The MINI Bike Rack Question

Greg Mar 24th, 2005 Link

P.S.: If anyone has a great route designed to take advantage of great twisty’s, etc from Chicago to New Buffalo, MI, that would be a great perk as well.

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Edge Mar 24th, 2005 Link

I can’t speak from experience yet, but I will say this… on my new 2005 MCS, I bought the Sport Link. Why? Because it seems to be the most elegant and flexible option for bikes. The fact you can remove the bike rack very easily and store it when not needed, yet slap it on with ease is a huge plus. And unlike the roof rack option, it does not cause any additional drag when you aren’t using it.

The only downside is the cost, since you’ll need to have the sport link installed on your car. Consider doing it the way I did – I had the dealer install the sport link, but I haven’t bought the bike rack piece yet. I plan on buying the bike rack as the weather warms up, but now that the installation part is complete, I will just buy the rack and start using it immediately.

This way, you can split the cost of the system into two steps – the sport link kit plus installation, and the rack later.

Just my take.

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Edge Mar 24th, 2005 Link

Oh yeah, I forgot the bonus… when the rack isn’t on your car, it looks like you have machine guns on the back! Great for continuing that “James Bond / Austin Powers” image!

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ChrisLW Mar 24th, 2005 Link

Edge, what was the dealer-installed cost? Just the portion that goes in your car, i.e. the “attachments” are a separate cost (no dealer install, I hope )

TIA

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Adam Emanoff Mar 24th, 2005 Link

I debated the factory rack over the aftermarket racks for quite some time. The MINI is my only car at the moment and I do a fair amount of cycling.

I opted for the aftermarket rack for a couple reasons, but mostly cost and flexibility. I didn’t like the idea of drilling the required holes in the roof and having rubber inserts in the holes when the rack wasn’t in use. With my Yakima system, I can easily transfer the rack from the wall to the roof in a matter of minutes.

Initially when I was looking at the factory rack, there wasn’t a fork mount option and there was no fairing. Now there’s a fork mount, I think.

The Yakima gaves me the mounting option I wanted PLUS the fairing, so I can put all my stickers somewhere! :D

It’s all personal preference – roof, hitch or the back seat – depending on your lifestyle. I’m always cruising around in the required spirited manner, but I just taper it down a bit when I’m going to/from a ride.

Whatever you decide – enjoy!

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TSizemore3 Mar 24th, 2005 Link

While the SportLink/bike rack combination is neat if rather expensive, I’m still just waiting for the TowLink attachment to FINALLY become available before I buy into the system. As an autocrosser, it sure would be nice to tow a small trailer with my tires and equipment in it to events instead of having to cram everything inside the car. Even the cargo platforms that attached to the SportLink that MINIfini used to show on their website would have been helpful.

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aleks Mar 24th, 2005 Link

I too recomend installing the bike link system, very elegant and because it mounts at the rear of the vehicle, not on top it gives the car better balance. Plus its much easier to get the bikes on the rear of the car than on top of it. Have fun!

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Alan Mar 24th, 2005 Link

You know how dirty the rear of you car can get? Not a good place to hang a nice bike. A roof-rack or inside the car is the best place.

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Jake Mar 24th, 2005 Link

I just got a Yakima roof rack for my bike. It seems to work really well. I havent had the bike out for a long drive or anything since it is still winter, but it seems to be very stable.

I wanted a roof rack, but didn’t want to have holes drilled in my roof or those plastic covers that I would lose.

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Adam S Mar 24th, 2005 Link

I have a Saris Bones 2-bike rack. I’m very happy with it, but I don’t feel good about driving hard with bikes on the back. I paid an extra few dollars for some of the no-scratch foam dumbbell strap ends. I think they’re more useful because they’re easy to work with than because of the no-scratch.

