[dave]

yo, any of your homies got any beans on the whole roofrack vipers nest? maybe looking at getting one to pack some extra shit to scotia, like the bin-lid's inconveniently-sized perambulator.

obviously making sure we get one that fits the motor, but owt else to look out for? brands to get/avoid? pitfalls etc? cheers.

[BB]

I can thoroughly recommend Thule roof bars. I'm especially impressed with their bike racks (these ones).

Thule are more expnsive than most other brands but they are so much better made.

[jern]

Yeah. Thule racks / bars are pretty good in my (limited) experience,  do they do one for a stretch Humvee?

Also, prams are a pain in the arse in my experience.

[dave]

do they do one for a stretch Humvee?

I just need to buy 5 normal sets.

[Plattsy]

I had Dave rolling a custom Escalade with 30 inch rims.



How wrong could I be?

[dave]

the escalade is just the shortie's runaround.

[SA Chris]

Halford's own brand stuff is similar quality to Thules, but not as spenny. Pretty basic tho'.

The Thule stuff is all modular, so you can sometimes use the same bars with different "feet" when you switch cars, and can fit bike racks, roofboxes, whatever. Sometimes, but not always, eg the ones off the Hummer might not fit the Esca.

We got ours from http://www.cooksmotor.co.uk/ as they had best prices at the time, but worth shopping around some of the one stop websites to compare prices. Worth getting ones with locks so that thieving scallies can't just lift the lot. has been know to happen.

Where you heading in scotia?

[dave]

may.

[Jim]

what cars it going on dave?

[Falling Down]

Thule for me. I got mine from roofrack.co.uk a few years back and they've been great. 

[GCW]

I use Thule ones for the A4 roof bars, before that used Thule stuff to clamp on the old car roof.  Never had any problems.  And the mat lives in the roofbox, pretty handy.

[dave]

what cars it going on dave?

micra 03 plate 5dr. with 58" UV-backlit chrome spinners.

[Bubba]

Halford's own brand stuff is similar quality to Thules, but not as spenny. Pretty basic tho'.

I had some Halfords roof bars my Golf - as Chris says much cheaper than the Thule shit. Was fine carrying around lots of plywood sheets, etc.

[dave]

have just had a look on the halford site and their shit don't look mega cheap compared to the more competative thule online retailers anyway. based on this i'd probably go thule anyway for the street cred.

I'd be a thule not to.

[SA Chris]

Where you heading in scotia?

[dave]

Where you heading in scotia?

mull 'n shit. its gonna be well jackson.

[SA Chris]

Sweet. Should be excellent. Some nice looking stuff around Fionnphort and on Iona. The new Gary Latter Scottish Rock Vol 1 is up to date with info, but mostly of the rope holding veriety. Erraid looks esp ace, some of the stuff probably highballable.

http://www.scottishclimbs.com/wiki/Loch_Buie looks nice too.

[dave]

to be honest, i mya take some shoes but probably ain't gonna be doing any serious climbing - this is scotland afterall. got bigger fish to fuck.

[SA Chris]

okaaaaaay

[GCW]

Loch Buie is quite pleasant for an afternoon bumble, a few cool problems.  There's a couple of other venues on Mull that are worth a short session.

got bigger fish to fuck.

Ah, you're Munro bagging?

[dave]

wouldn't be much of a munro hit, since there's only the one on mull. anyway i've already ticked ben nevis and thats the biggest - CHEK ME TH FUCK OUT LOL!

[Johnny Brown]

Until recently climbing was a sporting counter-culture which supposedly placed no real value on anything except doing your own thing, having a good time, and getting away from the pressures of life. But its recent sharp increase in popularity and assimilation into mainstrean sporting culture have, inevitably, brought with them the macho posing, competitiveness, self-consciousness, and judging of yourself and others that afflict almost all other mainstream 'social' sports.The lack of any of these drawbacks of modern climbing culture is what makes Mull so appealing

That's certainly why I went there, I daresay Dave is similar.

[GCW]

I must admit I've been up Ben More, albeit is shitty conditions.  On a nice day it's be very pleasant I expect.
Mull's ace, just such a cool place to mooch about and explore.
The only downside is the proximity to Oban.

[SA Chris]

I know we are digressing now, but keen to get to Islay this spring. Lass's dad wants to make a pilgrimage to his favourite distillery, and the surfing beaches on the west coast look excellent.

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

I've done quite a bit of research into this. Heres what I recommend...

Get some Thule bars from these guys...
http://www.skidrive.co.uk/bars/index.php
Cheapest Thule stuff around and very helpful, quick cheap delivery.

Take your buggy to Halfords and check out what size of box you need then look on Ebay for bargainous roofboxes close to Sheffield.

Quite a few people get one for a holiday and never use it again. They get fed up with it taking over the garage and flog it for £50ish

New roofboxes are IMHO one of those stupidly overpriced things. £300 for a plastic box?! Get real.

If your in the market for bike carriers, Decathalon do some cheap ones which are ok, however if I was buying again I would probably spend a bit more and go for Thule.