Hatchback Rack

[heavymetal]

Do you know anyone that has bike roof racks jln? Trying it out is gonna be the only way your lady friend is gonna know for sure.
Or maybe go to a roof rack shop, I’m sure they’ve got demo ones on cars to try out.

[WestToastPete]

Snot as easy as a rear mount, but Lauren can do it up onto the Volvo. It can be fiddly. I squat right down and grab the bike down on the fork blade and seat stay or seat tube, and then lift it up into the channel, then hold it up with one hand while I set the support beam in the right spot. The lighter the bike, the easier it is.

Rear carrier is more fuel efficient, and probably a bit quieter. They can get in the way of boot opening though.

[JLN_not_ZLTN]

@WestToastPete

Snot as easy as a rear mount, but Lauren can do it up onto the Volvo. It can be fiddly. I squat right down and grab the bike down on the fork blade and seat stay or seat tube, and then lift it up into the channel, then hold it up with one hand while I set the support beam in the right spot. The lighter the bike, the easier it is.

Rear carrier is more fuel efficient, and probably a bit quieter. They can get in the way of boot opening though.

We have a rear carrier now, but it’s not compatible with the Skoda.

Jono, good idea re: Roof Rack shop.

Bikes will be ~12kg each.

[jaseyjase]

@JLN_not_ZLTN

…the standard Skoda towbar can’t take the bike rack we use

clarify?

I get you dont want to put a square hole in your bumper, but if you already have a tow ball, why not just get a tow ball mount bike rack?

either those A frame style or that thule one thats grabs the tow ball?

[JLN_not_ZLTN]

This phallic looking thing is the Skoda towbar. The ball can’t be unscrewed, like other towbars. The rack we use is attached by unscrewing the ball, putting the rack on and clamping it down by screwing the tow ball back down. Skoda offer a Thule rear rack, but it’s $$$$.

[geoff_tewierik]

Looks similar to the towball I never installed on the 335i, so went with Whispbar roof racks and Yakima Front loader bike racks instead ($750 all up at the time vs $2K just for the towball). Transferred the bike racks over to the Outback as it has inbuilt roof racks and gave the Whispbar to a mate who now rocks some Thule bike racks on his 323.

You can get towball clamping racks like this.

Works like a pincer and grabs the actual ball on the Skoda towball rack.

[JLN_not_ZLTN]

@JLN_not_ZLTN

Thread dig…

We’re looking at a new car (possibly a Skoda wagon), and the standard Skoda towbar can’t take the bike rack we use (and if we get an after market towbar we’ll have a square hole in the bumper). We’re looking at going down the roof rack path, but my wife wants to know how difficult it is to get bikes on and off of them. We’d probably get the ones where you leave your front wheel on. I’ve never used bike roof racks before.

So we have the new car. Any advice with the bike racks eg Thule vs Rhino Rack vs Yakima vs ? All the bikes have mudguards, so they’ll be down tube clamp.

[Lambchop]

Thule Proride 598, just use something hanging off your rear view mirror the first few times you use it to remind yourself you have bikes up there.

/thread

[JLN_not_ZLTN]

Thanks. Will follow up. Look like they’re easily available.

[jaseyjase]

Thread dig - switched from Saris Bones to a Yakima Highroller. I think the Highroller is now discontinued, i picked up a hardly used one off GT, a well as the Rola roof rack for my swift.