cycle racks

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helenh

New Member
Hi can anyone help. I have an old fiat punto and im having trouble getting a bike rack to fit. I bought one from Halfords but it kept coming off the back bumper-my car has a slopping bumper. I just got one from Tesco direct but that will also have to go back as its not suitable for the car although it didnt say that on the write up. Any ideas please. Im new to cycling so not sure where to go.
Many thanks for any help you can give me.
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
Anyone................. ?

Personally I don't like/use rear mounted racks - I use a roof rack with bike fittings..... the roof bars are new'ish for the car, but the bike racks are 20 plus year old - still fit my 'aero bars' for my car (with mods)....

PS how many bikes are you moving..... if upto two, then I'd remove both wheels of each bike and shove in the boot.....really easy even if you don't have quick release wheels... Punto's have a good boot...

Carrying a bike on the rear, you have to take into account number plate and light obscurity - you might need a towing plate/light unit....
 

Soltydog

Legendary Member
Location
near Hornsea
fossyant said:
PS how many bikes are you moving..... if upto two, then I'd remove both wheels of each bike and shove in the boot.....really easy even if you don't have quick release wheels... Punto's have a good boot...

Depends on your frame size :evil: My wife has a punto & even with the rear seats down I cant get any of my bikes in with both wheels off, slight over hang & tailgate left open :troll:
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
Save money and protect the bike from theft and damage - just remove the wheels and put it in the boot. That's what your boot is for. If yours is one of the very few that won't take a bike frame in the boot, cover the rear seat with an old sheet and put the frame there.
 

Bad Company

The Next Stig !
Location
East Anglia
If the bikes obscure the rear number plate you could be fined £30.

I'm suprised that hasn't been used more to avoid speeding tickets. Half the fine, no points and in reality little chance of being caught anyway.
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
I've seen too many bikes wrecked by falling off racks - one couple I know drove all the way to The Lakes with her bike trailing behind, attached by the wheels only, scraping away on the tarmac. When eventually they stopped they found the handlebar ground right down to the middle of the hydraulic brake, which was neatly sectioned straight across the reservoir. The same couple some years before, lost both bikes, which went under a lorry. Muppets.

We can get 4 bikes and 4 people into our Passat estate if we dismantle the bikes and the people in the back are kids sharing the 2/3 part of the set. We always travel with 3 bikes and the 3 of us in the car, I would never expose our bikes to the risk of a carrier. Can't imagine a carrier helps the fuel consumption either.
 

JtB

Prepare a way for the Lord
Location
North Hampshire
I know it requires some 'up-front' cost, but I think the best way to carry a bike (or a number of bikes) on a car is to get a tow-bar fitted and to buy a tow-bar mounted rack:
https://www.cyclechat.net/
 

tyred

Legendary Member
Location
Ireland
Removing the wheels is only helpful if you have no mudguards.

I was considering a rack as well but just decided to tax my van for the summer. Makes transporting bikes a piece of cake. I would think that putting bikes anywhere on the outside of a car would have a horrible effect on fuel consumption.
 

TijnUK

New Member
Location
Brighton
I had to take my bike and the family in our BMW 3 touring which is not very big with the whole family and luggage, let a long a bike too. So I fitted an 580 litre roofbox which fairly easily took my bike and still lots of luggage. You have far less wind resistance and no one can look inside. ;)
 

Norm

Guest
tyred said:
I would think that putting bikes anywhere on the outside of a car would have a horrible effect on fuel consumption.
Not necessarily, as the rack may come with a maximum speed below the legal limit.

I actually got better than my normal fuel consumption with a roof box and 3 bikes on a hitch-mount going down to Devon last year, although it did add about 30 minutes to the journey time.
 
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