How To Fit A Mountain Bike In (Almost) Any Car | Transporting Your Bike By Car
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- Опубликовано: 7 июл 2024
- There are many ways of transporting your bike using a car and lots of variables at play! Do you have a small car, do you have a big bike, are you vertically challenged or do you frequently ride muddy places? All come into play when choosing the best way to do it for you, each method with their distinct advantages and disadvantages! Doddy is here to break it down.
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Another plus of bikes on your roof is it that you could sit on the bike when your mate drives... Social distancing. XD
Until your mate drives into a garage.
@@newttella1043 Or forgets that he has bikes on the roof and goes through a low ceiling tunnel
Lol! Until your friend goes under a low clearance bridge...
And you can work on your best aero position, with your mate watching fuel economy to give you feedback.
LOL
I use a 2.5L weed sprayer to wash the bike. Has a hand pump on the top to pressurise the water so its like a mini jet wash 😁 theyre super cheap too
Good tip!
I tried this. Wasn't enough water to do 2 bikes though! 🤣🤣
Get a mobi v17 portable washer
@@0tt82 good thing they're refillable 🤣
Worx Powershot battery powered washer, can use water from any source too.
I got fed up with all that and bought me a van a month ago. Best thing I ever did! Both for biking and camping trips. I aleays bring a bike.
Ya know. That's what I've decided. I'm struggling getting it on the roof of my 4x4.
@@sparkmeister4706 you won't regret it. All the best!
Old vow polo, 3 bikes, 3 people and a tonne of gear, London to Ft Bill, the car was dragging its arse on the tarmac, and slowing down to 35 against the head wind, but we got there!
and those memories - priceless
Got the Thule cross bars second hand and Yakima bike rack for 200. Saved almost $600.00!! Love it
Van is the answer really.
I've tried putting them in the car and various types of bike racks including roof ones. Hands down a hitch mounted rack is the best to use.
Don't forget the boot racks tend to rub paint
And break windscreen wiper motors when you forgot about them.. or you have automatic wipers with a kind of their own 😂
Exactly! Had that issue too.
I once put 2 mtbs and two people inside a classic mini. Had to take out the passenger seat though...
Used to fit 2 bikes inside a 2008 beetle
I use to get 3 bmx,s and 3 people in my 91 mini was very snug
That's insane! Good job
I used to have an old Mini 850. I used to get 5 people and 3 MTBs in it and have space for luggage, buckets, spades, parasol, sleeping bags, lilos,, sun loungers and a 5 person tent. There was still space to get a Wimpy meal each and a bottle of pop!
That's amazing! :D
My greatest tetris loading achievment is fitting 3 29" L size hardtails while still seating 3 people in a Yaris Verso!
It's sort of a small car at least, haha
instagram.com/p/ByxCzwCo6gw/
I'm super privileged, I live on a mountain, MTB paths start literally at the doorstep :-)
your lucky mate !
@@ulyssepoulain4817 the downside, I imagine, is the trip to the supermarket 😂
@Brighton Early Visited Peak District couple of times, it's absolutely a gorgeous place on Earth. Lucky you are! :-)
Tried all these ways over the years and finally bought a van, best option ever if you can
Congrats on the new addition 👶
I use a tow ball rack on my VW Golf when I go riding with a friend. Still haven‘t found one that really convinced me in all details and it gets fiddly when you have to mount more than one full suspension bike but I think its the best option. When I go riding alone, I put my bike in boot. I use painter‘s blankets as a boot liner. They are usually 10m long so you can lay your frame down on the first layer, put a layer of blanket on it, put a wheel on that and zig-zag your gear up in layers nice and protected. I also have pre-packed tool and accessory packs for trips of different durations.
Volvo XC70 is the answer. Bike in the boot + four kids (not usually in the boot), school run, work then straight out in the woods. 😍
100%, I love the versatility of mine....
