XBimmers X1   XBimmers X1
  XBimmers X1

Go Back   XBimmers | BMW X1 Forum > BMW X1 Forums > General BMW X1 (E84) Forum

Post Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      11-21-2012, 05:19 PM   #1
jtilley7
New Member
3
Rep
13
Posts

Drives: X1 28i
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Boston, MA

iTrader: (0)

BMW VS Thule Ski rack

I am looking for an easy to use ski rack that will make as little noise as possible while driving.

Thule's set up is Aero blade load bar, podium foot pack, Flat top ski binder and fitting kit for X1. total $625

VS

BMW Comfort ski holder and Base support system. total $460

Anyone use either one and have any suggestions?
Appreciate 0
      11-21-2012, 05:35 PM   #2
Red Bread
Major General
United_States
4462
Rep
9,160
Posts

Drives: Smog machines
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Austin, TX

iTrader: (0)

I have the Yakima Rail Grab for another car that I test fit to the X1 and it works fine. The newer aero bars will be quieter than the old round or square bars, especially since it's hard to run a fairing on the X1 with a sunroof.

The OE BMW stuff is made by Thule though, and many accessories will fit either. I just have more stuff that works with Yak round bars, so stick with it.
Appreciate 0
      11-21-2012, 09:55 PM   #3
Hansee
Enlisted Member
Hansee's Avatar
Norway
9
Rep
37
Posts

Drives: E91 & E46
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Norway

iTrader: (0)

I have Thule aero on mine. Looks better than oem imo.
Appreciate 0
      11-21-2012, 10:39 PM   #4
conceyted
Private
conceyted's Avatar
9
Rep
81
Posts

Drives: 2013 X1
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: New Orleans, LA

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hansee View Post
I have Thule aero on mine. Looks better than oem imo.
Would you please post up a few pictures of your setup.
Appreciate 0
      12-19-2012, 10:21 AM   #5
qkbrian
New Member
1
Rep
22
Posts

Drives: BMW X1
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Houston, Tx

iTrader: (0)

Can someone confirm for certain that the Yakima Railgrab will work with the X1 roof rails? Based on Yakima's online fit guide, it does not indicate that it will fit.
Appreciate 0
      12-19-2012, 10:38 AM   #6
Red Bread
Major General
United_States
4462
Rep
9,160
Posts

Drives: Smog machines
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Austin, TX

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by qkbrian View Post
Can someone confirm for certain that the Yakima Railgrab will work with the X1 roof rails? Based on Yakima's online fit guide, it does not indicate that it will fit.
I notice they also don't list a fitment for the X3. I mounted it on ours, with the small clips and it fit perfectly. I actually don't find much noise on my daily driver with round bars and a fairing, but the Whispbars are supposed to be quieter (for double the money, they should be).
Appreciate 0
      12-19-2012, 10:58 AM   #7
qkbrian
New Member
1
Rep
22
Posts

Drives: BMW X1
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Houston, Tx

iTrader: (0)

Received this response from Yakima:

Hi, Brian, and thank you for contacting Yakima Customer Support.

Our Fit Team is assessing your vehicle. Generally, this means that we will have a fit for your vehicle in the near future. When completed, we will list the Yakima rack configuration(s) that work best. (If we should find that there is no way to fit your vehicle, we will change the vehicle to a "No Fit" status.)

Please visit www.yakima.com and click on "Fit My Car" and enter your vehicle's make model and year. There, you can sign up to receive an automatic notification when a fit is available. You can also check back periodically to see if fit information for your vehicle has become available. Once we have a fit, our website will immediately reflect that information.

Please be patient, there are a lot of vehicles out there for our fit team to check out. I have logged that you would like a rack for this vehicle which helps our Fit Team know that there is a demand for it.
Appreciate 0
      12-19-2012, 11:05 AM   #8
Red Bread
Major General
United_States
4462
Rep
9,160
Posts

Drives: Smog machines
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Austin, TX

iTrader: (0)

Ha, I dealt with that response for years with my M Coupe. I bought a Thule rack meant for direct attachment to the E46, dremeled the existing channel an inch on each side to allow for the narrower roof and used that rack for years, Yakima and Thule never actually sorted anything out for the E36/8.

