In message
<
[email protected]>, POHB
<
[email protected]> writes
>On 26 Jun, 12:39, Colin Blackburn <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Light of Aria wrote:
>>
>> > It's summer and I've got a week in Norfolk coming up.
>>
>> > 4 of us, will be squeezing in to a 2003 VW Polo to travel. (And this is
>> > probably only the 5th time I've used my car this year thanks to running
>> > and cycling everywhere!)
>>
>> > Please could the group suggest what sort of methods I could consider for
>> > taking my beloved mountain bike with me attached to the outside of the car?
>>
>> > I sort of favour the sort of roof attachment device where the bike goes
>> > cleanly on top of the vehicle as it requires less disassembly of the
>> > bike and does not render the boot inoperable. I can't see how such
>> > devices work or attach to modern gutterless cars though!
>>
>> There are two parts: the roof bars and the bike carrier
>>
>> Either have a browse around a Halfords or take a look at an online site
>> likehttp://www.roofbox.co.uk/
>For a single bike a cheap boot-mounted strap-on carrier is probably
>your best bet. Bikes on roofs do bad things to your fuel economy and
>you need to be very confident that the roof rack is of good quality
>and secure otherwise the wind can just rip the bike and/or rack off.
Bikes on rubbish or poorly fitted strap on racks are also at risk of
coming adrift (probably more so IMO)
You do of course have to use the things properly.
>Having to remove the rack to get in the boot is a pain
Decent strap on racks should fix just to the hatch, not the bumper etc.
so the hatch can still be opened with rack attached. Though not with the
bike.
> but there's no
>need to disassemble the bike.
No is there with a roof rack unless you use the ones that clamp the
front forks.
> Getting a bike on and off a roof rack
>takes time too.
Well, yeah, all of about a minute. bikes on rear racks will needs
strapping or some such as well. I don't think time is a great factor
here. Lifting them onto the roof for some might be though.
For more occasional use, and for the cheapest option then a strap on
carrier is might be the best option. I'd get annoyed though with not
being able to open the rear hatch though I suspect. Don't forget that it
may well require a lighting board (and a suitable connector mounted in
the car)
I've been happy with the roof bars and a couple of mid price old
Halfords carriers (a copy of Thule ones and made in Sweden - me thinks
they might just be rebadged ones) but will be moving onto a towbar
mounted carrier. Only a matter of time before we want to carry 4 bikes
and that + a roofbox just don't go on the roof.
But I think it's a bit swings and roundabout with towbar and roof
mounted carriers
--
Chris French