Always enjoy GMBNTech videos......maybe it's the gadget geek in me. Thanks Doddy and Jack for another useful video
Sea sucker is great for the roof of my Aygo. Tbh I don't care about my car, so the dirt doesn't bother me. I did manage to get two on the roof, and one inside the car with me, the missus and the dog on the way to a summer house - 180 Kms :D
+1 for the Worx battery washer. I even used mine at home after local rides until I got a hose sorted out. It has a L/H setting and L is enough to get all the loose stuff off without risking jetting seals, etc. (And battery and water go further.)
Get a 'transparent' plastic (caravan/camping) water container, so you can see how much water you have and use. after a while you'll know how much you actually need to take with you - saves weight. (Mine is 20L and I take about 12...15L which is enough to have a bit spare.)
I use one of the Garden pressure sprayers and a big soft brush for cleaning my bike before i put in on my car, it works well and they are cheap and easy.
For years I've just put my bike in the boot then had to wash everything at home but have recently bought a trail side jet wash and a roof rack. Works great, car interior doesn't get as dirty and the bike gets air dried on the way home 👍
Nice!
I started by using the back of my car for it. Now i have a thule crossbar rack and you definitely appreciate the convenience more when you are used to carrying the bike inside your car
In Australia, vertical tow bar racks are also super common, you can get up to 6 bikes on some! Same with tailgate pads on utes (pickups) which are way cheap and easily the best option if you've already got a ute.
I looked into vertical tow bar racks bc I would be transporting 5 bikes. But the reviews online were not all that great. So now I am considering a 5 bike rack made by Allen I can attach to the hitch of the car. The thing is that I see a lot of people complaining that you can't fit 5 bikes and people talking about bikes flying off those racks in general.
I have a roof rack for my VW Passat which holds 4 bikes or 3 bikes and a tandem. We sometimes make bike tours in our vacations with my disabled sister and it works extremely well for us all. The downside is that the access to the back of the car is a bit challenged because the part of the rack for the tandem sticks out and lets the back door only open for a really small or ducked person. 😂
Tried all of these and way to go is definately Towbar rack .
Hastle free for 3 bikes on my little clio . I loved being able to see the bikes in rear view mirror and the slight extra width never offers any issues at all ..
Thanks fot video Doddy, very useful.
would be great to have a separate video about taking mountain bikes on public transport
Only trains really or maybe planes. I only managed to get my mountain bike on a bus in Northern Ireland once but not in the rest of UK.
Trains usually quite good except limited spaces for bikes and likely needing pre-book. I once managed to get mountain bike on an EasyJet from Newcastle to Belfast for free. But that was like 15 years ago.
Good video, apart form not mentioning the possibly issue of the maximum roof rack weights (D Suart
points out) of cars, but also maximum the towball weights (nose weight). Towball mounted bike rack plus three bikes can easily be over a lot of cars maximum towball weight allowance.
I had a suv with a 4 bike rack in the hitch but so many of us started to go 4 wasn’t enough. Ended up getting a truck and tailgate pad and that is by far the easiest way for our group. I’ve even used both at the same time before. 6 in the bed, 4 on the hitch rack!
For all of those people who have vans like me, here are my tips: I assume that you have your van set up in a "normal" way, which is having the 3rd down down, and having the second row seats and central seat thing. First, take out the left seat and central seat thing. Set those in your garage or something, you won't be needing them for this method. Then deploy one seat in the 3rd row, right behind the right seat in the 2nd. After that, you can put bikes in beside the right 2nd and right 3rd row seats. We managed to fit FOUR bikes in the back with this configuration, a Trek Marlin 6 (29er, my dad's), CO-OP DRT 1.1 (27.5', mine), a Specialized 26' hybrid (my mom's, forgot the name), and a Cannondale Quick (20', my sister's).
The driver's side pivot by Kuat made my life so much easier after buying a 5 bike vertical tow hitch rack for my Lexus GX 460 (Prado 150). Jeep guys would love this setup!
