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The ones that have a squishy rubber seal inside the channel instead of a removeable strip, like this. Have you tried them and how much of a faff are they to slide carriers like Thule 591 on to?
Have been very happy with Atera Signo bars on the last couple of cars (uses a rubber wind barrier ahead of the open channel) but they don't do them for my new car. Don't want to go back to Thule Aerobars as their design means the rubber strip needs removing when you have carriers on (so they whistle) or chopping up the strip.
Yes, had them before current bars on new car.
They are fine / easy to use. If you leave stuff up there a long time (months) it gets a bit of a depression where the clip has been. Not a big deal.
I always used Thule until 2 years ago as they didn't do bars to fit my current car so I've had Yakami Whispbars instead. I use with Thule cycle carriers. They were a right pain to 'slide' on because they didn't slide at all. I put a bit of silicone spray onto them and now they're perfect.
Yup, not a big deal at all. I have two Thule carriers on mine. They* slide on as easily as could be expected.
EDIT, just seen the post above: *I mean the individual t pieces. I don't think I'd try to slide the whole rack (with 3 T pieces) in one go. Unless they've changed the rubber strips (mine are on quite an old model), I can't see how you'd struggle.
I've had whispbars on the last three cars. They're great, fit and forget. They don't fit on the new car though so I've got a set in the garage I need to sell.... 😜
I thought this was about chocolate or energy bars.
Use them on our T6, they're great: beautifully made, properly quiet. Beware that some roof boxes with claw type fastenings might not mork as they're quite broad. The t-track rubbers are easy to push t-bolts along, but work even better with a tiny squirt of gt85 on them.
I have them and Thule 598s and find them a bit of a pain. Silicone spray defo helps but I find you still need to hold the rubber down with a big flatblade to avoid the Thule fitting snagging on each of the three. The bars are near silent and look good though
New car with towbar coming next week so looking forward to not having to fit the Thules and hoof the ebike onto the roof anymore!
Got the whispbars on our kuga, they're good well made etc.
They do need a bit of silicone spray to help the fixings slide in the channel though, but its not a big deal.
I have a spare set for Kodiaq
(Yakima Aero-X roof bars S54B (1 x S44B, 1 x S45B) - previously known as Whisbars. Rated for 75kg load - may fit other cars with roof rails which you can check on Roofbox.Co.Uk)
Honest that was a stealth ad. Very stealthy.
They are good with a roof box and extremely quiet on their own but weren’t wide enough for 4 bikes as the sit between the Kodiaq’s roof rails.
Using the full width bars that sit above the Kodiaq’s rails, I think the full width bars are a little stiffer with tall narrow loads.
They can be touch fiddly, but I find a squirt of water is enough to 'lube up' to get the feet to slide in.
I've got a set (VW Passat fixing, with the bits that grip the roof line of the car and a little pip underneath) they are for sale.
They are a bit of a fiddle to slide a bike rack on but it's not that bad once you get the hang of it. You have to apply upward pressure as you slide it in so the square T piece thing is flush with the underside of the slot.
Silicone lube also makes it easy but it doesn't always last repeated wet journeys.
I'd echoost of the above. I really like them but find them hard to slide the bike carriers on (Atera ones). I find the rubber bunches up and gets caught on the t pieces. I guess they would be asier if you just tried sliding the t pieces on withiit the racks but I think with my racks that would be a pain. GT85 helps, might get hold of some silicon spray
I got the overhanging ones for my car, they are wide enough for four bikes.
They are a bit faffy to get the bike rack on initially. Silicone spray helps loads moving them up and down the rail but the first bit is a pain in the arse. I found my solution was to slide a kebab skewer (random I know) under the carrier to depress the rubber down which allowed the thule bolt to slide over it. Works a treat that method.
Echo all the comments above. I think it was on here where I found someone had made up a flat "blade" from sturdy plastic (I use an adblu container) which slides partially into the track and holds the rubber insert down. With the extra help of some silicone spray, the t-track just slides over the plastic strip and into the track, after which you whip out the tool, to use again next time.
Other than that, they're very good bars...
Thule bars do have a new strip in them that doesn't need cut. You just feed the fastener along them. Work quite well as long as the rack is square when you're feeding it in.
They’re brilliant our old Astra had them, transplanted them to the newer one, fitted with Thule 598 holders that are superb. So good that I just bought some new ones for my A3 which doesn’t have roofbar mounts so has to fit inside the doors but still they’re whisper quiet and just work. 3 years later at the weekend I literally unlocked them and slid the carriers off without issue!
Just used a bit of wd on the new ones to help slide the new carriers on and then wiped off
Thanks all, sounds decent.
Thule bars do have a new strip in them that doesn’t need cut. You just feed the fastener along them.
Ah, you are correct, the Evo is in two halves which is a much better design. Not sure it’s worth the extra £50 over the Yakima ones though.
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Nothing really to add, I have Yakimas and like them. I do find it a faff to get Thule 591s on, but I always did with Thule bars. I'm actually trying to get round to changing my 591s for the Yakima Highroad carriers - when I use them I usually need to get 4 bikes on and I get annoyed with the adjustment on the 591s (to switch sides or move the clamp base thing forward/backward). The Yakima ones strap on and look much easier to use.