Still contemplating trading in my full size pickup for a Mini, but have one major stumbling block.

I'm an avid cyclist. I spend 95% of my time in the car by myself, and prefer to have a bike mounted on top of a car or in the pickup bed. A high dollar bike being on the back of a car is too much temptation for some jerk, and could be easily damaged in a fender bender.

The problem is, on occasion I take my three kids biking with me. I would really hate to loose the ability to spend this time with them because I couldn't carry 4 bikes total.

The Mini I built online has a luggage rack (because I like the way it looks, and would like the versatility to throw stuff up there), and the sport link on the back for my bike (even though I don't like the idea).

Would there be enough room on each side of the luggage rack to put an after market, roof top rack (like a Yakima Steelhead) on the existing crossbar, and then also have the ability to put 2 more bikes on the back?

If this would work, I could still take my kids biking (momma doesn't like physical exertion), and would leave me no recourse except to trade in the gas guzzler and place my order.

I realize that I may have to do some fabrication to make the after market rack work on the factory crossbar, but my father-in-law has an awesome set of tools, and is half McGuyver.

 

I believe the fork mount bike rack for the factory MINI rack is made by Thule and is high quality=to steelhead. BTW I have a Yakima rack with steelhead mount and It fits and works perfectly. The Yak is much cheaper. THE PRICE OF THE FACTORY RACK DOES NOT INCLUDE APROX $800.00 FOR INSTALLATION

 

$800 ????

sure makes me think twice about the rack.....

 

That may well be the price for installation after the fact, but you can order the car with it installed from the factory and pay whatever it is that the configurator tells you.

Best to call your local dealers if you're buying used and looking to have it installed afterwards. The charges can vary widely from dealer to dealer.

The factory roof rack seems to be the best roof rack option, I regret allowing my MA talk me out of it.

I will be getting the Sport Link when the cargo platform and/or the tow link become available. It's another nice option.

 

Tentative,

I have the MINI roof rack with luggage basket & two bike carriers. I paid under $1000 for all the pieces & had it installed at the dealership as part of my new car prep (wasn't available installed at the factory back then). I've had zero problems with it & find it to be rock solid. I've had trunk bike haulers & other roof racks & this one beats them all with the exception of I'm too darn short to make getting a bike up & down easy.

I've managed to carry one bike up top with a very full luggage rack (moving cross-country), but believe I could have fit two if I tried. One point to note is that if you take off the basket, you just might be able to fit all four bikes up top. I think the MINI carriers would fit, but would be a PITA to get the inner bikes off & on. If other bike carriers fit on the rack (which I believe many have adapters now), you probably could get some with easier on/off attributes.

If you live near the DC area, I'd be happy to meet you somewhere & let you see how you think it would fit. I don't normally drive around with the rack on (whistles - but I'm told a deflector would fix that), but it's easy to get the whole thing on & off.

Deb

PS Looked up my invoice (FYI MCS 2002)

$472 Rack (including installation at dealership - Knauz in Chicago)
$226 2 Bike Carriers
$152 Luggage Basket
------
$850 + tax

 

The roof rack is still not factory installed. When I was researching my MINI purchase back in June I had found some old posts indicating it had changed to factory-installed, but when I queried several different dealers on that they all said it was dealer-installed. Likewise when I actually ordered my MINI.

The cost for the rack at my dealer (Knauz in Chicago) is $495 installed. That was competitive with other dealers I talked to.

 

Thanks so much. This is exactly what I needed to know.

Unfortunately I live southwest of Fort Worth Texas, so meeting you would be an interesting drive, but I don't think my boss or wife would give me the time off to do it. If you've gotta picture that would be great, but if not thats fine. I now know it's possible.

thanks again,

Barney

 

I purchased the mini roof inserts for $24. Had them installed by the dealer for $125. I rigged my existing Yakama rack to interface with the mini inserts at a cost of $50.

 

Wow. That sounds really cool. Do you have any pictures? Or can you explain how the Yaks attached to them?