Bike in boot with seats down

vim147

New to MTB'ing. Just wanted to know how you transport your bike. Apart from those that use racks or towbars, any of you put the bike in the boot ?

The only way i can get my MTB into the boot is by taking the front wheel off and putting the seats down on my VW passat saloon 2002.

But the thing i down like about that is that its exposed so when stopping anywhere theres a risk of it being stolen.

Anyone else do this or even take both wheels off ?

delcol

i put mine in the back of the van (pug partner escapade) it will take 2 bikes complete with the seats down. even 2 dh bikes.. or 3 bikes minus front wheels and the little seat up for the 3rd person....
it has privacy glass in the back to so the bikes cant be seen...
oh and the bikes are always strapped in via bungy cords to secure them while in transit....

Torres

With the wheels off I can fit two bikes in the back of a VW Fox.

I feel the same about leaving the car with them in; but I'd feel the same if they were strapped to the roof or the back.

waby1234

Yep I used to transport in the back of the car (use a roof rack now).

Pros - secure, keeps it dry, free

Cons - takes up lots of space, gets the inside of the car dirty

sanchez89

i can get mine in the back of my focus hatchback by just removing front wheel. it is a tight fit though.

my old civic type r used to swallow it up. both with the seats down though.

Roostoids

I drive a Skoda Fabia, and I just pop the back seats down on the car, take the front wheel out of the bike and the saddle off and in she goes.

Back wheel on the passenger headrest to support it and a piece of card in the front brake. It's more likely to get tampered with on the exterior of the car, I hate stopping anywhere when the bikes on the rack I have when we go camping.

O and I use a lovely tartan rug to protect the seats from the mud and dirt, and plastic covers on my front seats. Best Lidl purchase ever, maybe.

welshkev

skoda octavia, with 2 seats down i can easily fit 2 bikes in, i just put a tarp down first to catch all the mud, oil etc

oh, and i put spacers in between my brake calipers to stop them closing if the levers pushed, i've learnt from my mistakes

Mark909

In the back with seats downs and front wheel off. I've got a dirtworker which i use to clean the bike before putting it in the back to keep the dirt off. I use it after every ride so keeps my bike clean.

The only time I've left the bike unattended there overnight has been when camping in the lakes. In this case I've put a couple of blankets over it and put camping stuff around and on top of it.

paul.skibum

My bike fits in my legacy with the back seat up and the luggage cover over the bike if I take both wheels off - secure, discrete and I have a load bay liner so if I should ever get muddy (rare here) its washable.

Simples.

Stevo_666

Sounds like you need a car with a bit more room in the back. My Mondeo takes a bike with the wheels still attached and for added security I lock it to the car frame with a chain lock if I have to leave it unattended for a bit.

chazkayak

VW T4 Transporter panel van. Three bikes no problem....without dismantling!!!!

Rockhopper_tm

Bit of both for me.

Usually use a roof bike rack locally, nice and easy to get the bike off and back on for quick rides after work etc.

However, on long journeys, i.e. 150 miles upto Whinlatter, I tend to take the wheels off, drop the back seats and put it in the boot wrapped in a waterproof sheet. I mainly do this to save fuel, I can use over quarter of a tank more putting it on the roof on a long trip.

handful

In car for me up to now (Alfa 159 Sportwagon) with just front wheel removed. I'm a bit anal with cleanliness so have a routine of protecting the inside with cardboard and an old sleeping bag.

It works and keeps everything tidy although I am tempted to bite the bullet and get a Thule rack because the OH wants to start going to some local tow paths etc and 2 bikes in the car would be too risky for damage.

bompington

Just managed to get (road) bike in my kia picanto today with both wheels still on. Could I get it out though?

vim147

Am just wondering if i can get the whole bike into just the boot without putting the seats down. Taking both wheels off. Am new to biking so not sure how easy it is to take the rear wheel off with the chain and cassette being effected etc. I'd hate to stop at a service station and some gypo breaking into the car and nicking it.

Mighty Terrier

We get both our bikes in the back of our Nissan Micra.... plus luggage.

cooldad

I have a Skoda Octavia station wagon, easily fits bikes in, but I still tke the wheels off as it's just easier to get them in and out - only takes a minute to take the wheels off.
I have a tarp, plus an old duvet between the bikes - I hate rattly cars.

Greer_

vim147 wrote:

Am just wondering if i can get the whole bike into just the boot without putting the seats down. Taking both wheels off. Am new to biking so not sure how easy it is to take the rear wheel off with the chain and cassette being effected etc. I'd hate to stop at a service station and some gypo breaking into the car and nicking it.

