Suction Cup Bike racks - Seasucker or Rockbros?

no way would I use a sucker system for a bike rack

I used a sea sucker bike rack. I was really nervous at the time but I had a lease car and didn't want to fit a tow bar - so went with the sea sucker.
It's a fantastic bit of kit! Rock solid in use and a doddle to fit & remove. The only thing to remember is that the bikes aren't secured when you stop so you'll need to do something to stop them being easily removed by anyone who takes a shine to them!

no way would I use a sucker system for a bike rack

I've had a Seasucker Talon for three years and it hasn't let me down once. I'll admit that it is a great leap of faith using it for the first time but the suction cups are immensely powerful.

davidxbrown; personally I'd go Seasucker. Their suction cups have a failsafe band on the vacuum pump that only becomes visible if a cup starts to lose suction. Not cheap, but what's the value of the bikes it'll be carrying?

Oh, and it's £350 here - and 5% on Quidco until midnight:

https://www.probikekit.co.uk/cycling-accessories-nc/seasucker-mini-bomber-fork-mount-rack-with-2-rear-wheel-straps-2-bikes/10946230.html

(Got my Talon from them on offer when it was promotion; £250 down to £150)

EDIT: Aah, bollocks - sold out.

Cheers for the positive comments im happy about the suction technology, from the pictures the RockBros suction cups look very similar with the vacuum pump and marker to tell you it's on correctly. It wouldn't surprise me if the cups weren't made in tha same factory?

That's a great price househusband, as I don't need to buy straight away just need to look out for another deal.

Bike is an Evil Following and if I get the double rack then something of equal value, security is an unavoidable problem but would be no different with a boot type rack.

It wouldn't surprise me if the cups weren't made in tha same factory?

Saw this https://cyclingtips.com/2016/08/a-tale-of-two-bells-spurcycle-vs-the-counterfeiters/ on the 'what bell' thread. Worth a read before deciding which rack.

from the pictures the RockBros suction cups look very similar with the vacuum pump and marker to tell you it's on correctly. It wouldn't surprise me if the cups weren't made in tha same factory?

I suggest you have a read of the bells thread.

EDIT: oops, crosspost

Thank you SL2000 and Vinnyeh interesting read.

It wouldn't surprise me if the cups weren't made in the same factory?

Nope - "Our products are MADE IN THE USA! "

https://newstore.seasucker.com/apps/help-center#!where-are-seasuckers-made

That article on the Spurcycle bell was interesting reading!

Rock Bros = Chancer rip off merchants
Sea Sucker = People working hard at an idea

I know which I'd choose.

(Thule, but never mind that! )

I like that bell !

Thanks for all the info, Seasucker ticks all the boxes for me and it's tested up to 140mph (not that I would! Even though I possibly could! )

Stepson uses a Seasucker on both his cars, no probs.

[img] [/img]

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Meh, casual, weekend cyclist. If he were a proper committed cyclist, he'd have some holes drilled in the roof of his Aston.

Also, he's in contravention of The Rules, by his bike being less valuable than the car it's fastened to. Might take a new thread to come up with a bike that meets this requirement... 😉

used a seasucker for several years with no problem. good product

FWIW, when trying to buy a mini-bomber rack earlier this year, I found almost all stores were out of stock. Contacting Seasucker Europe about 12mm through axle mounts, they confirmed that they ended distribution in the u.k, due to discounting. Got mine from tiso in Scotland but looks like no stock left 🙁
Great bit of kit, and the first trip with two bikes up is rather a drive of faith. No way would I be buying a moody version.

I use a SeaSucker Talon, I've had it 12 months now. It's brilliant! In-fact I'm about to buy a second one.

Contacting Seasucker Europe about 12mm through axle mounts, they confirmed that they ended distribution in the u.k, due to discounting.

I never even knew that SeaSucker did a 12mm TA mount; I asked them a year ago and they said they didn't but suggested Hurricane Components - and they don't either...

So SeaSucker have dropped distribution in the UK???

