transporting bike - in or out and fuel economoy

[02GF74]

Nothing to do with me, I have volvo so bike rides inside but someone is saking what is best for fuel economy:
1. bike inside car and stuff in roof box
or
2. stuff inside car and bike on rack?

anyone tried both methods to see which gave more mpg?

 

[jimboalee]

Stuff inside car and bike on tail rack within the x section of the car.

If the bike is upright facing forward on roof rack, the drag equates to less than 1/4 kw at 50 mph.
Taking a mid size Volvo, which needs approx 4 kW to roll it at 50mph, the fuel economy should suffer by about 5%.

Put the bike behind the car and this reduces to 3, maybe 2% fuel penalty.

 

[Over The Hill]

Why did your friend get a Volvo if they are concerned about fuel economy?
They are about as aerodynamic as a brick and over heavy. About the last car I would get if I had concerns about running costs.

As to the problem. I would take the wheels off and pack the lot in the back. We used to go camping in a Pugeot 205 Two bikes and a big tent and all the equipment. Bikes can take up almost no room if you just pack stuff loose around them.

 

[fossyant]

My car suffers massively on fuel when we have 3 bikes on the roof..... one bike probably isn't an issue, but when you get 3, and on an aerodynamic car....

 

[tyred]

I would be in favour of taking the wheels of and putting it in the boot. I have no trouble putting my MTB (minus wheels) in the back of a Peugeot 205. In fact, it seems easier to do that than to fit in my folding Raleigh 20...

 

[GrahamG]

I have a towbar mounted rack and the difference in fuel consumption vs. no bikes is negligible.

 

[ASC1951]

Why did your friend get a Volvo if they are concerned about fuel economy?

Er, it's the OP who drives the brick and his friend who needs the economy figures.

 

[maurice]

The fuel consumption drops right off if I have a "high mount" rack on the back of my Focus with two bikes. Looking at 20% more fuel usage. Tops out at 94mph too.

 

[fossyant]

This is the info I've been wanting to see for a long time. Where did you get it from?

My car's performance is little different with 3 bikes on the roof.

Good one......

My old cars... (when in my 20's - so Escort Mk2/Rover Metro GTa) out to events were not too bad with bikes on the roof - normally A road trips though - speed not high - 50 -70 max..... if lucky...

Modern car.........

Current car, very aero design... it's 6 years old now though !!! My bike, plus wifes bike and one kids bike on roof - short trip of 35 A-road/35 Motorway........ goes from 38 ish no bikes to about 28 ish.....

Hit's the economy massively....

 

[Joe24]

With our car, my bike fits in the boot with the front wheel off, and we still have the normal 5 seats
And any stuff can be packed around the bike aswell, or on the back seats.
No good if you have more then one bike, but for one bike it works. Its not an estate car we have either.
One of the main things that change the fuel economy for my dad(not so much with my brothers little 106) is just having the roof rack on makes the fuel economy go down enough that we take it off and put it on when we need it.
My bike goes into the caravan when we travel anywhere, so its even better

 

[jimboalee]

Google "Hypermiling".

 

[jay clock]

I used to have a Skoda Superb (basically a Passat) with 1.8T petrol engine. With a Saris Bones rack on the back, and one bike, and using cruise control over about 50 miles at 75mph consumption went from 32mpg to 28mpg based upon the on board computer

12% more fuel in my case