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Jason K Mar 24th, 2005 Link

I’d like to speak up in favor of the MINI-branded roof rack. The holes in the roof are what put people off, and they gave me pause too. However, the covers (plastic, not rubber as an earlier poster mentioned) work very well and (to me) don’t detract from the look of our S when the rack isn’t mounted.

The Sport Link seems like a good option too, but I prefer the roof rack for the following reasons:

• The roof rack puts the bikes on the roof. This may seem obvious, but I’ve always been a bit paranoid about being rear-ended while carrying bikes on a rear rack. Another poster mentioned that the rear of the car tends to get dirty (bad for bikes), which is a good point, but this may be offset by the exposure to high-velocity insects that the roof rack provides.

• The roof rack installation fee is actually less expensive than the Sport link installation fee (by a couple of hundred dollars, at least at my dealer, International MINI in Milwaukee, WI).

• Because the “factory” roof rack is made by Thule, I can get replacement parts (including lock cores) from Thule. Although the rack and fork-mount carriers are actually reasonably priced from MINI, I like having a second source.

Aleks mentioned that the Sport Link “gives the car better balance” because it mounts to the rear of the MINI and not the top. For what its worth, this has a very small impact on the center of gravity of the car–much smaller than one might imagine. Without getting into the math (which is really very straightforward) I would wager that carrying a passenger raises the center of gravity of the MINI more than does carrying one bike on the roof.

For what it’s worth, I’ve been racing bicycles for 18 years and working in bicycle shops for most of that time.

The Sport Link is a great option, and so is the roof rack. I prefer the factory roof rack for a variety of technical and personal reasons, but that doesn’t mean that it’s the only sane choice. Either will work well.

Happy motoring/rolling,

Jason

P.S. We recently took a trip with the roof rack attached (no bike). When we filled up, the trip odometer (not the computer) indicated that it cost us about 1 MPG at ~75 mph.

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Ian Mar 24th, 2005 Link

I have the Sport Link rack and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. That is, without a doubt, the single best upgrade I’ve done to my Mini.

In addition to being a great rack it also makes a handy work-stand for you bike when you need to work on your bike (i.e. washing it and re-lubing the chain).

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Michael Mar 24th, 2005 Link

Can you have a roof rack AND the panoramic sunroof?

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Tim Scudder Mar 24th, 2005 Link

Hi Gang,

I really like the idea of the Sport Link but notice it is only rated for two bicycles. With a couple of kids, I’d love to be able to handle three. Any racks I’ve seen that will handle three or more bikes are of the trailer hitch variety but I’ve not run across anyone with a hitch on a MINI (not sure I want one either!) Could I wedge three on to the Sport Link somehow or might there be another solution. FWIW all three bikes are entry level Specialized so they don’t weigh much more than 25-30 lbs. Suggestions? Thanks!

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John Mar 24th, 2005 Link

Michael, yes, you can have the roof rack and the sunroof open. It’s not a problem.

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TSizemore3 Mar 24th, 2005 Link

I just perused the MINI-Fini website again and found they state that the TowLink is finally available. Interestingly enough, there is no MINI part number, so I guess it won’t be backed by MINI. Unfortunately they list it at $299.50 including shipping and don’t even include the lighting harness connector at that price. So if you get the SportLink base, the bike rack, and the TowLink, you’re talking over $1,000 with installation. Even though they are very nicely engineered solutions, it’s just too much money for me.

So now I need recommendations for a removable, no-drill bike rack that won’t damage my paint. I’ll probably wind up with the Delan hitch for towing.

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Bob B Mar 24th, 2005 Link

The sport link is the only way to go. Yes, the cost is quite a bit when you consider other options, but you have already spent a “ton” on the car so what’s a little more…When I picked up my car in January, it had the sport link already installed. The first one for the dealer. If I remember correctly, it was 3 1/2 hours labor to install, that is what the Mini instructions call for, I think. But it is great, good looking, and my wife likes the idea of not having a rack up on top as I have done with all our other cars. Go for it.

