Bike bags for transporting bike in car

As you may or (most likely) may not remember I posted last week asking about bike racks for my new car which I don't want to scratch up by sticking my bike inside it. As its got a spoiler a simple boot-mounted rack will apparently not work. Roof rack seems to be the only option short of getting a tow bar fitted. Neither are very appealing..

So the next best idea seems to be getting a bike bag to put the bike/wheels in, then just put it over the back seats. Currently the DHB one looks alright for this – http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/dhb_Elsted_Wheeled_Bike_Bag/5360032373/

Anything else I should consider, bearing in mind the most dismantling I want to do is take both wheels off.. something cheaper would be nice!

Seats folded flat and a tarpaulin? I have a Berlingo which has a huge rubber mat so it's not an issue for me, but in my 206SW a big tarpaulin did the business.

Well thats what I did with my old car but still somehow managed to get mud/scratches on some bits of it, so I'd rather have something guaranteed not to mess things up!

that bag looks pretty good, looks almost the same as the chain reaction one. i've been looking at getting it for using on the planes

park it in a nice dry garage and don't use it?

I know the picture of the bag shows a frame in there with the bars left on, but I've never been able to get my bike in one with the bars on. My bikes are large size though mostly.

I find wheel bags super useful for transporting the bike in the car though, keeps the muck & scratching down and can be used to pad the frame out in the car.

I use Thule 591 roof carriers most of the time and really rate them, 100% secure, just a bit of a dent in the fuel consumption, and it's not fun when you have to stop at motorway services etc as I'm always concerned about the thieving mutants.

I know the picture of the bag shows a frame in there with the bars left on, but I've never been able to get my bike in one with the bars on. My bikes are large size though mostly.

hmm.. mine's a 16" frame with short top tube and narrow-ish bars.

park it in a nice dry garage and don't use it?

helpful STW knowledge as always 🙄

The only other thing to consider with a roof rack is that when you put a couple of muddy bikes up there all the crap will fall onto your nice new roof and hence probably cause a certain amount of scratches, etc which is exactly what you're hoping to avoid.

Yep, sounds like a pain in the arse! I'm sure after a while I'll stop being so precious about it but I'd rather not scratch up a new car in the first few weeks I've got it.

A cheaper option I read about somewhere suggested using the plastic wrapping taken from a mattress. Get the store to open the long side and drop your bike in.HTH

Large Santa Cruz heckler with burgtec super wide bars and RS Lyriks up front. Fits nicely within the DHB bags.

A cheaper option I read about somewhere suggested using the plastic wrapping taken from a mattress. Get the store to open the long side and drop your bike in.HTH

This sounds like a good idea, I'll see what I can find 🙂

Cool, I'll have to check out the dimensions and see if it's bigger than my Tifosi bag, it would be great to get the bike in without taking the bars off. Maybe a new bike bag is on the shopping list.

All the reviews say the DHB bag is huge, apparently you can fit it in without even taking the rear wheel off, haha

Cheaper

http://www.rutlandcycling.com/7151/Avenir-Padded-Bike-Bag.html?referrer=froogle1&utm_source=google&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=pid7151

Towbar mount rear rack?

I'm just planning to get some old carpet and make a "tank" for the rear of the car, won't protect the roof lining though.

I borrowed a DHB bag & a Neil Pryde bike bag the other week – so we could stow our bike in the hotel room.
The DHB bag is huge & the Neil Pryde one a lot more sensibly sized, the Pryde one will fit across the back of normal mid sized car rear seats, where-as I reckon it'd be a more of a right sqeeze to fit the DHB one in – if that helps any (obviously fitted easily into my estate).
My m8 with the Neil Pryde one uses it all the time, to save his car from the mud and grease off his bike – it takes no time to use and only part of the bars protude out the top of the bag.

I have a bike bag and wheel bag for sale if you're interested. Can't be arsed posting them though. The bike bag which has wheels and will actually fit an entire MTB in including wheels (I think) is yours for 40 quid.

The wheel bag which should take two MTB wheels is 15 quid. I can take pictures if you're interested.

samuri where are you based?

Leigh, between Manchester and Liverpool.

If you want I will try and fit my large chameleon into the bike bag and show you pictures of it. Will that help?

Ahh thats miles away and postage would be a PITA so I'll probably give it a miss, thanks anyway!

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/CTC_Plastic_Bike_Bag/5360041697/

haha, that's perfect! Cheers 🙂

We have a couple of the DHB bags, they are huge! All I do is drop the saddle a few inches, use a releasable zip tie to hold the mech forwards against the chainstay so it doesn't get bent, and then throw the bike it which ever way up is most convenient. I've got a medium Yeti 575 with wide bars. What car did you say you were getting? The bags are a squeeze in the car, we had a Mondeo estate which is huge, considerably bigger than the Octavia, and they take up the whole of the load space. And you will still get mud in the car, inevitable when you have to put a muddy bike in the bag in a wet car park.

Plus if you keep the bikes indoors, you will end up scrapping all your walls and door frames as you carry the bag out!

Just get the towbar fitted, easiest and cheapest option.

Edit…just noticed from your old thread you are getting a Fiesta? I don't think there is much chance of getting the DHB bag in there full stop.

Towbar is not the cheapest option! At least £100 for the fitting plus anoter £150 or so for a decent carrier. Just got one of those cheap plastic bags for now, will see how that goes.

That plastic bag looks ace. Plus you could put some oil and water in the bag with the bike, drive home enthusiastically and the bike will be fully cleaned and oiled by the time you get there.

Think you're precious ? My dad restores vintage cars. When he parks his best one, he parks it right outside where he is going, and never gets a ticket. Then he puts a wee cardboard sign on it, asking people not to touch the fine paint work, as even a finger mark can move the dust and cause damage. It does draw crowds.

You with your bikes are a postive clarty besom by comparison sir…

That bike bag might be a good purchase for when the rains return. Wonder if it can withstand some DMR pedal pins tho?

I'd take a look at GroundEffect. I got one of their bags for about £35 I think. Folds down to the size of a phone book for great storage. Coupled with a pair of wheel bags is fine for use in the car. (Also fine when padded out with cardboard for flights).

I use the reinforced bubble wrap that my sofa bed came wrapped it as a boot liner – it has creases so a good potion of it is available to make "walls" to protect more than the base of the boot. Old towels or softer bublle wrap between layers of bikes/wheels. Magic

If it gets too grotty it just need dried out and brushed down. When not in use it acts as a cover for the bikes in the garage to make it less obvious what is in there.