you don't mind taking the wheels off in the dark and rain. This is not so much fun with mountain bikes covered in mud- the rear type also offers much less wind resistance, and it's easier to take the rack off and just stand it up in the garage. Trailer ball mounted types are secure, but it's not worth all the expense if you don't have a caravan or trailer- neither of which seem likely with an Ignis.
|
You don't need a lighting board if you have this type that lifts the bikes up above the number plate and lights.
Looking at the Ignis, it will be hard not to obscure either the high level lights or the low level number plate - though you could of course have trailer wiring fitted without the expense of a towbar if you wanted to go this route.
>>. The roof types are OK if you have light racing bikes andyou don't mind taking the wheels off in the dark and rain.
No need to take the wheels off for the downtube-clamping type. It will be worth making sure you can lift the bikes onto the roof though, as the Ignis is a tallish car.
|
Hi,
I use 2 x Thule 591 roof mounted carriers on top of Thule aerobars. These aerobars are more aerodynamic and make less wind noise than the square and cheaper versions I have used previously. Although Thule are not the cheapest it has been easy to install and to use.
I carry both mountain bikes and racing bikes although do find the mountain bikes a little bit bit heavy to lift on to the roof but it is ok.
CMP
|
Just remember that roof mounted bikes do not get on well with multi-storey car parks or parking areas where there are height restrictions.............................
Saw a lovely incident yesterday at our beach car park (or the entrance to it) - Ford Focus with bikes forgot about the bikes - bikes ripped off by the big metal height restrictors the council had installed to stop travelling people taking their caravans in.
If only the Focus driver had gone a little slower................
|
Thanks for the comments!
So far, I carry only one mountain bike (cost £30 from Ebay), so spending £100 for carrier seems bit of overkill to me :) However, I have plan to buy a better bike on Xmas, so I might invest something on a good carrier.
The lone bike actually fits inside the car with rear seats folded (without needing to remove wheel). Only problem (other than cleaning inside every time) is I need to open a rear window as the handle bar protrudes very slightly out of the window! So, if I go over 60 mph on motorway, the wind noise is disturbing (but if I'm carrying a bike on roof or rear, I'll hardly drive over that speed anyway)
I rarely park on multistory parks, so height shouldn't be a problem. But as someone said, it will be an exhausting task to load the bike on top of roof :o)
I'll keep eyes open for Xmas deals - as long as I can get a rear mounted one with extra number plate only or an inexpensive roof mounted one, I'll grab it.
|
|
|
|
I'd endorse much of the comment on here. Having tried most types (sadly except tow-bar mounted) I would say a clear order of merit would be:
- Tow bar mounted, swings down to allow access to boot (with number plate rack). Very secure, very little mpg penalty.
- Roof mounted. I use Thule down-tube clamping racks. They are very secure, and you can minimise bike movement by facing the bikes backwards. The Thule racks are expensive, but are very easy to use as once the bikes are up there, all securing is done at roof level, and the wheels stay on. Don't underestimate the mpg penalty tho - forget 3-4%, it's more like 20% in my experience (mix of motorway, A and B roads usually in an heavily loaded car). If you do put two bikes up there, keep them as far apart as possible - the vortexs (sp) mix if they are next to each other and drag more.
- Tow bar mounted (rigid). Still good, but hard to get in the boot once on.
- Boot rack. Hugely improved since I last had one I believe, but a real pain as you can't get in the boot, and you need to be really careful not to scratch the car. Also need a number plate rack as mentioned by others.
- In the boot. If you take the wheels and pedals off then the bike is remarkably easier to get in the boot. Secure and no mpg penalty, this is the best option if you don't mind the hassle.
|
I have a MAXXRAX towbar mounted carrier. Drops down for entry to the boot. taken on and off in seconds and holds bikes securely at speed. Prior to that I had a Halfords high level hatch carrier. I was always having to stop and tighten the straps and it was a big hassle to put on and off so much so that I really didn't use it much.
Would reccomend the maxxrax. Not 100% sure of the spelling so try a few different on google.
|
I have just taken delivery of the MB roof bars and barracuda twin carriers. The roof bars are fitted without much problem – although the feet are just about as far as they can go on my Passat. There will be more leeway on the wife’s Golf. My problem is trying to set up the carriers. Of course they come as is but they need fixing to the roof bars and goodness knows how that ‘load bearing metal piece’ goes on. I gave up last night. How easy should it be to assemble on to the roof bars if they are on the car? Or do you assemble the lot and then load onto the car in one? I find the diagrams useless but then I was never good at that.