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Bob b Mar 24th, 2005 Link

Correction, it is 2 hours to install on the MCS and 1 1/2 to install on the MC. It is 1/2 hour to assemble the rack part. It takes two hours to install as they have to drop the back bumper and the exhaust system, and so on. Look under the how to guides in Motoring File and they have the install instructions as per Mini. Too involved for me, pay the dealer…

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Matt Mar 24th, 2005 Link

I went with an aftermarket rooftop Thule rack, the Mini fit kit is a perfect match. I love the fact that my roof is not drilled (as it is for the OEM rack) and the fact that Thule rack parts are plentiful and cheap on Ebay. No appreciable wind noise with the Thule fairing. I will say that the aftermarket rack somewhat takes away from the clean lines of the car, but I love my mini and my bike. The tradeoff is well worthwhile!

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GSKChicago Mar 24th, 2005 Link

Thanks to everyone for replying and of course to Gabe. I of course now have some research to do in comparing all of your suggestions.

Also, regarding the twisty route to Michigan… Feel free to email if you have a good route to try.

Thanks again!

Greg

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Timothy Sipples Mar 24th, 2005 Link

I have a totally different (and thoroughly British) solution which (just) fits in the boot: http://www.bromptonbicycle.co.uk

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1420mhz Mar 25th, 2005 Link

Having had the mini roof rack for the past three years my observations are that it is difficult to put your bikes on the roof and that if you leave the roof rack on all the time the wind noise is very annoying especially if you open your sunroof.

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nrkist Mar 25th, 2005 Link

Another vote for the Yakima system. I’ve been using mine for nearly 3 years across 2 different Minis for bikes and skis. Relatively cheap, extremely easy to pop on and off once set up, very stable, lots of accessories, sunroof opens… no regrets.

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Ted Tchang Mar 25th, 2005 Link

I chose the Minifini Sport Link bike rack and am quite happy with it. It is expensive (almost $900 including dealer installation), but it works great for 1 or 2 bikes. It won’t hold three bikes or more, unfortunately.

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Rob Mar 25th, 2005 Link

Something else that may be worth considering if deciding on which roof rack option to buy is whether you will carry other loads on the rack. When I researched the roof rack options, the Thule & Yakima racks were only rated for about 60lbs. Should you want to put a roof box on them and take a long trip, you’ll only have about 20lbs cargo weight after the weight of the typical box. The OEM rack holds 160lbs!

The wife, two Italian Greyhounds and I took the 1100 mile trek from TX to OH this Christmas and threw a Yakima Space Cadet on top to hold our stuff – about 80lbs of suitcases.

Also, the OEM rack comes off in about 5 minutes by unscrewing 8 star shaped bolts. Extra caps, should you lose them, run about $2 a piece. I bought 4 extra and keep them in the glove box.

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Rick Mar 26th, 2005 Link

2 Seasons with the Yakima. I love it!

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Jeff Mar 27th, 2005 Link

I use a Yakima roof rack. My rationale included many years of experience with Yakima racks on other vehicles and that I have several carriers for bikes, skiis, canoes, etc, the desire to maintain the integrity of the roof panel (i.e. no holes), that I really am uncomfortable with several thousand dollars worth of bike(s) on the back of the vehicle (what with the moronic driving practice of creeping up on bumpers), and that with the airflow on the MINI, a rear mount would result in a lot of fine sand/dust on the bike(s). Yes, there is drag, wind noise, and a bit of susceptibility to strong crosswind but all choices have consequences.

A couple of suggestions to consider: 1) Use some SpeedShine or ’supplemental’ wax on the roof where the pads contact when mounting the rack – minimizes the potential for scratches; 2) While I have measured clearance and it appears that the sunroof would open, I’ve not done so but instead made a ‘Do NOT Open Sunroof with Bike Rack Installed’ sticker for the forward crossbar of the rack – easily read through the glass; 3) NOT that I have ever done it, but know of those who have, driving through a standard height garage door with the bikes on the roof is BAD! I can see how this happens: long ride or race, long drive home, thank goodness I’m home and gosh that shower is going to be great, CRUNCH! So I built a simple reminder sign that flops down from the interior of the garage door on opening; 4) I always use a bike bra to minimize the dead insect residue on the bike(s).

