At first glance, roof rack systems are somewhat complicated. But once you understand the basic components and how each works, you’ll be a savvy rack-system consumer ready to pick out just the right system to get you and your bike rolling.
We’re always happy to more fully explain roof-rack systems or any other product for your bike. Feel free to
contact us and we’ll help you find the option that works best for you.
In order to carry a bike on top of your vehicle, you need two things:
- a Roof Rack System that holds down your bike rack, and
- the bike rack itself, which secures your bike to the roof rack system.
Roof Rack Systems come in four styles depending on whether your car has a bare roof or one of the three types of "factory racks." Factory racks are roof attachments that are most often found as factory equipment on SUVs, wagons or other utility vehicles.
Remember: the Rack System is only the base mounting element. You still must choose a bike rack to attach to your Rack System.
Bare-Roof Rack Systems
Since most vehicles come without racks on their roofs, this type of system provides a way to add a rack to your car without drilling holes or otherwise modifying your roof. Engineers have created systems composed of three parts that can be combined to fit the many vehicles on the market.
We offer roof rack systems from two top manufacturers (Yakima and Thule) who each use different names for the three parts, so we’ve listed both names for each part.
Notes: Parts from Yakima cannot be mixed with those from Thule, although bike racks from any manufacturer will fit on either Yakima’s or Thule’s roof rack systems. Prices, as of this writing, range from about
$269 to $365 without bike racks.
Locks are available for all these roof rack systems, but they are sold separately.
Now let’s go over the basics of each of the three parts:
1. Crossbar (Yakima), Load Bar (Thule):
This is the part to which you will secure your bike rack. Situated from side to side, it spreads the weight of your bike(s) to the edges of the car, where the frame can take the weight that the roof cannot. These are sold in pairs by both Yakima and Thule. Note: Be sure to consult 'What Fits Your Vehicle?' to choose the correct length!
- Yakima manufactures one design: Round, which combines strength and reduced drag. These bars come in different lengths to suit the width of different car roofs.
- Thule manufactures two styles: Square and Rapid. Rapid costs a bit more but reduces wind drag because of its oval cross section.
2. Tower (Yakima), Foot Pack (Thule):
These posts hold the bars over the roof. You must buy the parts that match the bar style you have chosen (Round, Square, or Rapid). They are sold in packs of four. If you want to lock your rack to the roof, the locks go in these posts; you’ll need 4 locks, one for each post.
3. Clip (Yakima), Fit Kit (Thule):
These are the parts that actually touch your car, so there are a wide variety of them to match the large number of available car bodies. They are sold in two packs of two (front & rear) by Yakima and in packs of four by Thule.
Refer to 'What Fits Your Vehicle?' to determine which three-part combination to choose for your car.
Short Bare-Roof Systems
A few vehicles have a short or curved roof that forces the feet and bars on a standard bare-roof system too close together to hold a bike rack in a stable manner. These vehicles require a
Traverse Short Roof Adapter or
Aero Short Roof Adapter (both by Thule) or a
Stretch Kit (Yakima) in addition to the bare-roof systems above. Each of these systems provides an additional pair of extender bars, running front to back, that permits the rear load bar to be pushed back and allowed to float.
At the time of this writing, these items add about $117 to $130 to the price of a bare roof rack (above).
'What Fits Your Vehicle?' will let you know if your vehicle is one of the few that require this setup.
Systems for Factory Rails, Factory Crossbars or Factory Tracks/Fixed Points
Some vehicles come with a roof-top system already in place, called a 'factory' or 'manufacturer' system. If your vehicle has one of these, you are further along in the rack-system process than starting with a bare roof, so getting your vehicle ready for a roof rack is both easier and less expensive. These factory systems come in three types:
1. Factory Rails: rails running front to back along the sides of the roof. With these already in place, you need to order only two components: a package of 4 feet to hold on to the rails and two load bars (sold in pairs).
Use 'What Fits Your Vehicle?' to determine which adapters are required for your vehicle.
Prices at the time of this writing vary from about $206 to $293 without bike racks or locks.
2. Factory Crossbars: bars running sideways across the roof, sometimes accompanied by factory rails.
Though you do not need to purchase add-on foot packs/towers, fit kits/clips, or load bars/crossbars, many roof-top bike racks will not hold on to factory crossbars properly. You may need to buy an adapter:
Ride-On Adapter (Thule) or
MightyMount (Yakima).
Notes: Only if a roof bike rack says "compatible with factory cross bars" can you avoid roof adapters. Be sure to check the maximum load that your crossbars can carry before mounting a bike rack.
Prices at the time of this writing vary from about $36 to $45 without bike racks or locks.
3. Factory Tracks or Fixed Points: special mounting spots that are available on only a few cars. Their advantages are that there is no hardware left on the roof when you remove the bike rack, and they are usually easier to install and remove than other types of rails or bars.
- Tracks run front to back along the sides of the roof and allow you to move the crossbars fore and aft.
- Fixed points allow you to mount, but not move, a rack system.
The necessary hardware is the same three-part system as that for bare-roof systems (see above).
- Thule: requires Load Bar (2), Podium Foot Pack (4) and Fit Kit (4).
- Yakima: requires Crossbar (2), Control Tower (4), and Landing Pad (Clip) (4).
Refer to 'What Fits Your Vehicle?' to determine which parts are required for your vehicle.
Prices, as of this writing, range from about $269 to $365 without bike racks or locks.