Thule roof-mounted bike carriers.

[thirdcrank]

My duties have now been extended to include transporting several bikes for family members.

We recently went on holiday and had some fun of a kind when the passenger in an overtaking van on the A1 gesticulated towards the bikes on my car roof. One was held on by little more than good luck, in spite of having been rock-solid when we set off and checked a couple of times along the way.

This has prompted me to think about replacing my ancient Paddy Hopkirk bike carriers with something more modern (and hopefully stronger.) Apart from anything else they take a lot of faffing about adjusting them to fit different bikes.

I'm attracted by the Thule range and I'm undecided between the 591 ProRide (bike carried upright with both wheels in, single side bar to steady bike) and the 651 OutRide (bike carried upright with front wheel out, front forks in a q/r type clamp.)

I'd be interested in any experiences of / comments about either of these racks. There are lots of favourable reviews for the 591 on Amazon including one from "CJ" although I don't know if that's our CJ or Reggie Perrin's boss. One unfavourable review mentions the downtube clamp fouling the gear cables.

I've always been rather taken by bike forks being clamped into a carrier with the wheel out. I wonder how much those stuped lawyers' lips interfere with slick mounting. It's bad enough faffing with the q/r at ground level, without doing it with a bike on the car roof.

(I'm not interested in carriers which fit the tow bar or the tailgate. My experiences with using a Berlingo as a mobile bike shed have been documented on here. )

[Tin_Hat]

I've got a pair of the Thule 591 and have found them solid (despite my initial cynicism) for transporting road and mountain bikes around the country. If you are careful they don't foul the cables I find.

I haven't used any other brand roof mounted carriers though so can't comment on any others.

[Ontherivet77]

I've had a Thule 591 in the past and found it easy to use and secure, however I had a Mont Blanc carrier at the same time and preferred that overall, as it was just a bit more stable.

[Carlp]

My tuppence worth.

I have the MINI branded Thule carriers, the 591, both wheels on. I have had them for about three years and they are fab. Well made, reliable and very easy to load and unload. I have been all over the country with them, and I have carried our CF road bikes, our Ali road bikes, and our hybrids, and I have collected two old Dawes steel Kingpins that bought on eBay, and brought them home on them.

Two years ago we went to the south of France with our two bike son the top, and they were as safe as houses, on the 2000 mile round trip.

The base has a lock with key, and the ratchet is also lockable, so you an leave your bikes in a car park and go for a quick cuppa reassured that the bikes are relatively safe.

You can load and remove the racks/ holders in less than ten minutes, well I can that is.

In short I can not recomend them highly enough.

[Swallow]

I agree with Carlp, I have the cheaper Freeride 532, best carrier I've used. Up till now I've only used rear mounted carriers but these are much better.

[thirdcrank]

Thanks for the comments. They seem to confirm what I've read elsewhere, which is reassuring.

I've had a Thule 591 in the past and found it easy to use and secure, however I had a Mont Blanc carrier at the same time and preferred that overall, as it was just a bit more stable.

That was one of the models I'd considered but just going by online pics which are not too clear, it looks as though there isn't any adjustment for the length of the bike. This isn't covered in the info about the spec. One of the bikes which the Team thirdcrank service vehicle has to carry is an Islabike for a 6 year old. (I'm practising hanging out of a rear door and fixing bikes on the move. Unfortunately my wife refuses to do the same with the first aid kit, even though she is a registered nurse. )

[MartinC]

TC, I've used both. They both work fine. The front wheel out type holds the bike with no movement possible (you get some possible wiggle from tyre movement in the wheels in version). If you use the front wheel removed type then you need to put the wheel somewhere (obviously) and you also may have problems if the bike has mudguards ('guard fouls the rail). By reputation, and in my experience, the front wheel out type can accelerate headset wear 'cos the steering is locked in one place and he bike gets bounced up and down repeatedly.

[thirdcrank]

MartinC

Thanks for that. Speaking as a committed mudguard user (with generous mudflap) that's something I hadn't thought through.

[RickH]

For children's bikes I found in the past that the old upside down racks - that had a saddle holder & clamped onto the bars - worked best. I'm not sure if you can get them anymore.

Thule used to do a separate bar clamp & saddle holder that fitted to square bars & you could get the same for the fork mounting version - no rack in between the bars. They both worked best on the old roof gutters where you could adjust the distance between the bars but would work if you have built in roof bars

If you are interested I've probably got one or both of those lurking at the back of the shed along with some old square Thule bars if you want me to have a look (but you'd have to source the clamping to the roof bits unless you have gutters or Citroen Xantia compatible mounts. They are quite old but in good nick but I've not used them since we got rid of the Xantia as I use a towball rack on the current (& previous) car. If you aren't I'll probably put them in the fore sale section (could do with having a shed clearing )

Rick

[thirdcrank]

RickH

I've got some upside-down racks - that's what I meant by Paddy Hopkirk. The saddle fits in a sort of holster while the bars are clamped on the straight bit either side of the stem. In the days of cars with gutters, I used to use Paddy Hopkirk roof bars as well. More recently with other styles of roof (gutterless, built-in bars, and the little lugs on the Berlingo) I've had Thule, although they've been used more for things like ladders and timber rather than bikes.

My old stuff dates from 30+ years ago, when our children were small. I'm now doing it second time around with my grandchildren.

So, thanks for the offers but you don't seem to have anything I need (more storage space being high on my list )

[DaveP]

I have a 591 and an earlier version (black) of the 532.
The 591 is ok, quick to install and remove, as said, and I generally use it with a toe strap round the clamp and frame tube for peace of mind. The problem I seem to have is not getting the clamp ideally positioned ie with the jaws dead square on the down tube. not always easy when the bike in question may have frame clips for under bracket cables just wqhere it makes life awkward. If its not perfect then a little rocking to and fro can leave things a bit loose. Never come off - and with the strap it never will
The 532 is less pretty and not quick release but once on the bikes dont seem to rock as much - theres a little play in the pivot of the 591 arm which seems a lot when you looks at the saddle. The 532 can be set up as a lefthand or right hand version by removing the clamp bolt and inserting from the other side. the 591 is RH only as far as I know.
My sons bike has a humongous downtube and I like it better in the 591. I'm glad I have both types.
Not quite what you asked but I hope its helpful

[thirdcrank]

DaveP

Thanks Very helpful, especially as one of the bikes is a Cannondale with a humongous downtube. In fact, I have a Toyota-badged carrier similar in appearance to the 532 which won't open the jaw wide enough to hold it.