Roof Rack for Velomobile

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   Not that I've got a Quest I am planning on transporting it on a roof rack. So does anyone have any reccommendations for this?

What cycle racks to use/avoid?
Is there another way of doing it?
How do you get the machine on the roof?

Any advice is well recieved.

Thanks
Neil

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Neil F Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Visitor (moderated) Joined: 09 March 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 449	Post Options Post Reply Quote Neil F Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Roof Rack for Velomobile Posted: 28 March 2016 at 5:12pm
	Not that I've got a Quest I am planning on transporting it on a roof rack. So does anyone have any reccommendations for this? What cycle racks to use/avoid? Is there another way of doing it? How do you get the machine on the roof? Any advice is well recieved. Thanks Neil

atlas_shrugged Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List BHPC Member Joined: 03 November 2014 Location: Cambs Status: Offline Points: 1025	Post Options Post Reply Quote atlas_shrugged Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 March 2016 at 8:09pm
	I bought 2 steel rectangular cycle bars from Halfords and one aluminium shaped gutter type cycle bar and arranged the steel bars on the outsides and the aluminium bar in the centre. I have in addition a cycle gutter that plugs into the central gutter bar and enables me to wheel the back wheel (with the velo going backwards) up this gutter (placed on the windscreen) until the wheel rolls along the central gutter. I have two iron right angle guides that plug into the outside bars which allow the velo front wheels to be guided backwards. Finally I have some stainless steel triangles mounted on the outside bars that locate the front wheels of the velo. The back wheel is fastened like a regular bike with plastic built in straps. The front wheels are held down with toe straps. A big orange strap goes over the cabin. Welcome to view this arrangement at Hillingdon. You can also google for a youtube video "How to velo top your car". This is a more simple arrangement than the one I use. I was thinking of a MarkII version which would be more simple and combine both approaches. One word of caution. With a velo on the roof beware of low obstacles e.g. car ports and car park height barriers etc. Edited by atlas_shrugged - 28 March 2016 at 8:11pm

Yanto Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Joined: 11 July 2005 Status: Offline Points: 1521	Post Options Post Reply Quote Yanto Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 30 March 2016 at 7:49am
	Hi Neil, I used to carry my full size Quest and XS on roof bars, which were pretty much ideally spaced but the body sat on the bars rather than the wheels, this was a problem! Where the body sat on the bars it is not flat, so I made some spacers out of wood with a foam top that went between the flat portion of body of the velo and the bars, this made it more stable. For me getting them on the roof was hardest, the full size Quest weighed in at about 35kg and was a pig to lift, the carbon XS much easier but still a handful, so if somebody can help so much the better, at the race meeting I just asked for help, but mostly somebody would offer. T hold in place I used lightweight ratchet straps through the spokes and round the roof bars and also one over the top where the hatch is, to reduce the "drummin/ flapping" of the strap put a couple of twists in it. A word of caution, if it is windy have 2 people, my full size Quest was blown off the roof in the time it took me to get it up there and move to try and strap it on. If I'm honest i never liked the Quests or Wobbly Bob on the roof and drove slowly and repeatedly stopped for the first few miles to check/adjust the straps. Brian's way is much more robust and easier on the back.