Audi Q3 Owners Forum banner

Bike carrier

19K views 24 replies 15 participants last post by  ayalavi 
#1 ·
Was wondering as to what are the possibilities for bike carrier. Is it possible to have a rear mounting carrier like with a normal hatchback? It seems that the only options are on a tow bar or on a roof rack, and I dont find the idea of putting bikes on the roof very appealing.Cheers
 
#4 ·
The roof-mounted option is OK - I just bought Thule Feet to fit to my Halfords Aero-Bars and it was simple enough to do - but it is a high roof to lift bikes onto!!
Went to Center Parcs, and the whole lot only just fitted under the roof of the entrance to the Park, and I didn't think the Q3 was that big....
 
#6 ·
Hi. I used Thule carriers with an Audi rack for my A3. So long as the current racks still have a t track then you'll be ok. I decided to get Thule bars for the Q3 to save a bit of cash.
 
#8 ·
dus said:
Was wondering as to what are the possibilities for bike carrier. Is it possible to have a rear mounting carrier like with a normal hatchback? It seems that the only options are on a tow bar or on a roof rack, and I dont find the idea of putting bikes on the roof very appealing. Cheers 
Hi dus did you have any luck getting one for the boot?
 
#9 ·
Hi dus,
We bought the towbar based bike carrier for our A3, and also the extension for a 3rd bike.
Certainly wasn't cheap but it's a fantastic bit of kit, best we've ever used, the whole thing folds down (with the bikes on) for easy boot access, loads of other clever gizmos and gadgets. We kept it when we traded in the A3 as we will use it on the Q3 as well. We've also used it on my Toyota Celica so I have no doubts that it'll fit the Q3 just fine.
If you can afford it, I'd recommend it :)
 
#13 ·
Hello, Fat Daddy.
I hope you're well.
Could you please post some pics of how you've mounted this? I have the Saris Bones 2-bike rack, and I fear that the clips on top will break my Q3's spoiler (over-hanging lip on which the 3rd stop-light is mounted). Looking at the top of the rear door, I observe that the spoiler is what the clips will hook to, not the door's metallic edge. This spoiler is held by just 2 small bolts, from what I can tell, and I've been quite afraid of using my Saris rack because I expect this to break once the weight of the bike puts pressure on it.
Any insight on your mounting method will be greatly appreciated.
Kind regards,
Renzo
 
#15 ·
Hello, Adders.
I've got the Saris Bones 2. It's worked well for me, though I still can't use it due to the reasons stated in my question to Fat Daddy. What I'm currently doing is folding both rear seats, removing the bike's front wheel, and placing all of that in the cargo area.
I've been gifted one of the roof bars for the Q5 and I'm going to modify it so I can mount it on the Q3. I'll try to mount the Bones by hooking the straps to the bar instead of the rear door once I get some time to modify the bar.
Good luck, and please let us know if you find any other solution.
 
#21 ·
Hey, Guys.
I've managed to mount the Saris Bones 2 rack onto my Q3. I've used it 4 times this week and it's been quite stable. Haven't tried mounting two bikes on it, though.
Here's how I did it:


I used the "lower" and "side" straps for the top corners. I chose not to grab onto the car's spoiler for fear of it breaking under the stress. Strap placement isn't ideal, and the side straps are working in a very twisted angle, but I have noticed no stability problems so far.



You might want to close the angle of the 3 support legs a bit more and leave the bike further away from the rear door, but I placed a bungee cord so that it kept the pedals from rotating, avoiding a possible scuff/dent on the paintwork.



Bottom leg placement might have been better against the bumper, but I didn't want to put weight on a plastic part, so I chose to place the legs against the rear door. I placed the hooks so that they pressed against the legs and haven't had any issues with unwanted movement.


I hope this helps you out, and if anyone has any suggestions, please let me know.
Special note: I'm sorry about having Lady Sif (that's my Q3's name) so dirty, but it's been really rainy lately and I haven't washed her yet. I solemnly swear I shall give her some TLC this week.
 
#23 ·
I've just got a Saris Bones 3 and I'm trying out fitting it. I'll post some pics when I get a good position. I think rgcastro7 could do with some protection between the clips and the paint work tbh! I'll be using some thick clear plastic that I used to protect my roof from roof bars on a previous Golf else I can see those clips chewing into the paint over time.
As for the spoiler - I'm sure it will be ok. It's not taking a lot of strain, if you load up the sturdier sides of the tailgate.
I'll post back.
 
#24 ·
Hello, Drof.
Thank you for your comments. I look forward to your pics and feedback on spoiler strain.
You're right about the paint needing some protection. My car already shows a bit of wear in the edges where the clips are pressing in, though it hasn't gotten worse from the initial (and very small, to be honest) chipped corners.
I hope to hear from you soon!
Renzo
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top