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      03-16-2017, 02:25 PM   #6
trjn
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Drives: e92, F10, F15
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Denver, CO

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I am sure the OEM bars are similar on E91 and E90/92 (except the mounting system with rails). The OEM bars are slotted, so any bike mount system that has adapters for slot mounts will work. But you will need some extra parts.

Thule xadapt adapters (made for the rapid aero and aeroblades) wont work because the slots are wider in the OEM bars. However, they can be modified with the wider T bolts that will fit in the OEM bar slots. The rear is mounted with a plate and longer T bolts. If you look at the xadapt adapter package from thule, you will understand what I am talking about.

If you have any roof rack shops nearby(rackattack is my local goto shop), they can sell/give you mounting T bolts with wider base that will fit perfectly in the slots.

I have used Thule peletons and thule ski racks on my E46, Audi A4 and E92.
First on my e46, I used xadapt 9 adapters with larger square/rectangle nut for to slide into the slots. I got the larger square nuts separately from the rack shop. They do stock those. The nuts that came with xadapt 9 were a bit too narrow for the factory bar slots.

After getting the roof racks on E92, I went to the shop to buy new xadapt 9 kit for my thule ski racks, amazingly they had the T bolts that fit for wider channel. Didnt even need to buy the thule kit. Just the wider T bolts and a wing nuts, done.

So, yes depending on which bike racks you want to mount and how you want to mount, it can be done with OEM bars. I like thule peletons because it has two bolts holding the rack head to the bars instead of one like in the earlier thule bike racks. Much more secure. I prefer fork mounts to frame mounts for bicycles. I feel its way more secured. Although our bikes are not very expensive (cannondale cad9 and specialized allez), we would not want them to come undone and hit someone behind us on the highway.

Other option is rockymounts europitchforks. They come with slot mount systems appropriate for european cars, and they are slim and available in different colors too.

The factory roof racks are plenty strong. I once transported a 50" TV on top of my E46 coupe because it wouldnt fit in the trunk. But e92 swallowed a 60" TV like nothing into its trunk.
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