Rooftop carrier for vehicle

A rooftop rack for carrying bicycles on a vehicle, said rooftop rack comprising:

• a base mountable on a vehicle roof;
• a pivotable arm having a first end pivotably connected to said base, said pivotable arm being moveable between a first storage position wherein said arm is substantially upright, and a second outboard position wherein a distal end of said arm extends outwardly from said vehicle;
• a first platform having means for retaining at least one bicycle thereon;
• a winch mounted on said base;
• a cable extending from said winch to said distal end of said pivotable arm and to said first platform;
• and
• the arrangement being such than when said pivotable arm is in said first upright storage position, said first platform is retained by said distal of said pivotable arm, the center gravity of said platform being located above a portion of said vehicle, while when said pivotable arm is in said second outboard position, said first platform can be released from said pivotable arm.

A rooftop rack for parrying bicycles on a vehicle, said rooftop rack comprising:

• a base mountable on a vehicle roof;
• a pivotable arm having a first end pivotably connected to said base, said pivotable arm being moveable between a first storage position wherein said arm is substantially upright, and a second outboard position wherein a distal end of said arm extends outwardly from said vehicle;
• a first platform having means for retaining at least one bicycle thereon;
• a winch mounted on said base;
• a cable extending from said winch to said distal end of said pivotable arm and to said first platform;
• said distal end of said pivotable arm having a platform receiving element such that when said platform is lifted from an second outboard position, said platform will be received and held by said platform receiving element of said pivotable arm;
• and
• the arrangement being such than when said pivotable arm is in said first upright storage position, said first platform is retained by said platform receiving element of said pivotable arm, the center of gravity of said first platform being located above a portion of said vehicle, while when said pivotable arm is in said second outboard position, said first platform can be released from said pivotable arm.