I hacksawed about 6 inches off my fork-mount bike tray. Also, try mounting the tray backwards (rear wheel towards the front of the car). Not really aero but that is how we get 4 bikes on one rack.

I would avoid the upright "lock jaw" mounts.

Jude

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"Race day is a celebration of your training"

I thought about hacking it off, but the other day I put my mtb on there and it went right up to the end of the tray. I guess I'll just turn it backwards. Too bad they don't have bike covers for the back of bikes, seems like I'll have to pick a lot of bugs out of my cassette after a long summer drive. Maybe I should design one and make my millions that way...

I have used both types of Thule racks without any problem. The lock-jaw type racks seem to have a negative vibe associated with them, but I personally have never had a problem with mine. In your case though, the lock-jaw rack isn't really any shorter than the velo-vise. I routinely use the Thule lock-jaw to carry my pinarello time trial bike which has a pretty wide aero downtube and it accomodates no problem so that won't be an issue.

Length is not the problem. With the fork mount rack you have to mount the front ON the front cross bar, which makes the end protrude beyond the rear hatch - as opposed to the lock-jaw which you can mount any where and slide it back and forth.

Is the Pinarello down tube shaped like the Cervelo - tear drop style? It's not the width taht concerns me, it's the tear drop shape with the pointy end on the inside.

I actually have the lock jaw types, and like someone mentioned before, I have had no problems. Its pretty nice. Mounting the fork mount backwards is pretty popular as well, which was also mentioned. I don't mind the lockjaw.
If I had to do it all over again, I would probably by it again. I didn't feel like hacksawing off the tray.

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berndog
How did we all get sucked into this crazy sport anyway?!!

Yes, the pinarello has a tear drop shaped downtube. Since the jaws "wrap around" the downtube the shape isn't a problem. The only problem would be if the width of the aerotube (by width, I mean its major diameter) was longer than the jaws blades.

Actually the biggest problem with the Thule lock-jaw style with a TT bike is that if you have a steep fork and short wheelbase, the arm may not have enough room to swing up and engage the downtube without hitting the front wheel. My Pinarello has just enough clearance for this, but I could see where other bikes might not.

Yakima makes a carrier called the "anklebiter" that grabs your crankarm. It will fit Thule crossbars. I wouldn't use it, but it will probably work for what you want.

*For the record, the only roof racks I trust are locking fork-down racks, and I don't even like those. I do own two Yakima Viper racks, but MY bikes go inside the vehicle.

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<If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough>
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