Reply I had was that continental distribution took over from the UK dealers, and SS supply them directly from their main warehouse in Budapest. Forkup 12mm was 62 Euro, plus shipping, so I instead bought a 15mm mount from eBay and a reducer sleeve.

Hmm I didn't buy a Talon when they were £160 as I didn't have the spare money at the time, now I do they're £300ish
Saw these Rockbros ones on eBay last night and they're in budget (could even get a 2 bike one)
I'm never going to be doing long drives or high speeds with it (40mins 50mph max)
So I wonder if they're worth a go, problem is it's not just losing £110 if it fails

Bought the Seasucker Talon can't copy the code to embed using an iPad but linky below, not actually driven anywhere with the bike on yet.

https://flic.kr/p/XNvuaE

Bought the Seasucker Talon can't copy the code to embed using an iPad but linky below, not actually driven anywhere with the bike on yet.

https://flic.kr/p/XNvuaE

Bought the Seasucker Talon can't copy the code to embed using an iPad but linky below, not actually driven anywhere with the bike on yet.

https://flic.kr/p/XNvuaE

Bought the Seasucker Talon, iPad won't let me copy the code to embed the pic so link instead

https://flic.kr/p/XNvuaE

Ive been using a MiniBomber for the last 18 months, its brilliant. The first time you use it you will drive verrrrrrryyyyyyy slowly...after that, you wont think twice. Great bits of kit.

Ah sod it, I've ordered a Rockbros one!
It's going to take a while to arrive from Hong Kong, but will update when I get it if anyone cares

Be interested in the quality of it as there stuff is either ok or terrible .no different to most Chinese factories producing copies .
I was tempted with the rock bros version as it's very tempting given the money but I just know I'll regreturn it .
I've managed to track down a talon for £189.99

Very interested in the update, the cost of kitting out two cars with racks makes one cheap sucker one very appealing

@ Davidxbrown
Perhaps your set-up doesn't require such, but mind crank rotation - Velcro strap.

As a back-up to the mini-bomber or for experimentation, picked up an unused Seasucker hornet from eBay for a good price - two pads in a case.

@drlex

Thanks for the tip on the pedals, they do just hit the rear screen so a Velcro strap should sort that out.

I'm also having to use it single cup up front as the brake calliper hits the Seasucker mounting frame.

Just a little update
Have received a letter from parcelforce saying it's subject to custom fees (Import VAT and clearance fee) of £26.80

Takes the cost up to £144ish

Keep us posted on the quality. I'm interested in getting one.

I would be interested as ive heard mixed reviews .loving the talon though .

Bump.

So, either your bike fell off on the motorway, or your out riding it.

Very interested to see the review Wukfit.

Bump, bump.

(He must be picking bits up off the motorway still)

@ Big-Bud
What are the mixed reviews?
Catastrophic 'bike fallen off at 75mph' reviews or just 'they sent me the wrong colour' reviews?

I don't get why Seasucker think this should command such a price - industrial-grade suckers commonly used in the glazing trade and some QR/through-axle mounts - it's hardly rocket science engineering. If such companies invested in value-engineering, volume manufacturing they could make this for reasonable money and still make a healthy profit. But no, they get all-bollicky about patents and IPR, charge stupid rip-off prices and then whine about someone making cheap knock-offs - welcome to the global market! The same goes for the silly £50 bell. A couple of tweaks with a pair of pliers and the Rockbros works fine - its a few bits of bent and bashed metal, not a Stradivarius.

But no, they get all-bollicky about patents and IPR

I take it you have never invented anything.

Worked as an industrial designer for a number of years and hold a number of patents from industrial paint application systems and medical prosthetics - worst was not getting a licence fee for the car jack I designed 28 years ago for a Spanish company that it used in all VAG and PSA group cars - I'd be rich if I'd only got 0.001p for each one sold, they make millions! The problem with crowd-funding is that anyone with a half-baked idea thinks that they can get others to fund the development and make a mint from the process, rather than value-engineering the product to ensure it remains attractive and relevant in the marketplace. If I was going to focus on product development, the last industry I'd chose is the bike industry - cr@p margins and too much competition.

So cmon then?
Any news on the RockBros? How has it performed?

