How do you transport a bike in a car?

rumbataz

I've got a small estate car and was wondering how i'd transport my bike inside my car? I don't have a bike rack on the outside of the car so would need to find a way to get the bike into the car. I can fold the rear seats down flat. Would I have to remove the front wheel?

sfichele

I can put my bike in vertically if I take off the front wheel. You might have to lower the saddle. Our car is a Honda Civic.

rolf_f

Ummm, why not give it a try and find out? (rather than asking people who don't know the size of your car or the size of your bike!). I don't know - whatever happened to initiative?

FWIW, I can fit my bike in the back of my Saab900 both wheels on but modern cars tend to be less well packaged.

bails87

I normally put my MTB in the back of my 'family hatchback' by taking the front wheel off and putting it on it's side, with the back seats folded down.

The other weekend I got my MTB and road bike, both with F + R wheels removed, on the back seats, with the seats still folded up so I had the boot for luggage.

And a while ago I took both wheels and seatposts out of three MTBs, put them in upside down, length-ways with the seats down and parcel shelf removed. I got the bikes and wheels, plus a weeks worth of kit each for two people in the back.

veronese68

I was hoping for something along the lines of "how do you put an elephant in the fridge?"
So the answer is open the boot, put it in. If it doesn't fit, fold the seats down and try again. If it still doesn't fit, take the front wheel off and try again. If it still doesn't fit, take the back wheel off and try again. If it still doesn't fit you have an Alfa 156 Estate, remove the seatpost and put it in.

nwallace

SAAB 99 Saloon:
Remove both wheels and seat post, slide bike into boot, place seat post in gap along with toolbox and various other bits and bobs, then fit wheels on top. If 2 bikes use bike rack.

'99 Toyota Corolla 3-Door:
Lower one back seat, remove wheels and seat post, don't even consider trying to fit the tool box in, fight with bars until you can just get the rear mech into the gap in the corner, lob wheels on top and seat post in gap.
If 2 bikes, lower both rear seats and dump 2nd bike on top of 1st bike.
Adjust drivers seat as far back as possible balancing the amount the rear seat digs into back with how close to wheel and dash knees are.

SAAB 900 Hatchback.
Put down back seats, remove parcel shelf, put in as many bikes as you feel you need to.

Danny1962

Chances are that yes, you will need to remove the front wheel. I have a large hatchback (Vauxhall Vectra) and with my old hybrid I did find it easier with the front wheel off. Your car is probably smaller than mine.

Practical tips -- have a couple of old sheets or curtains handy. One to lay out on the floor of the cargo area so that the bike doesn't get the car dirty. The other sheet, lay it over the rear bumper when loading and unloading so the bike doesn't scratch the paintwork on the bumper. Then once the bike is on board, drive very defensively, avoiding sudden stops if at all possible. You really don't want to be rear-ended with a bike stored behind you.

If you ever have to load two bikes in, laying down one on top of the other, putting a sheet of plywood between them helps stop them getting tangled. I used to do this with two mountain bikes and an Escort estate.

Nowadays I put the bike(s) up top on a purpose-built roof rack. It has its disadvantages but for shortish journeys that don't involve height restrictions it's the best way to go.

BigLee1

I`ve got a Volvo V70 estate, of course my bikes fit in!!

rolf_f

nwallace wrote:

SAAB 900 Hatchback.
Put down back seats, remove parcel shelf, put in as many bikes as you feel you need to.

I think I'd got the 900 bit covered

Am wondering though if it is possible to fit a bike upright in the back. But then you'd have to take the front wheel off.

dave2041

My bike fits into my girlfriends boot (steady.) That's a "full size" road bike in the back of a T-reg fiesta, with the back seats laid down and the front wheel taken off.

The Rookie

I take both wheels off and the bike will sit across behind the back seat on the load liner (so no chain grease on the carpet) then I lay the wheels up against it before shutting the hatch (Subaru Forester so not big but quite square at the rear)

Simon

craker

Almera (that's a small to medium sized family hatch), large split of folding seats down (small one stays up for transportation of kiddies) I can get my road bike in by wedging it at 45 degrees back wheel first, turning the handlebars through 90 degrees. Boot closed, jobs a good 'un.

