[nybike1971]

Hello,

My new bike has a thru-axle fork and so I am looking to replace one of my rooftop mounts with one that allows me to load the bike without removing the front wheel. The bike weighs 34lbs.

I found this rooftop mount by Thule:

http://www.thuleracks.com/thule/product.asp?dept_id=8&sku=594

Does anyone have any experience with it? What do you use? What do you wish you had bought? I have Thule bars on my Subaru Outback.

Thanks!

 

[snowjnky]

It is ok

I have tried all the "tire on" roof racks, and found them unstable. So last year at Sea Otter I won this:http://www.slikfit.com/ It works well with my Nomad, but it is a pain to remove your wheel all the time.

 

[9.8m/s/s]

Lot's of people love that rack, I had the previous version by Sportworks (Thule aquired them and all their designs). It dropped a bike at a very low speed and I was afraid to take it on the highway after that. Ended up taking it off and getting a Sidearm (Thule) soon after. I'm sure I just hooked the bike up wrong, but I just couldn't deal with the nagging feeling in the back of my head at highway speeds. Just my .02

 

[nybike1971]

Lot's of people love that rack, I had the previous version by Sportworks (Thule aquired them and all their designs). It dropped a bike at a very low speed and I was afraid to take it on the highway after that. Ended up taking it off and getting a Sidearm (Thule) soon after. I'm sure I just hooked the bike up wrong, but I just couldn't deal with the nagging feeling in the back of my head at highway speeds. Just my .02

I am sorry I am confused, which rack are you referring to at the beginning of your post? I thought the link pointed to the Thule Sidearm. In any event, have you been happy with your new Thule Sidearm?

Another question: does anyone know if Yakima bike carriers can be mounted on Thule bars?
Does anyone have any experience with this carrier?

http://www.yakima.com/Product.aspx?id=98

The Slikfit carrier looks interesting. I'll definitely look into it, a little painful to take the wheel off everytime, but then again it's a lot more painful to drop a bike on the highway.

 

[9.8m/s/s]

Whoops, got the name wrong, I have the criterium. I love it, really easy to use, clamps down hard, everything. Also have two of the big mouths. I love all of them, never had a problem with any of them, feel totally stable up to about 75mph (and I could probably push it farther, but the car starts to handle weird with two freeride bikes on top of it at that speed).

As for Yakima, don't know exactly, but they do use round instead of square bars, so the mounts are probably different. Don't know how much of a difference it would make.

 

[Dan Gerous]

I have an Outback too, with Thule bars too and my bike has a Lefty so, kind of like a Thru-axle, I don't like to take the wheel off to transport it.

I use Thule Big Mouth carriers and found them to be stable and secure, never had an issue, two years using them. But if your bike has a funky design with a swingarm or other thing crossing, welded or attached to the downtube of the bike, make sure the Big Mouth has a place to grab the downtube. It usually grab the bike a few inches away from the chainrings.

Other options like that Yakima or the Yakima King Cobras and Thule Super G also work but I find them to be massive things to have on the roof all the time.

 

[DoubleDiamond]

considering a slikfit....

I have tried all the "tire on" roof racks, and found them unstable. So last year at Sea Otter I won this:http://www.slikfit.com/ It works well with my Nomad, but it is a pain to remove your wheel all the time.

snowjnky-

Would you mind giving a mini-review of the slikfit rack?

I am leaning towards going with the fataxle option (no trays/straps included) for $69 a piece, and using my existing yakima trays and straps. I assume this is what they had in mind when they decided to sell just the front wheel mount by itself...

I have a rock shox pike, which uses their "maxle" (no tools wheel removal) system to attach the front wheel, and this looks like my best (and most stable) option.

 

[Nagaredama]

Yakima King Cobra works pretty well.

 

[rideHMB]

I love that rack and have never had a problem. Works great on thru axel bikes, and is nice for road trips becase if you see a big local jump spot, you can get the bike on/off quickly