Roof Racks (Yakima)

Akilae729

So tomorrow I'm planning on going to a shop in Santa Monica and putting a set of Yakima roof racks on my car (2003 Dodge Neon). I checked out a similar system from Thule and it was more expensive and uses the rectangular cross section cross bars that I'm not fond of.

I've wanted roof racks for a very long time (grew up in Seattle where EVERYONE had them) and I'm looking to carry a couple of bikes all over Los Angeles.

Right now the plan is to have the roof rack shop install the cross bars, then get the actual bike holders from craigslist and install those myself. I don't really want to install the cross bars myself because I want to make sure that they get done right....

...unless they really are not that hard to throw onto the top of a car.


Any collective roof rack advice?

streever

I don't think they are THAT hard to install, but I have never done it, so your mileage may vary: but I do know people who are "pretty" handy with a wrench who have installed them.

MummBrah

I have the Yakima racks in question on a 2008 VW Jetta right now and love them. Installed them myself, my parents own a bike shop and swore by them. If you have a wrench and a few minutes, and maybe a buddy to speed things up, you shouldn't have trouble installing or fiddling with them when needed.

Dhalphir

If you're set on roof racks those sound good, but have you considered the towbar bicycle transporting attachment if you car has a towbar? Thats what I've always used.

Akilae729

Went ahead yesterday and bought the Yakima racks. Took me a little longer to install than I anticipated but they appear to be on there.

Took the car onto the freeway for the first time and OH MY GOD THE NOISE!

There is MASSIVE buffeting from the racks at any speed > 55mph

Looks like I have to go buy the recommended fairing...

streever

Yea, I was going to say, that isn't the way it should be.

They DEFINITELY reduce your mileage--no doubt--but it shouldn't produce too much noise.

Akilae729

streever wrote: »

Yea, I was going to say, that isn't the way it should be.

They DEFINITELY reduce your mileage--no doubt--but it shouldn't produce too much noise.

I think the fairings are going to be absolutely necessary. At free way speeds I was definitely running 100 rpms higher at speed than before I put the racks on.

A straight cylinder is literally the most un-aerodynamic shape. Hopefully that fairing will take the airflow over the windshield and direct it over both racks.

If it doesn't I should be able to figure something out. I spend every day working in an aerospace lab with a carbon fiber fabrication shop in the back.

mts

yea a fairing isn't going to do much. it will still be really loud

are your racks in the right place, sometimes if they are too far forward you get more noise

Akilae729

mts wrote: »

yea a fairing isn't going to do much. it will still be really loud

are your racks in the right place, sometimes if they are too far forward you get more noise

I think they are....

I followed the mounting instructions that came with the racks and had my GF double check all my measurements.

Luckily I live relatively close to RackSolid so next weekend I can take the set up there and see if I did everything right.