Appreciate 0
      12-19-2012, 11:17 AM   #9
qkbrian
New Member
1
Rep
22
Posts

Drives: BMW X1
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Houston, Tx

iTrader: (0)

No modifications required to get the Grabrail to work on your X1 though? I have 2 kayak attachments for roundbar and want to avoid buying a whole new system.
Appreciate 0
      12-19-2012, 11:23 AM   #10
Red Bread
Major General
United_States
4462
Rep
9,160
Posts

Drives: Smog machines
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Austin, TX

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by qkbrian View Post
No modifications required to get the Grabrail to work on your X1 though? I have 2 kayak attachments for roundbar and want to avoid buying a whole new system.
Correct, it snugged right up. You can feel the channel on the inside of the rails, and the regular Railgrab feet fit that profile perfectly. Provided you keep the crossbars mounted within the area that has the backside cutout, you should be just fine. I suppose if you wanted to be 100% certain of a proper fit, you could get the Thule 460 Podium setup, assuming your kayak setup also works on square bars, as most bike mounts will work on both round and square bars.
Appreciate 0
      12-19-2012, 12:05 PM   #11
Grovsnus
Flight Lieutenant ≛
No_Country
18
Rep
918
Posts

Drives: Le Mans blue X1 35i
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: CT

iTrader: (0)

Do these racks work for cross-country skis too? (Given that cross country skis are longer, softer, and will flap pretty badly if only fastened in the middle.)
Appreciate 0
      12-19-2012, 02:04 PM   #12
Red Bread
Major General
United_States
4462
Rep
9,160
Posts

Drives: Smog machines
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Austin, TX

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Grovsnus View Post
Do these racks work for cross-country skis too? (Given that cross country skis are longer, softer, and will flap pretty badly if only fastened in the middle.)
Yeah, roof racks are ideal for carrying skis and boards. I've carried both for years with these:
http://yakima.com/shop/snow/roof/powderhound-wlocks

They also make a wider one, but even just the regular one will carry a board and a set of skis stacked, with the bindings locked.

ECS has the factory rack for $225, not a bad deal. I assume that's without lock cores, but suspect that since the OE stuff is made by Thule, any lock would work. I've found that Thule, Rocky Mount and Yakima lock cores are interchangeable.
Appreciate 0
      12-19-2012, 03:53 PM   #13
Transfer
Major General
Transfer's Avatar
5243
Rep
5,874
Posts

Drives: Bronco Wildtrak, Tesla MYP
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Issaquah, WA

iTrader: (1)

I put our Yakima ski racks on 2 weeks ago and had no issues. I'm using the railgrab mounts with 48" crossbars, fatcat 6 ski rack and 38" fairing. There was wind noise that was noticeable, but didn't overly annoy me. Noise increased with a full rack of skis. There is a minor whistle with just the bars only (and no fairing). We were previously planning to get a cargo box and so we picked up a Skybox 16s last week and with bars and box only, it's pretty darned quiet.
Appreciate 0
      12-19-2012, 11:02 PM   #14
qkbrian
New Member
1
Rep
22
Posts

Drives: BMW X1
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Houston, Tx

iTrader: (0)

Any chance you could post a photo of the Yakima Railgrab and roundbars on your X1? I am trying to decide between keeping my existing setup (2 hull raiser kayak carriers, and 2 copperhead bike carriers) or going with BMW setup. I believe the hull raiser will only work with round bars. Not sure on the copperheads.

Last edited by qkbrian; 12-19-2012 at 11:08 PM..
Appreciate 0
      12-20-2012, 09:45 AM   #15
pinemind
Private First Class
19
Rep
173
Posts

Drives: 2012 135i M-sport 6 sp manual
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Boston, MA

iTrader: (3)

For what it's worth, the Yakima Whispbars are amazing. They are the lowest profile possible (lower than Thule Aero) and are very quiet. With the sunroof cover closed, I cannot hear anything at all. I put them on my e92 about 6 months ago. Note: I actually did the work to painstakingly paint the aluminum pieces flat black and also, blacked out the logo. Well worth it going with the Shadowline trim. They make Whispbars that attach to factory rails too:





With Thule Ascent 1600 (perfect size, wider than most but mid-range length to accomodate coupe/small SUV's; can fit lawnchairs in here)



Appreciate 0
      02-10-2013, 01:37 PM   #16
barbel
New Member
France
4
Rep
13
Posts

Drives: X1 xDrive 2.0d, auto
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Nimes, (south of) France

iTrader: (0)

first time ski rack, X1

Guys, sorry if this is too basic and/or deserves another thread. I have an X1-xDrive 2.0d, with Panoramic Sunroof. It has whatever are the standard rails for this model. I've never before fitted a ski rack, but it looks like for my next trip into the alps (I'm resident in France) I can't get away with fitting all the kit inside the car. Probably I need to carry 3 sets of regular skis, plus a snowboard.

