Atera GIRO AF aluminium bike carrier no. AR2220 (x 3)

• For starters, the frame holder will stay in whatever position you place it in, so you can position it before lifting the bike onto the roof.
• The bike comes to rest between the wheel clamps which, unusually, can and should be locked in position, adjusted for your bike, so the bike won't roll up or down the wheel tray. Now all you need to do is hold the bike vertical with one hand, even if the car is parked on a slope. Clever stuff...
• Now give the control grip a quick twist and the clamping jaws spring shut, i.e. adjust automatically to your bike profile.
• Give the control grip a further twist to tighten the mechanism, and then lock it and remove the key.
• Push the wheel straps into their quick release catches and pull tight.

All these adjustments are made at shoulder level (on the average car). When you come to take the bike off you'll loosen the wheel straps, unlock the control grip, twist it and pull it down until it clicks - all ready for when you put the bike back again. Believe us, there's no faster or neater system on the market.

Further specifications:

• Holds oval down tubes up to 100mm by 80mm, and round tubes from 22mm to 80mm diameter
• Weighs only 3kg
• 240mm wide, with 125mm between the roof bar fixings
• Quick release fixings to roof bars, including an integral lock
• The bike is locked to the carrier, and the carrier is locked independently to the roof bars (these locks are supplied)
• Identically keyed lock barrels are available, which makes sense if you're buying 2 or more carriers; you need 2 per carrier
• Thick rubber coating to protect the bike frame
• The quick release straps accommodate all common wheel sizes
• Easily changed from right hand to left hand mounting
• Frame holder folds flat when the bike is removed
• Holds bikes up to a maximum weight of 17kg
• Fits 32mm x 22mm standard steel bars
• Comes complete with 20mm x 20mm aerobar adapters for e.g. Atera, Prorack, CRUZ or Thule aerobars. Also fits many other manufacturers aero bars including Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Vauxhall
• A complete range of spares is available.
• Has passed the European "City Crash test"

Atera has a proud reputation to uphold as Germany's premier car rack systems manufacturer, making own branded gear for most of the German car companies as well as their own branded systems. Their testing regime is, as you can imagine, very extensive, and their quality is exceptional.

The GIRO AF has featured in numerous product tests over the years. 2011 tests include Germany's ADAC test which rated the GIRO AF in 2nd place behind the Thule ProRide 591, and Germany's auto magazine "Auto Strassenverkehr" test which put the GIRO AF ahead of the Thule carrier. Which one to go for is very much a matter of personal preference.

Exchange Scheme: Roof mounting bike carriers are part of our unique 90 day Exchange Scheme - see the tab for details. The bottom line is that if you aren't satisfied that the GIRO AF fits the bill you can exchange it for an alternative roof mount, or a tow bar bike rack.

This carrier is part of our "Pick and Mix programme", where there are discounts for multiple purchases of any carrier in the programme, and you can mix cheap and expensive. Change the quantities in your shopping basket (and press "Recalculate") to see what happens! It's priced as low as £58.95.

• Include 1 = £64.95 each
• Include 2 = £59.95 each
• Include 3 or more = £58.95 each

Fits roof bars up to: 32mm wide x 22mm deep

Fits aerobars: yes, adapters included for aero bars

Takes downtube dimensions: oval up to 80mm x 100mm, round 22-80mm diameter

Weight: 2.9kg

Max load capacity: 17kg

Bar to carrier lock: yes

Carrier to bike lock: yes

Matching locks available: yes

Width: takes 24cm of roof bar space

Guarantee: 3 years

Useful information:

You can top-and-tail the bike carriers to take up less space on your roof bars.

Click here for a fitting video

The GIRO AF came out top in a recent product test in the "Auto Strassenverkehr" magazine. (1 = Excellent, 2 = Good, 3 = Satisfactory, 4 = Adequate, 5 = Not good enough, 6 = Failed. The lower the score, the better.)

It scored 1.5 for its concept and workmanship, 1.7 for fitting and use, 1.0 in the driving test, 1.8 in the crash test, with an overall score of 1.5.

Here is an approximate translation of the summary:

• Good results in all areas: The test winner's concept is well thought through. The wheel rail can be adjusted and adapted to the bike. The method for fixing the wheels to the rail also proved to be good, because the strap is equipped with a ratchet, which facilitates the attachment. The frame holder is equally convincing - it fits neatly to any bike with its quick release clamp. It didn't show any noticeable weaknesses during the driving test. The GIRO AF passed the slalom, shaking track and full braking tests with flying colours. Though one frame holder loosened, the bike was held firm.
• The Thule ProRide 591 is also praised but let down because it doesn't include adapters for the wider channeled BMW aerobars (which are made by Atera, so the GIRO AF comes with the adapters!). As with the GIRO AF, the Proride 591 "convinced in the driving and crash test, during which only one holder loosened slightly".

To find the spare parts you need, please click here or on the pdf symbol below, identify the product codes, then choose them from the list below. If you need more than 1 of any item, change the quantities in the Shopping Basket.

We try and keep spare parts in stock but if the part you order is not in stock we will get back to you ASAP to let you know how long it will take to order in.

Deciding which bike carriers to buy is not always easy, especially as you may not have had experience of using bike carriers before. We hope that our buying guides provide useful guidance about which bike carrier 'strategy' will be most appropriate for your circumstances, as well as highlighting the best features of particular models. We also have troubleshooting FAQs - for example, some customers struggle at first to fit four bikes onto a tow ball carrier, and wonder whether a different carrier would allow the bikes to be spaced wider apart. (It won't, but we have some good tips which make bike fitting much easier.)

Our bike carriers Exchange Scheme covers roof mounting and tow ball mounting bike carriers only. Rear door mounting / strap on carriers are not included, and nor are roof bars. It allows you to exchange within 90 days of invoice date. Most exchanges are for roof mounting upgrades, or are tow ball carriers with very basic tilting systems being exchanged for easy to use sliding / tilting carriers.

These are the rules of the bike carriers Exchange Scheme:

• You are allowed one exchange only.
• The original equipment must be in "as new" condition, subject only to fair wear and tear.
• The replacement items must be different models from the originals.
• The replacement items must not be part of a package deal or be from our Bargains section.
• Roof bars are never part of the Exchange Scheme.

This is how the exchange scheme works:

• We charge in full for the replacement items, including the appropriate carriage charge and a charge for any packaging needed for the return of the originals.
• We pay the return carriage costs.
• When the originals arrive back here we refund you for their invoice value, but you won't get back more than the invoice value of the replacements. In other words, if the replacements are cheaper than the originals we won't be giving you "extra cash back".