Agree with the Berlingo/Partner comment - it is superb for carting bikes around. I've not sold my soul yet so not using 29ers - I do think they won't be quite so easy in terms of length, but it just works.
I bought a Galaxy rather than a Mondeo estate (a long time ago), because I could fit our 26" mtb tandem in. Upright, with the middle L and rear L seats removed. (the car salesman was rather bemused when I brought the tandem along to see if it would fit, before I committed to purchase).
I used to be able to fit a road bike upright in our Discovery 3, albeit I had to tilt slightly on entry for saddle to clear the top lip.
I'm not aware of any current estates that can take upright, even with front wheel off.
Oh well, looks like I will have to struggle on with my 3 series then, thanks for the suggestions, don’t have kids, so not ready for an mpv/suv yet!
With my mondeo I could put the passenger seat base up. Then with wheel out ,spin the bars and bike would fit where the rear passengers would ,sideways across car.
Its Blingo/Caddy/Alhanbra/Touran territory or if you have no more will to live, vauxhall Combo...
Estates tend to be long, wide and low IMHO. If it's too much of a squeeze then it will just scratch up the inside.
"I wish I had a smaller and more fiddly car to put my bikes in" said no-one ever.
Berlingo. Had a Galaxy before it and had to take front wheels off and drop posts to fit bikes and my 29er hardtail (size L) was still a squeeze.
The Berlingo allows an even bigger fs bike to just wheel in with both wheels on and the post still extended, just with one of the back seats popped out (& left in the boot).
That’s a previous gen Berlingo on a ‘65 plate, not sure what the current one is like.
Doesn't answer the question but, I find laying them down with front wheel off is much better use of space.
For just two bikes and kit, a old/cheap covered duvet between them stops pedal / frame interactions and for holiday purposes I load the boot first then bikes on top. Another duvet / blanket between more if needed. Stops all rolling around and they don't fall over and cause mayhem like they would if stood up.
Got 3 29" FS bikes, a 26" HT and a weeks clothing etc for 2 in the back of any family car I've had, including a Focus estate.
Had a old 2003 2.0 HDI Peugeout Partner was great for lugging bikes/dog/family around in. Just sold on a few years back after clutch went a rear suspension had colapsed.
I’ve seen it done in a Skoda yeti. Admittedly not an estate
Yah, I've seen it done in a London Omnibus and an HS225... Both 'not estates'...🤪
Ot really an estate I know, but Skoda roomster takes my P4 161 and my mates size large sentinel, or my XL optic with no problems. Front wheels off, droppers down and our gear dropped in between them.
Maybe it helps that I'm not at all precious about the car. I also cobbled together some boards to fill in the rear footwell which makes it a bit easier to load and unload because the forks can't drop down into the hole.
My friend can get his time trial bike upright in an older Honda Jazz, front wheel off
A TT bike may be lower than a 29er, and he's quite short so it is probably a small one even for a TT bike
We went through this recently & the short answer is there is basically nothing estate wise on the market what would take a decent sized 29 FS bike.
Not even close in a 2019 Superb estate, which is what we had. Tried a Kodiaq & still no chance, as per the Enyaq. Didn’t want an MPV, as they are basically vans with windows, I’d rather have a decent combi van, which is what we ended up with. And the bikes fit in the back complete.
Not sure I would want it as our only vehicle, but we have a decent car as well.
My ford galaxy took an xl lls 29er, had a fork mount on one of the rearmost seats so rolled in and attatched nice and secure. Did require the seat in front of the bike to be rolled flat but that was very simple I do.
My size medium Giant Trance 29 fits in my Mondeo estate (2012) upright with front wheel out and seat down.
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Seat Leon ST. Seatpost and front wheel removed. 650b gravel bike with flared bars also fits (just). The board with the fork bracket is clamped to tge Isofix bar on the back of the rear seat. Rigid 29er is too big, though the Geoff loop bars probably don't help!
What about a Dacia jogger?
I can confirm no Toyota estate will fit one, although the Yaris Cross was marketed with a MTB in the back, upright with front wheel removes.
Ot really an estate I know, but Skoda roomster
Don't go blabbing or everyone will want one!
If you go by RIDC measurements they're bigger than a Yeti too. Keeping an eye out for one if it comes up at a decent price/distance.
Berlingo. Does that count as an estate?
Don't need the XL one. The standard length is fine for me. My bike is a size small 29er but there is still loads of room. I don't need to take the wheel off but choose to as its easier to secure with a home made fork mount.
Only issue is you can only get a new one in electric and the range is not very good. Mines the 1.2 petrol and its great. Only struggles if theres 4 or 5 people in it, but fine with 2 and 2 bikes. Got a king-size matress in it a while back while moving some stuff about.
You need something that you can remove a rear seat.
