2 Bike bags in a boot

craigus89

the Mrs and I are off to see some of the Tour this July staying in the Alps and driving down there. We want to take the bikes, but we're doing a stop in Paris for a couple of nights on the way there so rather than have the bikes on a roof rack I'm thinking of getting a couple of cheap bike bags so that we can keep them out of sight inside the car.

We've got a Vectra (06) so pretty large loading space, but we're not sure if we're being ambitious thinking we can fit the two bikes and all the luggage in the car. Does anyone have any experience/advice of taking 2 bikes in bags in the back of a car? Not sure how compact they end up once in a bag.

Thanks

cougie

The bags will just add extra bulk. I reckon you'd be better with both bikes broken down in the boot with an old duvet to prevent scratches.

Personally I'd try it now and see how much space you have left for luggage. My vectra was pretty spacious in the boot but I dunno how much kit you need.

slowbike

Got two evoc bags in a Vauxhall Antara - just! And that was with both seats down. I thought they would stand up side by side - but had to be laid down on top of each other in the end. Don't think two bike bags would make it any less obvious in a vectra.

navrig2

I've had two lying down in a SAAB95 estate. Similar in size to the Vectra but if you have the hatch I would doubt you'll get two in. I needed the large estate opening to make it work. They more or less took up the whole area leaving little for other luggage. This was with the seats down obviously.

To have them stand up you need a C-Max type car.

navrig2

There is another thing to consider.

Two bike bags in a car may suggest you have something worth pinching and you have conveniently put them into two easy to take away bags......

As suggested take off the wheels and put them into some wheel bags and see if the frames will stand up in the car (put the saddles down?) and use blankets to protect and hide them.

It's a bit harder to pinch a whole bike when it's in bits.

DavidJB

Yeah I'll just have the bikes not in a bike bag and a curtain or rags between them.

cougie

I'd skip the Paris bit. Never taken to that city.

bernithebiker

cougie wrote:

I'd skip the Paris bit. Never taken to that city.

+1 Lived there, worked there, holidayed there, passed through many times, have never ever got on with the place.

London much better all round, and far nicer places in France to visit.

As for bikes in cars, well, often do that for a living - far better to have the height to be able to put them in vertically, if not, it can be a right bun fight.

Our head guide is a bike stacking magician - can get twice the number of bikes you would think possible into a vehicle...! (But then he has been doing it 15 years!).

step83

Navrig2 wrote:

I've had two lying down in a SAAB95 estate. Similar in size to the Vectra but if you have the hatch I would doubt you'll get two in. I needed the large estate opening to make it work. They more or less took up the whole area leaving little for other luggage. This was with the seats down obviously.

To have them stand up you need a C-Max type car.

Managed four in the back of a 9-3 estate with the seats down an the boot cover blind thing out. (some pro stacking there)

If you have a roof rack I would say get a roof box a wide one an put the front wheels in of each bike, will make packing much easier plus gives you extra storage options.

navrig2

Step83 wrote:

Navrig2 wrote:

I've had two lying down in a SAAB95 estate. Similar in size to the Vectra but if you have the hatch I would doubt you'll get two in. I needed the large estate opening to make it work. They more or less took up the whole area leaving little for other luggage. This was with the seats down obviously.

To have them stand up you need a C-Max type car.

Managed four in the back of a 9-3 estate with the seats down an the boot cover blind thing out. (some pro stacking there)

If you have a roof rack I would say get a roof box a wide one an put the front wheels in of each bike, will make packing much easier plus gives you extra storage options.

Four in bags - presumably not fully stuffed with other stuff?

The two we had in our 95 were "fattened" with a layer of cardboard, an inflated beach ball in the triangles and various other bits and pieces. We were headed to the airport so I guess if we weren't flying we would have got another one (doubt 2) in.

bernithebiker

Navrig2 wrote:

an inflated beach ball in the triangles

That's a good idea!

step83

Navrig2 wrote:

The two we had in our 95 were "fattened" with a layer of cardboard, an inflated beach ball in the triangles and various other bits and pieces. We were headed to the airport so I guess if we weren't flying we would have got another one (doubt 2) in.

No just bikes front wheels off an seatposts removed used a foam camping sheets between each frame an blocks of foam over the pedals. Front wheels were bagged in back passenger side footwell benefit of taking someone whos five foot nothing they dont need leg space! Roof box took a chunk of kit an two others followed in Nissan Note of all things that took the rest of the luggage. Next time ill just get a bike rack though less faffing.

Anonymous

bernithebiker wrote:

cougie wrote:

I'd skip the Paris bit. Never taken to that city.

+1

+2, rude, rude, rude.

Mr Rude (from The Mr Men Show) does not have a Parisian accent by coincidence

I do love The Mr Men Shows Mr Rude though :twisted:

daniel_b

Is the Vectra a hatch or an estate.........?

I used to have a Primera Estate, and now have a Phase 2 Volvo V70 estate, both of which will swallow, though not hide, a pair of bikes with ease.
My method is to remove the saddles, and front wheels - the front wheels go in wheel bags.
I fold the double rear seat down, and both bikes go in upright rear wheel up against my seat - forks on the floor near the tailgate.
Soft tie of some description to tie the rear wheel to the passenger hang on rail, and then a bungee around the lower seat tube\rear stay to secure it to the loop that was used by the seat when it was upright.
Bike number two is then secured in a similar fashion, OR secured to bike number one.

I can normally get one bike wheel in the gap between the bike and the rear door - just need to remember this when you open it!

This has gotten us all down to Tuscany and France many many times with zero issues - I would jusat say to let a bit of air out of the tyres, as if it's sunny it can get very hot in a car.

Last time was the first time we did a long journey, to Spain, with my 2 year old daughter, but still wanted to take bikes, so invested in a BIG Halfords own make 340 litre I think it was, roof box - easy to fit, and easy to get to stuff you need quick access to - no way we could have managed it with all the other parahanalia you need to carry for such a long trip otherwise.

I have only done this so far with a pair of bikes we have not worried about that much, but if it was more precious cargo, I would use pipe lagging to protect in key areas.

IF you can pack them on the opposite side of the car to me, it would also mean the derailleirs are protected from other luggage.
I get around this by putting convenient height luggage around or under the derailleur, to prevent any luggage from going into it - for example a shoe or helmet box is near perfect for this.

Enjoy your trip, sounds wonderful - we are also off in the car with bikes at the end of June, and will be cathing the first 2-3 days of the tour when we head back up North for the start.

fenix

I didn't know that about Mr Rude. This is educational.

I'd be very wary of having bikes in a car in any big city - Paris especially so.

Pop over to Switzerland. Much cleaner. Much nicer.