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Best SVT/ZX3 roof rack for bikes?

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The ArchAngel

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Long story short, I've owned a Cannondale CAAD 8 road bike for about 2 years now, which I've been simply carrying inside the car by folding down the rear seat and taking the front wheel off since I purchased the bike. Well, between my fiancee purchasing a Cannondale this weekend and the fact that I am moving from Michigan to Pennsylvania for grad school this summer, carrying one bike inside the car is no longer practical and need to be able to transport both bikes on top of the car for trips back to Michigan 2-3 times per year.

As such, I'm looking to purchase a roof rack that I can leave on the car for transporting both bikes. From what I understand, Yakima and Thule are great options, but I am curious to know if anyone has had any issues with either rack and how the installation of the racks works. Having never owned a bike rack, my primary concern is making sure I won't damage the roof of the car and understanding how the mounting towers install on a 3-door Focus. Also, do I need to be concerned with the fact that my bike and my fiancee's bike are very different sizes? My Cannondale is a 63cm frame and her Cannondale is a 54cm frame, so I am hoping that the mounting rails for the bikes are adjustable within that range. Also, would you recommend fork mounts or a different style?

If anyone has pictures of either a Thule or Yakima rack on their ZX3/SVT that show how it's mounted, I'd appreciate seeing them. All recommendations/comments on this topic are appreciated.

Thanks!
 
#3 ·
imho noone touches Yakima.... just by their build quality and they are a US company

Thule is not based in US and some of their racks just look poorly manufactured...

I havent used either on my focus but I have used Yak elsewhere with no issues... I've seen it as far as someone backing into an awning and bend a seat tube on the bike and did little damage to the yak rack to point out their strength
 
#4 ·
Yakima.

Had one on my sedan, never left a mark. Sold it to my buddy with a zx3 and all he had to do was buy the stretch kit, and it works perfectly. Very heavy duty, and very easy to use, after the first initial setup, no tools required and I could mount or remove it from my car in less than 5 minutes.

Go to the yakima website and go to the "fit your car" part, and then you can see all the different styles of bike carriers. I strongly recommend a fork mount, unless your bike if full carbon and super light, then I would get a mount that keep the front wheel installed.
 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
Yeah, my bike is fairly light and so is hers. It's a Cannondale CAAD 8, so it's weighing in somewhere between 17 and 19 lbs fully assembled. So you would recommend a fork mount? I'd much rather throw the front wheel in the car rather than the whole bike. :)
 
#6 ·
I would recommend the fork mount and a wheel fork mount and you can put it all on the roof :)

as for the upright racks which you just put them up there I do not recommend them unless you have no quick release skewer on the front... which yours probably does i would imagine.
 
#7 ·
I have the OEM Thule Ford Roof Rack.


Perfect fitment.

The tray I use are the Rocky Mount Noose's. They hold the bike like banshee to that thing. Plus, with lock cylinders, that bikes never gonna get stolen off the roof.

The rack is expensive, but I got the trays for $80 apiece and there golden.
 
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#8 ·
HuTcH said:
as for the upright racks which you just put them up there I do not recommend them unless you have no quick release skewer on the front... which yours probably does i would imagine.
Click to expand...
Almost all bikes with the exception of BMX come with quick releases.
 
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#9 ·
Here is a simple alternative. It will fit your SVT like it was made for it. Oh! It was made for the ZX3/5 hatchbacks!

This rack was on the Focus Kona Edition.
Ford Roof Rack: YS4Z 6155100 AA

The same rack is available via BAT ($209.00).
http://www.batinc.net/

It will fit your car ... which has existing mounting holes. Two over each door, two in back. The two in back are painted over and contain body filler.

Neither photo below is my car.
Image

Image


I put a roof rack on my SVT. :eek:

I put a hitch rack on my SVT. :dunno:

Recommend the hitch rack approach for transporting bikes.
 
Discussion starter · #10 ·
Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but do all roof racks require some kind of drilling or use of mounting holes? I would really like to avoid doing anything I can't undo on the car.
 
#11 ·
ZX3autoxtasy said:
Almost all bikes with the exception of BMX come with quick releases.
Click to expand...
not all highend track bikes do for slight weight reduction...

and then not all walmart bikes do...
His being a Highend road bike he could have done away with QR skewers and gone to the allen key ti skewers...
 
#12 ·
The ArchAngel said:
Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but do all roof racks require some kind of drilling or use of mounting holes? I would really like to avoid doing anything I can't undo on the car.
Click to expand...
The yak requires no Drilling... Same with Thule...

Most dont require drilling as they clamp to the roof of the car.
 
#13 ·
I can't make any recommendations for racks, but as someone else said the rocky mounts are the shiznit!

I don't have a good close up shot of my rocky mounts, but I love them. You can even get random colours and designs, like my urban camo.

Image
 
#16 ·
There are two under the weatherstripping on each front door, and two holes in the back (they are covered in paint and bodyfiller and need to be "chiseld" out with a small screwdriver/punch.

Installations pretty easy.

Me and my friend did mine in the dark in about 30minutes.
 
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#19 ·
Headofahessian said:
Will the BAT rack fit on the 05 foci aswell or is it just the earlier models?


The rack is the BAT ($209.00).
http://www.batinc.net/
Click to expand...
the 05' will have the mounting holes in the rear but not the front. It is not a direct fit. If you want to use self tapping metal screws or something you can make it work but personally I wouldn't try it.

Ford stopped putting the mounting holes for this rack above the doors after the 04' model.
 
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