Just a few thoughts for consideration.

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Bilbo Baggins Mar 27th, 2005 Link

I have the first MINI roof rack that my dealer installed in ‘02. I love the rack and will be getting another on my new ‘05MCS.

I was concerned at first about the holes but have experienced NO problems at all in over 28,000 miles of happy motoring. The rack is very solid and easy to mount and remove. Once I had set up the bike adapters I can easily mount the whole thing in less than 5 minutes. With the bike adapter, kayaks, or a cargo box in place it is very quiet at any reasonable highway speed without any sort of fairing.

I put two bikes on the rack and have taken numerous trips of 5+ hours without incident. The bikes ride so quietly that it is easy to forget that they are even there.

Another reason that I selected the factory rack is because I carry two 55lb, 16′long kayaks and it was the only rack that could handle the weight.

The cargo box from Performance Cycles is great to haul dirty items that you would not want to put inside your MINI and once off the car can be cleaned with a hose.

You can find photos of the rack and cargo box in my photo gallery on MINI2.com.

To minimize the bug problem I have mounted my bike backwards, works wonders.

All that being said, I like the MINI-fini setup just because it allows the option of a trailer hitch (although I understand that there are warranty concerns).

IMHO

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dc Mar 27th, 2005 Link

This thread would be better with pictures.

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Richard Mar 29th, 2005 Link

I recently purchased a new mountainbike (Trek EX9). It seems that most bike racks are for road bikes not mountain bikes. My bike does not have a center bar and the seat post is carbonfiber. Any sugestions for a bike rack? Does anyone know of a bike rack that has a large enough wheel trough for non-road bike tires? Thanks for the info.

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Scot Apr 1st, 2005 Link

Richard:

There is an after-market bar that bolts to the seatpost and headset-tube that gives your Y frame a top-tube for use in traditional racks. It also works well on womens bikes. I don’t know if it would warp your CF post. Go find an old post and use it as part of your racking.

I’m upgrading from a Saris Bones to SportLink in a couple of weeks. My GT has an odd frame that has never worked well on the Bones. I’m not concerned with dirt caused by mounting the bike on the back of the car since my bike is always in the mud anyways. I’m also not too stressed about being rear-ended since most people see the bike and instantly quit tail-gateing.

I did not want to drill holes in my roof–my dealer even said they would refuse to do it. The SportLink just seemed the best way to go.

I’m going to make bumpersitckers that say “Oil Slick” and “Smoke Screen” to put over the ports…

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Kerry Apr 17th, 2005 Link

I just went on the dealer site. The only bike rack they offer is roof-mounted one for $94 that only holds one bike. Is anyone familiar with this? Can a person purcase two of these to hold two bikes? What are my options here?

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Ryan Apr 19th, 2005 Link

Ok, this is probably painfully obvious and I am simply over looking something. But how do I remove my Bike rack? Yesterday I had the sportlink installed with bike rack. Looks great. But I got no instructions.

Unlock, lock pops up, Rotate metal bar 90° so that is points up. Driver’s side now starts to move a little, passenger’s side is still firmly held in place. What am I missing?

Oh, I’d vote for the sportlink. I had a roof rack on my 98 civic, huge wind drag when 2 bikes were up there. This seems tol have much less effects on handeling of the car.

Mini of Peabody, Massachusetts had the tow link adapter at $298 in the store yesterday.

Thanks

Ryan

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Wendy Woo Hoo Apr 22nd, 2005 Link

After having 2 rear mounted bike racks crushed in parking lots by people who didn’t see me I think the roof mounted bike rack is the best option plus I don’t have to worry about my expensive MTB getting hurt.

