roof rack options

[Dave Hord]

Dan,

This question was asked a month or so ago...but I can't find my own posting in
the archives...

Ironically I answered a similar question from another person on Audiworld
yesterday...saving me having to re-type, here was my answer:

------------------------------------------------------------

You've got two main choices for a rack; Thule and Yakima.

Thule uses a square bar set-up, and Yakima uses a round bar set-up. Thule
accessories (bike mounts, snowboard holders, etc.) only work on square bar
systems. Some Yakima accessories will work with both square or round bar set-
ups.

Which is better? Depends, what do your riding buddies have? Basically match
your system to your riding buddies, because they are the guys you're going to
want to borrow bike mounts and other accessories from. If you don't have any
biking buddies heres my basic breakdown of what's better in which system. The
roof rack for your car is going to consist of load-bars, towers down to the
roof, the fit-kit for the specific car and the accessories that will carry
your bikes.

Load-Bars: Tie. Yakima's round bars seem to bend less under heavy loads, but
they corrode from the inside-out faster. Average life (for full strength bars)
seems to be about 10 years for Yakima and 15 for Thule. Assuming you're using
the bars year round in the salt-belt. The round Yakima bars, however, deal
with the sloped Audi roof much better.

Towers: Yakima wins for ease of mounting, Thule's towers are a tiny bit
stronger.

Fit Kit: Thule. I'm just not a fan of the silicone Yakima uses, it seems to
get pretty beaten up over time. Their clips are also made from a thinner gauge
steel. Thule is stronger.

Accessories: Tie. If you're buying the cheapest accessories, Thule's are
stronger. If you're buying the 'daily-use' level of accessories Yakima wins
hands down. Easier to mount the bike, much smarter quick-release lock design,
etc.

I own a full Thule set-up. I have mounts and bars for my 4kq, my 90q and my VW
bug. I've got four bike mounts and the ski mounts. I've invested a fair amount
of scratch in the Thule set-up. If I did it all again I'd buy a Yakima rack.

HTH,

-Dave


--
86 4ksq 266,600km new to me as of March 5th 2003... will it stick around??
89 90q  330,000km as of Feb 26th.
Rally Conversion...perpetually in progress...
Roll cage shots available at:
http://home.the-wire.com/~spokes/rollcage/page1.htm