NickHodgson Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 Guys, a bit of a dull post I know, but has anyone bought any roof bars and bike carrier attachments for an A4 saloon and if so which make did you go for? To carry 2 bikes using the Audi one's it would cost about £320, but to use Mont Blanc / Thule, it would be about £200. Quite a difference and I don't reckon there'd be much benefit in paying the extra for the Audi ones, but just wondered if anyone had been here before! Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tizzy Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 I've got the genuine Audi roof bars (which I suspect are made by Thule and just have an Audi badge on them). They are extremely heavy duty items and they fit very securely and have never given me a moment's problem or concern. I didn't buy the Audi cycle carriers, I went to halfords and bought two Thule items - again the Audi ones are only re-badged Thule items. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelson_R32 Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 The Audi Roof bars are made by Audi Accessories (formally Votex GMBH) and are NOT rebadged Thule items!! The were made in-line with the B6 while it was being devloped; long before Thule ever launched theirs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tizzy Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 They are indeed top-kit as I said and extremely well engineered, although many manufacturers do use Thule items! I did think the actual cycle-carriers were re-badged Thule or Montblanc items though - perhaps you can can confirm - as they looked very like the Thule ones I've got! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zerologic Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 I went down the detachable tow bar and Thule cycle carrier option instead of the roof bars... write up here.. Linky I had visions of dropping a bike onto the car while I was trying to lift it up to the roof so went for this non-contact with car option! Really please with it too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHodgson Posted August 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 Cheers guys. I just can't decide whether the Audi ones are worth the extra cash. Zerologic, how much did your tow bar and bike rack cost you, it looks pretty substantial? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHodgson Posted August 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 Sorry, just re-read your link and spotted the comment about it being £500. Does look good, just a tad more than I wanted to spend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zerologic Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 Rack was £180, tow bar came with the car but you can pick them up for £180 ish and fitting was £100 but I know some people on here have fitted their own removable tow bars. All the bits i got came from towequipe.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdearauj Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 Keep your eye on eBay and websites like that. I got a pair of Audi roof bars for £60, they had only been used twice and are still in great shape. I then just got Thule bike carriers. Halfords was doing a special for 2 bike carriers for £50. So £110 for the whole set was a bargain and has never let me down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHodgson Posted August 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 I'd given up on searching ebay - I'd tried several times over the last month and couldn't find what I was after. In the end I bought some Atera one from roofbox.co.uk (Atera make OEM ones for Audi, BMW, etc and are German made so should be good). They come with a 3 year guarentee as opposed to the 2 year one with the Audi ones. I paid £205 for roof bars and 2 bike carriers, they look good and I'll try and get a photo on here once I've fitted them. The package I bought is here Atera bike carrier DEAL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sponge Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 If I was starting from scratch and had the money I'd go for the removeable towbar and cycle carrier, like zerologic. However, I already had 2 roof bar mounted cycle carriers and wanted to buy a roofbox, so I opted for new roof bars instead and carry the bikes on the roof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickfrog Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Zerologic, you seriously need to remove the reflectors on the wheels on your bike and at the front and back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zerologic Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Zerologic, you seriously need to remove the reflectors on the wheels on your bike and at the front and back. [/ QUOTE ] Already gone mate... pic was taken not long after delivery of ... had de-reflectored the pedals, and handle bars (left the seat post one on for safely) but missed the wheels first time round now long gone along with the bloody bell they have to fit by law to all new bikes... as if i was going to keep that one!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveP Posted August 17, 2006 Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 The thing with the bike carriers (I have an Atera one) is that funny downtubes/full suspension bikes don't always fit. If I was doing it again I would get a towbar one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted August 17, 2006 Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Zerologic, you seriously need to remove the reflectors on the wheels on your bike and at the front and back. [/ QUOTE ] Already gone mate... pic was taken not long after delivery of ... had de-reflectored the pedals, and handle bars (left the seat post one on for safely) but missed the wheels first time round now long gone along with the bloody bell they have to fit by law to all new bikes... as if i was going to keep that one!!! [/ QUOTE ] To be honest, it depends on where you ride. I've take the reflectors off my 'off-road' bikes and left as many as I can on my commuting steed. Having been knocked off my bike four times in two years on London Streets, I reckon you need as much help as you can get. no matter how uncool it might look. As for the bell. Great idea actually. on some 'shared' trails it's a lot more polite than shouting 'Oi - get out the way you Having said that. I don't have one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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