cycle carrier

[chipmonster]

I do a daily 60 miles round trip in my car each day, I cannot really cycle this far even if I tried.

Anyway, I work in Manchester, park my car and I have about 10 minute walk to the office.

I want to drive to this location park my car and then get on my bike to the office.

I have bought a new tow bar carrier which cost me about £180. I really do not want to take the carrier off the car whilst the car is parked on the road (normal off street parking), but I am scared that the cycle carrier will get pinched.

What is your recomendations, get a cheaper carrier which will stay on or risk it with this tow bar carrier (and put two padlocks on) and hope for the best that no one pinches it.

 

[Haitch]

Buy a folder. The price of a new one might make you wince but you should be able to get a second-hand one cheaply. You can fold the bike and put it in your car boot or on the back seat. The ride can be surprisingly good and when you get to work, fold it back up and take it in with you.

 

[Evilcat]

How about swapping your carrier for one that will fit in the boot of your car? I have an Atera Strada which does just this. Only takes a few seconds to collapse the carrier and stow safely.

EC

 

[ChrisKH]

Second for the folder. That way, depending on how you're feeling you can park as close or as far away from work as you like and commute in. You can do longer journeys on good days (if you actually want to that is) and shorter journeys on knackered days (which for me is always Fridays) or when the weather is rough. Unless you need a small folder for trains or the car is particularly small I would go for nearer full size as possible. The Dahon's are good and the Dahon Jack is very cheap (relatively) at the moment. - £300.00 or thereabouts. I'm seriously thinking of getting one so I can do longer distances.

 

[beancounter]

Anyway, I work in Manchester, park my car and I have about 10 minute walk to the office.

I want to drive to this location park my car and then get on my bike to the office.

You're going to cycle about half a mile?

bc

 

[chipmonster]

half a mile to start with, then going to increase as fitness increases.

 

[RedBike]

If 50miles a week seems like a long way then a 60mile round trip will no doubt seem nearly impossible. However, if you keep at it and keep pushing yourself by this time next year you will be able to ride that sort of distance.

Talking of pushing yourself. If you can ride 20miles then perhaps you should be looking at cycling the last 3-5 miles of your commute instead of the last 1/2 a mile?

 

[DLB]

i got a cheap carrier for halford for £50 last year that takes about 2 mins to put on and 30 seconds to remove. You could stick it in your boot or on the back seat.

I like the idea of a short ride in 1/2 mile and gradually increase it. I agree with Redbike thought - make it 3 miles to start with.

Just don't leave your car in Moss side!

 

[Chris James]

TBH, half a mile isn't worth bothering with. By the time you have taken the bike off the bike rack you would have been half way to work if you had just walked. And then you have got to do something with the bike at the other end.

Half a mile will take, what, 2-3 minutes on a bike so will not give you any worthwhile exercise. In fact you will get fitter walking it!

 

[Night Train]

I have a Witter cycle rack on my car, takes seconds to unclip and chuck in the boot when I remove the bike. This is my choice of car/cycle arrangement.

The short cycle isn't really worth it as others have said but it is a good place to start and you can then park further away as you get fitter.