Cost issues aside, which shape do you prefer? Need a new rack for the car. I know that the oval tubes are quieter, but thinking the older rectangular bars may open up options for more accessories (kayak carriers, roof boxes, etc). Thoughts? (These are for a second family vehicle, my car already has Thule rectangular load bars)
Yes & yes. It depends on your tolerance for wind noise, or what kind of speeds you drive at in most of your commuting. My Factory BMW rack (on '06 325i) was the cheapest option (go figure) but it’s have ovalized bars that are still pretty noisy without a fairing. Square I assume would have been even worse. It’s tolerable, but after tri season I take the rack off. It ate up about 10-20% in fuel economy too AND the extra weight up so high, even empty, was very noticeable on a car so low and nimble. I wouldn’t notice on a top heavy SUV or something already taller like a Subaru.
FWIM, that’s still a full range of accessories compatible with all rack types, you just might need adapters.
All that being said, if I really used my rack a LOT, I might just get square and keep most accessories on there all the time and just use a fairing.
I recently got some roof cross bars and went with the oval/airfoil shape as they are quieter at high speed (got Pro Whisbar here in Oz). I have planned ahead to get a roof box and the ones I am looking at are compatible with the oval roof bars. I would think the new accessories for bikes, boats, boxes etc will be compatible with the new oval bars.
I was really hoping you were asking which roof rack type was more aero. I’m disappointed.
Thanks. This new one will be for a Honda minivan and I already have them on a mid sized suv. We use them year round, so they will never come off the vehicles.
I was really hoping you were asking which roof rack type was more aero. I’m disappointed.
And yes, the roof bars remind me of the cross section of the downtube of my P2, maybe that also had something to do with my decision…
I have a P2 as well. It is so aerodynamic, I get an automatic 5% improvement in fuel economy when it is on my roof rack! 
I recently got some roof cross bars and went with the oval/airfoil shape as they are quieter at high speed (got Pro Whisbar here in Oz). I have planned ahead to get a roof box and the ones I am looking at are compatible with the oval roof bars. I would think the new accessories for bikes, boats, boxes etc will be compatible with the new oval bars.
+1 but in NZ. The Whispbar bike carrier has been great too, and it take thru axle and QR. The bars are way quieter than the square ones we used to have.
Cost issues aside, which shape do you prefer? Need a new rack for the car. I know that the oval tubes are quieter, but thinking the older rectangular bars may open up options for more accessories (kayak carriers, roof boxes, etc). Thoughts? (These are for a second family vehicle, my car already has Thule rectangular load bars)
I’ve tried both (rectangle and aero) for many years each. Get the aero. They are shaped like that for a valid reason. The wind noise will still be there but much less than the rectangular version. Don’t worry about accessories, options and all that stuff. You’ll be surprised at how much you can put on those aero bars. Make sure you get the model with the T-rack (inner canal) option.
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