Roof Rack Advice

[ecs]

I'd like to buy a roof rack for my Macan to fit a cycle carrier onto for my road and mountain bikes. I've found several 'Porsche Transport Systems' on eBay for reasonable prices, however the only thing I can't figure out is what cycle carrier will fit?

Are most cycle carriers universal or will I only have the choice of the Porsche one if I buy their 'Transport System'? I was thinking I'd like either the Thule ProRide or Freeride, unless anyone can recommend anything else?

[Spudmaster]

Try these:
https://www.roofbox.co.uk/bike-carriers/

Somewhere on their site you will find a tool that allows you to enter your car model and tells you which rails are compatible.
I went for Atera aero bars and bike carriers (plus a roof box- but that's a different story!)- good quality and very robust- really pleased.

Good luck

[bennno]

pretty much all of the cycle carriers will fit once you have the crossbars to suit your vehicle.

manufacturer ones are generally pretty easy to resell at some point in future if you sell car

[ecs]

Cheers for your help - it looks like the Porsche rack is slotted so should accept most carriers

[C0ffin D0dger]

Spudmaster said:

Try these:
https://www.roofbox.co.uk/bike-carriers/

Somewhere on their site you will find a tool that allows you to enter your car model and tells you which rails are compatible.
I went for Atera aero bars and bike carriers (plus a roof box- but that's a different story!)- good quality and very robust- really pleased.

Good luck

Had two lots of Atera Aero bars (Passat and 5 series) + 4 Atera bike carriers and a roofbox from this lot. Highly recommended.

[rpm1969]

Another thumbs up for roofbox after several purchases
I’ve got flush fit Whispbars on my C class- very impressed with the looks and the noise level

[PaulD86]

I got the Porsche "feet" and cross bars 2nd hand from a PHer. It's just Thule stuff with Porsche logos. I then just bough a Thule bike carrier. Need to get a 2nd actually!

[bakerstreet]

My guess is it will all Thule stuff, so just go to the Thule site and find the part numbers you want.

I'd also advise a towball carrier over anything roof mounted. Better in many ways, but obviously you need a towbar first.

[Dog Star]

bakerstreet said:

I'd also advise a towball carrier over anything roof mounted. Better in many ways, but obviously you need a towbar first.

I recently changed cars and went for a towball and got a rear mount - it's a lot less stress and isn't knackering my fuel economy either.

Incidentally - I am also selling my Inno INA389 carriers if anyone is interested. Very stable and secure things, leagues ahead of the Thule jobs, and they can handle up to 25kg - which includes eBikes.

[Kuroblack350]

Another vote for the very helpful folks at roofbox.co.uk

If you go through the site's 'Combo' route, you get to choose the cycle carriers first, then the applicable roof bars for your car. I went for 3 Atera GIRO's (absolutely brilliant system, rock solid) and the standard Atera steel bars - I'll maybe upgrade them at some point, but coming from a Saris Bones 3 (used twice, then sold) it's a far superior system.

My two top tips would be:

1) If you're mounting directly to the car's fix points - flush with spray grease or something first, mine had never been used in 6/7 years and were a nightmare to tighten up easily.
2) Get a torque wrench if you're a detail person the bike racks tend to have a torque setting for the rack to bars, and bars to car - saves any guesswork!

[Dog Star]

Also if the feet rest directly on the cars surface (ie. no rails) then get some thick tape on there first.