[Closed] Roof racks for bikes

I’m in the same boat at the mo.

I think I’m going to with a fork mounted I don’t fancy having to clamp anything to the down tube especially when the bike is muddy.

Wheel and frame is really convenient. But you will need some helitape or something on the frame to protect from rubbing. I have a missing patch of paint on mine.

Major con is that when you don't notice the anti-traveller height restriction girder you end up destroying your car roof, roofbars, cycle carriers and bikes. Not sure there is anything you can do to mitigate this...

I had 3 Thule 598’s on for last few years, 591’s before that. Very simple, sturdy and stable. Now on a Thule towbar rack that is better in almost every way I reckon.

I have a pair of fork mount carriers, which can switch between 15mm and qr easily. Works well for my bikes, but need to store wheels somewhere, reducing in car space...

I had a few Thule fork based racks fail on me. The bolt holding the fork mount corroded through and finally snapped when I went over a bump; I didn't loose a bike as they were also cable locked through the roof rails.

This model...

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Thule 591/598 here - can be picked up pretty cheaply off the ‘bay and the major differences are the torque clicker (because people apparently weren’t doing 591s up tight enough) and the diagonal wheel straps on the 598.

Not sure I’d be keen to use them with a carbon frame though, and I think Thule have launched a wheel-clamp carrier, though it’s heavier.

598 user here on a carbon frame. No problems at all.

I've got some Atera down tube clamping ones. I'm not a heavy user but they are straightforward to use, easy to adjust and sturdy (albeit they clatter a bit at town speed). All our bikes are steel or alloy and I've yet to notice any rub and I can align a large 29r, small 26r and 2x 24 bikes with different shapes with very little hassle.

No way I would have fork mount as you have to do something with (in my case 3 or 4) front wheels covered in mud, filth (and probably sheep shit if we've been out in the downs) and the bar heights would mean turning bars etc.

Emphatically not an engineering view just user bias 😁

Have had three 591s for over 12 years years, and one Thule fork mounted one. The 591s have carried DH bikes, fat bikes, full sus, Moultonsthrough to very light road bikes. They have been remarkable, we have them on and off the car quickly and have made them fit so many things. The odd one we have used straps to hold frame in the clamp but that’s worked well. Yes we do have to wipe mud off that area of the frame and on many we have put extra thick heli tape where the clamp goes but good protection against trail rash as well. Never doubted them at all sorts of speed though I am more cautious with them on. The forkmount one is ok, I often wish it had an arm as well, it just feels that it puts a lot of strain on the fork ends, (does QR and bolt through) but we’ve never had a problem with it, just prefer the 591s - the 598s look like a no brainer if we needed new ones.

Another thing to bear in mind is bike fit. I own a 598 and it won't clamp my mates old Scott dh bike due to his shock placement. For all my bikes it's been great especially as it is on a car with a sunroof which allows you to keep an eye on the bikes.

I love my Seasucker. Wouldn’t go back to a ‘normal’ rack now.

Got a Yakima Highroad(wheel only) and a Thule Thruride 565(fork mount). The Yakima is excellent, very easy to get the bike in and out, lift the front brace, lift the bike into place, lift the rear brace up to the back of the front wheel and tighten the torque knob. Takes a matter of seconds, doesn't touch any part of the bike other than the front tyre and the bike feels better secured than any other rack I've used.
The Thule is fine too but it's more of a faff to get the bike in and the fork mount tightened down properly and you need to have space for your front wheel in the car.
Given a 'one or the other' choice, i'd have the Highroad.

I too have the Yakima Frontloaders and they are great. Definitely heavier but very secure and adjustable for all wheel sizes.

I've got a pair of Thule 591s and they have been great. I've never understood the fork mounted ones as they must take longer to mount your bike on and you then have to put your front wheel in the car. Is the only advantage that you don't have to put the clamp arm around your frame?

Thule 598s / 591s are bombproof. Can put (almost) any bike on in seconds.

Really good if you have growing kids as they take a Cnoc 14" one day and an FS plus bike the next.

Some bikes do take a bit of lateral thinking and patience (2 mins) to find the right spot to clamp the frame and bind the wheels, but I've not yet found one that doesn't fit. A couple have had the front wheel clamp drifting off the end of the rail, but remained firmly secured.

The downside (as with any roof carrier) is height restrictions. Although, it's only a mistake you make once 😉

I'm really keen on my Yakima Frontloaders too. They just support the tyre so your bike doesn't get damaged, but they also have a built in cable lock so you can't just rip the bike out of them. The downside is they don't work brilliantly with full length mudguards and they're pretty bulky and heavy.

I've got 2 Thule 532 racks with t-track fittings I need to sell if anyone is interested.

Long time 591 user here.

All of us supposed downsides to them are fake news. Been in a car (not mine) with three big MTB on a German autobahn at well over 100mph with zero drama. Yes, a good idea to protect the contact point with something, I also clean off mud at the clamp point before attaching. But other than security, an no external bike rack system is totally secure, there are no downsides. Also with my carbon road bike I do the clamp up pretty tight and have never crushed a carbon down tube on three carbon road bikes i’ve had. Just don’t see the point in dismantling your bike unnecessarily.

To bar rack is best, but not most convenient for frequent use.