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Liz W May 24th, 2005 Link

After recently driving under 3 metal I-beams only to finally come to an abrupt stop after hearing a crunching/tearing metal noise… I’m considering going with the rear rack option now. Hearing numerous people tell me they’ve done the same thing, hasn’t really helped me much…

I have an awesome Saris roof rack that I would definitely recommend to anyone who REALLY wants a roof rack. I can only imagine the damage I would’ve done to the roof if I had the factory roof rack installed.. it may have opened up my car like a tin can, at least the Saris slid a little before digging in.

I’m just not so sure about the whole roof rack idea now… the front fork of my road bike stayed attached to the front load bar, as well as the rear wheel to the track, but the track disconnected from the front load bar and slid backward, but not before dragging the two feet back and into the roof. SO, now I have two big dents in my roof, a small scratch, and a road bike frame that was split in four places. Nice job…it only took me 7 months to do.

The estimate for the roof was $1K, the bike will be another $3-700 for a new frame, depending on how extravagant I feel. Anyone know why it costs so much to get dents out of MINI roofs.. I was told by one dent gent that it’s b/c they’re aluminum and that isn’t very forgiving/fixable.

SO.. my quandary is this — Do I want to risk it again? It could mean another huge chunk o’ change thrown out the window the next time. Whereas if I get the rear rack, I know it’s under $1K. It’s hard to decide. I guess I’ll just get everything fixed/replaced and wait and see if the price goes down or people start selling their rear racks on eBay. IT JUST SUCKS THOUGH! So if you go w/ the roof rack make sure you have adequate “reminders” in place so you don’t do what I did.. and what countless others have done before me. And whatever you do.. don’t drive anywhere near a garage with bike on top, while talking on your cell phone.. big NO NO, I had to learn the hard way.

-Liz

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Mark Lang Jul 2nd, 2005 Link

Any body know how to stop the wind noise caused by the roof racks and also how do you fit the plastic covers when you remove the roof racks?

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mike Jul 12th, 2005 Link

were is a good place to ride a mini streetbikfe if they are alegal in Mass?

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momchelle Jul 21st, 2005 Link

Okay, I just picked up my CooperS last nite with a sunroof and factory mount roof rack (without the bike trays installed yet — we were hoping our Thule trays would fit — our dealer couldn’t tell us if they would or not!).

My BIG concern is that the roof rack whistles like MAD (high pitch) going UNDER 25pmph. It is absolutely intolerable. Has anyone had this problem? Is it a design flaw or manufacturing defect of the racks? (i.e. can it be corrected by getting a new roof rack?) Is it an installation issue? (i.e. can it be corrected by having the dealer work on it?)

Mark Lang – is your problem this bad, or is it just high speeds when you hear noise? We are accustomed to a fair amount of noise driving on highways with 2-3 bikes on the roof, even with our Thule fairing, but this is so much worse! I am waiting to hear from my dealer.

Help….!

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Chip Jul 24th, 2005 Link

All, I have both systems mounted on my 04 MC. I rec’d orders to spain and wanted to be able to take 4 bikes and camping gear when we traveled. The sportlink has functioned flawlessly and accomidated mountain bikes even without the crossmembers as the mount on the post will rotate to keep the bike level. I use the roof racks combined with the large basket and two bike racks. Probably invalidated any warranty but I don’t think they would honor it over here anyway. Have had well over the 160lbs the rack was designed for. No problems with any of the systems after over 21000 miles. BTW, the bikes do get dirty. Hello… they’re mountain bikes…. wash ‘em off… This post would be great with pictures and you could see the Coop with the full load. Wife, Kids (15/9) and dog included.

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momchelle Jul 25th, 2005 Link

Me again! We figured out the whistle. Believe it or not, it was due to the black rubber strip they put on the racks to make them look finished. Once we took them off, no whistle!

