Cycle Carriers and Spoilers

Philomena Cunk

The Halfords website recommends a bike carrier for my car but the salesperson at the store says it isn't suitable because of the spoiler. He doesn't seem to know why. so what is the issue and what do people recommend? I prefer not to have the rooftop type.

cougie

The boot type usually latch onto the top of the hatchback door with straps.



Would the straps have to go over the spoiler maybe and pull it off ?



If you have a towbar then the towbar ones are excellent.



I'd prefer a roof mount if not - I'm always a bit worried about the boot mounted ones just falling off....

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan

I use a boot mounted carrier on my A3 and that has a spoiler, seems to work OK

Philomena Cunk

That's good enough for me. Just didn't want a Holgate type disaster.

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan

Ah, but you might get a book deal if you drop 10 grands worth of Pinarello in the fast lane of the M6

Mallowpuff

Our bikes end up going in the back of the Hyundai Coupe. Spoiler and the angle of the rear windscreen prevents a carrier from fitting and we can't get a roof rack for it. We do have a tow bar, and thought about a carrier, but the decent ones seem quite heavy and there's not much of a nose weight on the tow bar

oal4n

Check at the Parts section at your car dealer. They will know more than Halfords.

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan

Yeah right oal4n.....



Oh that's right the Audi dealer sells the same Thule carriers, just with a 25% mark up over the a High Street.



Try looking at the fitting lists in Halfords or even your LBS

oal4n

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan wrote (see)

Yeah right oal4n.....

Oh that's right the Audi dealer sells the same Thule carriers, just with a 25% mark up over the a High Street.

Try looking at the fitting lists in Halfords or even your LBS

That maybe the case with Audi, but not with Ford. They were knowledgeable and price matched with the cheapest online price I could find. And as I said, they know more than Halfords, a lot more.

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan

You're unable to read the parts catalogue in Halfords to read the recommended kit

oal4n

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan wrote (see)

You're unable to read the parts catalogue in Halfords to read the recommended kit

I can. Can you read the first post regarding conflicting advise from Halfords website and salesman from store? Where would you suggest is the best place for the OP to get advice from - some random strangers from the internet or from the manufacturer of their car? 

Mallowpuff

To play devil's advocate, I've had some completely wrong information from Ford in the past, yet "random strangers off the internet" who happen to have an interest related to the area have got it right.

oal4n

Durhambiker wrote (see)

To play devil's advocate, I've had some completely wrong information from Ford in the past, yet "random strangers off the internet" who happen to have an interest related to the area have got it right.

Yes but you can get any answer you want on the internet - doesn't necessarily mean it is right. In this case there seems to be some doubt, so I would want reassurance from the car manufacturer that it was the recommended bike rack for the car. Also bike racks need to be declared to your insurance company as a modification, so it wouldn't be advisable to use the wrong one

 

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan

If you feel that strongly you could always ride your bike ?

Rafiki

.

 

Philomena Cunk

I'm not getting advice from strangers on the internet. Dave is a figment of my imagination from a book I'm reading at the moment. 

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan

oal4n wrote (see)

 so I would want reassurance from the car manufacturer that it was the recommended bike rack for the car.

 

I'd prefer to get reassurance from the bike rack manufacturer that they had designed it to fit the car in question.

Philomena Cunk wrote (see)

I'm not getting advice from strangers on the internet. Dave is a figment of my imagination from a book I'm reading at the moment. 

Oh.. I wouldn't read that at night, You'll have bad dreams 

 

oal4n

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan wrote (see)

oal4n wrote (see)

 so I would want reassurance from the car manufacturer that it was the recommended bike rack for the car.

 

I'd prefer to get reassurance from the bike rack manufacturer that they had designed it to fit the car in question.

The OP got conflicting advice though from the bike rack manufacturer and seller, so it was rather lucky that you came up trumps for them.

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan

If you bothered to read the OP, he said the conflict was between the Halfords website, and the Halfords sales person. No where does the OP mention the bike rack manufacturer.



But don't let your stupidity get in the way of your argument

oal4n

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan wrote (see)

If you bothered to read the OP, he said the conflict was between the Halfords website, and the Halfords sales person. No where does the OP mention the bike rack manufacturer.

But don't let your stupidity get in the way of your argument

Where would you think Halfords get their info from? The car manufacturer? The bike rack manufacturer? or just make it up?