Hi Everyone,
Got a new, to me, 2013 Outback and I was wondering what roof racks people like. Wouldn’t need crossbars as they come built in. Thanks for any and all feedback!
-David
I like Rocky Mounts. They come in multiple colors and can mount to different crossbar types.
depends. if you are only traveling locally with your bike you could get away with one that allows the front wheel to stay on while the bike is racked. however, if you plan on getting on the interstate or doing any real driving i would advise getting a rack that mounts the bike via the front fork. depending on your wheel depth you might be limited as to what will work for you also. i know on my thule rack i have to put a training wheel on for transport since my 90mm FLO rear will not work with the rear wheel strap.
I have a Honda CRV so some similarity with having a factory rack. I like my Rocky Mounts. Very easy to install and remove and a nice quick release system.
Only problems I have is the rear strap is too short for a Zipp 808. I wish they made an extended length velcro strap. You also need to lube the QR occassionally so it operates smoothly.
On my CRV however , the short roof meant I need to to trim my rail shorter. I could have flipped it around, but my roof slopes backwards so I’d have thsi rail sticking 1’ out over my windshield. Since i only use it for my TT bike that wasn’t an issue makign it shorter by about 5".
The Rocky mounts has the QR behind the crossbar. I think one of the Thule mounts for slightly more has the QR in front of the crossbar.
You shouldn’t have that problem. The Outback is pretty long since that’s the Legacy platform, not the Impreza like the Forester.
depends. if you are only traveling locally with your bike you could get away with one that allows the front wheel to stay on while the bike is racked. however, if you plan on getting on the interstate or doing any real driving i would advise getting a rack that mounts the bike via the front fork. depending on your wheel depth you might be limited as to what will work for you also. i know on my thule rack i have to put a training wheel on for transport since my 90mm FLO rear will not work with the rear wheel strap.
Probably similar to yourself, i have the Outride 561 by Thule, and carry my carbon road and tri bikes via the front fork. When i leave the house though, i always put the garage door opener in the glovebox or somewhere where its usually not kept in the car. Just as a reminder, not to mash up the bike/s on the roof. I find these good for transport though, and put a training wheel on the back for the strap so i dont damage a carbon wheel (i usually use a disc so cant strap that anyway)
x 2 on the Rocky Mounts. I went with the Whispbar and Tierod rack on my Forester and even with the roof open it’s pretty quiet.
X3 for rocky mounts. I’ve had my trays for about 8 years now and I havnt even thought about getting something different.
The cars have changed, the rack feet have changed but the bike trays stay the same.
I use the Yakima copperhead racks for both carbon tri bikes and cyclocross bikes. I prefer the fork mounted racks as they give the bikes a lower profile on the highway. The racks are on Thule bars on my Audi wagon and I have never had any issues driving 80 between Louisville and Chicago. I know the rear straps on the copperhead will fit a zipp 808 and Hed H3.
I make sure to always cover up my built in garage door opener so I cant make that costly mistake. I also try to put a piece of paper on my instrument cluster to remind me as well of the precious cargo on top.
I also have the Yakima copperhead racks for my carbon bikes. I prefer the security and look of mounting the fork as opposed the keeping the front wheel on. They are easy to use when driving around the city. I also purchased the locking cores which I highly recommend. While the system is not the most aerodynamic I feel like it the most secure (from a theft perspective). When I do any prolonged highway travel I put the bikes in the car just to save on the gas.
+3 for the Yakima Copperhead. Secure, big rear strap. Easy to find on craigslist, etc.
But, I’d look into it before buying - mine only fit round and square cross tubes, but it’s a few years old. You’d have to make sure it fits Scooby OEM bars too.
EDIT: Yakima says it’ll fit your car
I have a couple Thule Sidearm racks and they work great and there is no need to take the wheel off. Like others have said, I take the garage door opener out of my car when I put the bikes on to avoid an accident.
I have a couple of Thule Peloton fork mounts on my Passat. They lock, have a simple compression adjustment, and were cheap on Craigslist.
Fwiw, you can travel with deep dish wheels or a disc on any of these tray mounts. Just use a bungee cord to the left side seatstay/chainstay junction. I drove from VA to WI (Nationals this year) with four bikes up top, including several deep wheels and one disc.