Bike Box fit in car?

timmyflash

Renting a bike box (Polaris Eva Bike Pod) to take my bike to Spain.

Will it fit on the back seats when i get picked up on the other side? Don't think the seats can fold down, so that doesn't help..

As it's rented i can't test it out on my own car. Argh!

Cheers

Escargot

I did this with a bike last year packed into a soft bike bag. It fit on the back seat ok but will limit the view from the rear view mirror. If you have a 5 door then it should be no problem but may be difficult if you only have 3.

I had an Astra estate and thought it might fit in the boot but no way jose. It did fit on the back seats with a bit of room to spare but obviously if you have a Renault Twingo or similar then it might not go.

What car have you got on rental ?

timmyflash

Friend picking me up in their mercedes C class i think, so not a rental. From memory i think the doors are kind of small... Not sure about this.

Also, the bike box is 'soft / rigid' apparently ,so guess not as much room for movements as a bag.

Hopefully some big taxis if it's a disaster

Lady Venom

I get my bike in a Fiesta no dramas with seats down, but fits better with bags underneath to lift it up more. Should fit in a C Class ok.

fnb1

I would reckon if it is a C Clas saloon you will struggle to get the doors closed with a bike box on the back seat.

If you have the dims of the bike box go onto Mercedes website, you should be able to look up the teck spec of the cars which will include interior dimensions. I had a quick check and it looks like 1300 mm is the max width between the doors (1400 in the footwells) (this is for the latest model, the older models are slightly smaller) rememeber this is likely to be at the waist level of the car with the windows canting in etc. Door pulls etc tend to stick out are are usually ingnored in dimensions etc,

Roof rack?

timmyflash

This is becoming traumatic - bloke i'm renting off says it fits in the back of a Ford Ka - so that's good. But if it doesn't, apparently taxis are 50 euros each way from accommodation.

All i want to do is go for a little cycle! haha

cougie

If it doesnt fit - check if they have a left luggage facility at the airport for the box ?

Lady Venom

Which bike box is it?

bigmat

Three of us are flying to Nice in a couple of weeks, all with bike boxes. Figured that 3 boxes unlikely to fit in one car (we've booked a Citroen Berlingo type thing) so we'll be leaving the boxes in left luggage - works out around €5 a day I think. That would give you a decent plan B if the box won't fit in the car...

Monty Dog

IME a bike box would fit on the back seats of a C-class - I had one a few years ago - measure the width of the box and the back seats of the car - may need to slide the front seats forward a little to get it in and then push it up over the rear seat rests.

timmyflash

Thanks all - i think there's some hope. Will take some ties, in case have to stick it out the back of boot and hold it down - or keep fingers crossed there's left luggage. Is Murcia airport, so not sure is much by way of facilities..

Is there a cheep option for keeping the forks apart when you pack it?

Lady Venom

timmyflash wrote:

Thanks all - i think there's some hope. Will take some ties, in case have to stick it out the back of boot and hold it down - or keep fingers crossed there's left luggage. Is Murcia airport, so not sure is much by way of facilities..

Is there a cheep option for keeping the forks apart when you pack it?

Yes go to the shop and ask for the plastic thing they come packed with when new. I found one in a pinarello box I once used for mine and kept it! Plastic spacer thing. I'll post my packig photos later!

58585

I am guessing you've checked he doesn't have a roof rack?
Agreed the plastic spacers are best but I struggle to find them, tried 4 shops without any luck. Experience seems to say they go straight in the bin, so give your self some time to track some down (not the day before you fly...oops)!
Failing that a bit of threaded rod, 4 washers and 4 nuts will run to less than a tenner. I've had no problems with that method either.

benyeti

I think that you should be alright, went to Tuscany last year with a hard case dhb bike box thingy off wiggle, and managed to get that, along with a big duffle bag and two rucksacks (as the wife insisted in coming along) in the back of a fiat 500 with the seats down. Admittedly I did have to drive with the seat a little closer to the steering wheel that I would have liked, but it was nothing too bad.

To be honest with you the worse thing was getting the bike into the box!