How do you transport your bike?

Adam Thompson

i have an estate and can get 3 in.

but now its muddy im sfter a rack, its a reet mess

CraigXXL

I used the Thule Proride 591's and they were excellent, very quick and easy to use. They are now for sale see the classified section.

I now have the Thule G909 euroclassic towbar mounted rack and it's brilliant. More expensive than the 591's and just as easy to use but with no wind noise that you get with roof mounted racks and still rock solid stability. Fitting the rack takes less than 5 minutes and the bikes take less.

I would have kept with the 591's but having a car full of mates, two bikes on top and two in the boot with the wheels off was becoming a pain especially when It's muggins that has to clean it out afterwards. The towbar mounted one gets taken off, a quick rinse and it's all done. Well worth the investment if you already have a towbar.

beicsconwy

usually i chuck the bikes in the back of my VW Caddy van. I bought it cheap and it is just for transportiing muddy, wet dogs and filthy bikes.
It stinks, but it keep the sh!te out of the Audi.

And then I put some bars on my 3'x4' trailer the same width apart as roof bars. Bike racks that fit on the roofrack now fit on the trailer. Simple to use and we can tow it wth camping kit and bikes for summers away.

fletch8928

I use a Bones, it works well for long and short rough country roads. Had it on my mates mazda mps a couple of weeks ago. He wasnt bothered about the stability until he said the bikes are swaying abit. He was doing 90 on the M5 south of bristol!

I would like a roof one but i get emotional when i drop below 60mpg, kinda counts that out.

SPIRO

CraigXXL wrote:

I now have the Thule G909 euroclassic towbar mounted rack and it's brilliant. More expensive than the 591's and just as easy to use but with no wind noise that you get with roof mounted racks and still rock solid stability. Fitting the rack takes less than 5 minutes and the bikes take less.

The towbar mounted one gets taken off, a quick rinse and it's all done. Well worth the investment if you already have a towbar.

As said above



Rock solid at 70 on the motorway on a recent 300 mile drive to cumbria, carrys 2 bikes (3 with optional kit). Its expensive, but you get what you pay for

Chaz.Harding

I'm a real man - I ride my bike to the destination 8)

ride_whenever

bigchazrocks wrote:

I'm a real man - I ride my bike to the destination 8)

Damn right.

Although sometimes I use one of these:

realnumber 1

Both wheels off and chuck it in the back of the clio. Can get 2 bikes, and luggage for 2 for a week no probs when need be.

canada16

Hi

Are the saris bones that bad? as I looked at the thule set up for the fiesta and they are so expensive, like well over 200 for the whole kit.

I have a 04 fiesta, I have looked for the thule set up, but find that I have no idea what I am look for, what mounts and what will fit on the fiesta and what wont.

Can you guys advise?

fuzzyfreak

Turns out my bastard car is one of the few that cannot have a tow bar fitted!!

Anonymous

canada16 wrote:

Hi

Are the saris bones that bad? as I looked at the thule set up for the fiesta and they are so expensive, like well over 200 for the whole kit.

I have a 04 fiesta, I have looked for the thule set up, but find that I have no idea what I am look for, what mounts and what will fit on the fiesta and what wont.

Can you guys advise?

Saris bones is great!
No problems with mine.

bregante

I have had 7 (yes 7) bikes on my car (honda frv). 4 thule prorides on the roof bars (borrowed). 3 on my thule 903 towbar mounted rack.

shame the car only seats 6!

did it more to prove that it could be done tbh.

awesome car for biking though

colintrav

Stevo 666 wrote:

Roof mounted bike carrier work nicely for me - keeps your car interior clean and roomy and none of the problems you mention with boot mounted racks. As long as you think before going into anywhere with a low-ish height restiction you should be OK

Untill you hit a really low level bridge lol And I've seen that happen once , The bikes were on top of his camper van lol

Jenks66

I have Thule roof carrier which works great, you do need your whit’s about you for low bridges etc but I have seen someone with a rear carrier reverse into a wall so you need to be aware of the overhang!

I keep thinking a tow bar carrier would be best but question how much salt and crap gets thrown over the bike in the winter as salt and aluminium do not mix as you will know if you own a landrover!

Northwind

I summon one of my various chaffeurs to transport it for me, since it doesn't fit on the motorbike Usually means roofrack, which seems like the best option to me. Quite often means the boot of a wee mazda, which also works pretty well with the back seats flat- 2 bikes with just the wheels off and seatposts out, plus the obligatory ridiculously massive bags full of kit.

Tow bar carrier looks a great option too though... Personally, once I get my car licence sorted I reckon I'm getting a wee estate, and depending on exactly how wee, maybe taking the back seats out entirely. Secure, no probs with fuel consumption, no risk of it dropping off (even the best rack's only as good as its user, we almost dropped a bike off my mate's Thule roofmounts because we were both shattered and each assumed the other had fixed it on)

gaz047

wifes estate

ravey1981

I have one of these... great bit of kit.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/THULE-9502-towbar ... 5883e51a55

Fits to the tow bar and is very solid, bikes attach with a strap around each wheel and a strap around the frame.

Cant recommend enough (they do a 3 bike version too if required)

If i need to leave the car i have a huge chain (inside an innertube so it dosen't scratch) which i lock onto the tow loop

Bignige

Hey all, just be carefull if you use some of the bigger, heavier tow bar carriers that you don't exceed the tow bar nose weight for your vehicle .........bearing in mind some cars have a nose weight as low as 55kgs!!!!

CraigXXL

Mine is rated at 85kg less the carrier still allows me the maximum 20kg per bike, which is serious heavy duty DH rig weights.

As Bignige stated all cars are different so look in your handbook before investing in a towbar mounted rack. Roof bars are usually rated at 75kg or less and from that you'll need to subtract the bike rack weights too.