Roof carrier

[Sleepymouse]

Hi All
Bit of a strange request.
I'm looking for a suitable roof carrier for a Coyote connect folding bike.
A standard carrier grips the diagonal tube but the Connect has a horizontal tube.
I'm not able to carry the bike in the car folded as it's still quite big folded.
Any ideas gratefully received.

[ratherbeintobago]

What’s the fork spacing? If it’s a standard 100mm then a Thule 561 would work.

[thirdcrank]

Have you actually tried standard carriers? I ask because there's quite a bit of flexibility in the positioning of the arm which normally fits the downtube. An alternative might be an upside-down carrier, if they are still made, which has a holder for the saddle a bit like a holster and clamps for the bars.
====================================================
Something like this, found from googling so no knowledge of this product
https://upsideracks.com/

Review here in Bikeradar a couple of years old which seems to suggest that it's just a start-up
https://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/ ... ils-48695/

I used to have some Paddy Hopkirk racks of this type.

[foxyrider]

Thule make several options that would work - downside is price! Shudder to think how much my mates auto system cost but it takes his E bikes happily and can be done by one person.

[Sleepymouse]

I'm not sure of the fork spacing. I will try a standard carrier as I have one for our tandem (just longer than normal). I will see if I can move the wheel straps.

[Vorpal]

Lacking other ideas, I imagine you could work with this idea viewtopic.php?f=5&t=54363

Scroll down to the pictures of loading a tandem with a ladder. The ladder has a front fork clamp mounted to it.

[thirdcrank]

I think that a Thule Proride 591 would work. Somebody here doing them for sixty quid which seems reasonable. I think there would be enough adjustment in this type of rack to be able to grip the main tube where it curves towards the seat. I appreciate you wouldn't want to shell out without being sure but if you are anywhere near Leeds you can experiment with one of mine.

https://www.sandicliffe.co.uk/shop/thul ... 20Products

[NetworkMan]

I think that a Thule Proride 591 would work. Somebody here doing them for sixty quid which seems reasonable. I think there would be enough adjustment in this type of rack to be able to grip the main tube where it curves towards the seat. I appreciate you wouldn't want to shell out without being sure but if you are anywhere near Leeds you can experiment with one of mine.

https://www.sandicliffe.co.uk/shop/thul ... 20Products

Mrs NM says I'm allowed to take bike away on holiday but all this is new to me. Proride 591 offer looks good but is it possible to fit a Thule carrier to, say, Cruz bars which seem quite highly regarded and significantly cheaper than Thule?

[ratherbeintobago]

I think that a Thule Proride 591 would work. Somebody here doing them for sixty quid which seems reasonable. I think there would be enough adjustment in this type of rack to be able to grip the main tube where it curves towards the seat. I appreciate you wouldn't want to shell out without being sure but if you are anywhere near Leeds you can experiment with one of mine.

https://www.sandicliffe.co.uk/shop/thul ... 20Products

Mrs NM says I'm allowed to take bike away on holiday but all this is new to me. Proride 591 offer looks good but is it possible to fit a Thule carrier to, say, Cruz bars which seem quite highly regarded and significantly cheaper than Thule?

Should be able to. If the T-track is compatible (as was the case with the Montblanc-badged-as-Toyota bars I had on my last car) it’s a doddle, but you may also be able to use the ‘square bar’ adaptors if the Cruz bars aren’t too long in section.

[thirdcrank]

Most CRUZ roof bars are available either in steel or in aluminium. The steel bars are the standard shape, so all Atera and Thule accessories will fit to them, and their aerobars have the same slot size as Atera, Prorack and Thule, and therefore take standard adapters.

https://www.roofbox.co.uk/roof-bars/roo ... Roof%20Bar

I'm not up-to-date here. When I bought my Thule carriers they came with clamps which fitted round square or oval roof bars. Some oval bars are too wide, and need the T bolt fitting which engages in the slot in the bars. (The T bolt is a threaded bolt with a large flat head.) To complicate this there are different T bolts for different slotted roof bars. From looking at some of the ads, it looks as though the original clamp may no longer be supplied as standard. It's certainly wise to check which fitting you need before you buy, because buying the alternatives as spares isn't cheap.

