Subscribe to any of our motoring magazines and save up to 49%. To carry a bike inside your car you'll need an estate, or a saloon with a very big boot. You can get four-bike rear carriers, but I'm not sure I'd trust them to hold the whole family's bikes - that's a lot of bikes. Put this around your bikes wherever they clamp or sit on a rack, or wherever they may rub against another bike. (8 replies, 6 voices) Started 6 years, 6 months ago by hnschipper ... people buy the “swing” type bike racks and they could not swing it properly away from the car without one of the bike wheels touching the car and preventing it from swinging away without possibly bending a rim. Do I pay rego during lockdown? 4) Gently place the bike on the floor, non-driveside facing the seat. Even the least expensive down tube-clamping roof-mounted rack is secure enough to hold a bike securely. These are typically platform-style racks, which not only allow for better boot access but are easier to load and unload. Although this second option may appeal to road race fans because it looks like the systems used by teams at the Tour de France, we’d suggest most leisure and family cyclists don’t need the extra hassle of wondering where to store a load of front wheels. Cycling UK is a trading name of Cyclists’ Touring Club (CTC) a company limited by guarantee, registered in England no: 25185. Another option, particularly for the occasional bike transporter, is a rear or boot-mounted carrier. You can compact these to increase your cargo space and keep your bikes in … (This happened to a riding friend when a car pulled out in front of him.) The eBike itself is by itself a fun way to get around. With a solid connection to a part of your car that usually has handy electrical connections for lights, a towball rack is a very convenient way to carry bikes. Do you need to transport your bike by car? Coronavirus: Advice and guidance for Cycling UK member and affiliate groups, How and why to put on bike rides aimed at women, How to organise a charity bike ride or sportive, Registration Office's/Membership Secretary's Toolkit, Design and create kit for your cycling club or group, Scottish Advisory Panel for Outdoor Education, A guide to bicycle storage and security at home. Will require a tow bar or tow ball — not a cheap addition to your car — plus rear electrical supply for a lighting board with number plate. All Rights Reserved. Position the left pedal at 12'o clock to stabilize the bike on the backseat. Roof bars are a reasonable extra investment but buying and fitting a tow bar or tow ball with accompanying electrical power supply will cost significantly more. Many modern versions tilt forward so you can access the boot. The same goes for the contact points of the car. Cycling journalist and Cycling UK member Matt Lamy explains all the options in this simple guide to car-mounted cycle carriers. Bikes can poke out either side, so be aware of increased vehicle width. In fact, even if you haven’t got children, you might want to take your bike (or bikes) away somewhere a little different while the sun shines. The downside is boot access, which can be a little awkward once all the bikes are in place. A bike with the wheels off will fit in the boot of a few big cars, but your Mercedes dealer may not be comfortable if you turn up for a test drive with a bike to try it. (Photo by Thule.com). If you’ve got a big enough car and few enough people to carry, you could transport your bikes inside the vehicle. May come with a built-in locks, and bikes can then be easily protected further with additional locks. Carrying the bikes inside the car There are different ways to carry bikes on cars, each with their own pros and cons. Protect the bike with the tires, or use them to space out multiple bikes placed on top of one another. Registered as a charity in England and Wales charity no: 1147607 and in Scotland charity no: SC042541. Height-restricted areas are now off-limits. It allows you to fasten your bike in, making it one of the most efficient methods. The easiest way to carry both kids bikes and two adult bikes would probably be to put the smaller children's bikes in the boot (if you have a reasonably large car) and the two adult bikes on the roof. Some have light connectors for brake and turn signals which are similar to a trailer, and requiring a trailer plug to operate them. Rear boot lid mounted racks are the most commonly seen method of transporting bikes. Check with the manufacturer’s guidelines to see if the one you’re intending to buy is compatible with your specific vehicle model and production year. Mountain biking is a great activity that can be done with a … Bikes, as well as the rack, are more susceptible to theft and damage. Place a clean piece of cloth under the pedal to avoid staining the seat. There are a number of different ways that roof-mounted cycle carriers may hold a bike in place, but the two most common options use either a pivoting arm that clamps around the bike’s down tube, or a front bar onto which you can attach the fork dropouts once you’ve removed the front wheel. You can use ratchet straps like the Erickson Easy Ratchet Tie-Downs # EM34410 to secure bikes to the Curt Cargo Carrier # C18153. Make more room for multiple bikes, plus gear, with Everlite Trailers. The trunk rack. If you ... the locking mechanism isn’t the best, but I tend to not let my bike or car … There are three ways to transport your bike by car: inside it, on the roof and on the back. Find the bike rack to suit you and your car. If your car doesn’t, you’ll need to factor in the cost of a hitch ... and how many. The majority of people always prefer this method while transporting their bicycles. WhichCar is now home to Wheels, Motor, 4X4 Australia and Street Machine magazines. If you car already has a hitch, this is a great way to go. No towball? The Freedom racks transport bikes with a central mast that secures to the bike's downtube. This protects your car from scratches, from clothing/belts, provides a much safer lift for your back and allows you to access the entire roof rack. One of the benefits of using roof-mounted carriers is that you can buy and fit as many as you need, up to a maximum of about four depending on car size. Whichever you choose you should make sure the attachment is strong enough to take the weight of the bicycle or