Car questionin "Pedal Powered" ???!!?
Car questionin "Pedal Powered" ???!!?
Author
Discussion

dubbs

Original Poster:

1,599 posts

307 months

Monday 10th August 2009
quotequote all
Ok... so I had an M6 which was great but in terms of a decent cycle carrier... oh no. So as a reasonable country hoon generally tends to be with the MTB passengering I'm interested in what research you guys have done on what's best metal you can buy without losing ability to carry your bikes.

Current thinking is M5 as normal roof so can use Thule racks but what if you go for smaller or more exclusive?

Anyone? smile

jshell

11,977 posts

228 months

Monday 10th August 2009
quotequote all
Dunno about performance machinery, but I use a Merc ML with OE internal bike rack for carrying bikes. Heavily tinted windows so bikes cannot be seen very easily. Rack folds away when needing the back row of seats. Stealthy....

theboymoon

2,699 posts

283 months

Monday 10th August 2009
quotequote all
Depends on your budget really....

If your combined bikes are worth more than the car then i have to say i've never felt short changed by my little rallye!



2 boys, 2 bikes, lots of kit, camping stuff and a weekend away biking..... errr on this occasion in the Alps smile

Everything on the inside so its a totally hoon-friendly option.

ewenm

28,506 posts

268 months

Monday 10th August 2009
quotequote all
Time for me to post this pic again...


rhinochopig

17,932 posts

221 months

Monday 10th August 2009
quotequote all
ewenm said:
Time for me to post this pic again...
There was a female DH racer in the 90s who had a Striker IIRC that had a bike rack on the back.

a11y_m

1,861 posts

245 months

Monday 10th August 2009
quotequote all
ewenm said:
Time for me to post this pic again...
That's terrible, the saddle's obstructing the fog light..............

smile


Seriously though, you can even get a rack to fit an Elise: one that involves "guiding tubes" atached permanently under the rear bumper but barely visible (a rack slots into these tubes). I've seen these for other sports cars and also Audi TTs.

But something like an M5 Touring or RS4 Avant might be more sensible. I used to get on great with my Clio 172 with roofbars, apart from forgetting about the bikes and hooning off at usual speed...

ratbane

1,393 posts

239 months

Monday 10th August 2009
quotequote all
theboymoon said:
Depends on your budget really....

If your combined bikes are worth more than the car then i have to say i've never felt short changed by my little rallye!



2 boys, 2 bikes, lots of kit, camping stuff and a weekend away biking..... errr on this occasion in the Alps smile

Everything on the inside so its a totally hoon-friendly option.
What's the white bike to the right?

theboymoon

2,699 posts

283 months

Monday 10th August 2009
quotequote all
ratbane said:
What's the white bike to the right?
Tis a mates white blur LT. Very pleasant steed.

Edited by theboymoon on Monday 10th August 15:04

P-Jay

11,256 posts

214 months

Monday 10th August 2009
quotequote all
Best vehicle for MTB carrying? Transit Van. Get a small engined FWD ex-florist / bakers one for a couple of grand, chuck some seat covers on and leave your £60k+ M Sports at home.

Honeslty as long as you've got somewhere to store the sucka mid-week it's the best option IMHO. If you've got lots of riding mates that like to travel together, get a crew cab one.

It's your out-of-sight bike storage,
Changing room,
Out-of-the-rain maintenance centre,
You can dive straight in in your stinking riding kit and get the heaters on,

'Ours', which was actually bought and is maintained by my riding buddy RH (nice work son!) is kept pretty tidy looking (oh yes, it's been compound and mopped back to new fridge white!) and has Fox stickers on it (which I think are a bit of a toe-rag magnet, but I don't pay for it, so who am I to judge - Nice work RH!) is not-far-off car quiet, as easy as my Mum's Yaris to drive and not even thristy, especially compared to a 5.0 V10.

Not to mention, pre-transit, out of all my riding buddies cars. More than half now have some sort of dent in the roof/sides from bikes falling off Thule Bike Carriers. It's not the carriers fault, and we're not numpties, but if you go riding once a week, especially when you're getting back tired and frezzing in the middle of winter. You've only got to forget once to do it up properly. Makes a HELL of a bang at that first junction/roundabout.

