Hello Motoring enthusiasts:

I am wiritng requesting advice on which bicycle roof rack you have purchased (if any) for your mini. I am looking for one, but at the dealer they told me that the one they sell, I have to drill holes on the roof. Are there any other racks available on the market. If so, where can I find it? and also the price you paid?

 

Yes, the OEM rack does require holes to be drilled, but it also has the highest weight capacity of any rack.

Aftermarket racks attach to the rather flimsy plastic gutter guards and sit on top of the rather thin sheetmetal of the roof. They are ok for short term, but some have reported problems with them (although I haven't heard of anyone actually losing a rack while motoring)

Your other options are to install something like the Sport Link that allows you to carry the bikes in the rear.

The Sport Link is pretty neat because it can accommodate bicycle racks, luggage trays, tow hitches, etc.

Check it out here: http://www.minifini.com/Shop.aspx

I have the factory rack, keep it on my MINI all the time, and really like it. But I do understand that lots of people don't want holes in their roof.

 

Thanks Yucca Patrol

Dis you have the dealer install the rack or you did it yourself?

 

I had the dealer install it because I decided that if someone was going to drill holes in the roof and make an expensive mistake, it wasn't going to be me!

It did cost a lot of money, but I considered that extra expense to be "hole insurance".

I really do like being able to carry a heavy load when needed and the factory look is really nice and clean, so good that I never take it off.

I had mine installed over 3 years ago and there hasn't been a single hole related problem.

 

I had the dealer install the roof rack when I picked up Foamy a few weeks ago. The installation of the steel anchor-points in the roof looks like the most solid part of the entire car. Between their ruggedness and the sealing job around them, I forsee no problems. I went with the roof rack instead of the sport link so that later I could put luggage pods or the Mini kayak carrier on the car. Here's what my setup looks like...

 

Thanks for the feedback, I would have done the same about the isntallation. One more question can you remove the whole rack system. If so, how do you cover the holes?

 

Since connecting the bike thingies to the roof rack was more painful that putting on/taking off the roof rack, I am just leaving the bike rack in place and removing the whole unit. I unscrewed that 8 screws with the hex-tool that came with the roof rack, then wife and I lifted it off the car and leaned it on the garage wall. Then I take the black plastic cosmetic covers and pop them onto the steel attachment points. --doug

 

Here is a thread with photos of konky's roof rack

he has the yakima and loves it.

 

I have the Thule for the bikes and roof box. It works great, but the quality of the Thule system leaves a lot to be desired. I have the Yakima system on my other car and it much better designed and easier to use. The reason I went with the Thule is because it has a longer recommended bar spread, which I need for the box.

 

Thanks for the pictures. Both car look NICE! I will call my dealer and ask for a quote on the rack. If it is too expensive I will go after market. Retrohansen, where did you purchase yours and what model is it?

 

I have a Thule rack with RockyMounts bike trays. It's been affixed to my car since November, taken off only once when one of the trays needed a part (long story). It's capacity is 75 lbs I believe, plenty for two bikes. I take issue with the notion that it is flimsy or will damage my MINI. Aftermarket racks from Thule and Yakima have around for years and I have never seen one laying on the side of the road. Total cost, around $325 for the towers, bars, and trays. Do some searching for previous threads on bikeracks and you'll find a picture of my car.

 

Have a Thule roof on mine exactly as retrohasen for my Trek road bike. I drive into Manhattan, park and then bike all over the city with sketchbook in hand. Whatever rack you choose, you will appreciate the added versatility. No doubt in my mind, it adds a little something extra to an already awesome looking vehicle. (Plenty of clearance for the sunroof).

retrohasen: had 2(!) Yakima racks lifted when I had my Accord (Baltimore). Second rack (in broad daylight while I was in the house) had all the locks which just meant the damage done was even more extensive. Fortunate that it fell under the comprehensive both times.

My Thule is locked...but looks even easier to...ummm...borrow.

 

I got my racks from a place called Rack-N-Road. I believe they are onlt on the west coast.

http://www.racknroad.com/default.aspx

check the Thule website for dealers near you.

http://www.thule.com/

BTW, when I mentioned the quality of the Thule, I should have been more specific. It may just be I have bad piece, but when tightening one of the towers, before heading to the Monterey Historics, one of the pins broke inside the tower. Now I am not a big strong guy (5'9", 130 soaking wet) so I am not sure how it happened. Other than that, it is a great rack.