I've found this link which illustrates what I'm trying to say. If your bars are square in section, or oval but not abnormally wide, then the clamps illustrated at the extreme right of the top row will be fine. If your bars are two wide and have slots then you need to select the appropriate T bolts from the others offered. I've found roofracks.co.uk brilliant for on the phone advice. The first person who answers the phone has always been able to answer my gormless questions

https://roofracks.co.uk/Thule-Products/ ... -Carriers/

BTW, one thule cycle carrier typically has three fixings, so you need either three of those clamps or three T bolts per carrier.

[NetworkMan]

I think that a Thule Proride 591 would work. Somebody here doing them for sixty quid which seems reasonable. I think there would be enough adjustment in this type of rack to be able to grip the main tube where it curves towards the seat. I appreciate you wouldn't want to shell out without being sure but if you are anywhere near Leeds you can experiment with one of mine.

https://www.sandicliffe.co.uk/shop/thul ... 20Products

Mrs NM says I'm allowed to take bike away on holiday but all this is new to me. Proride 591 offer looks good but is it possible to fit a Thule carrier to, say, Cruz bars which seem quite highly regarded and significantly cheaper than Thule?

Should be able to. If the T-track is compatible (as was the case with the Montblanc-badged-as-Toyota bars I had on my last car) it’s a doddle, but you may also be able to use the ‘square bar’ adaptors if the Cruz bars aren’t too long in section.

Roofbox say of Cruz Aero bars:-
"The T-track adapters used in the slots in the tops of the bars are the standard 20mm x 20mm ones - all the products we sell use this size"
They sell various Thule bike carriers, though perhaps not the 591, so that looks pretty encouraging.
Is the claimed aero advantage of the oval section bars significant do you think? I sort of imagined I'd leave the bars on most of the time to save bother. Car is a 5 door Polo.

[ratherbeintobago]

Mrs NM says I'm allowed to take bike away on holiday but all this is new to me. Proride 591 offer looks good but is it possible to fit a Thule carrier to, say, Cruz bars which seem quite highly regarded and significantly cheaper than Thule?

Should be able to. If the T-track is compatible (as was the case with the Montblanc-badged-as-Toyota bars I had on my last car) it’s a doddle, but you may also be able to use the ‘square bar’ adaptors if the Cruz bars aren’t too long in section.

Roofbox say of Cruz Aero bars:-
"The T-track adapters used in the slots in the tops of the bars are the standard 20mm x 20mm ones - all the products we sell use this size"
They sell various Thule bike carriers, though perhaps not the 591, so that looks pretty encouraging.
Is the claimed aero advantage of the oval section bars significant do you think? I sort of imagined I'd leave the bars on most of the time to save bother. Car is a 5 door Polo.

The current model of the 591 is the 598 (minimal differences). Should be able to get a 591 cheaply off the ‘Bay...

[thirdcrank]

... Is the claimed aero advantage of the oval section bars significant do you think? I sort of imagined I'd leave the bars on most of the time to save bother. Car is a 5 door Polo.

I'll pass on aerodynamic advantage but I've never been a fan of leaving roof bars on all the time, although I've never had more than occasional use. I suppose it would be different if you were carrying something on the the roof regularly or more often than not. IME, roofbars of any pattern make a lot of racket - wind noise - at any sort of speed and I suspect that that equates to wind resistance. Over the years I've had various cars with different types of fitting. One thing I've found is that the Thule pictogram (?) instructions can be a pain. I've found youtube to be a big help here. I also make myself notes about things to remember, so it's not starting from square one every time. Then whipping them on and off is quite quick and easy. BTW, it was the vid Sandiford shop link which had me discussing T bolts as they were shown as standard. There's no way they will work on square bars.

[ratherbeintobago]

Missed this one. We had the oval section Thule bars on my wife’s last car. Not sure they were that aerodynamic but they looked better than the square ones.

I’ve got some wing bars for my new car but yet to try them.

Again, there are eBay bargains to be had if you know what width you need - it seems that people recycle foot packs etc between cars.

[Xilter]

How small is your car that you need to put a FOLDING bike on the roof?
And it’s a folding bike. Slap it in a roof box. With extra cargo space to spare.

On a serious note. What vehicle is it? I saw someone else make mention of their polo. But I must have missed the OP’s car