Roof racks, bike racks – we transport sports equipment
To pack your bike or surfboard in your car, all you need to do is purchase a special holder. We offer what and for how much.
There are several ways to transport large-sized sports equipment by car. The devices used for this can be divided into three groups:
- roof,
– use of the luggage compartment of the car
– handles attached to the hatch or towing hook.
The most important thing is the basis for the roof rack.
In Poland, roof racks with special handles have been the most popular for several years. However, from year to year, their manufacturers offer more and more new models that differ mainly in appearance, weight and method of attachment.
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In any case, the assembly of roof brackets should begin with the choice of base, i.e. crossbars attached to the body. In station wagons, they are most often screwed to the roof rails. If they are not in the car, the base can be screwed to almost any model in a different way. Usually we cling it to doorways with metal claws. It also happens that the car manufacturer leaves special holes in the roof area for such a trunk.
- Foundation, i.e. two crossbars, can be purchased for only 150-200 zł. Slightly better, made of aluminum, costs about 400 zł. For products from leading manufacturers on the market, you need to prepare at least PLN 700, says Pavel Bartkiewicz from the Axel Sport online store.
Bicycle holders, surfboard foams
However, the base is only half the battle. The second part of the set is a holder for a bike, kayak or surfboard. On bicycles, up to five holders can be attached to the roof. Their prices start at PLN 150 apiece. We mount them one by one, facing forward and backward. All this so that two-wheeled vehicles can fit in the trunk.
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To transport a kayak or board, you will need a special foam base. – You can buy them for about 60-100 zł. There are also special figured holders for watercraft, but their price reaches 500 PLN. However, the principle of transport in both cases is very similar. We put the board on a handle or a lid and attach it to the base with special straps,” Pavel Bartkevich explains.
Luggage box
The base on the roof can also be used to mount a box. It is important to note that this should not preclude the transport of other equipment on the roof. Next to the large trunk, you can attach both a board holder and two bike racks. Prices for branded boxes (for example, Mont Blanc, Inter Pack, Taurus, Thule) start at around PLN 1000-1200. The best are equipped with a central lock and can be opened from both sides. In winter, you can bring skis there. The best solution is a large trunk of 400-450 liters, in which, if necessary, you can put a lot of luggage.
Eyelets attached to tailgate or hitch
The bike rack can be installed not only on the roof. An interesting solution is to transport two-wheelers on a platform attached to a tow hook. – The simplest platform without additional lighting costs PLN 120. With backlight about 500-600 zł. It can carry three bicycles. A holder for four two-wheeled vehicles is an expense of a thousand zlotys, the seller of this equipment calculates. Another place to attach the handle is the car trunk door. Requirement: It must be a station wagon, hatchback or classic minivan.
Bicycles in such a holder can be transported in two ways: suspended (using special straps) or supported (a better and more rigid solution). Unfortunately, in order not to damage the hatch, a maximum of three bicycles can be transported in this way, and only if they weigh no more than 45 kg in total. The valve holder can be bought for as little as PLN 150, while branded products cost around PLN 400-500. Opel offers a bike rack that can be pulled out from under the car (like the new Meriva).
It is also possible inside the car
For shorter trips, when there is room for luggage in the car, you can also use bike carrier systems in the trunk. This solution is already used, including by Skoda in the Roomster, Superb or Yeti models. It is enough to fold the back seat into them, disassemble the front wheel of our two-wheeled vehicle and attach it to the floor of the car with a fork. A bicycle in the luggage compartment can also be attached to a Chrysler Voyager.
There are a few restrictions for carrying bikes on the roof. Firstly, the driver of such a vehicle should not drive faster than 100 km/h. Secondly, we must remember that a car with a load on the roof is much higher. This is important not only at the entrance, for example, to underground parking lots. A car with roof racks or bikes will also accelerate less, roll more in corners, and react more harshly to crosswind gusts. Therefore, when driving such a car, it is necessary to take into account its worst driving performance.
It is worth equipping the roof rack with anti-theft locks attached to his arms. Depending on the brand and type of bolts, the price of a set of locks ranges from PLN 50 to PLN 150. The lock protects the entire trunk and its cargo (eg bicycles) from theft.
