Bike carries explained - easy options for transporting your bike

Transporting bikes can be a pain in the boot. A cryptic jigsaw if you also need to fit in the kids, the dog, the picnic, the friend and maybe the surfboard. We ask Ben Venturi at Roof Rack City what the deal is with bike carriers for each and every occasion.

Like a good wine list, there are different types of bike carriers to choose from:

• Roof mounted
• Tow bar mounted
• Spare wheel mounted
• Boot mounted

Roof Mounted

Ben: "With roof mounted, traditionally through the years people have mainly fork mounted the bike on the roof and the carriers haven’t been lockable. Now carriers are lockable and people are tending to go toward leaving the front wheel on. With leaving the wheel on you don’t have to find somewhere to put the front wheel and with mountain bikes having through axles there is no issues with fork compatibility." 

Thule Sidearm BA594XT

Bens Top Pick:

The Thule Sidearm carrier is becoming more popular. It will suit road bikes, commuter bikes, most kids bikes, dual suspension and hard tail mountain bikes, carbon fibre, alloy, and steel frames.

Tow Bar Mounted

Ben: "Families are heading toward carrying bikes on the back of the car on the towbar. This is much easier for people as they don’t have to lift bikes up on the roof and avoids the one thing people fear doing, driving into the carport/ garage with the bike on the roof."

BA929

Bens Top Pick:
Towbar mounted bike carriers can carry from one to five bikes depending on the bikes and carrier. The most popular is the platform style of carriers. They can carry one to four bikes on them depending on the model. These style of carriers carry the bikes with the wheels sitting on the base of the carrier and an arm holding onto the frame. The arm holds each bike away from each other and the wheels are strapped onto the base. Another advantage with this style of carrier is that you are not limited to the type of bike on the carrier. 

Spare Wheel / Boot Mounted

"The last two types of carriers are an option for people if they don’t have a towbar or are unable to mount them on the roof. There are a lot of limitations to fitting them this way and are usually a last resort. If this is the type that you are after you are best to speak to someone with experience to guide you to the best solution. 




We also do some different installations, be it on ute lids or on pop up caravans, there may be a way to mount a bike or two on them. Feel free to run the idea past us and we may have a solution or have an idea that you may have not considered."

Special Discount Offer

If you have registered for Amy’s Ride SA 2014, come and see us with your registration to receive a 10% discount on bike carriers and the Pack N Pedal range. Visit the store and ask for Ben Venturi to check out some of the range on offer. (end of day would suit best)

Thanks Ben Venturi at Roof Rack City

37 Gilbert St, Adelaide |  (08) 8211 7600

http://www.roofracksa.com.au

Summer is near - great time to get organised and pick a bike carrier that suits your lifestyle. 

Register for Amy's Ride SA 2014