I got some of these for my old saloon car a few months back. They're great for transporting mine and the kids' bikes about.
I take the bike carriers off the bars when I'm not using them, I have left the bars on the roof though. I can hear them when I'm driving.
Do you take the bars off as well? I'm tempted to do this. But is it likely I don't put them back on quite right and I get a bikes falling off the roof scenario? I think I'm reasonably competent so it should be fine. I'm more likely to lose a little part in the garage and have to buy a whole new set.
To a kid looking up to me, life ain't nothing but bitches and money.
I leave my aero bars on all the time, too much hassle to keep putting them on and off, I think they affect the fuel economy but I don't really do many big mile drives so don't worry too much.
I take mine off if not transporting - only because I’m am transporting less and less that needs roof bars. The do make the car a little noisier - and use about 5% more petrol
I'd leave the bike carriers attached and take the whole assembly of as one. My roof box is like that and the whole lot is hung from the garage rafters by the bars.
Mussels wrote: ↑Sat Mar 27, 2021 12:03 pm
I'd leave the bike carriers attached and take the whole assembly of as one. My roof box is like that and the whole lot is hung from the garage rafters by the bars.
Exactly what we do too as frequently swap between cycle and kayak carriers.
Have used Whispbar/Yakima aero bars on the last few cars and they make virtually no noise (even at 80 mph with the Panoramic roof open) and have very little impact on fuel economy. My days of being a Thule fanboy disappeared very quickly after I discovered them (recommended by a mate who left his permanently on his estate car).
My aero bars have pretty much been on the car since it arrive 18 months ago. The only time i decided to take them off for a 700 mile round trip on motorways where the noise would have vexed me.
Sadly, while I unbolted them from the roof, I didn’t take them off the roof so imagine my surprise when the flew off the roof at 60mph... thankfully I managed to pull over and retrieve them before they got trashed. Only damage was an end cap and scratches.
Being that twat who did the above vexes me more than the sound would ever done so they stay on irrespective of the journey
lostboy wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 8:28 am
Have used Whispbar/Yakima aero bars on the last few cars and they make virtually no noise (even at 80 mph with the Panoramic roof open) and have very little impact on fuel economy. My days of being a Thule fanboy disappeared very quickly after I discovered them (recommended by a mate who left his permanently on his estate car).
Seem to be as better engineered as they're as robust and useful without being as "industrial" as the Thule wingbars. Certainly less noisy and a much nicer profile than the Wingbar - although Thule have now come out with a revised Wingbar which is, unsurprisingly, almost identical to the Yakima, but for about twice the price!
Use mine for windsurf boards, surfboards, SUPs, bikes, everything and they just work fine but, most importantly, I can leave them on and it makes almost no difference to fuel consumption (I'd argue it's none but that's cheating physics!) and certainly there's no noise at legal speeds.
I bought some roof bars for our Focus(official Ford ones) and they came with three little stickers about 3 inches by 1 inch with a ridge about 4mm high along the middle of long length. The instructions said they were to be fitted, evenly spaced along the front roof bar to stop wind noise. Bollox! I thought, tiny little stickers like that won't do a thing. First test drive the wind noise was horrific, went home, ate humble pie and fitted stickers, noise disappeared completely!
"Of all the stories you told me, which ones were true and which ones weren't?"
"My dear Doctor, they're all true."
"Even the lies?"
"Especially the lies."
Mr Moofo wrote: ↑Tue Mar 30, 2021 12:04 pm
what's better about them?
I've had Thule and other brands, Thule tend to be slightly easier to fit, better looking and much more expensive. I don't bother with them any more, if I took the bars on and off frequently I might.
I also don't bother with aero bars as they seem to take proprietary fittings, either I can't get what I want or it's very expensive. Simple square bars for me.
Mr Moofo wrote: ↑Tue Mar 30, 2021 12:04 pm
what's better about them?
I've had Thule and other brands, Thule tend to be slightly easier to fit, better looking and much more expensive. I don't bother with them any more, if I took the bars on and off frequently I might.
I also don't bother with aero bars as they seem to take proprietary fittings, either I can't get what I want or it's very expensive. Simple square bars for me.
I am a bit of aThule fanboy - the stuff is always well made and works (other than the end cap that came of going down a german autobahn, even though it was meant to locked).
Having just bought some for the new car, I am not in the market - but just wondered what the benefits of the Lostboy referenced ones were
