Following on from this: http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/which-hire-car-for

Can any Belingo owners tell me if I’m being realistic in thinking we could ram 3 bikes in bags, luggage and 3 blokes in one?

Not going to happen

Bike in bag fills from back of front seats to rear doors. With someone in the back seat youll get 2 in.

Take them out of the bags you have more chance.

Yeah, that occurred to me. Not a problem I don’t think.

I’ve had 3 road bikes in bags and three people with their holiday luggage in my Berlingo. 2 bike bags lengthways with one on top if I remember correctly.The hold luggage bags went behind the single rear seat. We travelled from Cumbria to Liverpool airport in comfort.

Taking the bikes apart then yes, fairly easily. Dunno about in bags.

I think I would get 3 bikes in bags in the back of my Berlingo with the double rear seat folded down.

We regularly get 3 bikes WITH wheels on in the back with 3 people in the car.

I can’t see it not working.

In fact, 3 bikes in CRC bags will deffo fit. Load space details are HERE

For the last 3 years running I’ve taken 5 bikes, 4 sets of kit and 3 people in a berlingo from Scotland to Alpe d’huez or Les Arcs no problemo. Actually, it was a bit of a squash to be honest. It can be done though.

And the newer (post 2008) ones are bigger.

New one actually will be fine

Based on trying to load them into one rather than numbers i dont believe 3 mtbs in crc bags will fit with 3 people. I couldnt believe how much room those damned bags take up.

Try putting the wheel bags on top… That dramatically reduces the ‘girth’.

yes

doable – i have one rear seat and we have done trips like that albeit not in bike bags…

paul

No problem. I regularly carry three people’s bikes, trailers, kit and dogs in my Bingo Bongo.

Thanks all. Much appreciated.

Hey Berlingo owners. Can you lay the back seats and passenger seat completely flat, or indeed remove the rear seats easily? They are on my shortlist as a replacement for my Passat estate. Will be used to transport windsurfing kit, so need to get boards inside. Cheers.

the seats come out easily via Torx (*well the single did), I have the rear passenger side single perma out, 2 bikes (minus fronts only, bars side on turned, Ora5 16″, 13″ Myka – get the side door edge bike outer pedal at top of stroke so it uses max door well and makes loading easier-as inner pedal down, then put a strap from rear bottom loop round headstocks and back to brace)

*Check your length carefully as the front seat movement is limited (ie I could get a 9ft surfboard in my 306 5dr hatch Pug (*as front pass seat fully reclines)but I only get an 8ft 6 board in the Berlingo AND that is ONLY because both me and gf are short so the board goes diagonally across car – sits on passenger headrest from windscreen to rear door so straightline will be shorted

if you’re near Readingish/Swindonish is you can try stuff in mine (*old squarer model)

cheers gusamc, i assume you carry the surfboard plus passenger up front? i’d rarely carry a passenger so guess it’s possible to recline the front seat? thanks for offer, very kind, but you’re a bit far away from the South Coast and there’s one in a local showroom so may take a board along to test dimensions.

3 people 3 bikes = no issue – could get more bikes in i reckon

3 peopel 3 bikes in bike bags = fair chance of an issue – how ever if one of you doesnt mind being very cramped you could probably squash it in sideways over their head – i think folk are underestimating the size of those bags – much like those in the group went on holiday with . cue several phone calls on friday morning asking me to come pick up thier bike bags in the van – i got 5 in bags into my van. – i can get twice as many bikes in with wheels off….

*below is hazy memory as I did this about 4 years ago. *old 1.6HDI 07 square front. Beware, as I recall it recline is limited (*if you fold rear seats down they go in rear footwell so you can’t then recline the front into it, if you remove the rear seats I think it’s still same issue as the seat then hits the rear base/or doesn’t wind that far back – anyway my (possibly incorrect) memory is that the front passenger well was unusable……

the board goes on the passengers head – well it is balanced on the headrest – which as she is short is fine – it runs from top of passenger side windscreen diagonally to rear door (I have two plastic cretes that fit nicely between rear door and rear seat back and it balances on them) 8ft6 is a ‘just’ fit

I bough a soft rack (rack made out of straps – loops through doors windows – never used it though)

gusamc

you are right the front seat recline is limited – easily resolved by a pair of comfy 306 XS half buckets though 😀

My frends have a 2003 Berlingo and we got 3 bikes and 3 passengers in with ease. Maybe you can 4 and 4 if the smaller split seat is folded or removed but I’m not sure. I tried the 3 bikes, 3 pasengers in my C-Max and it was real tight squeeze. In both cases the larger split seat was folded up but NOT removed. From 2007, the Berlingos have more space than the older models. Some have roof rails so I reckon that’s would allow 4 bikes and 4 passengers in comfort. Yes I’m hoping to trade my 06 C-Max for a much newer Berlingo.
Make sure you get the VTR or XTR version with 90 bhp engine rather than the VT with only 75 bhp.

The XTR has three separately removable rear seats. The loadspace is floored with carpet, ebay bought rubber soon sorted that. The air-con is great for helping to dry kit too. There is also a handy internal roof rack taking items up to 2 metres long. Of all the bike- vehicles I’ve had the Berlingo is the best to date. (Scenic, Mondeo Estate, Passat Estate).

I haven brothered to read the post so sorry if its been covered, I remove the rear seats from my Bling so its a three seater, this way you can get three people and three bikes in no bother, it takes about 3 mins, I also fitted an Origin8 Bike Block to the floor.