Bike roof racks V the boot.

superfli – Member

Inside car, oil marks and scratches and not quicker with 1 bike.

2 the first 2, maybe if you’re careless but with even a little attention, no. For the last, depends on your car, loading 1 or 2 bikes into mine is faster than any rack (one bike just goes straight in, 2 bikes is easiest with the front wheel off which adds a few seconds). That’s assuming racks already fitted.

I suppose best argument I can make is, I have £400 worth of Thule racks in the garage that I’ve not used in about 3 years.

Thanks to everyone who posted on this thread, all interesting points.

Was considering a roof carrier, but think I’ll be keeping the bike in the car now.

😉

Bike in duffbag to keep car clean’ish, duffbag in the back of estate car. When finished riding the bike lives in the duffbag in the house. Stops the wife moaning so much.
A roofrack/towbar thing always seems such a faff & I would be worried about it falling off all the time.

I’ve got Thule roof racks and I wish I’d invested in fitting a removable tow bar as the carrier is most definitely rubbing paint off my frame contrary to what superfli has said, I will be getting some heli tape for the frame and using a chamois or micro fibre cloth to protect the frame going forward. But next car will definitely be getting a tow bar fitted or I may go down the estate route and put it inside.

Intrigued as to what size cars people can just lob a bike in the boot. My 5 series touring (I am an IT Manager 😕 ) needs me to remove the front wheel to get the bike in the boot. Its a huge car but whats big enough for a whole bike to go in in one piece (and is not a people carrier or a van)

Subaru Forester
Skoda Octavia
Seats down pass it in, I’d guess a mondeo would work and a honda accord estate too.

NW, yeah, a bigger estate car/MPV you might be able to get the bike in whole, but most hatchbacks/saloons would require seats down, wheel/s off. You might also have to consider any prep to the interior (blankets etc) too, secs I know, but we are only talking 1min or 2 anyway.
BTW I left my roof racks on all year, so no need to fit each time.
UW, I suppose paint quality and toughness can vary, but my Spesh (at the time) and friends Marin’s were fine for paint wear.

edit – forgotten about the duffbags, yes a very good idea.

cubist – Member

Intrigued as to what size cars people can just lob a bike in the boot. My 5 series touring (I am an IT Manager ) needs me to remove the front wheel to get the bike in the boot. Its a huge car but whats big enough for a whole bike to go in in one piece (and is not a people carrier or a van)

My old Volvo 240 GLE Estate – you could fit big daddy’s coffin in that old beast.

How can you not get a bike in whole into a 5-Series Touring, they’re huge!?

’03 Passat estate here, lone bike goes in with wheels on, seats down – easy. Two bikes – front wheels off, drop seatpost, roll them in upside-down on the back wheel.

cubist – Member

My 5 series touring (I am an IT Manager ) needs me to remove the front wheel to get the bike in the boot. Its a huge car but whats big enough for a whole bike to go in in one piece (and is not a people carrier or a van)

I could get 2 complete medium bikes into my Focus estate with just seatposts dropped- both wheels fitted. No bother getting them in, not always quite so easy to get them back out 😆 So if doing more than one I usually took the front wheels off.

My 5 is huge, but with the seats down I can’t seem to find the right angle to get the front wheel at without the bars getting in the way and having to push the bike tight in by forcing the boot down. Doesn’t seem like a good idea for the car or bike so its wheel off. Doesn’t bother me I just wondered what was bigger in boot space…

Intrigued as to what size cars people can just lob a bike in the boot. My 5 series touring (I am an IT Manager ) needs me to remove the front wheel to get the bike in the boot. Its a huge car but whats big enough for a whole bike to go in in one piece (and is not a people carrier or a van)

Mk4 Golf Estate, I can get my HT or my DH bike in the boot fully assembled (Wheels in), I have to move the Front passenger seat forwards a tad but not so far a 6’er wouldn’t fit, however if I put both bikes in together, each one has to lose a wheel…

I reckon a 7 seater MPV (Galaxy, Zafira, espace, etc) with all but one of the rear seats removed could take three fully assembled bikes and their owners with a bit of inteligent packing,

Thinking about it further, wheel size probably makes a difference to the overall length of a bike too, I’m not sure I could get a longer 29″ wheeled FS bike in the boot fully assembled…

Intrigued as to what size cars people can just lob a bike in the boot. My 5 series touring (I am an IT Manager ) needs me to remove the front wheel to get the bike in the boot.

