Whispbar Aero bars and sunroof opening on a combi?

[Bigpikle]

These look a rather close fit to the roof (obviously ) and I'm wondering if anyone has any experience of using them on an estate with the sunroof and roof rails please? 

 

When opening the roof it looks like the glass panel needs a surprising amount of extra clearance, so it might be too close with these bars fitted? Roofbox.co.uk offer a blanket advice that nobody use sunroofs with any bars fitted but that seems a little too vague to me.

 

thanks

[Raptor]

Not sure how useful chocolate bars are on the roof !

[psycholist]

I'm pretty sure the panoramic sunroof on my car doesn't go higher than the roof rails while opening but haven't checked for sure. If this is correct any roof bar that sits on the rails won't be in the way unless your roof box/racks hang below the bars they mount to. Looking at the catalogue, the whisbar racks sit on the roof rails, so I expect you'll be fine. If you're really worried get a straight edged yard/meter stick or fold some cardboard or similar and put this across between the rails and open and close the roof to check. I picked up some quite decent roof bars in Lidl for €30 a few months ago - they'll do the job for how little I expect to need them anyway, but I haven't tested them at speed to see how loud they are.

[Bigpikle]

thanks - the aero Whispbars sit flush with the rails and certainly look like the bottom edge will be slightly lower than the top of the roof rails. Might be worth a try but return P&P could be pricey. Anyone tried them and give me a definite answer? Primary use is for attaching a bike rack so it will sit above the bars.

[JakeBlade]

Post #11 http://www.briskoda.net/forums/index.php?/topic/274993-Roof-bars-and-box

Just be careful in your choice of roofbox if you ever choose to get rid of your Thule for one with floor recesses (post #78): http://www.briskoda.net/forums/index.php?/topic/318691-My-first-combi-L%26K

Which bike holder are you getting? I have the Thule pro ride, and the t-bolts just slide into the whispbar tracks, which means they do sit on top of the bars as you don't need to clamp them on.

PM me if you haven't been able to find a discount code for the whispbars.

[Bigpikle]

thanks for the link s- I did read those old posts but wasnt sure which bars & cars people were referring to, as they mention Thule Whispbars (when they are 2 different products) and most seem to talk about twindoors which means a totally different roofbar setup than the flush roof rail product.

 

I do need a discount code though so PM sent

[JakeBlade]

Ah yes the 50/50 "Thule Wispbar". Might be worth contacting Kes or Jon to see if they have any problems with just the roof bars on.

The Wingbar and the Whispbar are very similar in shape, design and profile, so it may not matter too much. If anything the Whispbar looks easier to fit as the rubber is built into the clamp, whereas the Wingbar looks like you add a separate rubber shim and then fit the clamp on top.

You got mail btw.

[psycholist]

I had a look yesterday evening and have changed my mind - the sunroof does go above the roof bars when opened. If you just look at the car side on it looks fine, but the roof curves up quite a lot between the roof rails, so eyeing it up between the rails, the middle of the sunroof glass is high. If you're fitting a bike rack at each side of the car this will be less likely to be a problem as the roof is higher towards the centre of the car. The front roof bar should clear the sunroof safely, but the back one will have to be watched carefully to make sure it doesn't catch as the roof opens.

 

My bikes stay in the car instead though - one of the reasons I bought it was for the car's ability to swallow bikes. Everyone I know who's bought a car mounted rack in the last few years uses the towball mounted ones though as they hit the fuel economy less and you don't need to worry about low clearance barriers (Very common at forest entrances if you mountain bike) and multi storey car parks. Since there are usually 2 bikes in my car at all times I wouldn't take the hit on economy and security storing them outside the car at all though.

[Bigpikle]

thanks - I cant check myself right now as I'm in the US all week but wanted to order up some bars for the summer. 

 

Swallowing bikes was also a buying factor for me as I am a self-confessed cycling nut, but I also need to carry a few bikes on trips when the car is too full for them or in winter/spring when they are typically a little too dirty to go inside. Its not a deal breaker for me if the roof wont open but I like using the sunroof as much as possible and am beginning ot get used to it open on all but the hottest days. Thats what 8 years of driving convertibles daily has done for me.....

[jonteflon]

Just been out - I have Thule WingBars, with a Superb II estate and the panoramic roof.  With the bars on and the roof open there's a gap between the top of the glass and bottom of the bar of around 1.5 packs of polos (maybe 2).  Roof opens initially at an angle so the clearance is much reduced at the join between the two panels - i.e. where the back edge of the moving roof panel arcs up.  You can't/shouldn't fit a bar at this point anyway.

 

As you're cyclists - I have a pair of Thule 591 bike racks, which I've yet to try, but think they'll be OK.  Though they are not flat, eyeballing it suggests that they don't dip at the critical point.

 

I am in Maidenhead if you want to come and try things out.

 

Cheers,

Jon

[Smudgers]

I have a selection of bars - Skoda OEM, Thule Wing and Thule Std square profile, long story why. Anyway, point to post is that my sun roof works fine with the Thule std square bars and the 591 bike carrier. All the bars I have attach to the longditudinal roof bars by a fixing foot so there is an increase in distance from top of sun roof to base of bar.

 

Sorry if I have misunderstood the earlier posts and they relate to cars without longditudinal roof bars.

 

Just one query I have - How do you mount the 591 carrier on the wing bars ? I think special long 'T' bolts may be required but I dont seem to have any, anyone know if you can buy them as an accessory ?

 

Thanks

 

EDIT.. Just looked at the Whisbar page on the web site - I've been talking about the wrong bars. Sorry, although info still stands but for Thule bars.

Edited 1 August, 2014 by Smudgers

[The Zee]

These look a rather close fit to the roof (obviously ) and I'm wondering if anyone has any experience of using them on an estate with the sunroof and roof rails please? 

 

When opening the roof it looks like the glass panel needs a surprising amount of extra clearance, so it might be too close with these bars fitted? Roofbox.co.uk offer a blanket advice that nobody use sunroofs with any bars fitted but that seems a little too vague to me.

 

thanks

The reason for manufacturers general warning about using with sunroofs is the potential that something on the roof may become loose or detached and smash through the glass.

[JakeBlade]

Just one query I have - How do you mount the 591 carrier on the wing bars ? I think special long 'T' bolts may be required but I dont seem to have any, anyone know if you can buy them as an accessory ?

 

 

The T-bolts should have been in the box for the 591.

 

If not, you just need to get the bolts shown on page 4, step 3: http://www.roofbox.co.uk/fitting/TU591.pdf

 

I believe they are a M6 thread, and you need 2 x 35mm (part 50336) and 1 x 61mm (part 50335), see here: http://www.thulespareparts.co.uk/products/bike-roof-mount-parts/thule-pro-ride-bike-carrier-591

 

£7.68 delivered in blighty.

Edited 1 August, 2014 by JakeBlade

[jonteflon]

Gap from bottom of 591 to top of glass when open is half a tin of tomatoes :

 

 

 

This is with -

Thule Wingbars + Thule 591 pro bike carrier mounted in the centre of the roof.

 

Join between roof rack and bike rack is with the bolts as mentioned above. 

[Bigpikle]

thats really helpful - thanks

 

I guess te only thing is the Thule wing bars are mounted above the roof rails on a foot pack while the Whispbar seem to fit flush with them. Will give it a punt anyway!