Some cheap roof bars for the octavia

[Farsider]

Good luck guys, and I hope the lidl bars are ok, but are you really going to spend £20k+ on a car then fit £26.99 roof bars on it ?

...or these are good roof bars at a bargain price.

[Dedders]

Another plus I've found with these bars is that if you have the variable boot floor they fit into the slots under the floor which are designed for the Skoda bars, which means they can be stored in the car at all times.

[sniperpenguin]

Here you go.... Finally got the kit fitted.

Got to say I was impressed for the money.... Locking system wasn't thule-grade, but can't complain and does the job.

[CaoraDubha]

Thanks for the tip I got the last set at my local Lidl and the dealer rang today telling me that my TSI Combi has landed...

[artichoke273]

Just to share my experiences.

Pros:

Fitting is very straightforward, taking less than 5 mins.

Solid fit and solid build for the price. I reckon the mechanism will last well if treated well. Time will tell.

The section that clamps to the rails is a pliable plastic which doesn't seem to scratch or mark.

Cons:

They do whistle over 40 mph, but some twine wrapped around should solve that.

There is a T-track on the top, but it is smaller (14mm wide) than the ones on Thule, Atera and Whisperbar. I solved this after several trial and error attempts.

M6 roofing bolts 20mm such as:

http://www.diy.com/nav/fix/nails-screws-fixings-hardware/nuts-bolts-washers/roofing_bolts/Roofing-Bolt-AVF-859250-Pack-Of-10-W-M6-x-L-20mm-9708660?skuId=10079397

M6 shake proof internal washer such as:

http://www.diy.com/nav/fix/nails-screws-fixings-hardware/nuts-bolts-washers/washers/-specificproducttype-internal_tooth_lock_washers/Shake-Proof-Internal-Washer-AVF-860652-Pack-Of-25-W-M6-9708789?skuId=10079526

The above slide into the T-track.

Then your roof box/bike carrier/etc. Followed by:

M6 spring washer such as:

http://www.diy.com/nav/fix/nails-screws-fixings-hardware/nuts-bolts-washers/washers/-specificproducttype-spring_washers/Spring-Washer-AVF-860744-Pack-Of-25-W-M6-9708798?skuId=10079535

M6 nut - standard, square, security or wing nut, depending on how easy you want to make it to add or remove.

The shake proof washer adds enough friction to allow you to tighten the nut without the bolt turning as you tighten the nut.

The links above are to B&Q just for ease, you'll find cheaper and smaller pack sizes elsewhere such as eBay.

I hope that saves some of you a few hours of frustration!

[Farsider]

I have a roof box to go with these bars but haven't tried it yet.

The roof box has U bolts to attach to the bars - any considerations I need to bear in mind here or do I need to connect to the T track?

[artichoke273]

The u bolts supplied with my bike carrier were annoyingly 1mm too narrow to fit around the aero bars (which are 46-47mm I think), which is why I had to use the T-track.  Also, the u-bolts I had were designed for square bars and the instructions stated they weren't suitable.  I imagine that this is because all the tension of the horizontal section of the u bolt would go through the centre of the lower curve of the bar.

 

If you have curved u bolts that fit then I can't see a problem.  If not, then probably cheaper to use the roofing bolts and washers above (£6) in the T-track, than hunt around for some different u bolts.  The M6 roofing bolts are normally tested to 50kg-75kg tensile strength each, so with four in use, they should withstand any forces they might encounter.

[classic]

The u bolts supplied with my bike carrier were annoyingly 1mm too narrow to fit around the aero bars (which are 46-47mm I think), which is why I had to use the T-track. Also, the u-bolts I had were designed for square bars and the instructions stated they weren't suitable. I imagine that this is because all the tension of the horizontal section of the u bolt would go through the centre of the lower curve of the bar.

