Transporting bikes advice for day rides

[a.twiddler]

Folding bike?

[rogerzilla]

The train companies (or, more accurately, the government department that specifies trains) have ruined bike transport by train. There is now minimal provision, you can only get 1 bike in a so-called 2 bike space, and someone will have put their luggage in there anyway.

[cyclop]

I get my bike into my quashqai ,no problem,with no wheel removal.Back seats down,obviously.Bike is wheeled in on the slant,the front wheel then slots vertically behind the front seat.If I have two bikes,the other goes on a scissor type carrier which clamps on to a towball in 10secs.I,ve used one for many years.

[TrevA]

I can easily fit my 58cm mudguard fitted road bike into the elderly supermini size hatchback I own! Obviously rear seats down with parcel shelf stowed behind the front seats. The front wheel needs to be removed as well. I can imagine fitment issues if the front wheel were not removed though.

Yours must be bigger inside than our Punto-based Alfa. Both wheels out, else it doesn't seem to fit... unless there is some magic alignment that I've not discovered but it certainly feels like I've tried them all!

I once had 3 bikes in the back of my old Punto - back seat down, both wheels out and bikes stacked upright against the front seats, with the wheels stacked behind them. I’ve also had my 58cm road bike in the back the Punto and in my VW Up, with just the front wheel out.

[LittleGreyCat]

https://www.thule.com/en-gb/bike-rack/t ... 2-_-970000

I use this for my Wednesday group ride.

You need a towbar and almost certainly a trailer board as your bike will obscure lights and number plate.

I allow 10 minutes to fit, because I am slow, but it can be done much faster.

It has a padlock hole so you can lock it in the mounted position to discourage theft.

Packs up small, for easy storage.

[rareposter]

My only thoughts now are to try fitting the bike inside with the front wheel removed. I would always have tried that but having disc brakes, it means I lose the alignment when I put the wheel back on, so the front brake won't work properly, and I'm not a bike savvy person. Or is there a knack to doing it and it's not actually that difficult?

Just to add to my previous post on this, there's a video here that shows you how to do it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SS0LXIQEOGA

The video shows the bike upside-down which I guess was for filming purposes, it can easily be done either way up. The wheel can be taken out / put back in all day long without the alignment ever being affected.

[twowheelstwokids]

I have used roof mounted and the hatchback style carriers and now have one that fits onto the tow bar. The tow bar rack is by far the simplest both to access and add/remove, but that's obviously no help if you don't have a tow bar on your car already.

When I was riding alone and had space in the car I used to take off the front wheel and sling the bike in the back, no problem. With disc brakes (on the MTB) I never had any issues with it realigning as it easily fits into place and doesn't usually have room to move anyway: as long it's seated correctly in the forks you should be fine. If you've had issues with that when doing it before and you're not sure you're doing it right then I'm sure someone at the local bike shop would be happy to show you.

[rmurphy195]

I just fold the back seats down, remove the front wheel and slide the bike in backwards, chainside up. Some support needed to stop the pedal from damaging the floor, and maybe some padding/protection around the chainwheels. You've probably got some hold-down brackets in the boot floor or sides, if so use a couple of straps (NOT bungees) to hold the bike still in case of an accident. Towel on top of the bike frame for protection then just lay the front wheel on top of that.

I've done this with both rim and disc-braked bikes, no issues with alignment (cable-operated discs). I leave the back wheel in 'cos the bike has mudguards anyway!

[Grandad]

get my bike into my quashqai ,no problem,with no wheel removal.Back seats down,obviously.Bike is wheeled in on the slant,the front wheel then slots vertically behind the front seat.

Ditto with my Hyundai Matrix

[Nearholmer]

I don’t think the OP has said which his local train company is.

If it is a bike-friendly one, I really do advocate using the train, because it is still possible to enjoy ‘out by bike; back by train’ excursions if it is. I had one planned for today, although it got abandoned in favour of a shorter ride due to domestic duties.

[rareposter]

I don’t think the OP has said which his local train company is.

If it is a bike-friendly one, I really do advocate using the train, because it is still possible to enjoy ‘out by bike; back by train’ excursions if it is. I had one planned for today, although it got abandoned in favour of a shorter ride due to domestic duties.

Yep, it's a good call. I prefer out by train, back by bike because at least then I'm only heading home and I'm not relying on making a connection later on when I'm tired, maybe smelly or wet! It's a great way of reaching places further afield and then, as you're cycling home you're finishing on more familiar roads, less chance of getting lost.

You also get to pick a route with a tailwind. Train out into the wind, ride home with a lovely tailwind.

Great way of accessing places you wouldn't normally get to or of avodiing city roads in favour of the quieter lanes.

[roberts8]

I have used a Sari bones rear carrier on a few different cars. It is really good at folding in the boot. One day I will get a light board. Mine is a two bike carrier and driven through Europe as far cheaper than trains.

[Pneumant]

I can easily fit my 58cm mudguard fitted road bike into the elderly supermini size hatchback I own! Obviously rear seats down with parcel shelf stowed behind the front seats. The front wheel needs to be removed as well. I can imagine fitment issues if the front wheel were not removed though.

Yours must be bigger inside than our Punto-based Alfa. Both wheels out, else it doesn't seem to fit... unless there is some magic alignment that I've not discovered but it certainly feels like I've tried them all!

Its an 07 mk2 Kia Rio chosen mainly because bikes fit easily. That is with the rear seat back folded down only. If the seat squabs are folded as well there is even more room. The access to the boot space is actually very good compared to many more recent hatches where the small designer hatch shape, specifically width between the light units, hinders access to the boot. Such cars are like caves with small entrances!

[Grandad]

chosen mainly because bikes fit easily.

On the infrequent times that I swap cars I always take a bike to make sure it fits without removing anything. Until few years ago this included an upright trike.

[swfcdan]

duplicate post