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Old 04-19-2009, 10:42 AM   #11 (permalink)
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Ya think these guys noticed any change in MPG and wind noise ?

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Old 02-11-2010, 06:44 PM   #12 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mikel09 View Post
The wrath of roof rack and roofboxes has been independently tested by Edmonds and Consumer Reports. The impact was 17-25% depending on car, speed type of carrier. I have been developing an idea based on shortened boat tail plates tested on semi trailers, integrated in a cargo carrier for suvs, wagons, hatch backs, and sedans.

Essentially a back mounted aerodynamic cargo carrier. It eliminates the ~20% mpg penalty of roof top carriers and has improved mpg 5-10%, in preliminary tests with the boat tail design. We use it for camping, family road trips, ski equipment etc. AeroPACKusa is the product. I would appreciate your comments. Thanks!
I like it. If you ever make anything like that for a surfboard let me know.

Also just brainstorming if you created a quickly removable, easily secured tie-down system and sold it fairly cheap you could make a killing here in Southern California targeting the surfing industry. The current selection of 'inexpensive' racks is not that great at all.
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Old 02-12-2010, 02:20 PM   #13 (permalink)
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lucidexp: you might be on to something. I remember another EM member way back when who signed up specifically to noodle about a better way to deal with his surfboard roof rack.

Also: I missed it when Mikel09 originally posted, but I think he might have contacted me first to ask if he could mention his product on the forum. (And I said, "sure.")
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Old 02-12-2010, 02:30 PM   #14 (permalink)
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lucidexp: you might be on to something. I remember another EM member way back when who signed up specifically to noodle about a better way to deal with his surfboard roof rack.

Also: I missed it when Mikel09 originally posted, but I think he might have contacted me first to ask if he could mention his product on the forum. (And I said, "sure.")
Being a fellow surfer and having my truck die on me I have had to resort to having a car, but dont want to give up surfing because of it.

I have looked around and tried a few but several current version of removable racks are really, really bad. I have seen some flatable roof racks but they sell for around $100 and for that you are better off getting a 'real' rack.

I have the design tools and a degree in architecture, willing to give the design away since I just want a solution.
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Old 02-13-2010, 10:33 PM   #15 (permalink)
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Guys this sounds interesting. Are you thinking about a roof mount or back mount surfboard carrier? What are your thoughts on the concept?



Quote:
Originally Posted by lucidexp View Post
Being a fellow surfer and having my truck die on me I have had to resort to having a car, but dont want to give up surfing because of it.

I have looked around and tried a few but several current version of removable racks are really, really bad. I have seen some flatable roof racks but they sell for around $100 and for that you are better off getting a 'real' rack.

I have the design tools and a degree in architecture, willing to give the design away since I just want a solution.
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Old 02-15-2010, 03:21 PM   #16 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lucidexp View Post
I have the design tools and a degree in architecture, willing to give the design away since I just want a solution.
New thread! (Please, if you're going to do it.)
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Old 05-31-2013, 09:07 PM   #17 (permalink)
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i know this is an old thread but im wondering would it make any difference if i make a roof rack and mounted it on an aero cap?? would that be worse that just keeping my truck cap and putting the bike inside?
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Old 06-01-2013, 12:02 PM   #18 (permalink)
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My brother has an F250 with an aero topper. It's described here: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...250-16798.html

Since then, he added four eyebolts to the topper for tying down a 13 foot canoe. The canoe lays upside down on the topper with one end over the cab and the other end sticking out back a little bit. He has not noticed a mileage decrease with that setup, so any mileage hit is less than 1 MPG.

I think his success is due to the canoe being down tight against the topper.
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Old 06-14-2018, 10:18 AM   #19 (permalink)
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CR adds some data: Honda Accord, Toyota Camry

Updating this 11 year-old thread...


Consumer Reports asked:
What's the Impact of Carrying Stuff on the Roof?

They tested with a  2013 Honda  Accord at 65 mph / 105 km/h.

  • 42 mpg US - baseline with nothing on the roof
  • 37 mpg - empty bike rack
  • 35 mpg - empty bike rack with wind deflector (made it quieter, but increased drag)
  • 27 mpg - two bikes on the rack (didn't specify deflector or not)
They also tested a 2008 Camry with a large car-top carrier...
  • fuel economy dropped by 5 mpg
Source: https://www.consumerreports.org/fuel...l-economy-now/


Moral of the story: carry stuff inside the car or on the back whenever possible!


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Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



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Old 06-14-2018, 03:45 PM   #20 (permalink)
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I put a pair of Kayaks on my Civic hybrid to drive to the lake near my dad's house. I made ~48mpg getting to his house (11.5 hour drive). Going from his house to the lake and back (1.5 hours) with the Kayaks on, the drag was so great I had to use 4th gear to maintain 60mph on the backroads without flattening my hybrid battery... I made about 35 mpg.

Huge difference. Note: I had an aero-clean car (no rack) for the drive to his place, the Kayaks were put on one of those gutter strap-down roof racks he had at his place.

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