If my van wasn’t converted and it was still a van then I’d stick the bike in but for the way I use it, having the bike mounted in the rack is neater and securer

Mine is converted too Bob, possibly slightly bigger though, so I can still fit two bikes with wheels on as well as the bed. Whatever you choose, there’s always a compromise though.

Edit – yours is a tidy job btw.

Small van fixed bed – do you sleep in it alot ?

My bed lays flat on the floor the 11months of the year when its not in use and i just stick it up on the storage boxes with my gear in when in use. Then i can stick 3 bikes in wheels on for the rest of the year.

Not really that small Terry – LWB hi top tranny connect. A small van in my mind, but useful enough. I have a bed in there that extends width wise to make it about single bed width. It’s great, and it means I have all the storage beneath.

Very newly acquired, Berlingo Multispace, should of bought this 10 years ago !
Wanted practicality, carry bikes with wheels on, economical and didn’t want to change gears ever again 🙂

And everyone calls it a van…..

Autobox berlingo ? How does that drive…… Interest is piqued,

Trail_rat

Once you get use to it, faultless and very stress free, still has the flippy paddles for semi auto, but it’s not a sports car and never use them.

35 years of driving and got to the stage that i was completely sick and fed up with changing gear with a clutch pedal !

The old days of auto boxes are long gone and the auto box of today have certainly upped their game.

what engine combo do you have ?

i must admit recent autos have impressed me to the point of fancying a dabble with the exception of the ZF 7 speed box in the parents range rover….. its like having a serious dose of turbo lag while the box plays catch up.

Can you fit bikes in a LWB T5/Vito/Vivaro etc. with a row of seats behind the driver and passenger seats wihtout breaking them down? I’m guessing you couldn’t in the SWB versions of those vans?

Trail_rat

I went for a 2014 XTR E-HDI 1.6 ltr and “Town” driving i’m getting 50 mpg.
To be honest, yes there is some lag with the auto box / turbo at junctions, but once you get use to it and the whole way you drive changes to a stress free environment.
I have gone from 9 years driving a Audi Quattro onto the Multispace and i can not fault it, apart from one major problem, it’s not brilliant on thermal coffee cups fitting and have had to adapt using a plant pot !! 🙄

You can fit a motorbike behind the second row in a lwb t4. A 1000cc one even. I have had 5 or 6 in with the wheel in with no dramas.
Edit add mtb that is!!

A LWB T4, you say ?

Oodles of space !

wobbliscott – Member
Can you fit bikes in a LWB T5/Vito/Vivaro etc. with a row of seats behind the driver and passenger seats wihtout breaking them down? I’m guessing you couldn’t in the SWB versions of those vans?

3 bikes with wheels on in the back of my T4 swb behind the second row of seats. Larger bikes or 29ers might not fit but medium/sml 26ers are fine.

Thanks chaps – that looks OK, I can’t imagine i’d want to be carrying more than 2 at a time so fitting diagonally isn’t an issue. Looks pretty doable in a LWB. Trying to talk the wife into swapping out the SMax for a van, but it would need to be able to carry passengers in the back. Would be nice to be able to go biking and get changed in the van rather than getting my bottom out in a public car park, and have the ability to make hot drinks or even food on bigger days out either biking or with the family.

That’s exactly why I went for a LWB, to get my bikes in whole. I ride XL or XXL and they don’t quite fit in a SWB. I can also – just – lie out straight in the back even with the second row of seats in place.

I’m guessing you couldn’t in the SWB versions of those vans?

I can fit one (for sure) or two (depending on wheelbase) bikes fully built in the rear of a SWB crewcab Vivaro/Trafic.

No room for sleeping obvs.

picked up the SWB Peugeot Partner this weekend, took my bike with me to view it and it fitted in a dream with both wheels on! got it home and stuck my other two in just for fun. three full bikes no problem, not that ill ever be required to carry that many. first day on duty yesterday! bike, gear, dog and four new wheels…

was previously planning to get some racking along the near side back panel, but looking into it its gonna run to about £150 and im not sure i really need it… hanging stuff off bungee washing lines seems to work ok.

does anyone reckon racking is worth it or have any other good tips for maintaining a bit of organisation back there…?

I used to have some netting made from elastic bungee style material on the wall of my old van and it was great for stuffing clothes and stuff out the way. Tales up no space and rattle free

A bed with storage boxes below. I can fit two bikes with wheels in easily next to it. (though if I’m sleeping in the van, I’ll never have 2 bikes!).

Bed doubles up as a nice seat for tea and biscuits at events too, out of the rain.

Connect LWB with high roof btw.

I like that^

LWB T5 with 2nd row of seats….

Need to lay it down when the bed is made up.

Forgot all about this thread I started!
Must get some pics up of my horsethief in the new doblo.

speedstar – liking that a lot. What size of bike is that? I always assumed the T5 was a tad narrow to fit any bike across the way in the back.

LWB T5 with extended length (an extra 15cm) RIB seat/bed in the back. Still possible to carry 2 passengers inside the rear but middle seat unusable. Other bikes go on rear door rack. Bike is XL 29er, wheel just pokes a tad between front seats.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/rJrpmr]2015-04-02 Van bike rack (1)[/url] by Ally Mitchell, on Flickr

It’s an XL A11y would you believe it! liking the angled fork holders though. Might work for mine!

Anyone having a trouble fitting a 29erin a new doblo, seems the bulkhead sits in the load area quite a bit

Spoilt for choice – but one my conversion is finished they should just squeeze in with front wheel and saddle removed. But it’ll be a campervan first, and bike van and tow vehicle equal second so there has to be compromises.

any other good tips for maintaining a bit of organisation back there…?

Stole this idea from Sazter when we were on a ride. Cannibalised Ikea shoe racks

Cut these up: http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/20251974/

Bit of gorilla tape along the upper and lower edges to reinforce them. Screw them to the ply. Brilliant storage and deceptively roomy.

Sooo much envy.

I love vans.

I’ve let mine fall into a bit of a state but this is motivating me to try a fresh new layout.

Here’s mine

Like the shoe rack idea.

Could even use it to keep shoes in.

Go on then

4 big bikes, kit and 4 adults in a Navara with not the most useful shaped hardtop on the back…

[url=https://flic.kr/p/jRck3e]Untitled[/url] by davetheblade, on Flickr

I see a summer holiday mini project going on for my Vivaro. Love the shoe rack idea.

I bought a load of elastic nets too, but have yet to put them in the van.

Liking Tomaso’s double height choice.

Resurrection of this thread, now that I’ve got a lefty it’s not practical to be removing the front wheel for transporting. Anyone any solutions for a lefty in a van.

Neat solution I’ve copied from a friend is to use the Thule bike rack arms fastened to a a rail on the side panel to hold the bikes.

Make the rail up from wardrobe rails available from B&Q and the Thule arms are available as spares.