Edited by P-Jay on Monday 10th August 15:10

theboymoon

2,699 posts

283 months

Monday 10th August 2009
quotequote all
P-Jay said:
van stuff
Forgot to add that i am thinking of selling the puglet in the next month or so and getting a van.

Ideally i'd like a T5 kombi but i can't quite stretch ££££

P-Jay

11,256 posts

214 months

Monday 10th August 2009
quotequote all
theboymoon said:
P-Jay said:
van stuff
Forgot to add that i am thinking of selling the puglet in the next month or so and getting a van.

Ideally i'd like a T5 kombi but i can't quite stretch ££££
Yeah VeeDub vans are so much cooler in the Trail Centre posing stakes.

If I had the funds, new Transporter Sportline...... but then of course we'd have to try to keep the seats clean....



Edited by P-Jay on Monday 10th August 15:18

a11y_m

1,861 posts

245 months

Monday 10th August 2009
quotequote all
I think the OP's looking for an all-round car though. But, like above, I can't recommend a van enough. This time last year I have one car that had to do all - a Seat Ibiza Cupra TDI - for bike carrying and hooning duties (I know, not much of a hooner...).

We bought a VW Transporter T5 van last October. Can currently fit at least 6 bikes inside, and also have a 3-bike carrier on the back door. There were 8 of us away for a weekend last year, 3 of us in the van with 6 bikes plus gear, the other 5 in one car with 2 bikes on the roof, ideal.

Eventually mine'll morph into a camper conversion with windows, etc and gain a bit of weight, but even at the moment it's a nice drive with the 2.5 130 engine and 6-speed box. There's always a 180bhp remap option I suppose. Added bonus is it let me replace my Ibiza with a less sensible car for hooning smile

Mandog

149 posts

210 months

Monday 10th August 2009
quotequote all

I feel now is the right time to post my chariot.





I also wanted a T5 krew cab but didn't have a lot of coin to spend, so got the T4 instead. I think it looks cooler anyway (once worked on). It's the mk2 golf of the various Transporter generations.

I 2nd what PJ said if you've got the space.

Fetchez la vache

5,881 posts

237 months

Monday 10th August 2009
quotequote all
Well... I saw a brand new white GT-R heading E over the Severn bridge Thursday eve with at least one bike on the back... alas I was going west so no picture. That was certainly the fastest car I've seen with a bike on the back.

I must have a picture of my beach buggy with the bike on somewhere... that has to be the slowest biggrin

dubbs

Original Poster:

1,599 posts

307 months

Monday 10th August 2009
quotequote all
Ok so M5 has

Roof option for carrying bikes
Tow bar option if preferred
Huge boot for dirtworker, spares, remains of buddy who didn't make it back from Swinley
Seats four in comfort with their bikes on top
Mega stereo and climate control for cooling down or getting in the mood for playtime
Cup holders for the bottles :-)

What you're all telling me is basically there's nothing better....

smile

P.S Love those VWs but unless they produce a mentally silly one it'll still be slow and handle like..er....a van biggrin

a11y_m

1,861 posts

245 months

Monday 10th August 2009
quotequote all
LOL money no object I'm sure I'd be pitching up at the trails in an M5 Touring too, but my dreams aren't the reality!

Gazzab

21,558 posts

305 months

Monday 10th August 2009
quotequote all
Mountain bike fits in the boot of my cerb. But I prefer using my Disco 3.
911s (993s certainly) have guttering for roof bars - so can carry a bike.
A 456 Ferrari shooting brake will do the job.
One of those Nissan thingys will probably be up to the job?

theboymoon

2,699 posts

283 months

Monday 10th August 2009
quotequote all
i've seen a 996 in Glentress carpark with 2 bikes on a roofrack before smile

jshell

11,977 posts

228 months

Tuesday 11th August 2009
quotequote all
Gazzab said:
A 456 Ferrari shooting brake will do the job.
...and Autotrader is just swamped with them.......... rofl

anonymous-user

77 months

Tuesday 11th August 2009
quotequote all
the infamous Lotus "elanbulance" is for sale at Paul Matty Sports Cars....