Transporting Bicycles on a Ford Focus
Transporting Bicycles on a Ford Focus
Can anyone give me advice on transporting my bikes (2) by Ford Focus (2001 2-door hatchback). The car is not set up for towing, so the options are basically rear or top carrier. What works, what doesn't, and what would you differently if you were to try doing it again?
gaz wrote:Have a look at www.halfords.com, I think you'll find lots of choices but it might take a while to look up all the bits you'll need.
I've learned that a rear-mounted carrier would require a lighting bar. That's cheap, but the electrics need to be installed. The local Ford dealer has never done it before, so they have no idea what it would take or cost. They suggested I go elsewhere. They also indicated that they've never sold a top carrier, and again have pointed me elsewhere.
I'm checking a local provider on Saturday.
Your starting point is a pair of roof bars from Halfords. These are car specific so will have to last (i.e. don't change your car too soon). Alternatively check ebay for people doing just that.
Your next step is the cycle carriers which will fit to the bars. You could go to the bike shop for these or Halfords of course. Choose mainly between ones that put the bike upside down and those where the bike stands up. These can both be transferred from car to car. Getting the bike that high can be a struggle but I've always preferred it to putting them on the back of the car.
You can get back carriers that lift the bikes out of the way of the lights etc so you wouldn't need a lighting board but these suffer the same disadvantages of all back carriers of less secure fixing and obstructing the hatch. Despite the initial investment, roof bars also mean you can carry lots of other things!
It's not worth getting lighting without the tow bar, but tow ball carriers are good.
But the best solution (in my view) is to leave the Ford Focus at home.
Your next step is the cycle carriers which will fit to the bars. You could go to the bike shop for these or Halfords of course. Choose mainly between ones that put the bike upside down and those where the bike stands up. These can both be transferred from car to car. Getting the bike that high can be a struggle but I've always preferred it to putting them on the back of the car.
You can get back carriers that lift the bikes out of the way of the lights etc so you wouldn't need a lighting board but these suffer the same disadvantages of all back carriers of less secure fixing and obstructing the hatch. Despite the initial investment, roof bars also mean you can carry lots of other things!
It's not worth getting lighting without the tow bar, but tow ball carriers are good.
But the best solution (in my view) is to leave the Ford Focus at home.
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thirdcrank
- Posts: 36740
- Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm
Just a bit extra to what horizon said.
If you get Thule or Halford's own brand it's only the end bits which are car specific (admittedly that's still the greater part of the price) the bars and possibly the supports will move to another car.
There is a bit of a trade-off between roof and rear mounted:
Roof mounted is pretty much out of the way and unless you drive silly, will be secure. The disadvantages - as well as the problem of holding a bike in the air while trying to fasten it into a set of fiddly carrier bits touched on by horizon - are that most roof carriers are a faff to put on and take off, especially if you do not have the room to store them with any bike carriers in place. Running around with a roof rack in place because you cannot be bothered to remove it is said to increase fuel consumption. Finally, if you go to somewhere like a Sustrans track, park up and cycle off, the roof rack just condirms that it is going to be there a while to any passing tealeaf.
I think it is possible to get hang-on-the-back type carriers which do not obstruct the plate and lights, depending on car model. This type of thing is easier to mount and dismount, and can be hidden away inside the car when you are cycling. The main disadvantages are that the bikes are probably less secure, they are almost certainly in the way if you want to get in the back of the car, and there are perhaps more likely to be discussions with the police about con & use regs, or the equivalent abroad.
S, if you are likely to be doing long trips with the car full of gear, roof-mounted may be best. For shorter trips out into the country, hang-off-the back might be better.
The advantage of going to Halfords is that you can see a wide range of choices and they carry good stock. Others on here have mentioned good service elsewhere so if you don't like Halfords, it may be worth a search on roof racks.
If you get Thule or Halford's own brand it's only the end bits which are car specific (admittedly that's still the greater part of the price) the bars and possibly the supports will move to another car.
There is a bit of a trade-off between roof and rear mounted:
Roof mounted is pretty much out of the way and unless you drive silly, will be secure. The disadvantages - as well as the problem of holding a bike in the air while trying to fasten it into a set of fiddly carrier bits touched on by horizon - are that most roof carriers are a faff to put on and take off, especially if you do not have the room to store them with any bike carriers in place. Running around with a roof rack in place because you cannot be bothered to remove it is said to increase fuel consumption. Finally, if you go to somewhere like a Sustrans track, park up and cycle off, the roof rack just condirms that it is going to be there a while to any passing tealeaf.
I think it is possible to get hang-on-the-back type carriers which do not obstruct the plate and lights, depending on car model. This type of thing is easier to mount and dismount, and can be hidden away inside the car when you are cycling. The main disadvantages are that the bikes are probably less secure, they are almost certainly in the way if you want to get in the back of the car, and there are perhaps more likely to be discussions with the police about con & use regs, or the equivalent abroad.
S, if you are likely to be doing long trips with the car full of gear, roof-mounted may be best. For shorter trips out into the country, hang-off-the back might be better.
The advantage of going to Halfords is that you can see a wide range of choices and they carry good stock. Others on here have mentioned good service elsewhere so if you don't like Halfords, it may be worth a search on roof racks.