Just put on my T2 yesterday, love it!

Heres an action shot of my X, carrying our bikes around on the Thule. :D

I've always been afraid of using such a rack because I'd have to lift the bike up and place it close to what appears to be the center of the vehicle.

My fear is that I would miss the fork post and the forks would land on the glass or some other part might scratch the car while loading or unloading.

Do you use a step ladder?
How do you steady the bike (especialy the tandam) while loading?

Well...I'm about to find out as I just purchased a Yakima Frontloader. I know that I won't be able to put the bike up there without a step stool of some kind. I'm planing to use a folding platform like this => Werner AP-20-MP6 225-Pound Capacity Work Platform - Amazon.com

I'll see how well the platform will work with loading/unloading the bike.

You won't have a bike in the centre unless you have three or four up there. One or two are best mounted close to the rails, as that is the most stable and rigis position (in addition to being easier to access). I put two wheel carriers in the centre, and if I need to I stand on a door sill. I usually don't have to (I am 6'4").

You don't go for the fork posts first. Put one hand on the forks half way up the blades, one on the seat tube. Sit the rear wheel in the tray. Then roll the bike fore/aft and tip it to be straight as you line up the fork mounts. You are only holding the front of the bike up at that point, and it doesn't have a wheel in, so it is very light.

The tandem is a bit different. That rack is designed with a 90 degree swivel in the fork mount; you are only supposed to lift the front up and leave the back wheel on the ground (at 90 degrees to the tray). You attach the fork, then lift the rear of the bike and walk it in. Then lock down the fork mount rotation. You only have to lift half the weight, but you need a long bike to clear the side of the car. In practice, I only did it that way once. I find it easier to leave the fork mount not rotated, and just press the bike up. It is a light tandem, and I realize that many aren't that light. With a heavy tandem, the rotating fork mount is a great idea. That is a ATOC rack; Thule has now bought them and rebranded it as a Thule carrier. It is exactly the same product, just a new label.

If I wasn't as tall, I would still use these racks, but carry a Rubbermaid or similar step stool.

I have never scratched the vehicle. I have had chain lube drip on the glass, but that was my own fault for not wiping it after lubing the chain and before lifting it up.

Jeff

JCL,
You've made it sound much simpler than it really is ;) I'm having a tough time using the roof mount, even when using platform that provided me with about 20 extra inches in height. May be it gets easier and better with practice and mounting the bike more often. For what it is, I'm liking this Yakima Frontloader as it doesn't touch the frame and no need to dismount the front wheel. It's very stable and the bike doesn't appear to move much.

It may be that I've been doing it for awhile, it may be my height and reach, and it is likely related to my bikes being lighter than your mountain bike. It is straightforward with a fork mount; while you don't need to remove a front wheel, I am not sure if your front wheel support makes it easier to lift the bike in or not. Your rack also sits quite a bit higher on the load bars. Nice looking setup, though.

It's actually not too bad mounting it on my driveway, but it's a whole different story after a long ride :D I've also watched a few videos of retailers showing the mounting process and they all looked pretty effortless (Yakima FrontLoader Roof Bike Rack Review - 2011 Hyundai Accent - etrailer.com - YouTube). A hitch mount is defintely the way to go for a mountain bike, if only it wasn't such a pain/hassle to install the hitch on the X :(

I can relate to that! We had a major accident on the tandem. We were a couple of miles from our vehicle. My wife was in an ambulance en route to hospital. I had a separated shoulder. I rode the tandem back, solo. That was tough, but not as tough as lifting it up with one good arm.

I find that it is worth having a defined routine for mounting the bike on the roof. A set sequence. For me....
Open fork mount clamp
Lay rear wheel strap out
Turn pedals to 9 and 3
Remove front wheel
Lift bike with set hand positions
Place rear wheel in tray
Roll bike forward and attach forks
Secure rear wheel
Mount front wheel in carrier
Check fork mount
Check rear wheel strap
Walk around the vehicle and see if I left gloves, helmets, pump, etc on the ground

This way I can go quickly, and still make sure nothing is missed. You will get your own routine, bit IMO it is worth defining that routine.

Good luck

Jeff

Thanks for the tips. Sorry to hear about your accident...hope you and your wife are recovering well from it. Unlike your tandem, if it gets too bad to lift the bike after a ride, I can always throw it in the back of the X, even if it's dirty and muddy. That's what the U in the SUV is for right? Oh wait...there is no U in this SAV ;)