bicycles. A quality bicycle box will have a hard shell that's resistant to cracks, it'll be toughened where needed and include fittings to secure both your frame and wheels. In this position, front tires of the dirt bike will be landing on the roof of the car and the rear tires will be fixed at the trunk. Matching up the right carrier to your car, or a professional fitting, is a must. [Edit - or a bigger car to fit the bike … Generally reasonably priced and carriers can be bought individually. Depending on the design, you might have a bit of trouble getting small kids bikes fitting in roof-mounted racks. The rack needs to be secured to the boot lid frame, not just the sheet metal, in order to hold the weight of the bikes. Fixed to the boot face, up to four bikes can be carried on its racks. Not very aerodynamically efficient — will slightly affect you car’s running costs when being used. You can find practical tips for correctly caring for eBikes here. If you already have roof racks, either built in or fitted, it can also be a good option financially. Not all racks are designed for all cars. Roof-mounted bikes don’t obscure car lights or number plates. Answering your COVID car questions, Advice to keep your car in good shape during lockdown and to save money if you can't drive, Check and maintain your car tyre pressures for maximum safety and minimum fuel bills, How the Ford Mustang killed the Aussie Falcon, Ford Mustang engineers signed the death warrant for the Falcon in Australia. The same goes for the drive-through Maccas run after all that exercise – though that may not necessarily be a bad thing. Or buy a smaller bike to fit the car. I'm looking at purchasing a new carbon tri bike and want to know what is the best way to transport it. I image a rear carrier with multiple bikes is more likely to cause damage to your bike (or car), unless the bikes are well separated and protected. Hopefully one activity you’re planning to do with your family this summer is to go on a cycling adventure. A Seat Alahmbra will swallow the whole bike upright with the middle rear seat out. What is behaviour change and how does it apply to cycling? Get a Roof Rack. If you really only need to transport a bike occasionally, a trunk mount might be okay. For people who have to carry more than four or five bikes you could combine roof-mounted carriers with a rear or tow point-mounted carrier. A trunk rack can also be swapped between each of your cars. You will drive your bike into the back window of your truck. No problem. You can buy tiltable or even swing-away racks that allow easy access to the boot for a little more money. However, for those wanting to transport their e-bike long distances, road or air transport may be the best solution, we cover four transportation methods below. Hurrah — the school holidays are finally here! So you've got your dirt bike, but now you need a way of getting it to the track. Also, you’ll have to be relatively strong and tall to use all roof space. Similarly, it was traditionally impossible to access the boot once the bikes were installed on a tow point-mounted rack, but many modern carriers now tilt as one — even with bikes fitted — so you can get to the boot. If that's not possible, still have the two adult bikes on the roof but use a rear carrier for the kids bikes. After all, you don’t want to scratch either the bike or the car. Tighten all straps as much as possible during initial fitting and then check them again after all the bikes are in place. If you’re only intending rare trips with your bikes, it’s the most cost effective option and, if fitted properly, is perfectly useable. Quick to install and remove bikes once practised. Also, if you're willing to take the front wheel off for transport, you'll have more cars on the list than if you need the bike fully intact. Aside from riding your bike to the destination, a car is by far the most convenient method. By far the biggest downside is that you need a tow bar or tow ball. When driving, don’t forget the bikes are up there — a trip to a multi-storey car park will be an expensive mistake. Otherwise, you could go the whole hog and buy a cycle-carrying trailer. Don’t forget the bikes are up there! You may not be joining the hardcore Lycra brigade just yet. Some mounting pads — even on quite expensive carriers — can rub the paint off car bodywork. Again, it can be locked to the car, doesn’t require the bikes to be lifted too high and is easily folded and stored. Remember, you will have to top and tail the bikes — alternating the way each is pointing — to use roof space efficiently and squeeze the most on. These aren’t cheap to have fitted, but if your car already has one and an accompanying electrical point for a number plate lighting board — some tow point-mounted racks even come with an integrated lighting board — then they are a superb option and offer possibly the most secure way to transport a family of bikes. ... here are the details of why the Freedom and SuperClamp are the best car racks for electric bike racks: 1. It's a major cause of collisions and frustration on Australian roads, but why do so many people get it wrong? I currently use a tow ball mounted rack that holds my bike by the top tube. Finally, make sure nothing is obscuring the car lights or number plate. Roof racks utilize the space on top of your car to transport your bike. If you're new to cycling, and want to transport your bike inside a car, this video will help. Hi all, Ive got a bit of a dilemma as to the best way to transport four adult sized bikes whilst the van is on the back of the car. Will need to have roof bars on your car — an additional cost. However, for people who have to regularly transport bikes on their car, we’d recommend the extra security, stability and convenience that come with roof or tow point-mounted carriers. It makes use of the Fit’s 60:40 rear split seats. Some cars will fit a bike, but only with the back seats folded down, which leaves only the front passenger seat for a passenger, and possibly little room for luggage. 8:05 AM UTC It can be tricky to fit a bike into a car neatly. © Copyright Are Media Pty Limited. Fixed to the boot face, up to four bikes can be carried on its racks. Best way to transport 4 bikes? The Best option I’ve found In the winter the last place you want your nice bike is on a hitch mounted rack.