Been waiting for this for a while!
Thanks guys!
(not first but ... who cares!!)
UK, note driving to a site to ride (exercise) is being fined as not covid lockdown rule compliant, and cars getting parking tickets if parked on the road (as trail/country park car parks closed- every car around Longleat getting ticketed this morning).
Good.
There are some racks that are super quick to take the bike on and off, but if you are also worried about locking it that is an extra step. I find putting my bike inside the car is faster and significantly more secure then using a rack. I also have very dark tinted windows in the back so I'm not too concerned bout leaving the car parked somewhere for a while.
What boot liner is this I have one but it's not as good as that. I struggle to find one that long. But anyone know what liner that is?
Great video Doddy
I have a bike rack that slots into a mount on my tow ball hitch cost me £3 at a car boot sale (woman selling had no idea what she was selling :) )
Not often used as trails are right on my door step :)
Thanks for the license plate reminder.
There's also spare tire mounted bike racks if you have a spare on the back, I love mine, super easy to take on and off and nice and flat/lightweight for storing
13:06 I also have an old wrangler and for me the absolutely best solution is the replacement-wheel-bikecarrier. No struggle at all with opening the Trunk.
'Give em a shoe'ing...' love it. Top job Doddy!👍
One great budget alternative to a bed liner and blankets is a roll of carpet underlay. For less than a tenner you can get a 12m roll which will cover the bed and go between a few bikes as well (you'll probably find 6m is plenty). As long as you keep your eyes open for holes/tears in the underlay there's no chance of bikes scratching or contaminating each other.
Mr Dodd....I have a tow hitch mounted , One up , single bike rack. I bought an add on bike option as well, which is easily removed . I've gone thousands of miles with these and never had an issue. It's also very easy to get bikes on and off. Be safe mate!
Absolutely can't wait until mine comes in this Tuesday!
Top video mate and certainly shaped my decisions. Cheers.
Great video, I'm always thinking what's the best way, end up putting it inside. Plus and minus to always like you say.
Great video, thanks for the run through of all the options. 'Give them a shoe in' quote made me smile :-)
Towbar for me with a rack that folds and sits in the boot when not in use. The car doesn't get filthy inside, no height restrictions and the bike is always in view. Added bonus of the towball acts as an anti-bump device in car parks!
I use Yakama aero bars with (4) Rockymount fork mounts with two of those four monted too a custom aluminum plates to stager the mounts to avoid handleba interference. Other cons for the rear bumper style racks are they will get your bike destroyed when or if you get rear ended. And the second additional downfall is that if you travel at all in rain the rear mounted bikes will collect a lot of the road grime on them unlike when mounted higher up on the roof.
I fit my bike inside the rear of my Honda fit with absolutely no problem. I've gotten two bikes in there before, but that was a tight squeeze. I keep a tarp in the back to put the bike on top of if it's dirty, or put the tarp over it if I'm going to be leaving the car parked in public for a while so the bike's not visible. Works great.
I got myself a roof rack for 2 bikes. Depending on the situation then I can always put them into the back of the car if I feel I need to like if there is someone dodgy around. I got myself a step stool for about €20 and it helps a lot.
Nice video. Just a note to remind people to check and cross check everything is secure each time you load the bikes, check the rack fixing, check the bike fixing (unfortunately I have deposited a bike on the motorway, one wasted bike, a big cost fix to a dented roof of the car, most importantly it could have caused a major incident - luckily it didn't). I actually add extra ties use old toe clip straps and a long secure strap, I guess I am paranoid about it now.
Also I recommend the Yakima ForkChop for a clutter free roof mount, really compact and tidy.
The ultimate bike carrier is simply a van, one day I will get one.
Just a note: I'm pretty sure those Thule uprides have a longer wheel settings on the from black arm for 29ers than you currently have em set to. It should give you a little more room to play with in the back.