Bordersroadie

Get a van.

esspeebee

406 Estate: seats down, bike in. No removal of anything required. Alternatively, one back seat down and front wheel off.
'03 Polo: Seats down, front wheel off. Alternatively, with both wheels and seatposts removed, three bikes will fit with only one seat down, though it can take a while to unpack at the other end.

CiB

A Seat Alahmbra will swallow the whole bike upright with the middle rear seat out.

A Volvo S40 fits the bike in the boot as long as the wheels & seat are removed (from the bike, not the car).

Just try it; keep taking more bits off till it fits. Or buy a smaller bike to fit the car. [Edit - or a bigger car to fit the bike obviously]

SouthernDave

Mines even easier, it folds up and goes in the boot of a Micra.......simples and unhelpfuls! ;-)

symo

Golf estate here - latest shape (oooo check me out).
Bike goes in whole with the seats down, although I am small frame size.

ex-pat scot

Smart Roadster: both wheels off, seatpost removed; laid in the passenger seat.
Discovery 3 - one of the boot seats folded flat - bike rolls in standing.
Galaxy - take 2 side seats (passenger side) out and the tandem rolls in standing. Use the middle row seatbelt strap wrapped around the captain seatpost to secure.
Fiestas - front wheel off, bench seat folded flat

desweller

Saw through the top tube and down tube. Should fit in easy then.

bennyy

Vauxhall astra van ; 1 bike :
Open boot, put in bike, close boot

Vauxhall astra van ; 2 bikes :
Open boot, put bike no.1 in, lay carpet over top, put 2nd bike on top, close boot.

t4tomo

BigLee1 wrote:

I`ve got a Volvo V70 estate, of course my bikes fit in!!

I've got the V90 - I can fit the tandem in with just one side of the rear seats folded down.

optimisticbiker

Audi TT Roadster Mk1.... use a boot rack... or, in an emergency (and only when its not raining)... put roof down, move passenger seat forward, remove pedals and turn handlebars 90degrees, stand bike vertically behind passenger seat, drive side to rear, tilt seat back and push back until it traps bike against bulkhead.

This also works for 2 large 6' x 2.5' folding tables, an 1800 x 600mm double radiator, and several 2.5m lengths of 6 x 4 joisting, etc (not all at same time tho!)

crossborderreiver

My bike fits in my Clio with the front wheel off. All the the manouvering in and out of the car caused the front mudguard to get a bit warped so I took it off and do without it now.

61Sigs

Focus estate.

Fold seats flat, open rear door, put bike in.

My ex-girlfriend had a Citroen Berlingo, you can get 4 mtb's upright in one of those, bloody amazing.

I still miss her........car.

Danny1962

I've long fancied a Berlingo / Kangoo / Doblo but my wife simply won't be seen in one .

cougie

I've seen a bike carried in a Porsche Carrera. Mind you half of it was sticking out of the sunroof.

But OP - why don't you try it yourself ? We've no idea what size bike or size car you have.

tiny_pens

I've also got a civic. Open back doors. Fold seats up. Front wheel off. Slide bike in. Load front wheel and all my cleaning kit into the boot.

In answer to the OP. Should easily fit in your estate with the front wheel off but you will probably find you need to remove the saddle as well if you want to stand them upright (my personal choice with previous cars). Just remember to fit the disc brake spacer before loading it :-)

saintly_jim

Skoda Octavia hatch: fold rear seats down, if it's one of my road bikes it'll fit in on its side with a spot of gentle persuasion. If my hybrid, remove the front wheel and slide in.

Topaxci

Standard sized Focus - will fit road or mountain bike in whole with the rear seats folded down.

Though this is very rare as LBS is walking distance and I usually just cycle from home.

Drfabulous0

Is this a trick question? Ride your bike, don't drive it around like it's your kid.

fossyant

Just drop both wheels off, and shove bike on back seat (with cover over upholstery). Two bikes, one in boot, one on back seat. Far easier to remove both wheels and pop in the car.

More 3-4, all on the roof rack !