Roof cycle carriers.

[Kell]

i think you can do the locks after you've bought them too.

It would be useful as I've now got the three I referred to above and Thule footpacks so whenever we go anywhere I have to faff about with four keys.

[lufbramatt]

C0ffin D0dger said:

I've got these: http://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehsel4_tab.php...

Been really pleased with them.

My dad has a pair of them, I have Thule prorides... I think the Atera Giro racks are much better, seem much more stable. The Thule ones let the bike wobble alarmingly due to the single sided upright bit vs. the A frame on the Atera racks.

[Craikeybaby]

Kell said:

i think you can do the locks after you've bought them too.

It would be useful as I've now got the three I referred to above and Thule footpacks so whenever we go anywhere I have to faff about with four keys.

From what I can tell it is fairly easy to change the locks.

[Kell]

Craikeybaby said:

Kell said:

i think you can do the locks after you've bought them too.

It would be useful as I've now got the three I referred to above and Thule footpacks so whenever we go anywhere I have to faff about with four keys.

From what I can tell it is fairly easy to change the locks.

It's dead easy to do - it's just going to cost me £38 for 8 cylinders. Which means I'll probably still faff about with four keys...

[Grant20V]

sjg said:

591 and 598 is for the bike with both wheels attached.

With front wheel off, Sprint XT (569) is the current one for regular quick-release wheels, or ThruRide (565) for through-axles - which is most modern mountain bikes and some newer road bikes.

Not sure why you'd want to though unless you're paranoid about clamping your frame. The 591/598 are much more convenient and having the front wheel on doesn't add much to the overall height.

I was thinking more of overhang than height. It's a task getting the bike in the car with both wheels on, doable with front wheel off and seats down but still a squeeze.

So if I could just take the front wheel off and lock the forks down and the back wheel that would be perfect.

[pembo]

I've just ordered one of these, it should be here within the next few days so I'll let you know what I think. Although I can't use it on the bars yet as they are going to take longer to get here.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/thule-outride-561-disc-bra...

[Kell]

Grant20V said:

I was thinking more of overhang than height. It's a task getting the bike in the car with both wheels on, doable with front wheel off and seats down but still a squeeze.

So if I could just take the front wheel off and lock the forks down and the back wheel that would be perfect.

I don't think it makes that much difference TBH. Plus it means if the wheels are dirty, then you don't have to carry them in the car.

[Pamoothican]

I have a couple of Mont Blanc Barracudas.
They are pretty good as I have a few different bikes road, mountain and hybrid. They have been great with them all.

I like that I can get the tyres in the rack and they pretty much hold the bike up while you attach the arm.

[Craikeybaby]

It doesn't seem like anyone has got bank holiday offers on, so I'm going to order a pair of new old stock 591 bike carriers from eBay and the kit to swap the locks over, to get everything onto the same key. It should only be about £30 more than getting one of the new 598 bike carriers.

[CoolC]

Pamoothican said:

I have a couple of Mont Blanc Barracudas.
They are pretty good as I have a few different bikes road, mountain and hybrid. They have been great with them all.

I like that I can get the tyres in the rack and they pretty much hold the bike up while you attach the arm.

I have these too, and like them for all the reasons you've stated.

Although mine are getting very tatty now with the chrome on the arm getting very pitted, and I have managed to loose one of the lock down levers meaning I have to faff with a 10mm nut.

[pattyg]

I have BMW cycle carriers which are basically rebranded Thule 598s.

No problem getting my light road bike up on the racks but it is a bit of struggle getting my mountain bike and daughter's pig iron bike up there. Certainly it would not be possible for some.

[Craikeybaby]

Used them for the first time today:

Now with added bike carrier by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

There was a slight whistling above 40mph, but need to try without the bike to see if it is the Thule kit.

Edited by Craikeybaby on Thursday 27th April 16:07

[loudlashadjuster]

Over the years I've had

• Old Atera Giro
• New Atera Giro
• Thule 591
• Thule 598

I've now got four 598s.

I've also helped load friends' cars with various other types, from £20 Halfords things to Thule 532.

By far the easiest and most secure is the latest Thule. Whether it's swapping the clamp arm sides, adjusting the carrier on the bars to avoid clashes etc., tightening/loosening the clamp or locating the bike on initial offering-up, everything is just that little bit easier/quicker.

The Thule 591 was good but the 598 has improved pretty much every aspect of them. With the latest wingbars they're also much quieter than the Ateras and aerobars, although as I replaced them all at the same time it's not possible to say what made the most difference here.

The 598 also intrinsically holds the bike in the carrier without having the clamp or straps tightened. In comparison the flat Atera invariably needed the bike held in position until the clamp was at least partially closed up.

532s are a lot of faff in comparison. Packing up from Easter break I had four bikes on my car myself in less time than it took two people to put two on another car with 532s.

The Ateras are OK, but their straps are more flimsy and although I never had one break, the springs did corrode/seize after a while meaning the pawl had no automatic return to the ratchet and they had to be manually engaged. For this reason I always used an extra fasty on the rear wheel to avoid any problems if I had to emergency brake etc. That's not a bad idea anyway, but the Thule strap is a lot larger and has a much more positive engagement so I have a lot more confidence in them.

Confidence is the key with these things. I've driven thousands of miles with bikes on the roof and don't have any anxiety that they bikes are not secure enough. I'm not sure I'd be as happy with carriers that weren't as well though out and self-correcting.

I got my 598s from Chain Reaction with BC discount so they 'only' cost about £75 each. My oldest Ateras lasted for about 15 years before being destroyed in a fire (long story) so if the Thules last as long then I consider them very good value.