Tony,

I use a similar setup as you saw at the bike event.  I use Thule tales to
mount over the pop top in the front with extra long poles.  I then use the
Thule Ultimate upright carrier mounted to the extreme sides.  I can carry
two bikes and still pop the top with no problem or 4 bikes if need be.  I
know it looks a little funny but it works great.

Charles
'91 Westy

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:Vanagon@vanagon.com]On Behalf Of
Anthony L. Mourkas
Sent: Thursday, May 14, 1998 1:38 PM
To: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: bike rack

My bike racks are attached to Thule load bars and gutter mount uprights
which are in turn attached to Thule's "artificial rain gutters" bolted to
the sides of the Westfalia pop-top.  Thus the whole roof top bike rack
assembly raises and lowers with the pop-top, with or without bikes
attached.  I have carried up to three bikes in this manner for years now
without any problems.  I do carry a small stepstool to help get the bikes
up there and it is necessary to have a helper (or be named "Hercules") to
put up the top with bikes attached.

I saw another interesting installation recently in the parking area of a
bicycling event that I would try if I hadn't already done the above.  The
owner of a Westfalia Vanagon had installed two Thule load bars over the
luggage well at the front of the van using two "tower" (tall) rain gutter
mounts attached to the rain gutters above the driver and front passenger
doors.  To these load bars were attached two thule fork mount bicycle
carriers facing backwards, that is with the rear wheel of the bicycles
facing forward, and sticking out over the windshield a bit.  The whole
assembly was mounted so that when the pop-top was raised it would just
clear the rack and bikes.  The owner of this van had mounted the two fork
mount bicycle carriers as far outboard as possible leaving most of the
luggage well accessible and usable for carrying whatever.  He claimed
that he could get the bikes up on top simply by opening the front door
and stepping on the footwell and top of the wheel wells.

It sure looked a little odd, but the owner claimed no problems with this
setup.  I would appreciate hearing of experiences with anything similar.

Tony

Anthony L. Mourkas
Hampden, Maine, USA
1981 Vanagon Westfalia