Best car to put a bike in?

[rmurphy195]

A Mk4 golf and an Astra Estate (c2002) were the best cars I've had for putting bikes in - high enough inside for an upside-down bike with wheels removed, long enough from the back of the front seat to the rear window for the length (I mean a tourer with mudguards on it - the guards do make a difference.

Basically, the rear of the car as box-shaped as possible and high enough to put the bikes in with manouvering room, and strapping-down points.

Techique was to remove parcel shelf and drop the passenger half of the rear seat, strap the bike in upside-down to the nearside, front-end in first, lots of padding aaginst the side door/contact points (foam blocks from packaging), then the wheels strapped-in either side of the frame/front forks.

The astra was the best - up with the tailgate to reveal a flat rear floor. I've travelled to france like tis with 3 of us in the Golf, the bike, all out luggae etc no problem.

Attached a couple of pictures of the Astra with 2 bikes strapped in this way for a hol in Scotland, to give you an idea. The straps use the florr-mounting brackets, and the bracket that the seat back hooks into, to hold the bikes in place with lots of padding

[mjr]

Anybody got any suggestions for a car that's easy to get a bike in and out of? Anybody got a Leaf?

I don't fancy your chances. 370 litres max luggage, says https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road-tests ... dimensions

The Jazz is IME (a relative has one) one of the easiest load carriers and you don't like it, so I think you'll be disappointed getting your bike into most e cars, where extra bodywork has a more obvious cost.

Nissan has launched a Leaf-related van, the e-NV200, but I know little about it.

[NUKe]

Skoda did a bike mount in one of their cars,as an optional extra Romster I think. Vans are good for transporting bikes but you loose the extra seating capacity. or the half way option the Van Cars like the Citroen Belingo are another option. Any estate.

I have a Nissan Elgrand I can get a bike including the recumbent in without removing the wheels But it doesn't fit your other Criterion of small and fuel economy

[bgnukem]

My old Ford Focus Mk. 1 was pretty easy, as was the Seat Leon Mk. 1 I had afterwards. I know someone with a Fabia estate too and it seems pretty large in the back for a small estate and she gets her bike in pretty easily.

Can't recommend my current 2-door BMW E36 though. The passenger seat has to be removed so I can feed the bike in through the passenger door, usually scratching and bashing various bits of trim around in the process

[yostumpy]

https://www.theaa.com/allaboutcars/cart ... 10108.html


Nissan NV 200 combi, same floor plan as a leaf, 7 seater, all fold up, 60 ish mpg, low milage s/h about £12k

[bikepacker]

My son's Citroen Berlingo would take two bikes easily.

[bgnukem]

A Prius is pretty cavernous in the back, with the seats down.

Maybe too large for the OP though?

[Tilley]

Citroen Berlingo multispace with the seats folded forward will allow me to fit a tadpoles recumbent trike without removing any wheels.

[Tigerbiten]

Citroen Berlingo multispace with the seats folded forward will allow me to fit a tadpoles recumbent trike without removing any wheels.

I can do the same with my Peugeot Partner Tepee with the back seats out.
It's a bit more tricky if I have my large Carry Freedom trailer in as well, but it's still possible.

Luck ........

[Samuel D]

Pretty much anything will hold a bicycle; you just need to learn how to load it so neither car nor bicycle are harmed.

I have one of the smallest cars on the road, a 2009 Citroën C1, and it has often carried two people and my bicycle. I once had two bicycles in it (all doors and windows closed), though that was an unreasonable puzzle.

[Valbrona]

Cars suck.

[andrewwillans49]

Having completed The Dunwich Dynamo, my son and I cycled back to Framlingham where my sister picked us up in her BMW 1 series. Both wheels off both bikes, two thirds split seat down. Was a tight fit. So two bike and three people in a relatively compact car. Took about ten minutes to load everything in.
In summary, any motor car would do as long as you're prepared to remove a wheel or two. Amazed the question has been asked.

[jimlews]

Austin Maxi, even bigger
Or Fiat Tipo, car of the year 1989

All good machines, esp. the Maxi.

But none has the sheer charisma of an Austin Metro!

[Cyril Haearn]

Austin Maxi with hydrolastic suspension and gearbox/engine lubrication combined

Front-wheel drive: pulls you out of trouble instead of pushing you into it

[Oldjohnw]

Anyone know where I can get an Austin Maxi?

They were great cars. All seats folded flat so you could camp in them. My dad had one. I had a Tipo in the early 1990s. Also good fun, even if more flash than substantial.