Looking for something I can get 2 bikes in (one of which is a large 29er full sus), ideally without taking the wheels off to avoid fork damage, plus a mixed couple and their luggage for a fortnight in France. Should be reasonably comfortable because my back’s not what it was.

Budget flexible in the sub-£10k rangee.

Thinking Ford Galaxy, but I’m not sure if even in that that the bikes will fit easily as the seats don’t seem to come out.

Or should we just accept that the wheels will need to come off and the brakes bled when we get there and get an estate car?

Or do what we’re doing at the moment – just bung the bikes on the roof and accept that we can’t stop anywhere en-route?

Take the wheels off.

Why would you need to bleed the brakes? Suggest you put something between the levers and handlebars if you are paranoid.

Why would you need to bleed the brakes?

I regularly get two bikes with front wheels off and two 6 ft (+) people in my focus hatchback.

I haven’t damaged any forks or had to bleed any brakes.

Something like a Mondeo estate will be pretty cavernous, I’m sure an Octavia/Passat/Insignia would be fine too.

I’m told that being bumped around upside down for 2 days is likely to move air around inside the system, thereby necesitating a bleed to avoid unpleasantness half-way down an Alp. Is this scaremongering?

I’ve never heard that before.

Take the wheels off and leave upright if you’re worried. Just put some protection underneath. You could take the chains off as well.

I’ve currently got a Focus and whilst 2 road bikes will fit with just the front wheels off if you don’t want much luggage, the Stumpy doesn’t fit in by itself with just the front wheel removed.

Looking for something I can get 2 bikes in (one of which is a large 29er full sus), ideally without taking the wheels off to avoid fork damage, plus a mixed couple and their luggage for a fortnight in France.

A van.

But what is a ‘mixed’ couple?

A van.

A van’s an option, how comfortable are they to spend large amounts of time in?

what is a ‘mixed’ couple?

It was a polite way of saying that the female half is unlikely to entertain suggestions that we only take one change of clothes for the entire fortnight.

I’m told that being bumped around upside down for 2 days is likely to move air around inside the system, thereby necesitating a bleed to avoid unpleasantness half-way down an Alp. Is this scaremongering?

Which probably the same as rattling down a rocky path in the Alps or anywhere else 😀

Whoever suggested that doesn’t know much about closed system hydraulics 😉

Pop the wheels off and either put some packing between the levers and bars or a thin packer between the pads in the caliper and you’ll be fine.

Get a relatively cheap, older diesel E-Class merc estate, it’ll swallow everything you care to chuck into it and will cosset you along in great comfort and will be a lot less than £3k for a reasonable one.

raymeridians – Member
I’m told that being bumped around upside down for 2 days is likely to move air around inside the system, thereby necesitating a bleed to avoid unpleasantness half-way down an Alp. Is this scaremongering?

2 years since I was in the Alps(Chatel), only bled brakes a couples of weeks ago. Bike spends more time lying flat in the car with wheels off than it does in the garage!

Rack for inside car

Another one

I regularly carry 2-3 bikes with wheels off inside my car, all I do is cover each bike with old blankets. If worried about stanchions cover with foam/pipe lagging.

Stored Flat with parcel shelf covering it and luggage when parked anywhere is best 💡

My old car was a Touran. Remove 2 rear seats and you can get 3 bikes, 3 people and all their luggage in easily 😆

My current Sorrento is not so versatile but still does the same job.

To be honest I think we look more like,

Either way, I don’t want my pride and joy upside down and exposed in the back of Ray’s Focus. I also want to be able to squeeze two weeks worth of clothing in around all the useless junk he will inevitably pack “just in case”.

I don’t want a van. I’m not a builder.

He’s the one in the dress BTW.

But if it’s inside the car then it won’t be exposed. If you want something with no rear windows (so if ‘exposed’=visible) then you want something that sounds an awful lot like a van…

And there’s no need for it to be upside down either.

No kids? Get a van, you’ll wonder how you ever managed before you could lock your bikes away out of sight.

VW T4 – Hold there money, fit a couple of captain seats for those long journeys.

I’m told that being bumped around upside down for 2 days is likely to move air around inside the system, thereby necesitating a bleed to avoid unpleasantness half-way down an Alp. Is this scaremongering?

Not scaremongering, more like total bollocks.
There shouldn’t be any air in the system to begin with – if there is then they need bleeding regardless of how/where they’re being stored!

Any estate with a flat boot and no intruding wheel arches. Mondeo, Vectra, Merc C or E class, Citroen C5.

If you’re worried about the brakes, just stick a piece of card or plastic between the pads.

Whoever suggested that doesn’t know much about closed system hydraulics

smugness fail.

unless he’s running old skool hope c2’s…

So there is no problem at all with turning hydraulic brakes (and a reverb) upside down? As I understood it, this is problematic as even the slightest bubble of air will make its way into the caliper and cause issues.

Here’s a bike with hydraulic brakes being moved about a bit whilst upside down

I hope to god that cam zink has thought this one through 🙂

Yeah, to be honest, his maintenance schedule is probably stricter than mine.