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I'm thinking of getting a bike rack, mainly because I can't be bothered with the faff of taking out parcel shelves and dropping back seats. And because it would let me take bikes on camping trips etc. where all the internal space in the car is full of kit.
Now, does the faff of fitting a bike rack and removing it after outweigh the faff of messing about with the back seats?
I'm thinking of getting one of these as they're on sale at the minute - [url= http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/products/revolution-shuttle-3-bike-carrier ]http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/products/revolution-shuttle-3-bike-carrier[/url]
I know the Saris bones is considered the daddy of strap on bike racks, and it would fit both our cars, but it's north of £100...
dont bother with those boot mounted racks, whilst they do work, they are a faff to get on and off, and once on, you cant get in the boot easily.
Get roof bars and racks, very convenient, but a bit pricey.
Now, does the faff of fitting a bike rack and removing it after outweigh the faff of messing about with the back seats?
no I'd rather just drop the back seats than mess around with boot mounted racks.
Roof rack isn't an option. One car is a soft top, and the other is an Alfa. You can get roof racks for them, but it's just wrong 😆
I definitely can't be bothered fitting and removing a roof mounted rack every ride, and I've been in cars with bike racks left on - the wind noise is terrible.
Thule ride-on is the best option then. You'll need a towbar fitted, but then it's a simple case of drop on and plug in.
The racks above need light boards attaching, and by the time you have messed on with the straps etc it's just easier to drop the seats!
I've had boot and ball mounted racks, and would only get a ride-on rack in the future.
dont bother with those boot mounted racks, whilst they do work, they are a faff to get on and off, and once on, you cant get in the boot easily.
We have the Thule clip-on and while not particularly cheap, it takes about 20 seconds to fit or remove. Once fitted you can still get in and out of the boot.
[url= http://www.thule.com/en/gb/products/carriers-and-racks/bike-carriers/rear-door-mounted-bike-carriers/thule-clipon-9103-_-910301 ]http://www.thule.com/en/gb/products/carriers-and-racks/bike-carriers/rear-door-mounted-bike-carriers/thule-clipon-9103-_-910301[/url]
I can't recommend them enough. There's two different versions though (one for estates, one for hatchbacks) and depending on your car you might need to purchase an additional mounting bracket set.
Cheers for the heads up on the Thule clip on - what's different about it that makes it quicker to take on and off?
Towball racks aren't really an option - you're looking at several hundred quid per car to get a towball fitted before you even get to having a rack to go with it. And when we get a new car, we need another towball fitting.
It uses two quick release clamps instead of straps to fit. Its basically a case of lining up the clamps with the edges of your boot door and pulling down on two spring loaded handles to lock the rack in place.
The Thule clip on also goes by the name of Halfords advanced.
It has steel straps, not webbing, it is 'set' then never changes. You then have two Gert big levers to tighten it on. Ours was quicker than the tow ball track we now have.
The Thule clip on also goes by the name of Halfords advanced.
It has steel straps, not webbing, it is 'set' then never changes. You then have two Gert big levers to tighten it on. Ours was quicker than the tow ball track we now have.
Oh, and helicopter tape the edges of the car to save scratches, and budget for a light board unless you can high mount.
Cheers for the info Matt, got a Halfords Advanced rack on the way from eBay. Looks like it should fit both cars too if needed. 😀
I got a Towbar supplied and fitted for £188 from tower express. Then got a Thule 3 bike rack from Halfords on offer. Takes less than 60 secs to fit and plug in. Bikes go on in a few mins and only needed to lower the seat on mine to miss another bikes bars. Done a few 6hr journeys with 2 bikes on a very small car (Fiat 500) and no problems at all.
I just got a halfords £50 boot mount rack and it's ace for the purpose. You absolutely CAN open and close the boot with it fitted, it takes around 3 minutes to fit and 30 seconds to remove. No faff, nice and easy to use and ideal for our needs. Not secure so don't leave bikes out of sight anywhere dodgy, but cheap, easy, strong and safe. Thumbs up. No need for a light board either.
I've not seen those Thule Clip on racks before and they look ace. Personally I also hate the faff of strapping racks on each time I go out in the car but this looks a lot better. Thanks 🙂