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fuzzyfreak
Joined: 05 Nov 2009
Posts: 9
Location: Saffron Walden, Essex, UK
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 Posted Thu Nov 5, 2009 12:18 pm |
For those long journeys where carrying your bike on or in the car is necessary, I am interested to know what you think is the most hassle free way of carrying your bike on your car. I have a Toyota Yaris, a small hatchback, which will take my bike in the boot, however I am wanting to carry additional bikes or luggage and I am not happy with the boot mounted bike racks because of the hassle of installing them, their tendancy to wobble and scratch the paint work. I am looking to get a tow bar installed and buying a tow bar mounted bike rack - what are your thoughts?
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Stevo 666
Joined: 26 Jun 2009
Posts: 132
Location: Sunny Beckenham, Kent
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ride_whenever
Joined: 17 Oct 2006
Posts: 8281
Location: United Kingdom
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Posted Thu Nov 5, 2009 12:28 pm |
tow bar mounted are the best but much more costly.
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456!
silly little bike |
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fuzzyfreak
Joined: 05 Nov 2009
Posts: 9
Location: Saffron Walden, Essex, UK
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Posted Thu Nov 5, 2009 12:29 pm |
Thanks for your reply, would they require me to lift the bike above my head?
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nicklouseLives Here
Joined: 20 Mar 2003
Posts: 48249
Location: A Yorkshire man in Sweden
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bomberesque
Joined: 18 Jul 2008
Posts: 1149
Location: Belgium, where rain is typical
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Posted Thu Nov 5, 2009 12:29 pm |
I always put my bikes in the car. They are worth more than it so it makes a convenient lock box. However my car is bigger so space isn't an issue for me as it is for you.
As for boot mounted racks, your decision but I have had good luck with Saris Bones rack, all made of plastic so no sharp edges to scratch paint and *reasonably* easy to install on my mate's mini and never came loose, as I have seen others do.
Roof mounted racks are all well and good but watch your fuel consumption an take care of low bridges and Macdonald's drive thrus! I don't like them, personally.
If you have a tow hitch then a hitch mounted rack is probably the way to go. A friend of mine has a very simple one that will take 2 bikes and clamps to the hitch in seconds. The only thing I'd say about them is watch out for the price of having a hitch fitted, it can be '00s of pounds....
Everything in moderation ... except beer
Beer in moderation ... is a waste of beer
If riding an XC race bike is like touching the trail,
then riding a rigid singlespeed is like licking it
... or being punched by it, depending on the day |
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fuzzyfreak
Joined: 05 Nov 2009
Posts: 9
Location: Saffron Walden, Essex, UK
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Posted Thu Nov 5, 2009 12:31 pm |
Excellent, cheers Bomberesque!
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sicknewt
Joined: 05 Jul 2007
Posts: 92
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nicklouseLives Here
Joined: 20 Mar 2003
Posts: 48249
Location: A Yorkshire man in Sweden
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weeksy59
Joined: 11 Jan 2009
Posts: 704
Location: West Berks
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Posted Thu Nov 5, 2009 12:56 pm |
it's an MTB, it gets scratched.
mine gets thrown in the car and other stuff thrown on top/around it.
You need to look after components, paintwork couldn't be less important 
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joec1
Joined: 01 Sep 2009
Posts: 129
Location: Wiltshire
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Posted Thu Nov 5, 2009 12:59 pm |
| ride_whenever wrote: | | tow bar mounted are the best but much more costly. |
Yup.
mine has a plate that fits behing tow bar hook and it bolted through, the rack then just slots onto two prongs and its ready to go (add a few support ties)
really easy and super supportive. have done "70mph" on the motorway (the legal limit or course...) without any issue.
deffo recommended...
http://chatandride.freeforums.org/ - MTBing in Wilts and the southwest, join up for info and ride details. |
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scale20
Joined: 14 Mar 2007
Posts: 496
Location: North Wales
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Posted Thu Nov 5, 2009 1:04 pm |
I have just downsized my car to a new shape corsa and theres not a lot of room for the bike in the car. I have always used the Thule roof mounted carriers which I have never had a problem with, they are simple to use and keep the bikes out of the way for ease of getting into the boot and so on. I can still get under the barrier at McDonalds drive through with about 2mm to spare  The only gripe I have with the roof mounted racks is the fuel consumption.
I have thought about getting a towbar fitted and mounting a carrier to that to try and save on the fuel costs but cant really justify the cost and the fact that i have a perfectly good roof carrier system. It would take me years to get back in fuel to what i will have to fork out for the towbar mounted.
If I had my time again and knew what i know now I would go for the towbar mounted option. You just ave to hope no-one ever slams into the back of your car and trashes your bikes 
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yeehaamcgee
Joined: 07 May 2007
Posts: 6057
Location: Worth Nails
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Posted Thu Nov 5, 2009 1:05 pm |
Saris bones here, on a peugeot 306. Works fine, and I can get three bikes on the back.
Mae'n enw i wedi ei grafu, hefo hoelan wedi rhydu, ar y lechan las
New
Old
Hardtail
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bigbenj_08
Joined: 05 Jun 2008
Posts: 6713
Location: On a HT! In the NW
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scale20
Joined: 14 Mar 2007
Posts: 496
Location: North Wales
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Posted Thu Nov 5, 2009 1:12 pm |
The mrs has a peugeot partner MPv and its brilliant to put the bikes in the back for the longer journeys however if we go away for the weekend the bikes have to go on the roof and then it drinks fuel.
I'm looking at getting a towbar mounted for that.
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.blitz
Joined: 02 Sep 2008
Posts: 2016
Location: Dick Slee's Cave
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Posted Thu Nov 5, 2009 1:20 pm |
Saris bones. Put a bag over the rear view mirror so you can't see your bike swaying from side-to-side.
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sicknewt
Joined: 05 Jul 2007
Posts: 92
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Posted Thu Nov 5, 2009 1:24 pm |
| Quote: | | Put a bag over the rear view mirror so you can't see your bike swaying from side-to-side. |
Genius, love it!
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Stevo 666
Joined: 26 Jun 2009
Posts: 132
Location: Sunny Beckenham, Kent
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Kiblams
Joined: 31 Jan 2009
Posts: 770
Location: Derbyshire
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bails87
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Posts: 696
Location: Solihull, United Kingdom
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Posted Thu Nov 5, 2009 1:38 pm |
For a bit of lateral thinking, how about putting your bike in the car (where it's safe from theives and crashes), and have a trailer or roofbox for the luggage? Or is that crazy-talk?!
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) so roof height is around face height, but I have a handy little step ladder that makes life a lot easier. That said, I can get the thing onto a normal car roof mounted carrier without too much trouble.