Evening y'all,

Im thinking of purchasing a small combi style van to use for biking etc. I like the look of a vw caddy roundabout a 2001/2 model, does anybody have one and can you tell me if it takes a bike without removing wheels etc, and if so then how many can you fit in this way. I was considering the crew cab version with rear seat but im guessing that will greatly reduce the useable space.

Thanks in advance for your help. I shall go forth and get myself a life right after these questions are answered..

01/02 – crew cab no bikes with wheels in – and folk in back seats – the vans just too small – it becomes a car essentially in the crew guise

with just the 2 front seats youll get 2 maybe 3 in fully built

i looked at a fair few – just pay attention to interiors , they seem to get scruffy and fall apart quickly.

Thanks for that mate, so no bikes at all if i get the crew cab? even with the wheels off? I was thinking of going for the 2 seater anyway. Just got to find a good one now. They do look a bit plasticy inside.

Berlingo Multispace, 5 mins to remove one rear seat – takes three bikes intact and upright with three people. I would guess Doblo etc the same.

aye wheels off youll get bikes in

common faults with the few i looked at before deciding that the french stuff seemed better built were Window winders in pieces , sun visors with bits missing , roof trims falling off , gear knobs missing their tops , glove boxes that didnt want to stay shut while test driving. Each and ever one was under 40,000 miles

i looked at french tin with 120,000 miles on the clock in better nick than most of the caddys – but you may find a good un as your looking older than i was , perhaps its a new shape caddy thing

for scale thats my 06 partner with a Large rig 29er and my missus old mtb in , can take 3 fully built bikes or 4 with front wheels out and a fully built one down the middle (with its rear wheel between the front seats

you wont regret it – but do look at combos , partners , berlingos , kangoos etc as well and pick what evers in best condition/milage for the money, they all seem to be of similar quality tbh …. VW aint what it used to be !

thanks for that guys. Pic was a big help aswell. Wanted something that looked quite smart aswell. The partner is a nice van, caddy's look smart but maybe rethink after what u said. Thank again guys. Now where did i put my life…ah there it is!

im loving my berlingo van. same as a partner!

we hired a transit connect last summer – the bars on our 140mm bikes were too high to go in so it was wheels off. meant to try my ss but never got round to it (lower bars on that) i reckon they would have fitted in a high roof line.

i know we are talking caddys but i thought i'd throw it in.

I had a kangoo for a while, very nice. mine had two sliding doors and a folding factory fitted bench seat in the back. 4 bikes all stood up with wheels was no bother, 29ers, road bikes, dh bikes etc. with the seats up you just take the wheels off, again 4 blokes all legaly seatesd with 4 bikes in back. it also had roof bars so with the box on top it was a greatlittlw thing to tour about in and always te bikes were isnde and secure. the Berlingo and Partner are slightly smaller and the Doblo is just nasty, pick up a Kangoo and you'll be well pleased.

that the new LWB kangoo then ? – new berlingo is the same size – not sure if they moved the partner onto the new platform.

nice but not 14 grand nice haha

bedford rascal or such like.

twin doors means its like a huey helicoptor, well kind of …. a big back door means a picnic in the boot if need be

my wife had one and we had lots of fun in it, the seats go flat and you can lie down in the back as well………. or so she told me.

and bikes go in whole.

Caddy and Connect are lower speed limits. Connect does come in a good hi-top crew van – we tried one and bikes fitted widthways (on top of boxed in arches with front wheel out and maybe bars and forks spun 180 deg.

Caddy crew van is very scarce (not really common until caddy maxi appeared a few years ago).

If not bothered about lowered speed limit then old shape Dispatch / Scudo / Expert is a great size for lots of bikes (just don't get non-turbo).

We now have a new shape dispatch combi and that is just ace! 6 people and 6 bikes with just front wheels removed. Worlds largest tailgate to stay dry when getting changed. And being a Combi it is registered as a car so no reduced speed limit 😛

All good advice. Thanx guys, im after an older van, maybe 01-03. Partner looking like a good buy. Look good with a set of alloys 2. Ill get on the hunt 2nite.

I have an 01 Caddy. Have converted mine to a mini campervan, but can still get 3 bikes in with wheels on, loads more without – but never needed to do that.

With the original bulkhead in place they'd need to go in at an angle, but removing it gives room to fit straight in (just), but I'm small, so only 16" frame plus don't need the seat right back.

Yes interior 'nowt to get excited about, and like most vans it can be hard to find an example that's not be trashed – but if you find a good 'un they're a nice enough van. Have 1.9SD, slow but damn economical, given a choice I'd opt for TD though. Had it 4 years now with no major issues.

Oh, and old high-cube Caddy's are below the GV weight limit, so not efected by the van speed limits.

any more info needed mail me.

pics is with 2 bikes, wheels in and enough camping gear stashed away for a weeks hols…