Thule Fairings

by Thule

Product Features

• Rigid construction helps to alleviate wind impact
• Clip on design fits Thule Rapid Aero and square load bars

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

This sleek fairing attaches to any Thule roof-rack system to reduce wind and noise. Integrated hardware makes it easy to install. Rubber bumpers on the struts protect a vehicle's finish. The fairing comes in four widths: 32 inches, 38 inches, 44 inches, and 52 inches. It comes with a limited lifetime warranty against defects.

About Thule
To say that Thule’s beginnings in the U.S. were humble would be an understatement. Founding member Ake Skeppner sold products at windsurf competitions on the New England shoreline, exhibited the product line at a number of different trade shows, and even canvassed local retailers in the greater New York area, all from his "office"--a now-famous station wagon. Initial success was found in the small but growing sport of windsurfing where a strong, reliable roof rack was an indispensable piece of equipment. This was quickly followed by success in the ski business where Thule's Swedish heritage certainly helped the product gain rapid acceptance.

By the mid-1980s, the company sold products directly to ski and windsurfing shops but sold through distributors to address the large and growing bike business. A risky decision was made to terminate these distributor relationships and sell direct to retailers through a network of independent sales representatives. Much of the company's market success today can be traced to that decision. Shortly after, Ake hired an engineer and set up a small assembly plant in Elmsford, New York in order to design and manufacture bike carriers that would offer the features demanded by the U.S. consumer and compete effectively with other racks on the market.

The company has since grown rapidly through product innovation, a commitment to quality, and the continuance of a strong entrepreneurial spirit as well as continuing to evolve their products to meet the needs of users.

Product Description

The Thule Fairing cuts down on the drag and wind noise that your Thule bars make when you're blasting down the highway on your way to parts unknown with a roof full of gear. Thule Fairings are cake to install, and use rubber bumpers and anti-scuff film to protect your vehicle's finish. Editors Note: Please call if you aren't certain what parts you need to install your rack.

Product Features

• Compatibility: Thule racks
• Recommended Use: reduce wind drag on your Thule rack
• Manufacturer Warranty:

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 3.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B000LHQZYC
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,576 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)
  • #17 in Sports & Outdoors > Bikes & Accessories > Bike Carriers & Racks
  • #26 in Sports & Outdoors > Accessories > Car Sports Racks

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An easier way to stop roof rack noise, September 12, 2010

By 

Mark M "Mark M" (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Thule Fairings (Misc.)

If you're looking to enhance the look of your roof rack (and are willing to fork out the $$), feel free to buy the Thule fairing (although make sure that you measure correctly). But if noise is your problem, try moving the bars. Better yet, before trying anything else, use a trick that a guy at local camping store told me about. Take a thin utility cord/rope. Tie it to one end of the front crossbar and wrap it repeatedly around the crossbar to the other end of the front crossbar (spaced about an inch or so per loop) where you tie it tight. Can disrupt the airflow enough to break the noise - basically got rid of all of the noise from my rack. I used a 10 foot cord which cost $1.60. Doesn't look as cool as a fairing (esp. if you're stuck with the purple cord which was all they had when I bought it), but much cheaper and no one will steal it from your car. And you don't have to move the bars so that you can't use them.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great buy to save your senses from the howling winds, January 26, 2009

By 

A. P. Nessel "Quality not Quantity" (Syracuse, NY) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Thule Fairings (Sports)

Great product. It's easy to install (most can be done on the couch without going outside), and it greatly reduces wind noise - it's as if there was no roof rack on your car. Lastly, it looks cool.

I was also hoping for an improvement in gas mileage, but it's bitter winter and I use a lot of heating and drive on snow tires, so I can't tell if it helps or not.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Works great and looks good, March 24, 2011

By 

Andy (California, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Thule Fairings (Misc.)

I have Thule's square bars and the fairing works as advertised, totally eliminating the howling sound from the bars without creating an additional wind noise. As others have suggested, the assembly is a little complicated; it's very doable, just don't wait until the last second because it takes some time to decipher the pictures in the assembly guide. Included with the fairing is a set of clear plastic stickers that you apply to the roof where the fairing feet touch the roof. This prevents the feet from making rub marks on your paint.

Note on roof boxes: you should remove the fairing when you use a roof box. You want the air to go under the box; the fairing and box together will trap the air, creating wind resistance. Thule doesn't mention this anywhere. Fortunately the fairing is easy to remove and reinstall. Just tilt the fairing upwards and the arms will disengage from the plastic clips. I'd leave the plastic clips on the bars as they'll probably break if you remove them.

Before you buy the fairing though I'd try the trick another reviewer suggested, where you wrap a rope or bungee cord around the front bar to eliminate the wind noise.

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