Another what car thread - needs to hold 2 cycles internally

[porridge]

Any Suggestions/does it exist!

It will only be used on a weekend to transport 2 adult bicycles each weekend to parks/woodlands etc when weather is nice.

I could get a roof/rear carrier but hoping something exists whereby the 2 cycles could be left in the car all the time (out of view from any opportunistic thiefs), the idea is to save my lazy self loading and unloading each time we go out .

We live near to trains for work so cars unlikely to be used daily, so looking for cheap as possible, little to maintain as depreciation is pointless on a non fun car.

2 more criteria's are that firstly as it is a nice street, I don't want to bring the area down with something in too bad a state and last criteria is that we have a small to medium sized driveway so can't be overly long.

Any ideas? Has to hold the cycles out of view as otherwise I would be better of getting anything with an external carrier.

Edited by porridge on Friday 4th April 15:38

[conkerman]

I got 3 mountain bikes an 3 people in a 405 saloon* so pretty much anything focus sized and above

• some disassembly required.

[porridge]

rear Seats down? or just the boot. And how disassembly, just the wheels? as that may offset any benefits of ding this as if tired at end of the day then last thing I want is to spend time dismantling.

[longblackcoat]

Fitting them into a car - take the wheels off and it's not a problem. But trying to do that so they're not seen - i.e. under the luggage cover or in the boot - is a lot harder.

Much easier to just get a bike carrier, tbh.

[theotherJamie]

Wheels on you need to be looking at something van derived.

A VW Caddy Maxi Life will swallow bikes with the rear seat row removed but may a)be too long and b)be too expensive.

A Kangoo/Berlingo/Partner would work if you can live with the seats folded.

[aka_kerrly]

This is one of my important car buying criteria to as I also much prefer knowing my bike is inside my car as opposed to hanging a few grands worth of kit off the back of the car.

This is where hot hatches and coupes with folding rear seats come into play. A lot of saloons (BMW/Merc/Audi) do not all come with split fold rear seats so although the boots appear big you need to remove both wheels and even then some full suspension bikes with triple clamps won't fit.

Things like Golfs & Focuses ( or Foci if you're Alan Partridge) ought to be spot on.

OR since you mention cheap as possible, big petrol powered estates are at give away money, a mate of mine recently picked up a Audi A4 2.8 V6 quattro with T&T and some service history for £450!

[conkerman]

Didn't have folding seats. Wheels and seatposts off. May have had a couple of wheels on back seat.

used blankets to stop them banging about.

Berlingo, straight in the back.

[porridge]

aka_kerrly said:

This is one of my important car buying criteria to as I also much prefer knowing my bike is inside my car as opposed to hanging a few grands worth of kit off the back of the car.

This is where hot hatches and coupes with folding rear seats come into play. A lot of saloons (BMW/Merc/Audi) do not all come with split fold rear seats so although the boots appear big you need to remove both wheels and even then some full suspension bikes with triple clamps won't fit.

Things like Golfs & Focuses ( or Foci if you're Alan Partridge) ought to be spot on.

OR since you mention cheap as possible, big petrol powered estates are at give away money, a mate of mine recently picked up a Audi A4 2.8 V6 quattro with T&T and some service history for £450!

Thanks everyone, google imaged a Berlingo and don't think I could live with its looks! The large engined petrol estate appeals much more so will start researching.

[aka_kerrly]

^ A Berlingo can handle 4 DH bikes with just the front wheels removed but where is the fun in having a Berlingo for every other event.

The Civic VTI-S MB6 is also a worth a look as it's 5 door proper hatch but also a entertaining engine & LSD set up!

[dcb]

porridge said:

Thanks everyone, google imaged a Berlingo and don't think I could live with its looks! The large engined petrol estate appeals much more so will start researching.

Estate doesn't have to be that big.

I can get two bikes into the back of a 3 series touring no problem, provided
I take the pedals off the lower bike and I don't mind the back seats folded down.

There's at least six foot of space from the back door to the back of the front seats.
A surprisingly practical car, is the 3 series touring.

[austinsmirk]

i've been a cyclist for years now, so all my cars have to fit bikes.

I hate car, roof mounted, bike racks: they leave yr bike on display, noisy to drive with etc.

having said that I'd had plenty of camper vans, which with the rigid thule racks on the rear are great and you can at least lock your bikes up to something that feels secure.

car wise, one of mine at the moment is the new ford mondeo....... bike goes in, with only one rear seat down and just front wheel off.

given you can keep parcel shelf in, its hardly an effort to throw an old sheet over the sticky out bit- forks, on the rear seat.

they are a cavernous car.

used to do the same with an impreza estate- that worked quite well.

[Vladimir]

I can get two bikes, nothing taken off, in the van.
I might get one bike with a wheel off in the car.

Unless security is an issue, I'd stick them on the roof.

[Chicane-UK]

To be fair, I was able to get my road bike into a 1st generation Ford Ka without too much trouble - just took the wheels off, so really anything should be suitable depending how much assembly / disassembly you're happy to do!

[P-Jay]

The only car I've ever owned that could take a bike whole, without removing wheels is my old accord, but as you can see you're not going to get 2 in without risking the paint work / upholstery:



Other than that they're perfect for your needs, cheap to buy, cheap to run, won't upset the neighbours.

But for the love of all things Holy, get a facelift model, the early ones have 4-5 usual faults that they ALL will suffer from.

[conkerman]

Octavia VRS.

Was car of choice for ages on one of the MTB forums I used to frequent.

[dcb]

P-Jay said:

The only car I've ever owned that could take a bike whole, without removing wheels is my old accord, but as you can see you're not going to get 2 in without risking the paint work / upholstery:

Oh I can do better than that.

Pedals off, put the 1st bike in front wheel first, have the end of the handlebar into the little
drop between the dropped seatback and the side door and you very well might find that
the 1st bike only takes about 10cm vertical space so there's plenty room for a 2nd bike.

2nd bike might have to go in back wheel first, so that the 2nd bike's handlebars
are at the back of the car and don't conflict with 1st bike's handlebars.

I do that every weekend for years. Doddle.