About Bike Roof Racks: |
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Bike roof racks are the most versatile out of all the car rack styles. They’re extremely adaptable for many types of bicycles and, with the right accessories, can even transport other gear such as kayaks, SUP boards, ski, and snowboards. This works especially well for multi-sport enthusiasts who have more than one piece of outdoor sporting equipment on hand.
The first step in your bike roof rack journey is figuring out if your vehicle’s roof is already equipped with the necessary components. This includes mounting points, siderails, towers, and crossbars. If you have a plain ole roof then you’ll need to install your own rack system which you can either do yourself or you can bring it to a specialty cycling shop and they can do it for you. Before this happens though, you’ll need to check the owner’s manual to make sure that your car can handle the maximum weight load from both a rack and the accompanying gear and cargo. Like every car rack, a roof-mounted one has both pros and cons. The pros are great while the cons will help you figure out if this is truly the right rack for you. A roof rack is extremely secure. You don’t have to worry about your bikes swaying or tipping when driving on rough roads or through harsh winds. Given their storage and transportation versatility, they can easily adapt to your lifestyle and seasonal sports with the right accessories. Your vehicle is less likely to deal with scratches or dings because there is little to no contact with the bicycles. They're an easy system to set and forget. Installation is usually quite easy and once installed, you don’t need to worry much about removing them immediately after use. They typically aren’t preventing you from accessing any part of your vehicle nor do they obstruct the driver’s view. Cons of a rooftop bike rack are pretty obvious. You’ll be required to lift your bikes overhead to attach them to the rack. If you drive a tall vehicle such as an SUV or truck then this can be rather inconvenient especially if you’re not the only one using it. It should also be noted that you roof-mounted systems with bikes attached have limited access to areas such as parking garages, restaurant drive-throughs, toll booths etc. These racks may impact gas mileage as well. The aerodynamics will cause more wind-resistant which may lessen your mileage performance. Whether you’re a diehard cyclist or your bike in the summer and ski in the winter, a roof bike rack will see your through each and everything season and sport. |