No one has heard from him, so its quite likely he got squashed by a big lorry when he was picking bits of his bike off the motorway !

Looking at the picture of the cheap EBay one, I'm very tempted just to buy it.

After all its just some aluminium and some suction cups. I really don't care if I'm keeping some American workers in a job or some Chinese workers in a job 🙂

I've always though that you could create your own Sea Sucker Hornet copy for a fraction of the price but Sea Sucker rate each of their pads at 55kg and finding similar rated ones off the shelf seems difficult.

Whilst I've not had a pad lose suction/de-pressure, the high rating of the units gives me comfort that the remaining units would keep the load affixed until planned removal.
Pukka mini bomber unit new fromTiso was £315; didn't want to risk two bikes and a car repair bill for the saving on a moody version.

Would your car or household insurance cover any damage ?

I don't get why Seasucker think this should command such a price

If I was going to focus on product development, the last industry I'd chose is the bike industry - cr@p margins and too much competition.

Iv just ordered a Rockbros one from amazon UK cheaper then it would be to get it from ebay. should turn up this week so i will post how i get on with it.

hopfully it works out otherwise it will be going back for a refund.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B074DS91SJ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The Rockbros rack turned up today hopfully I will get a chance to try it this weekend.

[img] https://ibb.co/mWyYM5 [/img]

How was it?

I tested out the Rockbros rack at the weekend and its really good i cant really fault it at all. its really easy to use iv only tested it out with my girlfriends bike so far as im waiting on a 15mm adaptor for CRC to put my bike on it. but it seem to be good so far i havent been on the motorway with it yet but its been fine on country roads.

easy and fast to install and i keep it in the boot of the car all the time which was one of the main reasons i went for it as it is very conpact.

Rockbros have also sent me an emailed telling me that they are sending me 5 spare exhaust piston rods as spares incase i need them.

I ordered one, I paid them £3 extra for the spacers for the thru axel adaptors. I like your idea of testing it with someone else's bike first 🙂

What is a "spare exhaust piston rod" ?

Really interesting this Rockbros rack. Is it sturdy?

Trimix the spare exhaust piston rod are the pumps on the sucker.
Seasucker sell spare ones as well so they must ware out after some time.

It feels like a really well made product the bar that runs across with the suckers attached is about 5-7mm thick aluminum which has been anodized which is really nice. i was a little suprised how heavy it was but it feels like a really well made product.

Ah, cheers. Mine will be for sunny occasional use only, so don't expect to wear anything out.

so its been like 2 months now. thinking about buying one as im sick of taking my kids seats out. how is it getting on any problems i need to look out for.. cheers

Also interested in this.

My car cant take roof bars,so looking for an alternative that isnt s boot mounted strap on rack.

Im not concerned about the suckers coming loose,but am concerned about the suckers damaging the paintwork/leaving marks. Do you have to clean the car before you fit them to prevent this?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rockbros-Suction-Roof-top-Bicycle-Rack-Carrier-Quick-Installation-Roof-Rack-UK/252867701005?_trkparms=aid%3D555018%26algo%3DPL.SIM%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D49130%26meid%3D1449d7ea498a446eaa66b4c02f091630%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D6%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D261976719495&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m2219

v. tempting

I've been using those suckers at work for 30 odd years and they do come in vastly different qualities. A good wood sucker is around £70 so how those rockbros ones are that cheap I don't know. They must be cheaper suckers, which obviously doesn't mean they are rubbish but I would prefer woods.

So far it's worked without a problem.
I keep a microfiber cloth in the car and wipe it down with some water quickly to clean the area im fitting the mount to.

they dont seem to have caused any damage to the paint work at all and i have not noticed any marks.

Over a year on... how have the RockBros suction mount users found them in use?

I only need to carry one bike. Currently around £250 for Seasucker or £70 for RockBros single via eBay UK seller.

I've been meaning to post about my Rock Bros ones for ages. We sold our car with a roof rack on it and were also renting a camper van that didn't come with a bike rack so bought two single Rock Bros racks back in May.

