Someone help with a bike carry for car please

[MrMister111]

hi

I have got to get a bike carrier for the car, I had a strap type and hated it, putting it on and off was a 'mare.

I have a Nissan Qashqai. I want to carry 4 cycles (2 adult, 2 kids), althogh may go with 3, and put one of the kid's bikes in the boot (its a small 7 years old one).

Can anyone help, hoping not to spend more than £100.

Any suggestions? help? roof? rear mount? its mainly for short journeys, eg to the coast, park, forest and back (15-45mins)

cheers

 

[oldbobcat]

hi

Can anyone help, hoping not to spend more than £100.

Any suggestions?

Not for less than £100.

OK, this is what we used to do when we were young and broke and our cars had rain gutters. I don't know if this applies to your Qashqai.

Here's what you need:
1. Four generic rack towers that clamp into rain gutters, available at an auto parts store
2. Two 2"x3"x6' boards, cut roughly equal to the width of your car roof
3. Eight 3/8" carriage bolts, 4" long, with washers and nuts
4. Three old bicycle inner tubes per bicycle.

Here's what you do.
1. Fit the towers to the rain gutters on car roof. Lateral span should roughly equal distance between handlebar and saddle on bikes.
2. Fit the rails (your two boards) so they bridge the towers across the roof. Mark where you need to drill to attach to towers. Drill 3/8" holes where you marked. Attach rails to towers using carriage bolts.
3. Screw everything down tight.
4. Set bikes upside down on rails. Use rubber inner tubes to fasten bikes to rails. Make sure nothing can fall off bikes.

Buena sera. This rack is not certified for use at Autobahn speeds.

I think the Whole Earth Catalog described an elaboration of this rack that used dowels drilled into the rails to facilitate fastening with the old tubes.

And, of course, it only works if your vehicle has rain gutters and the roof is longer than your bicycles.

 

[MrMister111]

Wow seems a lot o work! I've found a Thule ClipOn 9104, what is this like? Seems once setup that it can fold and re-attach quite quick? It's on sale for £80 at present

cheers

 

[oldbobcat]

Wow seems a lot o work! I've found a Thule ClipOn 9104, what is this like? Seems once setup that it can fold and re-attach quite quick? It's on sale for £80 at present

cheers

Yeah, it is a lot of work, but it (a) is cheap and (b) doesn't hang the bikes by the top tube, which seems to be the root of your problem.

 

[MrMister111]

Well I bought the Thule ClipOn 9104 for £80 from a local Motor store. They price matched a website which was £80, in shop was £100.

It was pre-built in shop so all I had to do was clip on. it really is easy to attach to car, 2 hooks on top of boot, 2 hooks on bottom of boot, push down clips and it pulls the bottom hooks up tight. Its still a faff on attaching bikes but that will be with any carrier.

I maybe need to get a lighting board? not sure how this will go on my car though, but for the short trip today I just winged it.

cheers