Powerkiter

I am going to Glentress, Scotland in two weeks time for some mountain biking.

I live in Gloucester so was going to hire a bike at Glentress. However, they want £40 to hire a good bike. I was considering buying a roof rack for my 2004 WRX saloon, although I have seen some reports that the Thule systems can damage to plastic. Does anybody have any photographs showing the extent of damage likely to be caused.

speedking

Echo.

Here you go.

IME the damage caused is less than that caused by banging bikes against the car while lifting them, then having clods of earth and stones falling onto the roof as you drive along

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

£40 to hire a bike looks like small beer when you figure the cost of roofbars and then at least one rack

Alcazar

Powerkiter

Speedking - Thanks for the reply. I obviously didn't search hard enough, particularly as one of the threads had been started by me about a year ago.

Alcazar - Thanks for the reply. I visit the inlaws in Scotland, who only live a few miles from Glentress, quite regularly. Plus I only live about 15 miles from the Forest of Dean. I would probably get the use out of the roof rack. However, looking at the comments about increased fuel usage with the roof rack I would probably end up using quite a bit more fuel which could possibly add up to £40 with a journey of 300 miles each way.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

I agree, but if you ARE going to do some biking and the racks ARE going to get some use, then go for it.

If you read the other thread, you'll see that I regularly transported FOUR MTB's on a set of racks attached to OE Subaru roofbars. Yes, fuel consumption is up, but don't go mad and it's not up much. Roof-racks are reckoned to be the best for fuel consumption too, (Source:Which?).

I have three upright carriers, which were bought for £5 each in a French supermarket. I use releasable zip-ties to fasten the front wheels to the bars that hold the bike down-tube, as it makes the whole so much more rigid. They can be had from Rapid Electronics, RS etc. I upgraded the racks with lockable clamps on the downtube holders, bought from a Decathlon in Boulogne for £5 each, I put one on each of the two outer bikes. If parking overnight, or at busy service areas, the whole lot was wrappped around with a 15' Kryptonite cable and a Kryptonite U-lock.

My fourth carrier is a Thule "wheel out" type, which uses a quick-release lockable clamp on the front fork. The front wheel has to be carried elsewhere, but can be zip-tied to the frame. Releasable zip-ties again

This one was bought to transport my eldest's trials bike which, at the time, had a coffin-shaped down tube which standard clamps wouldn't hold on to.

Alcazar

Graz

Safest way to transport a bike with a Scoob is inside the car. Of course that's okay if it's just you travelling, if you've got more than one passenger or bike then it's not possible.

When I was still single and had my Scoob my bike used to travel in the car. You need the rear seats down and the front wheel off the bike. Got a tarpaulin from B&Q to line the back of the car with so no worries about muddy bikes. Went loads of places like this including Scotland usually with a load of camping gear too Added bonus is that you can drive as fast as you like without worrying about bikes falling off your car

I now have an aged Passat, a girlfriend, and two bikes to lug around. Also been looking at roof racks. Much prefer roof mounted carriers to the rear mount type. Never really trusted them and also saw the damage one did to the paintwork on a friends car where we hadn't done a particularly good job of fitting it though that was a nightmare in itself, so many permutations as the where to put the straps etc. The problems with those is that you'll probably need a lighting board / extra rear plate to stay legal, and you can't get into the boot once it's on.

Anyway, I've looked at Thule and also found this place The Roof Box Company: sales and hire of Thule roof boxes and other brands of roof boxes, roof bars and bike carriers selling these German made Atera racks that look really good. They do nice roof bars as well and they're a bit cheaper than the Thule's. That said that web site was also the cheapest place I could find for the Thule racks.

Haven't purchased yet but will do at some point soon. Thinking of getting the Atera Giros and Atera roof bars.

Graz

speedking

Or fit a towbar mounted carrier Then it won't fall off, or damage your paintwork, and you can still access the boot, you can still go as fast as your bike will tolerate. (If anyone sees some bicycle mudguards lying on the A9, they're mine. Doh!)

scooby L

I use Mont Blanc Baracuda's.. cannot fault them.. not the cheapest..but very easy to use, and I like'd the fact that the bike is "held" even before attaching the arm, so no risk of dropping your bike on the paintwork!

STi_Si

If you're interested, I have two standard Thule roof bars with foot packs to fit a classic and two Thule Tour 510 bike carriers for sale in good condition, only been used a couple of times. Lock in place and rock solid whilst in use, highly recommended..... open to sensible offers, cost over £200 new.

subarujimmy

iTrader: (3)

Would it be any cheaper to buy a couple of mountain bikes, and store them at your in-laws???

Just a guess.

Jimmy