Best overview I’ve watched….it stopped me making a rash purchase…thanks
Great video thanks
Well Iended up buying the wireless jet pump - in winter wher you need the most to clean your bike and also have to close water circuit outside to avoid pipe damage. Thanks Doddy
@GMBN i owned a Honda civic EK hatchback(1998) and If You fold the rearseats it was possible to Put one lowerleg through the headrest.(of Cours frontwheel must be Off) so that the Bikes could stand upright. Easy to secure in this Position. Realy Nice and save way for such a smal Car with two DH Bikes inside.
I’m all for having my bikes on the roof. I often drive on rough roads and, if they were on the back of my Jeep, they would be caked in dirt by the time I got to the trail. The only catch is the bikes can’t be allowed to move at all up there, so I use a fork-down rack, with a bracket to attach the front wheel to the bike, and augment it with straps when needed. That was enough to drive off-road near Moab, right after a morning of riding. Also, with the rack six feet in the air, I think it would be much harder for a thief to take the bikes than if they were hanging off the bumper.
Great video. Thule 591 frame rack a bit of a no no for Carbon frames but a 598 with a 984 load spreader not such a risk to the frame... But agree the wheel holder type best of carbon bikes. I managed to build a rack that could take 5 bikes on a Tiguan ... Thules PRO BAR is awesome as you can over specify the width (say 1.5m ) and the feet slot is continuous on the underside so you can run the feet abnormally in bound to still grab the car rails. Work out your weights so you don't over load the roof and off you go, family of 5 go cycling without having to resort to a tow bar as well... And lastly the z locks are a great shout as extra detterent, used those to great effect.
i caved in and traded the car in last summer for a van job done, the volvo c30 roof rack fits perfectly inbetween the tie downs on the floor i just needed to drill two holes and bolt it in place. then installed a blok fork mount
Have a North-Shore rack which carries 4 bikes (vertically), it works very well.
In the US, you’ll see mostly hitch racks now at trailheads. By far the easiest. 1up, RockyMounts, Kuat make great racks. Roof racks are okay, but difficult if you have a tall vehicle, and you’ll eventually run into a parking garage. 😆
Your great 👍 Thank you for all these videos 📹
I have a pick up truck, so great video for car owners
I use a towbar carrier. The carrier I use has straps like the old toe straps. When I'm just driving I use an additional 3 Zip Locks. When I leave the car I use those and an additional Oxford lock which is Sold Secure Gold rated.
Look on youtube for lockpicking lawyer and see how fast those locks are opened. Matter of seconds sometimes. Use multiple locks with different mechanisms to slow down theft.
I have the Thule tow bar rack. The vertical bit hinges down so it rests against the wall in my small cellar and takes up less room than a bike. I have a clip on number plate system so I just unclip it from the car and clip it on the rack. The rack locks to the car and the bikes to the rack so it is reasonably theft proof. The rack tilts down so if we go on holiday we can access our luggage without removing the bikes.
It is expensive if you need to get a tow bar but if you carry a bike regularly well worth it.
Oh Doddy... I´m vertically challenged by only being 1,73m tall already^^😂 haha... Roof racks and me will never become friends.
Good episode guys! Gmbn & Coffee makes my sundays until the mandatory end of season shoulder injury has healed again.
Have an awesome weekend!
great vid
thanks
The Rockbros suction bike rack is cheap and easy to use. It can easily be swapped between cars. My bike transportation mode of choice.
I use a seasucker, brilliant rack, nothing left attached to the car the rest of the time and i can use it on my mate's car (when i can ride with others again!). it takes a leap of faith relying on suction the first time you use it but after a bit you don't even think about it
We have a VERY similar setup! I drive an Audi S4 Avant with a Yakima Highroad rack🤘
I've had a set of Thule wing bars which I've moved across all of my cars, it was perfect for my last car as it went on the roof rails so didn't damage the paint. However my new car had 3 doors so don't want to be clamping to the paintwork so going to look at getting a Seasucker talon
I've got a 3d VW UP! Would you recommend a talon?
