Particleman, how is the wind noise and MPG loss with those crossbars permanently attached?
I think i got -2mpg on the highway with my last roofrack.
Confused. I really need a roof rack to carry three bikes, do I go with all MAZDA OEM ? or the mazda rails with Thule 450R Crossroad AeroBlade Base Roof Rack?
The Mazda dealer bike mounts are basic Yakima mounts, nothing special except overpriced from the dealer. But it will be tight to get 3 bikes on the factory crossbars. Using the Mazda rails with Thule, Yakima Railgrab or Whispbar Thru bars will give you more crossbar width and adjustability. I wanted a cleaner and stronger system than the Mazda rails and here's my system. Whispbar custom tracks with Whispbar Through bars.
I did use a Yakima Control tower w/ Landing Pad 11 that use the same mounting points as the Thule Podium but the long distance between the bars (43") limited the configurations I could set up.
Rjdee,The Mazda dealer bike mounts are basic Yakima mounts, nothing special except overpriced from the dealer. But it will be tight to get 3 bikes on the factory crossbars. Using the Mazda rails with Thule, Yakima Railgrab or Whispbar Thru bars will give you more crossbar width and adjustability. I wanted a cleaner and stronger system than the Mazda rails and here's my system. Whispbar custom tracks with Whispbar Through bars.
is there a "clip on" version of a roof rack yet?
i can't say i'm excited about drilling anything and like the racks to be easily removable...
looks like it requires the factory rails. $435 msrp and kit comes with aero bars.
Aftermarket crossbars will give you greater strength, greater compatibility with various mounts, and also the wider mounting surface.
I'm a Yakima/Whispbar rep in New England, I've been selling and installing roof racks for 15+ years and personally avoid factory crossbars due to the inevitable weaknesses in their design. Most factory crossbars are biased towards looks and low noise since the dealer doesn't want to hear any complaints about wind noise. This is why most rack systems are mounted back away from the driver. Someone buying an aftermarket rack should be willing to give up some noise and the clean cosmetic to gain utility, function and safety.
Your biggest concern with mounting your canoe on the factory crossbars is the usable width of the factory bars and the width of your canoe. Most 14-15' canoes are fairly wide (36-40"). The width of the factory crossbars is close to 32", somebody please correct me if I'm wrong. Also the distance from the front bar to the rear bar is about 34", again this is a guessimate since I don't have the system install on my car. It'll be close but your canoe may not even fit on the factory crossbars.
A Thule, Yakima or Whispbar through bar system will give you a wider bar that will support your canoe properly and you could use something like the KeelOver gunawle brackets really hold it tight. Yes they do cost more but if you are transporting the boat longer distances or more often you can have greater confidence when driving the highways. Also the wider bar will actually make it easier to load the canoe up there.
I have bought a Black GT Diesel. I am keen to put some roof racks on it. any of the roof rack makers like Rola or Thule have a set to fit yet?
Pretty much everything out there for aftermarket doesn't require drilling. My system is a step most wouldn't take but makes it perfect for my needs.
Most racks systems will either grab onto the body where the doors open, attach to "fixed points" under the roof trim or attach to the raised rails. While they vary by manufacturer, they install fairly easily and are also easy to take off when not needed. Go to your nearest bike shop, outdoor specialty, REI etc to see how they'll work.
It all comes down to your usage and form/function rationale.