- Mont Blanc Barracuda / RoofRush
- Rating:
- Price: ££
- Reviewed by:
Mont Blanc used to call this model the Barracuda, but have recently rebranded it the MB BikeCarrier RoofRush. As the new name implies, it is a roof bar mounted bike carrier that fits to most roof racks. Lets delve into the details
Manufacturer: Mont Blanc
Model: Barracuda
Attachment Type: Roof
Max Weight of Bike: 15kg
Max Total Weight: 15kg
Max Assembled Weight (minus bikes): 4.4 kg
Additional Features:
Overview
As with most roof mounted carriers, the Mont Blanc Barracuda is available as a single pack and also a double pack, so if you need to carry multiple bikes, you should be able to get better value by buying the twin pack. It locks to the roof bars of your car via a clamp system that does not require tools.
It’s quite a distinctive design, with a pre-formed plastic molding forming a track for the bike wheels to sit in. My initial reaction is that this may limit your tyre size, but lets see what other people say.
Ease of installation
Generally reviewers found this was not an overly complicated rack to fit though one or two did mention that the first time they fitted them it took some time to get to grips with how to attach the clamps – a suggestion that longer threads should be supplied as they can sometimes be a bit fiddly was put forward. Mont Blanc appear to have listened and complaints about this seemt o have died down with the latest batches. The video below shows how the rack is attached to square roof bars:
Fitting to a Mont Blanc roofbar was much easier as there is a special fitting that is more secure and pleasing on the eye.
Ease of Installation: 70%
Build quality
Made from chromium plated steel with UV resistant composite scoops there were few, if any, complaints about general build quality though the plastic locks and keys were often regarded as being not fit for purpose. This can be remedied though, as you Mont Blanc also manufacture metal locks, which can be picked up at a reasonable price. It niggles me that metal locks aren’t supplied as standard though – you shouldn’t have to factor in extra cost when buying a cycle rack.
Build quality: 80%
Design
The Mont Blanc Barracuda / RoofRush is quite a distinctive, stylish design. The clamping arm can be switched from being left-handed to right-handed, so it allows the bike rack to be fitted on either side of the car.
As mentioned earlier, the scooped design of the plastic molding does limit the size of tyre that will fit in. The maximum recommended size of tyre is 2.2″, so if you are wanting this rack to carry a mountain bike with tyres fatter than 2.2″ then this might not be the bike rack for you. However, some people have found that by deflating the tyres that they could use it for their bikes.
Also, praise must be given for the clamp which attaches to the down-tube, which has a nice spongey interior, allowing for a snug fit without damaging your beloved bike. However, some people found that the clamp itself was a bit short to attach to their down-tube. I’d recommend that if you have a large frame, that you take your bike with you to a store to check it fits.
Design: 75%
Price
This is a reasonable bike rack, but if you are buying a single unit, the price feels a bit steep. However, the price soon falls if you buy a twin pack, which rescues it.
Price: 70%
Editor Rating
- Very Good
- Mont Blanc Barracuda / RoofRush
- Reviewed by:
Review Summary:
The majority of reviewers were raving about this particular rack but it does present some problems. Tyre scoops were fine to a maximum of 2.2" but for mountain bikes with broader tyres it was necessary to deflate the tyres in order to get them into the scoops. For some reviewers this was just a minor inconvenience whilst for a few it was unacceptable. Those reviewers with high down tubes or small frames found the support arm too short and had to either pull the bike down on its suspension or extend the arm in some way. This was not a problem with standard bikes. The most common complaint was about the plastic lock and keys. Interestingly two riders had mentioned having their bikes stolen off the rack and in both instances it was not the locks that were forced but the clamp system. In fairness very few racks are totally theft proof in this regard. All reviewers were very positive about ease of use after a few teething problems and there were only positive comments about the quality of drive once bikes were up.