If you have curved u bolts that fit then I can't see a problem. If not, then probably cheaper to use the roofing bolts and washers above (£6) in the T-track, than hunt around for some different u bolts. The M6 roofing bolts are normally tested to 50kg-75kg tensile strength each, so with four in use, they should withstand any forces they might encounter.

sorry guys but this is dangerous, I would expect a bolt suitable to hold a roof box to take over 1000 kg in shear and 800 kg in tension (assuming a safety factor of 3 and only rough numbers based on m6 bolt). 75kg strength is nothing. The forces acting on a bolt depend on the application and its not just weight alone. Materials used for a bolt will depend on its intended use - what steel is a roofing bolt made from ?? A nut and bolt are torqued to hold 2 things together and its the friction between those materials which prevent their movement. There's so much more to it than getting a bolt which fits, more than I can type on my phone..

[artichoke273]

That is interesting.  

 

I'm no engineer but I can't help thinking that one of us has our units mixed up (and it could easily be me).  The M6 bolts are 8.8 grade with a tensile stress of 800 MPa (81 kilogram-force/square millimetre).  Even if they were 10.9 grade they would still only be 1040 MPa.  I can't figure out how wide a bolt you would need to have 800 kg in tension, if indeed we are talking the same units.  

 

More worrying, is that the T-track bolts supplied with my bike carrier, that were slightly too wide were M5 cup square bolts.  Granted, they might be a higher grade but that wouldn't account for a 1000% increase, or any significant advantage on the other maximum loads.  Thule T-track bolts are essentially M5 square head bolts.  It would be interesting to know how the roof rails are bolted to the car roof.

 

Finally, I ran my plan past a friend who has a PhD in Metallurgy & 40 years experience of non-destructive testing metals for the MOD.  His thoughts were that it would be absolutely fine.

 

Anyway, the bikes were due to be attached for their maiden voyage tomorrow morning, I certainly don't want to do anything dangerous when it comes to roof loads.  So if you can let me know your thoughts based on the above extra info before then, it would be appreciated!

Edited 22 May, 2014 by artichoke273

[classic]

If someone with a pHD in metallurgy and 40 years experience says 4 17pence bolts from B&Q are up to the job then you are ok, its beats my City & Guilds and degree from the University of Life every time.

[artichoke273]

Well, I wasn't trying to silence any critics with the views of my friend. I almost left that comment out of my post, as I could see it might be inflammatory, but I wanted to give you as much information to make an informed comment.  It is your learnings from the University of Life that I was hoping to tap into.

 

I understand your point about 4 x 17p bolts, but that is the going rate for a 8.8 bolt.  The  t-track system from Thule uses four M5 bolts, that can't be improved on without drilling more holes in the roof box / bike carrier, which will presumably weaken that.  Do I need to find some £10 bolts?  Could I ask what you use on your roof bars? 

[classic]

What my concern is that the bolt used by thule, whether its m5 or m6 has been designed to take the stress expected from its use. It will be made from whatever grade of steel they have found is required. The contact area between the bolts and the bar will also have been calculated, probably with a certain safety factor. I know a safety factor of 5 is used for bolts used in lifting, which is why I assumed a safety factor of 3 for the bar.

The roof bolts will also be similarly designed for their role, maybe they are ok, perhaps more than ok, but its guess work which is why I wouldn't use them. If your happy that their design and material is sufficient - and having a metalurgists opinion is pretty good - then go for it. What happens though if your roof load comes off on the motorway without warning ? If your lucky noone else is involved, if your unlucky ....

If I was using your set up I would at least want a strap or something extra as a security measure but then it starts to look like a bodge.

Personaly I have genuine Skoda bars and Thule roof box, cost £400+, I have no idea of the spec of any of their components but have no doubts in my mind when using them.

Edited 23 May, 2014 by classic

[artichoke273]

Excellent, thank you.  That's very useful info to consider.  The manufacturer of the bike carriers recommends a cable lock through the bikes and the car's roof rails for security, so I think this worthwhile for added safety.  I absolutely agree that should the roof load come off, it would be the vehicle travelling behind that was affected and that has always been my primary concern.  The same with trailers and towbar mounted bike carriers.

 

Having had another conversation with the metalurgist about steel grades, I'm happy with my set up for the load I'll be carrying.  Though I complete understand your original concern and I'm very pleased that my original post didn't go unchecked, so that others can make the same decision under their own circumstances.

