Carrying Boardman on Car Roof

[colyer]

I'm close to pulling the trigger on the purchase of a Boardman HYB 8.9E. I'll want to be able to get it on the roof of the car, both for getting it home from the shop and for taking it away on holiday.

I'm pretty sure that the down tube will be too fat for any of my existing roof carriers to grab onto, which means I'm going to need a new carrier. Has anyone else carried a Boardman e-bike on a car roof? What worked?

Any recommendations? I'd prefer Thule, but anything that attaches to roof bars and incorporates a lock will do.

Otherwise, can any owner tell me the cross-sectional dimensions (height and width) of the down tube, so that I can search for a suitable carrier?

(A towbar-mounted rack is not a viable option, as we need to be able to tow a trailer at the same time).

[rareposter]

I'm close to pulling the trigger on the purchase of a Boardman HYB 8.9E. I'll want to be able to get it on the roof of the car, both for getting it home from the shop and for taking it away on holiday.

You need to worry less about the dimensions of the bike and more about the all-up weight capacity of the rack and mounting hardware (plus the issue of lifting the bike onto the roof as well).

All the racks designed for e-bikes will be fine in terms of dimensions - manufacturers long ago redesigned clamps for fat MTB and e-bike tubing and tyres - but the weight and lifting is the main concern.

[Jdsk]

It's important to check mass, as above. When I was lifting the tandems on and and off high-roofed cars I used to stand on a removed seat or a little stepladder.

You can go to Halfords and check the components, both own-brand and Thule. Someone posted that they offer a fitting service but I've never used that.

How about putting the eBike on the trailer?

Jonathan

[colyer]

Mass is not an issue. The bike is lighter than my Street Machine, which I can get up there quite happily, and will be lighter still with the battery removed.

I had already established before posting that roof-mounting was the right solution for me.

Now, about this "all the racks designed for e-bikes". Any examples?

[mxg01]

He seems a reasonable fellow but I can't see him putting up with that.

[rareposter]

Mass is not an issue. The bike is lighter than my Street Machine, which I can get up there quite happily, and will be lighter still with the battery removed.

I had already established before posting that roof-mounting was the right solution for me.

Now, about this "all the racks designed for e-bikes". Any examples?

Try Thule 599.
Clamps securely by the wheels so there's no frame contact which means it'll fit pretty much any bike easily.
Rated up to 20kg.

Diagrams/pics on the link:

https://www.thule.com/en-gb/bike-rack/r ... e-_-599001

[colyer]

Try Thule 599.
Clamps securely by the wheels so there's no frame contact which means it'll fit pretty much any bike easily.
Rated up to 20kg.

Thanks, that does look like a good solution.

I'm hoping that either Halfords or a Boardman owner will come back to me with the down tube dimensions, so that I can assess whether the Thule ProRide 591 (which is substantially cheaper) will work.

[Jdsk]

Try Thule 599.
Clamps securely by the wheels so there's no frame contact which means it'll fit pretty much any bike easily.
Rated up to 20kg.

Diagrams/pics on the link:

https://www.thule.com/en-gb/bike-rack/r ... e-_-599001

Thanks for that.

I'm surprised that it can prevent wobble at the steering with only that sort of clamping at the wheels. But it's Thule and I expect that it can.

Jonathan