Just took my first trip with our bikes on the Mini. I bought and installed the MiniFini bike rack and love it. Really easy to install and the bikes were no trouble at all to put on and off. I used bungee cords through the wheel to the peddles to keep the front wheel from moving and that worked great.

Just wanted to let you all know this is a great rack, allows the Mini to be even more versitle and makes trips away even better (as seeing San Francisco and Sausalito on a bike is the only way). Plus with a Mini, you'll always fit in tight spots few other cars can.

MiniFini.com

 

Nice set up. A shortage of viable and versatile rack solutions is what has kept me out of a mini since 02. I think I've finally come around and can trade my saab 92x thanks to minifini! I love the fact that it's modular and will accept a cargo tray on days you don't have to haul the bikes. Now I just have to get a look at some full size dogs riding in the back of a seats-down mini...

PS I visited SF / Norcal for the first time ever this Spring, I didn't want to leave.

 

Just me, but I've never felt confident dangling my expensive bikes off the back of the car like that. My Thule roofrack just feels more secure to me.

 

Funny - I feel safer with my bike on the rear not on the roof - I'm constantly worried about pulling into the garage with "toys on top".

I agree about hanging bikes on a rear rack - I prefer to have them supported by the wheels like this one http://www.1upusa.com/raxterrack.htm

 

Excellent! When my MINI arrives, I will go with the roof mounted rack, but can see myself going for the rack you have down the road. Have fun!

 

MiniFini - looks like a well built and designed product. But I'm also not keen on having a bike in the back. Currently pondering what I should do, while awaiting an October delivery.

 

Are you using the Thule fit kit? If you are, any issues with the pads contacting the paint or stress along the rails? I still have all my thule stuff from a previous car but haven't heard any good or bad feedback about the MINI fit kit.

 

Yes, I am using the recommended fit kit for the MINI along with standard 400XT towers and LB 50 bars. I had the same set up on my R53 for over a year without taking it off and it never caused any marks or damage. A dealer will likely tell you that the drip rails are not strong enough to support it but I've yet to hear of a Thule rack flying off the roof of a MINI . I'll try to get a couple pics of it up. Another thing if you order a Thule is it relatively quiet without the fairing. Without bikes on it, I can even open the sunroof and it doesn't really start howling until 50+ mph, not much less than it would without the rack.

 

I won't have a sunroof, no concerns there.

However, all the pictures I've seen for the bike mounts on top of the car only have one bike. Will it hold two? Will that much weight be ok on the rails of the R56?