Taking the wheel off wont affect your gears (unless you try to use them with the wheel off! Don't pull the brake levers either.) Just undo the QR, pull the rear mech back, and the wheel should drop out. It's far easier to just take the front wheel off though and turn the bars round 90 degrees and put the bike in that way. That's if it fits that way.

bompington

I'm a bit perplexed at those worrying that a bike isn't safe in the car - is it safer on a bike rack outside it?

jairaj

There is always a security risk when you have any valuables in the car. but surely ts better inside the car than on a bike rack on the outside of a car?

Just get your self a large tarp or plastic sheeting to line the inside of the car to stop it getting dirty and some dust sheets to stop things rubbing and cover the bikes up.

YeehaaMcgee

Greer_ wrote:

Taking the wheel off wont affect your gears (unless you try to use them with the wheel off!

Er, pressing the shifter without the weel in won't affect anything.
However, it's easier to get the wheel out, and put it back in, if you shift to the small sprocket - easier to line up the cassette, and there's less tension on the chain.

Greer_

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

Greer_ wrote:

Taking the wheel off wont affect your gears (unless you try to use them with the wheel off!

Er, pressing the shifter without the weel in won't affect anything.
However, it's easier to get the wheel out, and put it back in, if you shift to the small sprocket - easier to line up the cassette, and there's less tension on the chain.

Don't know what I was thinking. Still applies for the brakes though!

bluechair84

I had a 407 saloon and it was horrible trying to load bikes in. Now I've the focus estate, I can stand two bikes upside down with the front wheel off and pile camping gear and bags between them. Or, if it's not a big ride away, I could probably lay 5 bikes on top of each other... three riders would have to walk to the trail head but... at least I can offer

.blitz

The Voltage with 200mm forks and 780mm bars goes in the back of the mighty Mondeo fairly easily it's more a question of being physically able to lift the bike in and out.

Have also fitted three people/three bikes in (upright, front wheels out, split rear seat folded) and another time three people/two bikes (intact, rear seat folded)

YeehaaMcgee

I know a girl who gets a full size harp in the back of a Mondeo, so I can imagine how it would swallow a few bikes whole for breakfast.

.blitz

must admit I've never tried a harp in it

but it will take a 6' x 8' flat-pack greenhouse and 300 litres of compost. The back end was a bit low though

Briggo

jairaj wrote:

There is always a security risk when you have any valuables in the car. but surely ts better inside the car than on a bike rack on the outside of a car?

Just get your self a large tarp or plastic sheeting to line the inside of the car to stop it getting dirty and some dust sheets to stop things rubbing and cover the bikes up.

Of course it's safer in the car.

1. Less prominent so harder for theives to know its there in the first place, plus you can cover it up in a car.
2. Cutting a bike off a rack does not alarm the car.
3. If the car is deadlocked (which most cars are these days) getting a bike frame + wheels is going to be bloody hard to pull it through a window, but that depends on the type of car though some have huge windows.

I can put my whole entire Stumpy in to the boot of my car without putting the seats down, just remove both wheels and the frame and wheels will all store in the boot, so completely out of sight to theives without any indication as the car just looks like normal inside (all seats up where they should be), but it'll only fit one bike inside this way, seats down I can get 3-4 in. BMW 3 series, the same can be said for Mondeo's (my old hatchback was probably bigger inside).

I only ever put them on the roof if it's required due to storage space inside the car is needed more, for security and fuel economy.

Northwind

Bike in boot is a lot safer than on a rack- bike racks have essentially no security, most of them won't even stop a thief with no tools (though they're more likely to damage the car while they do it than if they had the universal key, ie a screwdriver)

I've got a long cable lock which I can use on the bikes in the car, and a seperate el cheapo movement alarm- the lock is pretty pathetic but adds another barrier, the alarm is easy to switch off (by squashing it) but it's absolutely hellish to get near it inside the car- obviously the first thing I did was accidentally set it off and drop it into the footwell. Ow ow ow.

Some cars are inexplicably small... My now-dead Focus estate takes 2 big bikes with seatposts up and both wheels fitted, though it's a swine to get them back out so it's not a very good idea! 4 bikes with one wheel out goes easily enough. So when I hired an Avensis, which was bigger in every dimension, I was a wee bit surprised to find it was miles smaller inside.

Shopping for a Mondeo or an Accord or similiar now.

cooldad

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

I know a girl who swallows a few blokes whole for breakfast.

I initially read it wrongly.

matt@theforce

If its just me I whip out the wheels and put the bike diagnally accross the boot on the rubber boot mat (leaving the back seats up) Skoda Octavia Estate fantastic sized boot, which is usefull as on my day's off I drive the boys to school (6miles) and take my bike in the boot for my day's ride

Anymore than 1 bike and I put the bike rack on the roof

Good Old Bakes

I have the left hand rear seat down in my Nissan Terrano and the bike slots in upright with the front wheel removed. I've tried various bungee combinations to keep it steady in the back but I've found it works best just to lean it on the RHS rear seat and pad it out with the dog's quilt.