Rooftop box to carry bike..

[stackie]

Anyone using a rooftop box to transport their bike? I've got an upcoming trip to San Diego and I'd like to bring the bike along as usual. I used to be able to put bike in car, but have an extra passenger this trip. S9i, I'm thinking about a roof box. Just don't want to put a nice bike on top for 500 miles. Plus the usual risks of rooftop bike vs garage.

Anyone do this? Which box worked for you?

Any reason not to do this?

Jon

[batman1425]

I don't see why you couldn't. I think you'll have a hard time finding a standard roof box from the likes of Thule, Yakima, etc. that will fit a bike with out removing both wheels, seatpost and maybe even the fork. You also have to pack a lot of extra blankets and stuff in there to keep it from banging around. If you are set on the "on the roof, in a box" setup, I would pack it in a quality hard shell flight case and strap that - really well - to your roof racks. If it is just a roof issue, get a saris bones rack.

FWIW I just did an 1100 mile trip with 3 bikes (whose combined value was double the car that was carrying them) on the roof using standard rockymount trays mounted to my thule crossbars with out issue.

[AngryScientist]

Yup, done it numerous times with my Thule box. I don't know the model but it's the pretty standard aero looking box you see all the time. I take only the front wheel off and use a heavy moving blanket to pad it up there. No issues and its out of sight from prying eyes when I leave the car, so that's good.

[chiasticon]

it depends on the size of the box. my parents used to have one that basically covered the entire surface area of a sedan, and was a couple feet high. see image below. you could prolly fit at least two bikes in there. just take the wheels off, cover the drivetrain(s) with old tshirts/towels and throw some blankets or a sleeping bag between them to keep 'em from getting scratched. hell, depending on the car and how much you're bringing, you might be able to just use that approach for bringing the bike inside the car...

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/198/488891369_0717e8b8e7.jpg

[batman1425]

Yup, done it numerous times with my Thule box. I don't know the model but it's the pretty standard aero looking box you see all the time. I take only the front wheel off and use a heavy moving blanket to pad it up there. No issues and its out of sight from prying eyes when I leave the car, so that's good.

I stand corrected... I didn't think they made boxes that big.

[AngryScientist]

I stand corrected... I didn't think they made boxes that big.

To be fair, I do ride a 50cm frame, but it does fit with the rear wheel on no prob.

[Mr. Pink]

Yup, done it numerous times with my Thule box. I don't know the model but it's the pretty standard aero looking box you see all the time. I take only the front wheel off and use a heavy moving blanket to pad it up there. No issues and its out of sight from prying eyes when I leave the car, so that's good.

This is the key for skis. I basically use my rooftop box as ski storage all winter for four pair. Outta sight, outta mind, well protected from the elements, super convenient.

My box is way too narrow for a bike, but more recent wide models would work nicely. My local big LBS has a lot of the Thule boxes on racks right next to the bike selection on the floor, so, this would be real easy to check out in just a few minutes there. Grab a bike your size, go at it.

[Mr. Pink]

Btw, just so you know, a good box plus a good base rack system to hold it securely (please, don't be one of those people I see with a box bobbing and slipping sideways on cheesy factory crossbars) will cost you close to 800, maybe a thousand dollars. Just sayin'.

[Mikej]

What about using a hard sided Thule shipping / air travel box and just strap it down to a roof rack?

[cp43]

What about using a hard sided Thule shipping / air travel box and just strap it down to a roof rack?

Thule makes a kit designed for this. I think it's just some straps and some weather stripping. Mostly it's to keep water out of the box if you drive through a rain storm.

http://www.amazon.com/Thule-RFM-Round-Trip-Mounting/dp/B000Q5JZAK

If you already have the bike box, that's probably the way to go. If not, a big roof box will be more useful for other things.

[Rob1519]

Anyone using a rooftop box to transport their bike? I've got an upcoming trip to San Diego and I'd like to bring the bike along as usual. I used to be able to put bike in car, but have an extra passenger this trip. S9i, I'm thinking about a roof box. Just don't want to put a nice bike on top for 500 miles. Plus the usual risks of rooftop bike vs garage.

Anyone do this? Which box worked for you?

Any reason not to do this?

Jon

My Yakima Skybox 16 easily holds my 56cm bike w/ wheels off. Also plenty of room for additional gear.

[Cicli]

Passenger in box. Bike in car?

[stackie]

Good thought... But the extra passenger is my mom....

I could put other gear in the box and see if I can get the bike inside the vehicle. Unfortunately, it is no longer a minivan but a SUV which does not hold as much. But since it's my wife's car primarily, she wants SUV, she gets.

Jon