I have a Renault Megane Scenic. I take one of the rear seats out which allows me get my bike in with the seat dropped and the front wheel removed.
You can get two 29ers into a MK3 octavia if you drop the forks over the front of the rear seats. This is a solarismax and a yeti in the back on mine.
slackboy - interesting technique! Is that with the stem loosened to turn the bars, or is it okay just to angle the forks down into the footwell?
Don’t go blabbing or everyone will want one!
im pretty sure they won’t.
I've never understood why it's so popular to leave the back wheel in. The bike is so unbalanced when trying to lift it into the car. In anything short of a Berlingo it's much faster to just take both wheels out in my experience. Since someone mentioned honda jazz already, I'll add that my large genesis day one fits in easy with both wheels on, and that's an absolute gate (for a road bike). I doubt a 3 series owner is in the market for one though!
interesting technique! Is that with the stem loosened to turn the bars, or is it okay just to angle the forks down into the footwell?
No, just the front wheel off. I slide them in on their side and then flip them upright and the forks drop into the rear footwell. Drops in fine and actually give the bikes a bit of stability as they are slightly "wedged".
My Octavia has a raised boot floor which robs a bit of height, so it would be easier in a standard Octy.
Thanks Slackboy, that looks interesting.
It’s a shame Honda stopped making the element, perfect mtb vehicle in my opinion https://www.insidehook.com/article/vehicles/honda-element-discounted-too-soon
A new one with a 300hp awd hybrid would be perfect!
In fact maybe the new VW multivan comes close, will have to wait until it’s in the showrooms.
Don't get all the comments about giving up on life about MPVs, surely a vehicle that helps you enjoy life's pleasures is the opposite of this. But even as a boy I was never a boy racer.
And I do have a 1973 Alfa Spider for non-functional day trips.
Tried my medium 29er on the c class today. It will go upright with the forks in the rear passenger footwell and the headrests out of the folder rear seats.
Don’t get all the comments about giving up on life about MPVs, surely a vehicle that helps you enjoy life’s pleasures is the opposite of this.
This!
Acres of gear carrying space, comfy driving position, loads of rear legroom for passengers and much more room to get changed in the back of than an estate while not being quite as rattly and top heavy as a crew cab van.
Although in fairness to the OP if I didn't have the children and dog I'd probably be happier with a smaller estate / mid sized hatchback for the economy and running costs and slightly nicer driving characteristics.
I'm the same...absolutely love the Puggy Partner, but then I only see a car as a tool to get me and whatever I need from A to B, so the image/badge/statement thing is lost on me...get a vehicle that does most of what you want to do brilliantly and then work around the bits that need improved.
If you need to carry the bike inside then you need space and most estates don't have the height required to do it properly...MPVs do tend to have the height though, so if bike carry is a top priority then consider those, if looking good at the school run or parking up to watch your kids football game is important to you, then MPV probably isn't what you'd be looking for as in your head you'll be judging yourself thinking it is what everyone else is doing.
Saying all that, I'd still love a big Volvo estate - running costs put me off but I think for one of those, I'd be willing to accept the bikes won't be fully built and upright in the car.
Don’t get all the comments about giving up on life about MPVs, surely a vehicle that helps you enjoy life’s pleasures is the opposite of this
+1 more. But then I was lusting over the idea of a Mk1 Renault espace, Matra rancho, or converted escort van as a kid (“think where you could go with that!”).
Needless to say, have a Caddy Maxi Life now and for nearly 15 years. Before that golf mk4 estate (which had a decent load space and before that an inherited old Passat estate) though bikes on the roof of those.
Prior to buying a van I had a Honda civic estate
Not sure about standing the bike up though, it really benefited from having a very flat loading area with the seats down.
having squeezed bikes into the back of many cars over the years, i just dont entertain it anymore. Tow bar bike rack or failing that, roof bars with a rack.
Is there a reason why most folks on here put bikes in cars, rather than on it? (Genuine question, not being a peeeeenarse)
Is there a reason why most folks on here put bikes in cars, rather than on it?
Because it’s easier. No storing and then fitting tow bar racks (or having tow bar kit fitted to my car). No messing around shoving bikes on to the roof, buying bars and fittings. Open door shove bike in back.
I’ve had a car or a van which was bought solely to lug bikes for about the last 15 years, it’s great. Currently on a 1.6 roomster - great bike car, all the rear seats come out bikes go in with front wheel off.
Also anything I can easily lug bikes in is good for hauling all sorts of other crap!
You can get two 29ers into a MK3 octavia if you drop the forks over the front of the rear seats. This is a solarismax and a yeti in the back on mine.
This thread is classic Singletrack...
Two pages of rocksolid, near unanimous input saying that it's impossible. OP takes the feedback and gets on with his life ...