When I say ‘stick it in the boot’ I mean wheels off, of course. They’ve invented these great things called ‘quick releases’ and ‘maxles’ now, you should investigate.

When I say ‘stick it in the boot’ I mean wheels off, of course. They’ve invented these great things called ‘quick releases’ and ‘maxles’ now, you should investigate.

Jesus – whatever will they think of next? I’m off to search Google and see if any ones thought of making such a device for a seat post…

Outside on the boot door with a Thule Clip On rack was the most secure before I bought a van. Its all metal, no flappy nylon straps and is really solid. Did Heli tape the paintwork first though. The Thule roof system failed in a cross wind ending up with the bike hanging down the side of the car at 60mph. Very relieved it didnt go through anyones windscreen on the other side of the road.

I had a boot liner made by Aguille for the car and it was brilliant, made from North Face bag type material. Better fit and longer lasting than a OEM liner.

How much was the liner?

Mine’s a Seat Leon (mk1).

MTB needs both wheels off to fit (bars are a bit long), roadbike just needs front wheel off, then lay the bike(s) in.

I take pedals off if transporting luggage too, as this makes it easier to fit it all in. If it’s just 2 bikes, 2 camelbaks etc. for a drive+ride, then pedals can stay on.

2 bikes, 2 people, 2 people’s luggage for a week, 2 lots of camping gear fits (edit: with the parcel shelf on, and most stuff below that level – certainly a clear view to the rear window).

Can also remove front wheel + saddle (+pedals), and get in vertically with only 1 part of the split-fold down, but again, I think long bars might poke thru to driver’s head (not tried this yet). But I think 3 bikes, 3 people, 3 luggages would eb a struggle (I managed it with ski gear, but a snowboard and coffin bag boogers it all up)

I take front wheels out of road or MTB and stick in the boot of my Golf hatchback, not a hassle. If it’s filthy I often take the rear wheel out too to minimise risk of tyres touching headlining or similar.

Advertising that you have bikes Really? If you are that paranoid, then maybe dont cycle from your house either or better still move!

Bit different, there are a lot of examples of being apparently being followed with bikes on the roof, you advertise them to a much wider audience, if you’re riding it, unless they see you come out of your house they don’t know where you live. Spot car with bike, just look for car on the drive.

I’ve never seen paint damage from Thule roof racks. You would probably do more damage continually putting the bike in the car and out.

From your sample of two? I’ve seen plenty of paint, and indeed downtubes damaged from racks. Never seen a frame crushed from putting it in the boot.

Each to their own and that, but no **** way I’m putting £5k+ of bike anywhere but in the boot of the car. Even if you do get a few marks on the car, they wash off!

My ’03 Civic could take my Soul without taking the wheels off. My Spitfire is a lot bigger so it’s a front wheel off job.

My old Passat estate 1994 vintage could take a bike with wheels on but not without the front wheel touching the front seats.

I can give several cast-iron examples of bikes stolen after cars with racks on were followed. It’s quite unhelpful to dismiss this issue with bike racks out of hand.

Make up your own mind based on where you ride and where you live, but if you’re South Manchester I’d say you’d be a bit daft driving round with your bike visible.

Another thing to consider; if some idiot crashes into you, your bikes aren’t going to be insured and will be much safer in the car. I once nearly put my Dad’s car into the Loch near Fort William (young and daft), when I hit the barrier the bike moved in the back and crushed my helmet. With a rack I’d have lost the bike into the water.

if some idiot crashes into you, your bikes aren’t going to be insured and will be much safer in the car

My mate drove into the back of us 15 miles after getting off the ferry in France and broke two bikes and a rack. Had no problems claiming off his insurance.

