The best roof rack for a bike – Which car rack should you choose?

There are bike trails you've always wanted to ride, but how far are you? Are you planning a holiday on two wheels, carefree skiing in the Alps, and are just looking for a comfortable rack to carry your two-wheeled bike? Stay tuned and discover the best Thule products to make your dreams come true!

What will you learn from this post?

• Which roof rack is right for your bike?
• What makes our Thule overhead racks different?

Shortly speaking

If you are looking for a roof rack to carry your bike, you can trust Thule. Models such as ProRide, FreeRide, UpRide, ThruRide and OutRide perfectly stabilize the two-wheeled vehicles mounted on them, without exposing it to even minimal damage. Since they differ in practical solutions and parameters, you can easily find the right one for your bike.

Thule roof bike racks to get you to your destination comfortably

We have written about Thule bike racks more than once, but today we took a closer look at those that allow you to transport a bike on the roof of a car. The products we have selected provide easy assembly, securely hold and stabilize the bike not only at the attachment point, but also the wheels thanks to special straps with quick release mechanisms. Each of the roof racks offered should be placed directly on a T-slot support base. 20 × 20 mm or 24 × 30 mm (in the second option, you will need to purchase the appropriate adapter) and fix the trip with a special lock. This will ensure that the bike reaches its destination safely.

Best vertical bike roof mounts

Thule ProRide is our #1 favorite!

The Thule ProRide Vertical Carrier is the first preferred option for carrying your bike on the roof of your car. Its advantages include stable retention of the bicycle and protection of its frame from damage. This is ensured not only by soft pads on the handle, but also by a special one. torque limiter. We also appreciate it for auto-positioning the bike once it's attached, and diagonal bands in the tire carrier area that allow you to instantly lock or release the wheels. In addition, ProRide is compatible with a rigid axle, and with the purchase of a special adapter, also with a carbon frame. However, please note that this rack only fits frames with a maximum size of 80mm (round) and 80 x 100mm (oval).

Main barrel parameters:

• dimensions: 145 x 32 x 8,5 cm;
• weight: 4,2 kg;
• lifting capacity: 20 kg.

Thule FreeRide – cheap and simple

Among the racks of this type, the FreeRide deserves special attention, and although it is not as advanced as the ProRide, it fully fulfills its role, that is, it carries the bike on the roof of the vehicle. It allows for the transport of a two-wheeled vehicle with a rigid axle and is fully suitable for the maximum frame dimensions. 70 mm or 65 x 80 mm... It is also worth noting that it costs a lot less than the previous option.

Main barrel parameters:

• dimensions: 149 x 21 x 8,4 cm;
• weight: 3,5 kg;
• lifting capacity: 17 kg.

Thule UpRide - for typical and unusual bikes

UpRide is an upright bike carrier that is very different from previous products. Instead of a frame, it holds the front wheel firmly with a hook and strap. It is suitable for both rear-suspension motorcycles, oddly designed frames (also equipped with a bottle holder) and carbon, regardless of its size. It was designed for two wheelers. with wheels with a diameter of 20-29 inches and a diameter of 3 inchesHowever, by purchasing a special adapter, it can be adapted to 5-inch wide tires.

Main barrel parameters:

• dimensions: 163 x 31,5 x 10,5 cm;
• weight: 7,7 kg;
• lifting capacity: 20 kg.

Racks for attaching the bike to the front fork

Thule ThruRide - Suitable for bikes with a rigid axle.

The ThruRide stand is designed to fit behind the fork of a two-wheeled bike (also carbon), but requires unscrewing the front wheel. It has an expandable handle that encloses a rigid bicycle axle with a diameter of 12-20 mm... It allows the transport of two-wheeled vehicles with disc brakes and 9mm Quick Relase hubs, regardless of frame sizes, round or oval, making it one of the most versatile options on the market today.

Main barrel parameters:

• dimensions: 135 x 17,2 x 9,4 cm;
• weight: 2,7 kg;
• lifting capacity: 17 kg.

Thule OutRide - thin and light

If you like the option of attaching your bike to the rack with a front fork, be sure to compare our previous offering with the OutRide product. This option is slightly lighter than the ThruRide mount and, like the ThruRide, will carry bikes of any frame size, except that it does not work with a bike with a carbon fork. The owners will like it bikes with 9mm axle and tires up to 3"This is useful for most disc brakes and hubs with a 20mm thru axle (15mm axles need to purchase a special adapter).

Main barrel parameters:

• dimensions: 137 x 22 x 8 cm;
• weight: 2,5 kg;
• lifting capacity: 17 kg.

Strong, stable and easy-to-use Thule roof bike racks are available at avtotachki.com. We hope that you especially liked one of our suggestions and that nothing will stop you from taking your favorite two-wheeled vehicle to conquer new territories, whether it is on a weekend or on vacation!

Also check:

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How to choose a bike rack for your body type?

Roof, sunroof or hook bike mount - which one to choose? Advantages and disadvantages of each solution