They're great. My wife says they're the easiest bike rack she's ever used. The cups work nicely and while the instructions say to check them every four hours, it's only when I've left them on over night that they need pumping again. They've never come loose when driving.

I've done around 4,000 miles with them, about 2,500 on the roof of the car and 1,500 on the rented camper hanging vertically. You can hang off them and they don't budge. I'd recommend them.

I ended up buying the Rock Bros version. Had it over a year. Upon close inspection its no different to the Sea Sucker version - apart from the price.

Stuck my Jeffsy and Capra on top of my 911. Rock solid at all sorts of speeds.

Have been using mine for just over a year now, no problems at all
I even used it to bring the Christmas tree home the last 2 years

This is good to hear as have been thinking about getting one for the Mini for the road bike

Go for it. As an experiment I stuck my Rockbros version on the side of the van and tried to pull it off in an upwards direction. I failed. I just raised the van on its springs a bit.

Excellent, thanks for the feedback from users. I’ll try the RockBros I think. Roofbars are rare for my car and TBH I’d rather not have them on all the time even though I carry a bike most weeks. I have a van too but sometimes it’s nice to use the car instead.

The adapters for difference sizes: are the easy to swap between 15x100 and 15x110, for example?

Any particular Amazon/eBay sellers folk have used?

The eBay and Amazon sellers both appear to be the manufacturer, however the price on eBay is much lower unless i’ve Not looked right

You need to ask for the adaptors. Email them and see. The adaptors I got were for road bike QR vs through axles. Basically they are just plastic inserts that push into the metal tube where the axle goes.

Trimix-what 911 did you put them on ? I might have just bought a 991 Targa 4s so was thinking of these for skis and bikes - yes I agree it’s the wrong car but hey why not ?!

RockBros single mount ordered... I’ll report back once in use.

I took a punt on a Rassine one on eBay. It's a copy of the Sea Sucker Falcon I think.

Here

Expected it to be a bit shonky, but compared to my friends sea sucker, it's really not far behind in terms of construction. The rubber on the cups and the suction plungers seem to be as good quality. I've used it for about 6 weeks now with no issues, other than the suction cup rubber getting a bit stiff at -1 degrees.

I did need to replace the axle adaptor with a 15mm one instead of the q/r, but for the money I've been pleasantly surprised.

@NZCol, I have a 997.2 C2S manual. If you stick them on the Targa just remember not to open the roof 🙂

I’ve been very pleased with the Sea Sucker, cleaned and regressed the vacuum pumps couple of times and always carefull to store correctly with the caps in place.

I have to tie off the crank arm with a quick release strap to stop pedal and rear window contact, keep to the speed limit (as we all do anyway!) and check if I stop but never had to top up the vacuum.

I have noticed after use you can see where the cups were, but these wash/polish out.

Great system and good to see RockBros bring competition.

Perfect thread as I've been getting around to buying the Seasuckers but will certainly give the Rockbros a try after the feedback. I've got a 996 and a T2 camper so they should be idea,

We need a Porsche / mtb meet up then.

I'm also looking at getting a Rockbros or Seasucker (probably rockbros after the comments above!) soon.

Are there any options for mounting the front wheel on the roof too? I had a look around the rockbros website but couldnt even find the rack on it, only eBay.

The wheels should just-about fit in the car, but with a weekend of kit for 2 people and 2 bikes there definitely won't be room for the front wheels inside. And I'd rather not have them inside after a muddy ride anyway!

Seasicker now do a part called the Hogg to attach the front wheel to the bike

Just strap them to the frame.

If you are thinking of using it on a Targa or similar make sure you put the front sucker at the top of the front windscreen. I was originally going to buy one for my 924 (the thinking man's Porsche 😉 ) but was warned that this sort of rack would rip out the roof hatch.

Happy to have found this thread and hear first hand experiences with the Rockbros suction rack. Will be receiving mine this weekend.

For the folks thats been using it for a while now, have you guys tried transporting AM/DH bikes on it? I have a Nomad v3 and will be using the rack going to and from the local trail near my place.

My Capra was fine on the roof for extended journeys along roads that had no speed cameras on them.