Here are the images sorry for the delay and the image quality. I had to just find some time at night to get it done.

Space between bumper and hitch mount.


Hitch from the back


Side view without bike


Side view with Bike


I'd say the biggest draw back is the length it extends about 5-6 inches farther back than it would on any of my other cars with normal hitches.
I don't think it's a major issue but I think it's noticeable if you're used to it being a certain way before. You might not notice if you never had a bike rack like this previously.

I find that I can still fit in parking spots just fine. I don't notice it when I'm parking only when I'm looking at it

One of the things I was worried about when using a bike rack like this with the mini-fini hitch was access to be able to ratchet the anti-rattle bolt. I think someone else who has a mini-fini can speak to how easy/difficult it would be to do this but it is one of the reasons why I went with the cooper crap hitch since I had no basis for it.

Hope this helps!

 

My wife and I also do triathlons, and we like to travel with our bikes. We decided to go with a novel solution from Seasucker using a rack that employs vacuum cups to attach to glass or body surfaces rather than a roof or hitch rack. The Seasucker racks are extremely easy to install and uninstall -- it only takes a couple of minutes, and does not scratch the surface.

We just completed a 400-mile trip from the San Francisco Bay Area to the Oceanside 70.3 and back with the Seasucker Mini-Bomber rack, and it performed flawlessly. We attached it to the glass on the boot of the car, and it held it like a rock. Wheel attachments were on the bumper using small individual vacuum mounts. The only downside is that the hatch can't be opened, but we didn't find that much of a problem -- we used the rear doors to access the boot when needed.

 

We went with both...

 

I ended up getting the roof bars and using some assisted lifting bike racks I forgot I had in storage from another car. Mini sells similar ones, you pull it down, attach the bike and it lifts the bike on top of the car for you. I decided to do it this way because it was the cheapest route since I already had the bike racks. The hitch rack is uber expensive, I dont think we bike enough to make it worth it.

One thing that annoys me a bit about the roof bars is they make a little whistle noise when on the freeway. We leave them on the car full time and its a little bothersome. I think the whistle comes from the rubber strip.

All you with roof bars, do you leave them on the car full time or do you take them off and on when you need them? I kinda like the way they look so I leave them on.

The roof bars manual recommends that you do not leave them on the car full time, I am a little worried about them getting weathered? How have yours weathered over a few years being on the car?

pic of my setup:

 

My wife leaves the cross bars on her CM on all the time. So far no visible issues around weathering. I took the cross bars off my CM S for the winter because I don't like the additional noise and drag (maybe just my perception) they introduce. I just put them back on this past weekend since cycling season is upon us.

 

Mini towbar (factory) with a Thule 891 LED 4 3 bike rack with the 1 extra extension - for 4 mountain bikes.

Can't put them on the roof anymore after I drove down into our garage with the bikes on the top was too busy trying to make sure my son was alright (said he was sick hence picking the bike up) and totally forgot about it on the roof luckily with the old car not the Mini

Besides family of 4 with Mini Countryman - going on holidays with 4 bikes we need to use the roofbox to ensure we have enough storage

Hope you're happy with the solution you found

 

if you have time please post pics of your set up specially with 4 bikes. thanks.

 

Would love to do the 55th wheel mod on my f56s cooper s. Are ther instructions/ how to?

 

So 2 on top and 3 on the hatch , the rear rack was not released for the F56 in the US.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...questions.html

 

will the BMW rack number 82710443424 fit on the 2015 Countryman came off an x5 and is local on craigs list.

 

We just bought our Countryman and immediately ordered the rear rack. My wife is rather short and there was no hope she could reach the roof rack. The rear rack is really neatly installed and we love that it folds away from the rear to open the hatch.

We'll be ordering the roof rack as well for a cargo box, but I may end up mounting one bike on the roof (mine) so that when we go on vacation we can take three bikes, one for our daughter.

Oh and it takes less than 5 minutes to take on and off, so we didn't have an issue doing that so we didn't have to drive around with it all the time.

 

That looks really good.

Rear Rack - US Version 82722230147

https://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/82722230147/