Thule roof rack - recommended

david burton · Post by **david burton** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 8:55 pm

I've just got back from 5 days in Dorset doing a bit of kayaking and mountain biking. I've got a tandem mountain bike and needed to put it on the roof (for obvious reasons) but was petrified of what damage the roof rack might do.

My dad gave me his Thule bars and I got the fitting kit the other month as a birthday present (cheers!).

I put the rack on last Friday and the bike went on easily. The rack is easy to fit and is very well made. No marks were left by the feet and it's extremely sturdy. Very happy.

One last point is that MPG plummets with a rack on! 70-80 brought the MPG down to 45 which still isn't too bad, but I'm used to 55.

pip_polo · Post by **pip_polo** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 9:47 pm

cars still looking awsome even with it on lol

my dad has a van/estate for that type of thing

chewy · Post by **chewy** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 10:51 pm

Not going for the euro look then lol, how does the roof rack fit? The car is looking great.

david burton · Post by **david burton** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 11:51 am

The front feet are located with a locator hole about halfway along the front door underneath the roof. The feet then tighten down against a rubber foot on the top of the roof and the locator hole on the underneath of the roof and it's firmly clamped.

For the rear feet the clamp is once again against the top of the roof (using molded rubber feet) and on the top of the rear window glass (3 door) there is a gap with a rubber seal that you push the foot into. The clamp then grips the roof securely.

Both clamps are rubber coated, so as long as you are careful about removing grit from the feet then you won't get any marks. For the rear, once I'd finished using the rack I ran my credit card underneath the seal to pop it out into the proper shape again.

wes_keo · Post by **wes_keo** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 7:00 pm

yeah ill have to agree with you on this one. the thule system is awesome. with me it takes 3 bikes with ease. easy to fit and remove and so much more convienient that putting dirty bikes in the back of the car.

Post by **alexperkins** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 8:31 pm

Where abouts in our lovely county of Dorset did you go david?

david burton · Post by **david burton** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 11:02 pm

alexperkins wrote:Where abouts in our lovely county of Dorset did you go david?

We went to very near Wareham forest - great place to go!

Post by **alexperkins** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 11:13 pm

Bout 20 mins from me