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So I've got an 05 Golf TDI which I've currently been stuffing mine and my girlfriend's bikes in the back with the wheels off and seats down, which works well enough, but I've got another friend with no car who'd love to come with us when we go riding, and also I'd just like to get the bikes out externally since the interior is definitely not happy with me at the moment!
The car doesn't have a towbar or roof rails so both those options would be out the window unfortunately. I was wondering if you guys have any ideas on racks that fit my needs? One that can hold 3 full sus bikes comfortably and safely.
Pretty much the only one I've found at the moment is the Saris Bones 3. I'm just not sure that 1. it will fit the Golf and 2. it will actually be strong enough to hold all 3 bikes.
my experience of the Saris Bones is that its OK for hardtail and road bike frames where there is space inside the front triangle but a right bugger to fit anything with a compact front end or suspension paraphenalia inside.
I have had 3 adult bikes on it but removed wheels to save a bit of weight. Nothing fell off but you have to be careful where the footpads are resting as it can easily push the panels in.
Personally I'd buy some roof bars and fit them on the roof, they're really not that expensive unless you want fancy Thule type ones. You don't need rails to fit them, they clamp onto the inside of the door frame.
Second hand Thule roof rack and bike carriers from Gumtree.
Lots of them come up, just be patient and do research on which foot pack fits the Golf, and what bar width you need.
I've just bought two Thule carriers for £10 each, having sold the exact pair to a friend for £15 each 4 years ago, having used them for over a decade myself and paid £40 each...
Another thing about the Saris Bones is that it can obscure your lights / reg plate a bit, necessitating a light board to stay legal. I wasn't aware of this and got pulled over on its second expedition. I sold my bones 3 on and got roof mounted carriers.
(the appropriate wiring etc would have likely cost more than the small amount the car is worth)
I didn't realise about the roof rack ideas, that actually sounds perfect! I'll have a browse on gumtree and see what comes up for the golf.
You don't need roof rails to fit roof bars. I'd rather have bikes on the roof than on one of the strap on boot racks. Or get a tow bar fitted, I prefer tow bar rack to all others personally.
If you don't mind the outlay then you can usually get a towbar fitted in short order and that's problem solved - depends on the car but you're probably looking at best part of £400 for towbar, electrics and buying a decent rack.
For cheap boot-mounted racks I once had one from Halfords where the top straps didn't clip on, instead they had round plastic stops at the end which went into the car, and the straps threaded outside though the hatchback join. Really good feature IMHO as it seemed totally safe, rack cannot fall off outside of an act of God shearing a strap or something. Also didn't damage your car the way the Saris ones do with the metal clips, where you've got to be quite careful putting it on / off.
Tow bar racks do look a little easier to work with than roof racks. Will have to do some research on the cost front for my specific car about that.
The car doesn’t have a towbar or roof rails so both those options would be out the window unfortunately. I was wondering if you guys have any ideas on racks that fit my needs? One that can hold 3 full sus bikes comfortably and safely.
Anything stopping you buying a roof rack or towbar? You don't need roof rails to fit roof bars (though they make life slightly easier). Loot at roofbox.com for some ideas. You can filter by your car make, model and year.
Consider DIY fitting a towbar? You can buy the kits from places like towequipe.co.uk and check the owners forums for any advice on electrics (there might be somewhere in the loom you can just plug in, or it might need some ingenuity, but as long as it's not CANbus or anything complicated like that a simple relay kit should work.
Can't remember the exact price but it was <£100 and doesn't affect the MPG or handling like a roof rack.
The thing that was stopping me was my own brain. I didn't actually realise you can fit roof racks or tow bars on any car if they didn't have them in the first place. I'm a dummy basically. Getting a tow bar rack would be ideal, but I'll have a look and weigh up the cost of fitting a towbar + rack versus the whole roof rack kit.
@thisisnotaspoon - I'll consider it but I have very little experience of any DIY on cars so I would be happier for a professional to fit it just for peace of mind, depending on the price.
The thing that was stopping me was my own brain. I didn’t actually realise you can fit roof racks or tow bars on any car if they didn’t have them in the first place. I’m a dummy basically. Getting a tow bar rack would be ideal, but I’ll have a look and weigh up the cost of fitting a towbar + rack versus the whole roof rack kit.
You only learn by asking questions 🙂
Getting a tow bar rack would be ideal, but I’ll have a look and weigh up the cost of fitting a towbar + rack versus the whole roof rack kit.