Alas, we have a new problem, though! We picked up the MINI bike trays and tried them over the weekend. Are we missing something? No one has mentioned concerns such as we had after just 2 trips with them.

A) We have mountain bikes, and the tires are too wide to seat in the mounts; the faster the MINI goes, the further the wind pushes the bike tire up the ramp in the wedge until the front of the wheel comes out of the wedge, producing incredible wobble. This was observed by a co-mountain biker following us (who has followed us when we had our Thule tray and said this wobble is significant).

B) You absolutely have to wrestle with the bikes to get them into the racks; we’re not sure which is worse, having the lock on the inside of the mount or the outside — both are awkward positions to either lock/unlock or load/unload the bikes! That doesn’t even take into consideration the fact that you have to remember to put the key in before you lift up the bike, because, even if you don’t want to lock the bikes in, you have to use the key. Which doesn’t even take into consideration that the key easily falls out in the closed position (and it moves from open to closed position while you’re wrestling to mount the bike), so if you leave the bike rack key on your regular keychain, you risk a whole lot of scratching of MINI paintwork if they fall out. The bike racks should come with a video showing the best way to mount/unmount your bikes (if there is one!)

C) Security (not saying any more on this one for obvious reasons)

D) Securing them w/o bikes is unwieldy (at best) and ugly (at worst). Bottom line: They are very sharp looking (with bikes on) but form definitely wins out over function in this design (and yes, we will be sharing this feedback directly with our dealer and with MINI, because we think it is such a shame that these fell so short of what we have come to expect from a MINI design.)

Needless to say, the trays are on their way back to the dealer TODAY. We will be fashioning adaptors for our Thule trays (to mount on the MINI roof rack) as a work-around (because the only other option is to return the car – and I love it too much to do that!) — Once that is finished, we’ll tell you how we did it and how it works in case other folks have the same concerns we do.

Happy Trails!

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Brenden Aug 19th, 2005 Link

I tend to hear alot more negatives about the factory rack than the Thule or Yakima. The only negative I am hearing about the Thule and Yakima versions is that their max allowable weight is lower since they connect to the rain gutters on the car. The Yakima website says 75lbs is the max. Does anyone out there have experience carrying a kayak on anything other than the factory rack? The kayak I would be hauling is 16′ long and weighs 60 lbs. Of course I would prefer not to drill holes, but would the flimsy rain gutters used to mount the Thule and Yakima be strong enough for a Kayak? Tough call.

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Scott Jordan Sep 20th, 2005 Link

I have the same problem with mountain bikes not fitting on the manufacturer’s version. Not sure anyone came up with a solution. BTW, see my MINI here, racing and beating Porsches and BMWs. http://www.scottevest.com/v3_community/minisev.shtml

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Justin Oct 26th, 2005 Link

It sounds like at lease a couple of you have had positive experiences with the Saris Bones Rack? I’d like to explore that option before I drop $1000 to have the Sport

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Justin Oct 26th, 2005 Link

It sounds like at lease a couple of you have had positive experiences with the Saris Bones Rack? I’d like to explore that option before I drop $1000 to have the Sport

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Justin Oct 26th, 2005 Link

It was mentioned once or twice, but does anyone have any experiences or thoughts on the Saris bones rack? I’ve seen mini’s around town with them, and I’d like to explore that option before I spend $1000 on a Sport Link system. Any thoughts?

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John P. Nov 7th, 2005 Link

I just had the SportLink installed (yeah, I know, it’s no longer being sold). With everything (installation done by Detroit Tuned) including the bike rack and SportLink, the total was around 550.00. Yes, it cost more than my bike. But, I now have both a bike rack and hitch (which adds a bit more $$$). It’s an amazing piece of engineering, and for just a bike rack, it’s over-engineered, which gives one a sense of calm about the safety of the bikes on back.

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John P. Nov 7th, 2005 Link

Oh, and I NEED TO ADD TO THE ABOVE that I bought all the SportLink parts from Classic MINI in Ohio. I got a % discount for being a NAM member.