I had a Ute and got sick of moving everything to the shed. I bought a van and it's the best. I have a mobile workshop, all the spares I need and a fold down bed. Overnighters for races are no issue.
We have a Vauxhall Astra we put on half of the rear seat down take the front wheels of both bikes put the 1st one in so it leans against the LH rear seat with the forks just behind the driver's seat then cover that with a cheap duvet then the 2nd bike goes in upside down wheels are stashed behind the passenger seat takes 10 mins tops
we also place some cardboard between the brake pads to stop em coming together
I’ve got a little mini portable Karcher. It takes a couple of litres of water, takes minimal room and cleans the bike with a gentle stream.
i got axle mount on top of my truck bed with hooks bolt in my tonno cover and a diy camping shower made of abs tubing that i pressurize with either a 12 volt pump or even my floor pump to wash all bike.... i wash the bike right on top of my tonno cover with that setup and i can mount it in any truck!
I drive a VW caddy maxi but at 1.86m high it's a pain to load bikes on the roof. Fortunately it came with a removable towbar so I use a towbar mounted Thule rack with space for 3 bikes plus an additional row can be added. The rack, even when fully loaded can be tilted to allow full access to the boot that can be used as a changing room. I carry a battery powered kärcher power wash to removed all the crud & my #Booicore changing towel, dirtbag & seat covers protects my interior.
Just to mention about the towball racks. Tule and Yakima make a dedicated swing arm that swinga away the entire rack with the bikes to the car side so you can open your boot. Ita an aditional cost of corse but Im aming for such an adapter for my wifey car that is a Suzuki Grand Vitara and has a boot door that swings to the side.
Hitch mount is the way to go, they make them a lot smaller and more lightweight than the one you had, maybe in the UK you need those? In the US we use 1 1/4”or 2” mounts that go right in the hitch receiver. No ball, no extra lights, no extra plate. *Pro tip* If you want to use your hatch or trunk than get an extension for hitch. And hitch’s can be installed on almost any car and you don’t need to pay anyone to do it! Just a couple bolts but make sure they are torqued! Btw I have a XL mtb and a compact car, the tires just barely poke out the sides and are well within the width of the side mirrors. Cheers!
Oh and one more thing. If your hitch mount rack system is moving around while you drive or has “play” in it. Use a HITCH CLAMP! They will take out any wobble or play and keep you happy :)
We have a tow ball rack and with 2 29ers and a 27.5+ bike the wheels do stick out a bit on a Land-rover Discovery but it's the easiest way to transport 3 bikes across the country.
“me worrying about fitting my bike in my c1” GMBN showing a bike in a c1 🤩🥳
I use a tailgate pad on my F-150. Great for carrying up to 6 bikes. Fortunately trucks are practical where I live.
Trucks are always practical. 😎
never expected this much info about this 😂 im in shock how all of that was actualy usefull haha
The biggest problem with most boot racks is they don’t work well with women’s bikes or full sus mtb bikes. It was a pain to try fitting in my full sus trail bike so I got a little adapter. That drove me batty! It didn’t fit my bike, my wife’s, or my smaller kids’ bikes well. It was a nice rack but a pain to use. Now I’ve got a Kuat trailer hitch rack and love it!
you should include suction seasucker racks, they are amazing and very versatile.
No offence but Jack obviously doesn’t care about his car lol I’ve brought my bike back from a ride absolutely filthy and my roof hasn’t had a drop of dirt on it off the bike lol
Doddy mentioned it was pissing with rain, Jack's bike got a bit cleaner, but the roof suffered
@@polishguywithhardtospellna8227 So just wash it down? It's really not a disadvantage for roof racks, it's the car owner who doesn't care about his car.
There is another method of mounting your bike on the car. Look for Sea sucker. It’s like a roof rack but with suckers so it’s more flexible to mount to your car.