Then someone whos actually applied a bit of thought to it pops up and shows us that we've all been talking complete bollocks. 😄
Well done slackboy for managing what nobody else could
( with apologies to uniqueusername, who also appears to have worked some black magic 🙂 )
Is there a reason why most folks on here put bikes in cars, rather than on it?
I've often wondered the opposite. Why do so many people buy very expensive bikes then put them on the roof of their cars to advertise their very expensive bikes to everyone.
I use to have a towbar rack but it was so heavy and with back problems I'd often ruin the day just by putting the rack on. Roof racks make me nervous and just find it easier to put the bike in the car. Makes it safer to stop on the way somewhere too.
Dropping the forks into the footwell can be a bit of a pain in the arse. Easier if you want to remove or turn bars, not something I like doing all the time. However, you probably don't even need an estate to do it. For driving out to France we used to do that with 3 DH bikes and a load of luggage, that was my old Mondeo hatchback
I’ve often wondered the opposite. Why do so many people buy very expensive bikes then put them on the roof of their cars to advertise their very expensive bikes to everyone.
Generally because the inside of my car contains people and luggage. But yes, bikes go in the car when possible.
Is there a reason why most folks on here put bikes in cars, rather than on it? (Genuine question, not being a peeeeenarse)
We did a good few years of bikes outside:
- Strap on rack (should be illegal, almost impossible to fit without them resting on, or having straps running over, a flexible bumper. Never felt completely comfortable).
- Roof mounted, complete bike. Quick, keeps inside of car clean but if the bikes muddy and you drive in the rain you have a roof covered in mud. Never *look* that secure (in the 'are they going to fall off sense') - bikes rock from side to side more than I like even with top end racks. Low car park barriers are an issue.
- fork mount racks (and wheel rack on roof). Significantly more secure, lower profile and less wind resistance but otherwise same disadvantages as above.
- tow ball rack. Easier to load, but less easy to avoid bikes rubbing on each other. Makes car longer and more difficult to park. Car parks are an issue (but height isn't). If you drive any distance in the wet the bikes end up covered in road filth which can contaminate discs. You need to store it (though expensive ones now fold up small ours was a basic Thule that needed two people to carry it back from the car.
All outside solutions mean keeping your fingers crossed every time you park at a motorway service station, or faffing with locks (which of course are still no defence against a cordless angle grinder.
Bikes in vehicle means they're secure *enough* for service stations, a pub meal, overnight at a French hotel. (Dont' cover your vehicle in bike brand stickers, tinted rear windows and blankets mean they're not visible unless someone walks right up and peers in). Maybe not in a city centre, but most of the time it's ok. You bring the mud home with you in the vehicle but a brush is enough most of the time, and a Worx Hydroshot in winter. Rubber floor mat helps. Flat floor of a van based people carrier helps. No kids helps.
Agree with that.
Bike only ever lives in the back of my car.
- I reverse up to the garage door to load/unload, thus no one can 'see' that my garage is full of stealable stuff.
- I ride on my own a lot. I wouldnt even leave my bike on a rack to walk from the car park to the pay machine at a trail centre. Never mind be able to stop for fuel or nip into a shop for a coffee.
- My estate car has rear tints and unless you absolutely get your eyes up to the glass and peer in (IE you are deliberately searching for something) you cannot see any sign of whats inside.
- I also often ride after work so the bike sits in the car, in the works car part all day. Not in a million years would I leave it.
With a decent load liner, the interior of my car has zero damage or marks. Every so often I just pull the liner out and shake all the dried dust out. My car has nicer carpet than my house so I really dont want to ruin them!
I used to put my bike in the car but it ****ed up the interior, even with a boot liner. Tyre marks on the roof lining are a bugger to get out!
One bike was easy-ish, two bikes significantly less so, especially for week long trips.
When I was forced to replace the 5 Series I tried to buy a car I could still do that but the cost of cars has gone mental as we all know and I couldn't find a nice one in budget. As for vans, forget about it!
I ended up buying a very nice car with a tow ball that's completely unsuitable for putting the bike in the boot, but the 2 bike rack I bought is easy to fit and store, so I don't mind.
unless someone walks right up and peers in
It's not like car criminals ever do this..
Is there a reason why most folks on here put bikes in cars, rather than on it?
Fuel economy and ease of leaving for a few mins to pee/grab refreshments.
It’s not like car criminals ever do this..
I'm sure, which is why I'd not leave it in a city centre street. But it doesn't attract any more attention than any other vehicle in a Premiere Classe car park.
with apologies to uniqueusername, who also appears to have worked some black magic 🙂
This thread is starting to make me think I should take a tape measure out to my bike and check I haven't been sold an old 26" bike that they just turned the 6 upside down to con me 😂
