Bike rack needed

Conan257

Conan257

Conan257

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Joined
8 Nov 2008
Posts
1,146
Location
Lincoln
To fit Golf 8, no tow bar or roof rails. Funny shaped MTB frame, doesn't fit very well on the standard boot racks, so I'm looking at wheel mounting/trays. Had a sea sucker but the metal of the roof made frightening noises and I don't want to test the roofs fatigue lifespan....

Am I stuck with Thule style roof mount? Do I leave the bars on (I think they'd need to hook on to the body by the doors?)
 
I've used Yakima Frontloaders on the roof of my wifes Octavia estate for the past few years and they have been great. I have 4 of them which would all fit on the roof of our Octavia and carry all of our MTBs. They hold the bikes rock solid via the wheels so frame shape isn't an issue.

Got them all boxed up and will be listing them for sale soon as we've sold the Octavia and bought a Polestar 2 that has a factory fitted towbar. Looking to get a towbar mounted rack to free the roof up for a roof box.
 
dale1uk said:
I've used Yakima Frontloaders on the roof of my wifes Octavia estate for the past few years and they have been great. I have 4 of them which would all fit on the roof of our Octavia and carry all of our MTBs. They hold the bikes rock solid via the wheels so frame shape isn't an issue.

Got them all boxed up and will be listing them for sale soon as we've sold the Octavia and bought a Polestar 2 that has a factory fitted towbar. Looking to get a towbar mounted rack to free the roof up for a roof box.
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Can voucher for the yakima front loaders. So easy. Feel stable.

Way better than the Thule clamp at frame ones.
 
Interesting... mate of mine this weekend had a new one with a downtube clamp... As I have a carbon frame I was less than keep to wind the clamp up tight!
 
I picked up a towbar mount cheap in sales as we have 4 bikes to transport. This was just before we replaced our car. I then purchased an etron with no roof bars or towbar.

Towbars were crazy expensive >£1k just for the bar. One came up on Ebay for half that so I acquired that. Turns out they are hard to install and the car needs programming. Audi want it for 2 days and £900 to fit it :

Moral of story, check fitting prices first!
 
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Capt Doufos said:
I picked up a towbar mount cheap in sales as we have 4 bikes to transport. This was just before we replaced our car. I then purchased an etron with no roof bars or towbar.

Towbars were crazy expensive >£1k just for the bar. One came up on Ebay for half that so I acquired that. Turns out they are hard to install and the car needs programming. Audi want it for 2 days and £900 to fit it :

Moral of story, check fitting prices first!
Click to expand...

Yep, its £1200 for the Polestar towbar supplied and installed by Volvo so it was a big bonus that the previous owner had it installed. Its the reason i went for roof bars and the Yakima bike mounts on our Octavia as i knew we wouldn't keep it long enough to justify paying for a towbar to be fitted.
 
Conan257 said:
Interesting... mate of mine this weekend had a new one with a downtube clamp... As I have a carbon frame I was less than keep to wind the clamp up tight!
Click to expand...
you wouldn't have reservations about supporting a carbon frame, on the roof, via the wheels though ? - I'd be more concerned about stressing the frame from elements buffetting than a downtube clamp,
which I use in a maintenance stand anyway.

A towbar would seem to be least buffetting, but, I consider a towbar as devaluing a car - and would never buy one if I knew it had been fitted (wear on rear suspension elements)
 
jpaul said:
you wouldn't have reservations about supporting a carbon frame, on the roof, via the wheels though ? - I'd be more concerned about stressing the frame from elements buffetting than a downtube clamp,
which I use in a maintenance stand anyway.

A towbar would seem to be least buffetting, but, I consider a towbar as devaluing a car - and would never buy one if I knew it had been fitted (wear on rear suspension elements)
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The clamp I had reservations about was a "V" shape where the pointy bit contacted the frame... Contact point was under 1/2 inch.... If it was 2 inches of contact i'd be less bothered...

Towbar is at least a couple of hundred pounds. Then my car needs to go into the garage to be programmed for it. Plus I'd need a new plate. THEN a bike rack....
 
Does it not take a roof rack at all?

I've had a Thule system for my old Focus that fitted to the car without rails. I used a Thule Proride and clamped the down tubes of my Orbea MTB & E-MTB with no issue (they have a rubber protection built in where they contact the frame), also had mine and my mates e-MTB on the roof with no issue for trips to to scotland, wales etc
 
jpaul said:
A towbar would seem to be least buffetting, but, I consider a towbar as devaluing a car - and would never buy one if I knew it had been fitted (wear on rear suspension elements)
Click to expand...

If it was factory fitted i don't see the issue and is seen by a lot of people as a positive thing to have, exactly for the type of reason here. I have a factory fitted one on mine and use it with a Buzz Rack E-Hornet 3 to carry up to 3 bikes.
 
kefkef said:
I have a factory fitted one on mine and use it with a Buzz Rack E-Hornet 3 to carry up to 3 bikes.
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I think they are good for bike racks, but more generally if it indicates car has been used for towing something serious, you would have the forces/wear associated with that;
(saying that if towbar bike racks do not need an extension socket for rear lights, the absence of that would probably be a safe indication nothing heavy was towed,
coupler of other issues come to mind is the additional length from toewbar rack problematic for any ferries, or foreign laws more strict for tail light visibility that might impact use abroad)
 
Tow bar issue is the (on quick check) £400+ to fit one as I need the car programmed to accept it. Then the bike rack itself is the same price as a full roof setup.

No roof rails at all, so need to clamp to the edge of the car roof/door frame.
 
Conan257 said:
No roof rails at all, so need to clamp to the edge of the car roof/door frame.
Click to expand...

I had the door frame clamp type on my Old Ford Focus, never an issue. I bought the Thule Aerobars with proride bike holders, worked fine with both my Orbea Rallon and Rise, then when I moved to a Seat Tarraco all I had to do was swap the foot kit to a rail one for around £50.

Only issue I saw was not leaving it permanently installed as it had the potential to deform the rubber seal around the doors.
 
kefkef said:
I had the door frame clamp type on my Old Ford Focus, never an issue. I bought the Thule Aerobars with proride bike holders, worked fine with both my Orbea Rallon and Rise, then when I moved to a Seat Tarraco all I had to do was swap the foot kit to a rail one for around £50.

Only issue I saw was not leaving it permanently installed as it had the potential to deform the rubber seal around the doors.
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Thanks for the info, seems like this will be expensive whichever way I go, unless i'm lucky enough to find someone local selling the right fitment for my car (or close enough that I only need the kit)
 
Might get lucky on Pinkbike, there's a few on there at the moment. I'd sell mine but i'm a bit of a hoarder.... :)
 
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