roof bike rack

[Ashful]

So, it turns out I need to find a bike rack on VERY short notice for a 2010 Volvo V50 R-design. It has the side rails, but we have no cross bars. Speed is everything (can I overnight it from Amazon?). Assuming we're talking under $1k, cost is irrelevant.

Requirements:

1. Side rails that lock to vehicle using factory side rails (don't want to deal with something that straps into door channels, etc.).
2. Must carry 2 mountain bikes and 1 trail-a-bike.
3. Would prefer to have the front wheels up on the roof, rather than eating up trunk space.

I've never bought modern roof rack gear, but my understanding is the cross bars are typically purchased separately from the actual bike carriers?

Thanks!

 

[1kzwoman]

Check etrailer

 

[xman23]

I've had a few of the brand names Yakama and Thule for skis, kayaks and bikes. Both brands have what you need, cross bars, mounts and any device carrier to go on the cross bars. Very pricey, but haven't checked lately. Got to be well under 1K I hope. Check REI or any good bike store.. I would look at those carriers that mount off the back of the car, got to be a lot cheaper.

My last SUV I made the mistake of not getting the factory cross bars. The new one I got last year I had them include them to seal the deal after the price was nailed down. I think they sell them for $600 / $700 but they got you. Honda's ski rack that clamps on, hold 4 pairs was $100, made be Thule . I needed a trailer hitch, so $350 for the 5000 LBS hitch installed. I got a 3 bike hitch carrier for $89 at Wal-Mart. Not Thule quality, but it is plenty strong and does the job.

 

[Ashful]

Thanks, guys! Decision made: I'm going to trade cars with the wife tomorrow and run by the local bike shop at lunchtime, which most of the local cyclists really adore. Hopefully they can hook me up with something fast.

I just got off work ten minutes ago (8:30am - 11:30pm days, with breaks for lunch and dinner), so there's been no time to do any research on what I need. The one thing I did read was that roof-mounting trail-a-bikes is a hassle. I'd hate to use a trunk-mount unit, for difficulty of accessing luggage, but it does seem to be the preferred plan with trail-a-bikes.

xman23, I hear you on those cross bars. Unfortunately, I'm always custom ordering our cars or transferring them from distant dealerships to get the exact configuration I want (leather interior, manual transmission, and the biggest turbo engine available), so I never feel like I have much leverage on things like that. Maybe I just need to learn more about negotiating on cars.

 

[xman23]

Thanks, guys! Decision made: I'm going to trade cars with the wife tomorrow and run by the local bike shop at lunchtime, which most of the local cyclists really adore. Hopefully they can hook me up with something fast.

I just got off work ten minutes ago (8:30am - 11:30pm days, with breaks for lunch and dinner), so there's been no time to do any research on what I need. The one thing I did read was that roof-mounting trail-a-bikes is a hassle. I'd hate to use a trunk-mount unit, for difficulty of accessing luggage, but it does seem to be the preferred plan with trail-a-bikes.

xman23, I hear you on those cross bars. Unfortunately, I'm always custom ordering our cars or transferring them from distant dealerships to get the exact configuration I want (leather interior, manual transmission, and the biggest turbo engine available), so I never feel like I have much leverage on things like that. Maybe I just need to learn more about negotiating on cars.

I got them on this Honda. The plan was to put one of those ski boxes on. Most of the time it's me and the grand kids back and forth to the mountain, a few miles. New car leather, you don't need melting snow. First the boxes are real pricey, but you can move it to the next car, and you only go around once. Well after a ton of measuring no box will mount on the factory bars without being back so far you can't raise the rear hatch. So off to Honda and I got the perfect clam shell ski rack.

For most of this stuff the hitch racks are great and cheep.

 

[Elderthewelder]

check out http://www.atoc.com/ for nice bike racks. although i may be a bit biased

 

[Swedishchef]

Thanks, guys! Decision made: I'm going to trade cars with the wife tomorrow and run by the local bike shop at lunchtime, which most of the local cyclists really adore. Hopefully they can hook me up with something fast.

I just got off work ten minutes ago (8:30am - 11:30pm days, with breaks for lunch and dinner), so there's been no time to do any research on what I need. The one thing I did read was that roof-mounting trail-a-bikes is a hassle. I'd hate to use a trunk-mount unit, for difficulty of accessing luggage, but it does seem to be the preferred plan with trail-a-bikes.

xman23, I hear you on those cross bars. Unfortunately, I'm always custom ordering our cars or transferring them from distant dealerships to get the exact configuration I want (leather interior, manual transmission, and the biggest turbo engine available), so I never feel like I have much leverage on things like that. Maybe I just need to learn more about negotiating on cars.

Bikes on the roof suck. Simple. Especially if you or your significant other aren't much more taller than papa smurf.

On another note, my favorite racks are the ones that you connect to a hitch. Why? Because you can still open the damn trunk and you don't need to lift them onto the roof. Especially on a new car, if you miss the guide on the roof, the front fork can make a nice mark on the paint.

Andrew