I have roof rack bike rack on one car without a towbar and looking at a towbar rack for the other. Night and day in terms of usability and being the RightWay(TM) of carrying a bike : the towbar rack is in all respects superior. I'm reasonably used to having one on the roof, but I'm sure one day I will hit a tunnel/garage roof/low hanging branch and rip the roof bars off...
Seasucker Mini-bomber.
<awaits derision>
Oh, and I've used all options over the years: towbar rack, roof rack, in the car, not using the car at all. Best solution imo is a tow bar rack. I'm currently using a space saver folding Thule one. Works well, but not cheap.
Night and day in terms of usability and being the RightWay(TM) of carrying a bike : the towbar rack is in all respects superior.
I've had both over the years and am currently on a roof rack. While I don't doubt your own comments (I'm very cautious about height limits!!) there are a couple of reasons that I still prefer roof racks:
1. Ease of access to the boot - while I appreciate that the Thule ones tilt down, it's a big heavy old thing to do with 4 bikes. Much easier to have the bikes up on the roof out of the way.
2. Security. The bikes always feel more secure on the roof. I don't often leave them unattended and when I do it's with the big-assed motorcycle chain locked to the roof bars, but bikes always feel more vulnerable to me on the back, especially given the recent video of someone trying to pinch one off a rear rack in traffic :-/ Might be just pschyological though.
3. Vulnerability. A friend had an expensive YT nearly written off when the car was (gently) rear-ended just as he arrived at the trail centre car park. In fact, they just about knackered all of the bikes on the rack in one go. You can balance this one up against the likelyhood of clobbering the garage door 🙂
4. You can still tow a caravan. I admit that this is the deciding factor for me!
I've got a big high 4x4 and I'll be the first to admit that getting the "inside" bikes onto the roof is a pain, but I still think it's worth it. Horses for courses I suppose, but if you're not on the tall side, or have a tall car, I can understand anyone saying that roof racks are less good.
I've gone full circle, boot rack- roof bars- tow bar rack - van and now heading back to roof bars.
Towbar is best one bikes are on there, I just finally got fed up trying to squeeze 3 FS onto the rack without all the bikes rubbing at some point. Especially bad when it's horseing down and you're left ducking about with pipe lagging and straps.
Van just no good for me now, no enough seats, going back to thule 591s.
I had one of those mark 5 golfs quite a while back.
It was fine with a couple of bikes on the roof with some basic Halfords roof bars. They were easy to fit (5door) and remove.
I have an Atera roof setup now on current estate car. Much prefer them up top to on the back but I also have a towbar (for pulling dinghies about) and the luxury of swapping between options.
Go to Halfords this afternoon and get some roof bars and they also have an offer on Thule bike racks so get three of those.
I suspect the lot will come to 250/300.
Job done.
If you're considering spending towbar money, go for 3 thule 591 off an eBay for for under 200 quid, and a set of aero bars for about 130.
The 591 are far better and less chance of over zealous frame squashing.
I had 3 people and three bikes inside my old golf loads of times.
All wheels off and seat posts down with a tarp to stop the person in the back from getting covered in oil.
It could be a right jigsaw sometimes 🙂
What if your girlfriend prefers riding with your mate?
It would solve your space issue I suppose.
. I’m currently using a space saver folding Thule one. Works well, but not cheap.
Got a picture?
If any of these bikes is carbon then be careful which type of rack you get. A lot of manufacturers recommend against frame clamping.
https://auxtail.com/about/carbon-clamping/
If you go down the towbar route, then there are quite a few options and I made a small guide for this to.
Depends how long you are thinking of keeping the car. Because I don't buy cars very often and then keep them for a long time, I put a tow bar on as soon as I buy and then use the Pendle rack I have had for three cars. It is fairly primitive but judicious use of pipe lagging and packing from white goods to keep bikes apart means no scratches and rubs - particularly important as my son is a real princess about his carbon wunderbike .
Previous to this system I went for the strap on (!**!!) option which was never a great success, straps always came loose and feet rubbed paintwork. So if you don't want to invest in this car, go roofbars
Got a picture?
It's a Thule Easyfold XT
https://www.thule.com/en-gb/gb/bike-rack/towbar-bike-racks/thule-easyfold-xt-2-_-933300
The price to pay for the small footprint when folded, it that it is 2 bike only (a slightly larger 3 bike version is available too though).