Oh and a visible bike inside a locked car definitely won’t be insured for theft but one locked to a rack might be

That’ll depend on the specific policies in either situation, and certain roof racks which clamp the fork can’t be locked if you have a through axle anyway, plus you have to remove the front wheel. That takes a lot less effort to steal than breaking into a car.

At the end of the day it’s personal, but I’ll continue to store mine inside the car. To my mind it’s like this:

In car:
– could get stolen if someone breaks into car
– may get a few marks on the car’s interior if you’re clumsy

On rack it’s liable to:
– get stolen off rack
– get stolen from home after advertising where it is
– get trashed by a height barrier
– get trashed in an accident
– affect fuel consumption
– be damaged by the clamps on the rack

I’m happy with my choice!

rone – Member

Security: you can say all you want about advertising bikes – I don’t think this much of an issue as there are so many cars with roof racks on it becomes hard to pin down who has and hasn’t bikes in their garage/house.

Its not the fact you have a bike rack on your car, scrotes probably don’t give that a second glance, but when they see your shiny steed furnishing said rack that’s when their eyes light up and they can follow.

I doubt anyone would follow a car with a bike rack. Add the bike and that piques the interest. A decent bike on a rack stands out like a sore thumb for those inclined to crowbar your shed/backdoor.

If you are that paranoid, then maybe dont cycle from your house

Harder for a car to tail you back to your house, and its easy to look over shoulder/go through some backstreets to rule out being followed if you desired. Bike crime is huge and its not really viable for most people to “just move house” 😀

ScoobysM8 – Member

Oh and a visible bike inside a locked car definitely won’t be insured for theft

Mine is thanks.

Oh, not to mention that you can lock up a bike inside a car very easily, and even the worst lock you use will be better than a rack’s lock (a knotted bit of string is more effective to be fair, as long as it’s one of those irritating failed bows that you need your fingernails to undo)

Tip for inside car, I use a couple of interlocking gym mats from ebay, can be had for a few quid. eg.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Big-Eva-Interlocking-Mat-Tile-Jigsaw-Puzzle-Foam-Exercise-Kids-Play-Safety-Floor-/261347835555?pt=UK_Sporting_Goods_Exercise_Fitness_Fitness_Accessories_ET&var=&hash=item3cd98b7ea3

Rear seats are leather so bike can easily catch these with seats down and scratch/scuff, so simply place two squares as above over rear of folded down seat, thick enough and nothing goes through them. If putting another bike on top place x2 more of these matts on original bike at contact points, and second bike on top. Then just chuck a bed sheet over them both.

or from hong kong dirt cheap if don’t mind waiting

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/9pcs-Interlocking-EVA-Foam-Exercise-Floor-Mats-GYM-Garage-Baby-Play-Mat-Tiles-/271488572660?pt=UK_Sporting_Goods_Exercise_Fitness_Fitness_Accessories_ET&var=&hash=item3f35fadcf4

Take wheels off, place in wheel bags, wrap frame in dust sheet, sorted.

Well I’m still not convinced the bike on the roof is any more an attraction to theft than riding it around. Especially when you repeat the pattern by coming home on it.

Molly, the liner was £70, lasted for 120k miles. Made up from cardboard templates so a really good fit. Fixed with Velcro completely lined the boot up to the bottom of the windows and the top of the back seat. Clever design accommodated back seats up or down with full coverage.
Ask for Adrian at aiguille, mill yard, staveley.

Best bike rack ever is the one on my smartcar 🙂

It sorta bolts into the bodywork making it look like some push around toy .

Normally – wheels in padded bike bag, in boot, frame on top, done…

If long journey, with other luggage etc – everything goes into bag (requires pedals off)), in boot, done…

Normally only one bike though, but can easily rest second bike with front wheel off on top of bag…