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Dan Nov 26th, 2005 Link

I have had the sportlink rack installed on my Mini S COnvertable since March. The good news is that the attachment to the car is great. The bad news is that the rack itself is a total POS.

The bike cradles will only accept very traditional style frames. Forget getting a montain bike with full suspension on it. The cradles are also hard on newer frame components, like carbon. They are a pain to use, as you need to fully unscrew to mount a bike (even if you get one that fits and you don’t care about top tube damage). otal I “solved” these issues by buying two frame adapters at a cost of roughly $30 each, and leaving them in the cradles. That worked OK for a while, until one day when one of the frame adapters got some play in the side that goes around the headset. Not good when you are dragging your bike behind you at 70 mph. One $400 wheel set later and I am back in business…

Now one of the screws that tightens the cradle to the main tube just broke, again dropping my bike in the road (luckly at a slow speed, so no real damage).

My plan is to buy another properly designed rack that has two arms instad of the single one of the Mini rack, and bring it to a welder to get it grafted on to the Mini rack.

Like I said, a total POS. No wonder it is not being sold anymore…

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tommy dean Feb 8th, 2006 Link

Just purchased a Mini Cooper S. Don’t want the roof rack for a number of reasons. Anybody used the Yakima Mighty Joe Rear Rack? Good, bad, ugly?

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Emily Feb 17th, 2006 Link

I used the Yakima Mighty Joe for about 6 months now, and unfortunately it’s just not a good solution for the mini. First, it’s a pain to get on and off. (you have to go under the spoiler, and to do that you need tiny hands. Second, the hooks grip on the side of the trunk, adn they never seem very secure. No matter how tight I get the straps when I leave, they are loose and flapping in the wind when I arrive at my destination… yikes

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Dan Feb 28th, 2006 Link

Follow up to my earlier post Nov 26 2005: I did what I said I thought was needed, and bought a Thule Hitching Post Pro dual bike carrier. I brought it to a welder along with the Mini Sportlink. After a little creative surgery, I now have my Mini SportlinkThule Franken-rack.

I must say it is absolutely perfect.

I removed the P.O.S. Sportlink round rack off at the Sportlink attachment bar, then had the welder cut the Thule rack off at the point where that rack attached to the hitch, and then had him weld them together. Voila, a perfect Mini 2 bike rack that actually hold bikes (and folds down)!

Total cost as follows:

Mini Sportlink (installed): ~$800 Thule Top Tube adapter (x2): ~$60 Rebuilt rear bike wheel (after falling off Sportlink rack and dragging on Rt80 at 75mph): ~$400 Thule Hitching Post Pro rack: ~$140 Welder labor: ~$85 Total Cost to carry 2 bikes on a Mini properly: ~$1,485 Smile on my face every time I look at my Franken-Rack: priceless…

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Bryan Mar 23rd, 2006 Link

Is there an option available for carrying a tandem bike on a convertible?

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Steve May 12th, 2006 Link

I am looking at buying the Thule or Yakima after market roof rack for my mini. On the websites for both of these it says it is only for the sport model. Is this true? We have a 2005 MC. Will they still fit?

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trio25 Feb 28th, 2007 Link

I’m a bit confused. I have dealer fitted roof bars can anyone tell me if I can now fit thule bike carriers? Has anyone done this?

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emmi Mar 14th, 2007 Link

Well, it looks like this subject has been thoroughly covered, but I’ll throw something out there anyway. I have a convertible, so no roof rack for me! Does anyone have any knowledge/experience/input regarding this trailer receiver hitch from miniature trailer: http://www.miniaturetrailer.com/hitch.php It’s $325 (with shipping), and then you can add a hitch rack (or anything else) to it (and not be tied to the sportlink system). Any thoughts?

