Bike carrier for car without tow kit

[biffo77]

I've a 2016 Focus TitaniumX hatch back, I'm looking to buy a bike carrier for it, I've no towing kit on the car, so it'll need to be one of the strap on/strap off type ones.

Anyone got some suggestions on what to get?

I'm totally lost looking at the options, and some manufacturers are confusing in what they say will and wont fit my car

[andypsp]

Halfords had some on offer a few weeks back, you pop your reg in on the website and it will show you what should fit your car 

[avi]

5 hours ago, biffo77 said:

I've a 2016 Focus TitaniumX hatch back, I'm looking to buy a bike carrier for it, I've no towing kit on the car, so it'll need to be one of the strap on/strap off type ones.

Anyone got some suggestions on what to get?

I'm totally lost looking at the options, and some manufacturers are confusing in what they say will and wont fit my car

I carry bikes regularly and have tried many different carriers.  

The best I found in terms of limiting damage to car and bikes is using a roof mounted Yakima Frontloader fixed to standard Ford roof bars. This carries holds the bike by its wheels avoiding clamping or contact with the bike frame, which I found caused cosmetic damage where the frame contact the carrier.

The bikes I carry are expensive carbon models but even if I was carrying cheap family bikes I'd still look at the roof option to limit car damage.

Really depends on what you want to spend.

   

[biffo77]

20 hours ago, avi said:

I carry bikes regularly and have tried many different carriers.  

The best I found in terms of limiting damage to car and bikes is using a roof mounted Yakima Frontloader fixed to standard Ford roof bars. This carries holds the bike by its wheels avoiding clamping or contact with the bike frame, which I found caused cosmetic damage where the frame contact the carrier.

The bikes I carry are expensive carbon models but even if I was carrying cheap family bikes I'd still look at the roof option to limit car damage.

Really depends on what you want to spend.

   

Thanks Avi, I should have mentioned due to a shoulder injury, I cannot lift over my head, so I'm stuck with rear mounted.   I really only need to move one bike, maybe once a month so my budget is 250stg or less.

[dan22]

have a Titanium mk3 2013 and use the Saris bones 2 just have to make sure the back wiper not on. 

[biffo77]

Thanks Dan,

I can get this in Halfords, so that's perfect.    I presume I just pull the fuse for the rear wiper to make sure it wont come on when I put car into reverse, but that's easy enough!!

 

:-)