Any help would be appreciated before I throw the lot out! I have copied this to my home email if you could do the same please.
Edited by Webmaster on 25/07/2009 at 12:43
|
Can't comment on your specific bars/carriers but I have 2 roof bars with 4 cycle carriers.
I put the bars into place and then put the carriers on one by one, not fully tightening them until I was sure the spacing etc was correct.
Tightened them all and now I (and one other) just lift the whole thing off in one piece for storing in the garage.
|
|
Thanks Bobby. My problem is specific to the barracuda. I am trying to work out how to fit the rear of the carrier to the roof bars. The picture instructions are pants. There is a piece called a load bar but how on earth it fits onto the carrier is beyond me.
|
|
Eureka! I've made it passed the code. I am now a leading expert in setting up the barracuda!
|
|
Hi Wyn
I have just bought twin pack Barracuda (now being renamed Roofrush) carriers. I too cannot fathom how the rear mounting plate should be fitted. I can only get it to fit as shown in the instruction diagram but that means the two plastic lugs stick up in the hole in the middle of the load plate - hence it will not slide backwards. Most diagrams in the instructions and many photos on web (eg www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/accessories/car-ra...3) show it further back so I'm still missing something.
I'd really appreciate any help anyone can give.
|
|
|
|
just lift the whole thing off in one piece for storing in the garage.
Me too Bobby, but I get around the problem of needing an assistant by putting a rug on the roof first. My car has integral roof bars which is a help of course. I simply put the rug on the roof under the bars. I lift the whole assembly roughly into place with the paintwork protected by the fabric.
When everything is tightened up I just wheech * the rug out. Reverse procedure for removal.
I'll tell the story of that rug one day. It has been in my cars for decades, a handmade Greek thing, purchased from a market stall in Paros while backpacking half a lifetime ago. Old, grubby, careworn and tired......a bit like its owner......
* as in "loch" for those unfamiliar with the term.
;-)
|
I have the integral roofbars on the SEAT as well but they were a bit of a pain to start with.
They have two small holes in them for the cross bar clamp to go into. But the front and back bars are not totally symmetrical as the roof bars slightly slope.
I have several scratches on the roof next to the bars where my initial attempts failed!
Don't carry a carpet as I have to carry a set of steps to let me reach the roof with the bikes (4 of !)
|
|
so I used the barracuda bike carriers for the first time yesterday. Sooooo much easier than rear carriers. That said, I agree on the fuel economy being cut by near to 20% for the journey. I read that it can help to have the bikes facing towards the rear. I tried this with the Barracuda but couldn't engage the frame holder. Anyone with a Barracuda tried the same?
|
Hi Wyn - I have bikes on my roof most weekends. ( wish they'd stop doing that )
No, seriously, I've tried turning them around but it still cream crackers the mpg. If you just knock 10mph off your cruising speed it more or less balances out.
Try mimser mode !!
;-)
|
|
Thanks Humph. I have a Passat so don't get a great mpg. On yesterday's journey I could have expected about 35. I got 29. I was only driving at between 50 and 60 mph. Hey, it's not the end of the world and it's worth it to get them off the rear carrier. Now it's much easier and I can get in the boot as well.
|
|
|
|
"the sight of the shadow of your own bicycle overtaking you can be a bit disconcerting at times "
Even more worrying when you see the shadow of someone pedalling like the clappers too!
Edited by tack on 28/07/2009 at 21:26
|
|
Does anyone know if locks are available to secure the Mont Blanc Barracuda carrier to the MB roof bars? The are securely fastened but I do worry about leaving them on the car when we ride off into the sunset. Will they still be there when we get back! There is a unique allen key for securing the roof bars to the car so I'm not really worried there. It's just those expensive cycle carriers. Yes I know that I could take them off the roof bars and lock them in the car but the bother of that doesn't seem to make it worth while.
|
|
If you do choose the roof-mounted option, keep your wits about you when parking.
I know someone who forgot they were up there until he drove into a multi-storey car park...
|
|
|
|
|