[Farsider]

This is a great read but as a newbie in the world of roof boxes, I'm quite paranoid now about what to do.

 

If the 10 year old roof box I've inherited comes with U bolts to fit to these Lidl bars, is there any cause for concern?

[themanwithnoaim]

This is a great read but as a newbie in the world of roof boxes, I'm quite paranoid now about what to do.

 

If the 10 year old roof box I've inherited comes with U bolts to fit to these Lidl bars, is there any cause for concern?

North of £20k for a car and you're thinking of going with anything other the OEM's product ? Still, its your **** spread all over the road, your car's roof and paintwork, your insurance paying out for the mess created behind you not to mention, the lasting impression on the members of your family (whom would no doubt be travelling on holiday with you) that you're a complete and utter knobhead.

Just my opinion though

[Farsider]

North of £20k for a car and you're thinking of going with anything other the OEM's product ? Still, its your **** spread all over the road, your car's roof and paintwork, your insurance paying out for the mess created behind you not to mention, the lasting impression on the members of your family (whom would no doubt be travelling on holiday with you) that you're a complete and utter knobhead.

Just my opinion though

 

Why would roof bars discussed in this thread not work as advertised?

[Farsider]

So for the peeps that have these Lidl bars, now that you've had them a while, what do you think?

I'm trying to decide whether I trust them enough to do a round trip to Sud de France in August.

[Keith64]

No problems for me..Very pleased with them. They do exactly what they were designed for...

[bouff34]

themanwithnoaim, on 23 May 2014 - 16:12, said:

North of £20k for a car and you're thinking of going with anything other the OEM's product ? Still, its your **** spread all over the road, your car's roof and paintwork, your insurance paying out for the mess created behind you not to mention, the lasting impression on the members of your family (whom would no doubt be travelling on holiday with you) that you're a complete and utter knobhead.

Just my opinion though

So does that apply to everything safety related? If it isn't OEM it can't possibly be safe? Tuning boxes? Pedal boxes? (Both of which you advocate)  Alloy wheels? Tyres?   There's no reason why they can't be safe if properly designed. Sometimes aftermarket things are cheaper due to the usual practice of Skoda trying to maximise their profit on OEM stuff... Sometimes they're better than the original design. Sometimes they're not.

Edited 1 July, 2014 by bouff34

[Dedders]

I used mine a couple of weeks ago with a roof box when I went camping. They worked really well and were really secure, they fitted easily and weren't particularly noisey when left on without the roof box. Overall I was impressed with them and I think they are excellent value.

[artichoke273]

All good here.  

 

I notice the same bars under a different name are No.1 bestseller on Amazon.co.uk at the moment.  If you filter through the negative reviews due to them not fitting a Zafira and bad experiences from dodgy sellers, they seem well received.  Only approximately 1 in 100 purchasers write Amazon reviews and as a nation we're naturally inclined to review when we have a bad experience.  I can therefore guesstimate that Amazon are selling roughly 400 a month.  This is the third batch I've seen in Lidl in the last two years, my store had about 20.  600 Lidl stores in the UK, 12,000 sets per batch, all sold out. I think if they were flawed or not fit for purpose then the internet would be awash with bad experiences.

 

Just my humble opinion of course.

[Shermo]

Only issue I've had is they can whistle a bit, but so far only used them to transport long pieces of wood to my allotment. Will probably be using them for bikes at some point soon on some longer journeys so hope they don't whistle a lot then otherwise I'll just have to turn the Canton up find a remedy

[chelon]

Whistling seems a little issue - has anyone solved it? Have read solutions ranging from wrapping rope around them (to break up the air flow) to sealing up the channel on the underside. Anyone had any success?

[freddyg]

Has anyone with these bars fitted a cycle carrier? My Children have just expressed an interest in taking their bikes on holiday with us this year (great news for me!). I've only ever transported my own bike, for which I take the front wheel off and put it in the boot.

Any recommendations?

[Farsider]

So I've just fitted these roof bars no problem. I notice in the instructions it says in the tighten the clamp to the car section - "tighten to a torque of 8mn".

Pardon my ignorance but how does one measure that?

Edited 20 July, 2014 by Farsider