Sorry about my ignorance, but
(1) do all racks take the same number of skis, if so, how many?
(2) Snowboard? (or does that have to go inside somehow)
(3) is there any complication with my having the Sunroof?

I see this thread talks about OE or other makes, but I'm not sure what is available in france or what I should be looking out for. I guess I could ask my local general-purpose accessories shop for their advice, or BMW themselves. But if anyone can give my some helpful advice in advance, I'd appreciate it.
Appreciate 0
      02-10-2013, 03:27 PM   #17
Grovsnus
Flight Lieutenant ≛
No_Country
18
Rep
918
Posts

Drives: Le Mans blue X1 35i
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: CT

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by barbel View Post
(1) do all racks take the same number of skis, if so, how many?
(2) Snowboard? (or does that have to go inside somehow)
(3) is there any complication with my having the Sunroof?
Yes, the number of skis you can fit can vary.

If alpine skis, you have to make sure the bindings won't hit the sunroof. Some racks allow for alpine skis to be attached at an angle, which supposedly helps. The ones I have seen only use half the rack for this, with the rest being usable for Nordic skis or snowboards.

Others require skis to be slapped together, and fastened sideways (in which case the bindings hitting the roof isn't an issue). Make sure the tips point backwards if doing it this way.

I've also seen a rack with extra fasteners for ski poles, but it looked like a clumsy arrangement..

Being a cross country skier myself, I prefer skis to be in a bag, and the bag fastened with straps. That way, I won't damage the glide surface with road dust. I've never had to fit more than 2 pairs, but guess I could fit 4.
Appreciate 0
      02-10-2013, 04:47 PM   #18
3Bims
Private
0
Rep
62
Posts

Drives: XXX
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: US

iTrader: (0)

Don't overlook the roof box instead of a rack. It's easy to put the skis in, keeps them better and gives you some more room for other gear. Packing for four people in addition to 4 sets of boots, 4 helmets, etc can be a tight squeeze without a box, especially if you are packing for a longer stay.
Appreciate 0
      02-10-2013, 05:27 PM   #19
Grovsnus
Flight Lieutenant ≛
No_Country
18
Rep
918
Posts

Drives: Le Mans blue X1 35i
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: CT

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Bims View Post
Don't overlook the roof box instead of a rack. It's easy to put the skis in
Haven't seen any boxes that allow fitting my 205 cm cross country skis, or 215 cm downhill skis.
I'm sure it's an option for shorter slalom skis, though.
Appreciate 0
      02-10-2013, 05:59 PM   #20
3Bims
Private
0
Rep
62
Posts

Drives: XXX
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: US

iTrader: (0)

Yakima box (21) is 92" in length and fits 215's. Thule has a box thats 99". Don't know if either would fit on an x1 though.
Appreciate 0
      02-10-2013, 06:16 PM   #21
Grovsnus
Flight Lieutenant ≛
No_Country
18
Rep
918
Posts

Drives: Le Mans blue X1 35i
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: CT

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Bims View Post
Yakima box (21) is 92" in length and fits 215's. Thule has a box thats 99". Don't know if either would fit on an x1 though.
Looking, it looks like the Yakima LoPro will fit. And I like the design with the lock handle - just not the price (which doesn't include cross bars).
I have my doubts about the huge Thule one, though.
Appreciate 0
      02-10-2013, 06:45 PM   #22
3Bims
Private
0
Rep
62
Posts

Drives: XXX
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: US

iTrader: (0)

The lopro is attractive. Not sure how much gear it will hold though. Looks like it would have trouble with a helmet and boots in the photo. The 21 will hold enough to keep the back of the car empty (or pack away).
Appreciate 0
Post Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:32 PM.




xbimmers
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST