Transporting a Mountain Bike ?

[Iain_S4]

Due to collect my RS4 saloon this weekend . Anybody on here use a roof mounted or boot mounted bike rack? Considering buying Thule roof bars and bike carrier but having never used them before I'm worried about leaving marks on the roof.

With my current car I've just been folding down the back seat and sticking the bike in through the boot. Don't want to do this with the RS4 though.

Iain

[VARSITY]

I bought the Audi system and a Thule rack for the bike x 2.

Have the optics pack and its a black rail and carrier so looks ok, can also use the bars to put a pod on if we go down to France with the kids.

Had a bad experience with a rear carrier popping the window.

[s3marc]

I have black optics and put all 4 family bikes on the roof. Used quite a few times and no marks on the roof bars (they are pretty well padded with rubber mounts. I use the Atera system (this can be used with Thule bars if wanted)

bought from
http://www.roofbox.co.uk/bkchome.html
seem pretty good prices , quick delivery and good customer service.

[Afanargoed]

I had a Thule outrider on my old RS6, turned a corner (fairly quickly but not stupidly so) and the lateral force on caused the bike to break the fork fixing on roof bar – luckily not damaging car or bike, but the Thule rack was ruined. Since replaced them with two new Thule 591s on my RS4 and all is fine. Notice a bit of marking on the Black optic roof rails, but nothing a gentle T-Cut wouldn’t remove.

Only other side comment is that the (Audi supplied) RS4 roof bars a pain to fit compared to the RS6 ones that seemed easier…