Fully recommend! I had the mini bomber two up until I sold the car and bought a van.
Least like the boot ones - so dangerous - always nervous following one on my motorbike. I like the hitch, very secure and easy
got a huge tarp form Argos for a tenner completely protects the interior of the boot.
I have been using a tarp also but after a while its gets pretty ripped up from the pedal pins snagging on it. Easy to replace though since its cheap but it can be annoying when you pull the bike out and the whole tarp starts to come with it.
Short V Class with 4 people (with the single seat option) and 5 bikes, as well as luggage for 4 people for a week.
I had to get a custom towbar put on my ford focus st 2015 but it was the same price as roof racks. I prefer it on the back as i can see it too.
Worst thing about MTB is the hassle of all this. Takes an hour either end of riding just to sort crap out
I've got the proride 598, and a big clear box for all my gear. Super simple if I want to go for a ride chuck the box in the boot the bike on the roof and go! 😁👍🚲
I hear ya but its leisurely compared to dealing with a dirt bike. Cant be bothered taking that thing out anymore
I mostly transport my bike inside my Mondeo estate if I'm on my own or with one other friend.
Taking a family with me, I'd have to go for the tailgate rack option.
Yesterday my bike, which was on the roof of my car, got loose, and it fell on the highway. It was totally my fault because it was not attached correctly (I put a towel between the clamp and my lower tube to avoid scratching from the mud) and was going too fast. I saw my bike tumbling all over the place and cars avoiding it. Really dangerous for the other drivers. I really thought my bike would be ruined. But luckily nobody hit my bike and I managed to get it from the highway. I only have scratches on my grips and saddle. I've been cleaning and checking my bike the hole day, and it's perfectly fine. I got seriously lucky! I’m going to put my MTB in the trunk from now on.
I've got a tailgate rack. I only use it for family holidays. Every time I put it on, I always stopped the car to check if it was secure after the first couple of miles. Tightened as required. Straps do tend to work loose. I also kept my eye on the rear mirror more often or looked at the dash cam rear camera view.
No bikes ever fell off but I am a bit paranoid with the insecure nature of the rack.
Most other times, I put the bike inside the car. Worry free then and don't have to drive cautiously.
Anyone else ever got to trail centre without the front wheel? Nope me neither 🤣
My dad drove under a height restriction with a lovely carbon bike on the roof and sent it through the back window... bike and window were both toast
This should be a main Chanel video
Roof racks work great and much easier than loading into car (even station wagon) You failed to mention the two bar tow bar racks, dirt cheap super secure once you know how to tie bikes on correctly and most come apart so take up hardly any space when not in use.
Nice article but with two boys and their mates the only solution with considering in New Zealand is the 5 bike vertical racks.
Great video.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I have the same boot rack as the first one you showed, and you can definitly put one to two e-bikes on them... been hanging off them and all that and it never broke and I'm 70kg... Have a van now though, Sea sucker mounts on the floor, not a strap and it never moves, nothing better!
I've got a C5 Corvette with a roof rack, definitely don't have to worry about height restrictions
This vette must look cool with bikes on it :D
@@gospodinkenobi9903 I get a lot of weird looks, hoping they're positive! Lol
Don’t worry Jack, we’ve all been there. I now have a busted fork the I keep in the front seat when I have bikes on the roof as an expensive reminder.
It's not "if" but "when" you smash it into a low overhead.
I’ve got a hitch rack, but most of the time I put my bike in the back of my Forester. I’m short and can get away with a small, so I don’t even have to take a wheel off. The Forester is tall enough though that there’s no way I could get my bike on and off a roof rack without a step stool.
A major benefit of roof racks is the ability to carry a range of things. I carry bikes in the summer and skis in the winter. Camping equipment or stuff from ikea can be strapped up there. I carried my skis and my bike 900 miles on my sedan and enjoyed a multi-sport vacation. I could not do that as easily or elegantly with hitch systems. So for the right person and car, roof racks are superior.