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bdog1 Mar 30th, 2007 Link

Miniature trailer’s hiddeen hitch is a versitile option. http://www.miniaturetrailer.com Installed with out incident, allow 2 hrs. (additional for wiring) Any number of 1″ hitch accesories can be used from that point. When not in use, hitch is completly hidden behind the “blank plug” where the rear fog lamp would be. I pull a small utility trailer. (4X6) I am going to add a rear bike rack. But there’s the kayak issue!!!! PS. putting the reciever pin in and out with a hot exhaust is a challenge, best to do that chore when cold.

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mightyangelo Apr 13th, 2007 Link

Have always preferred yakima racks, but its a tough call on the mini cooper. The clips sporadically interfere with with windows, and you cant use the sunroof due to lack of clearance. the yakima racks are hard to get to stay in place on amorphous shaped roofs, especially for long high speed trips-it pushes back over time and if you have extra wheels in fork carriers they push back in the wind and rotate the bars in the tower clamps causing all kinds of fitting troubles mid trip, not to mention striping the protective plastic from the cross bars. Does anyone have any info on the new mini brand racks as seen on the mini web site? dealer doesnt know squat.

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JZ Apr 24th, 2007 Link

Hi all…I followed the tip of roof rack whistling and pulled the rubber strip and replaced it with black hose. PURRRFECT!! No irritating whistle!! But…now I realize I do not like the rack on top, preferring instead to have a cleaner look. I want to remove the rack and perhaps put a dab of silicone in the holes in the roof. Anyone have other ideas of how to cover the drilled holes…I purchased this car just last weekend. It’s a 2006 Cooper S with just 3200 miles on it. I LOVE the way the car drives and handles, but I wish it didn’t have the roof rack.

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Duncan Chapman Jun 21st, 2007 Link

I have a factory MINI roof rack on my 2006 Cooper, and I need to buy fork-mount bike trays for it. It came with the type that has an “arm” that clamps onto the frame, but it’s ugly and very difficult to use. I’ve ordered a fork-mount type from the local MINI dealership, but they have no idea how long it might take to come in. Does Thule make a fork-mount tray or an adapter that will work on the MINI rack? If so, where can I purchase them? Help!

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kelly Jun 24th, 2007 Link

Any suggestions for those with convertibles?

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Cheryl Jun 25th, 2007 Link

I have a ‘06 MCS and found all of your comments extremely helpful while making the decision on my recent bike rack purchase. I ended up with the rear mount Sari Bones 3 bike rack – had to hold 3 – am very happy. It’s good looking and very sturdy.

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Rocky Jan 5th, 2008 Link

I have been using the Saris Bones RS for about a year now. The ratcheting mechanism with steel belt straps is far superior to any of the pull strap types I have used.The cups conform to rear without scratching and the rack is very solid even with three downhill bikes (100+ pounds) on it.Definately takes a little fitting get all three on but with my normal one or two it is perfect. I particularly like the fact that we do not remove wheels as our bikes all have 20 mm thru axles. It is all aluminum also with a very easy setup and locks on to the car. The link is http://www.saris.com/

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Sean May 28th, 2008 Link

Just to add to the conversation. I recently purchased an 08 MCS and purchased a Thule aftermarket roof rack. After years of using a hitch mounted tray rack on my truck which worked beautifully I thought I had no options but the roof. I’ve used the roof rack a few times and it definetly makes a lot of noise with our without a bike. Now I see that you can get the mini sportlink and then buy a hitch mount which attaches to the sportlink and use an aftermarket tray mount bike rack just like what I have. They make it in both an 1 1/4 receiver and a 2 inch. I wouldn’t go towing anything with the mini but a hitch mounted bike rack seems to be the most solid option which doesn’t affect the aero dynamics of the car and doesn’t make noise. Although I already have the money invested in the roof rack, I’m going to go for the sportlink set up to provide more options to carry gear and bikes.

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Travis Slaton Feb 11th, 2009 Link

thanks for the post, helped me settle a dispute with a friend.

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