If you’re not a fan of roof racks that clamp the down tube, there is another option. Fork-mount racks, like this British-made Pendle, fasten the dropouts securely using the fork’s own 15mm (or 20mm) thru-axle, coupled with a simple toe strap at the rear wheel.

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Simple and safe, they cause little damage to the bike. And by using a couple of extra toe straps, you can lash the front wheel to the frame and maximise storage space inside your car.

The Pendle rack is considerably cheaper than Thule’s version, and though it doesn’t look quite as slick, it definitely feels well made. Because the fork mount doubles as the clamp to the front roof bar, I found it difficult to get the rear wheel holder far enough forward to allow the boot to open on a small hatchback.

In the end, I had to get out the hacksaw and trim part of the extrusion. It’s also worth noting that, unlike Thule, there’s no integrated security, so you’ll have to use your own lock if leaving the car unattended.

Besides those minor points, this Pendle rack comes highly recommended.