Finally I have the opportunity to take the bike on the family holiday next year so naturally I am thinking about how to get it there. The car does not have a tow bar and getting one fitted is too expensive, so tow bar racks are out. I already have roof bars and a thule bike carrier but the stress of driving down to the alps thinking “bike on the roof, bike on the roof” is not appealing, especially as I have ripped a set of bikes off a roof before at a height restriction before. I have thought about putting the bike in a bike bag and then putting the bike bag into a thule ranger soft roof box but the dimensions do not quite work out as this would have reduced the height of the car significantly. My last thought is whether someone manufactures a dedicated roof mounted bike box. Has anyone seen anything like this as it seams to be the natural way to go with reducing height and drag but securing the bike in a nice box with wheel pockets etc.

Any Thoughts

ND

p.s. or does anyone have experience of shipping a bike internationally?

Bikeboxalan can be adapted to fit to roof bars.

To be honest, if its purely for transporting on the roof of a car, not actual air travel, I’d buy the cheapest box, and a piece of rope, and securely tie it to your roof bars.

All main roads are set up for trucks and things, the only time you’ll struggle with height restrictions is car parks and that. For driving all that way I’d rather go with the security of a proper rack rather than bodging a box/bag on the top to be honest. Stick a post it to your steering wheel or something just in case you forget when you come to park.

do make sure you let the ferry company/tunnel know if you have a roofbox or bike on the roof.

Just secure a £40 bike bag from CRC/P-X/wiggle/merlin to the roof rails? Or just use a rack as normal (might cost you more on a ferry though).

The car does not have a tow bar and getting one fitted is too expensive

DIY fit one? My focus involved:

6 fittings holding the bumper on (screws and small bolts)

Remove the old reinforcing bar (4 bolts)

Cutting a credit card sized piece out of the black plastic underneath with a bread knife

Install the towbar 10 bolts, 4 to the car, 4 assembling the towbar and 2 holding the flanged ball onto the bar.

Torque wrench helped, but they were all ‘swing your whole weight off the scoket wrench tight’ and no grease on the threads.

Re-fit the bumper

Electrics were more involved, but still only too another couple of hours.

Cost £80 for towabar and relay electrics (don’t splice them directly into the wiring, it could damage the ECU) and £60 for a s/h aiston bike rack.

you’re clearly not thinking outside the box…

hire a roof box and put all the family guff in that, bike in the car.

MarkSS – Member
you’re clearly not thinking outside the box…

hire a roof box and put all the family guff in that, bike in the car.

Surely there you’re thinking inside the box 😕

MarkSS – Member
you’re clearly not thinking outside the box…
hire a roof box and put all the family guff in that, bike in the car.

Surely there you’re thinking inside the box

Bike does not fit in the boot. Would have to negotiate putting the kids on the roof too. I am not a betting man but I reckon my wife might object

Hire / borrow a normal roof box. Take bike apart. Put bits of bike that fit and other luggage in roof box, put bits of bike that don’t fit in space created in car by putting stuff in roof box.

Or is that no good either?

Or is that no good either?

All good ideas, need to have a think about it. After ripping a set of bikes off the roof due to a lapse in concentration and and a child needing a wee I am now nervous of anything high or loose up there. The bike box Alan idea looks positive as I can rent the box and it looks like it will secure nicely. it would be interesting to see what does or does not fit in a traditional box and how it compares with hire costs. I can feel a test run coming on

Thanks for all your suggestions, it looks like one way or another I can get the bike there without it whafting around on a bike carrier with me grimacing for 7 – 8 hours a day.

Cheers

ND