Which car is most suitable for a cyclist?

[Tin Pot]

Took the bike to Exmoor, Bolton and Provence.

 

[Globalti]

A road bike slides easily on its side into the back of a Passat Estate and you can lie a second bike on top on a blanket. With the wheels out you can fit 3 bikes and 3 adults in a Passat with the seat back part folded or 2 adults + 2 kids and their 4 bikes. With the seat backs up and the cover pulled over two bikes can be hidden in the boot. On top of that it's a smooth, quiet, fast, comfortable and economical long-haul car.

 

[bpsmith]

I have a VW Touran. With 2 of the middle row of seats removed, I can comfortably get 3 adults and 3 road bikes upright inside without any of them touching each other. Therefore zero damage whatsoever.

I just remove the front wheels and use a Saris Triple Track. Cracking bit of kit in fairness. Front wheels in wheel bags and all sorted.

 

[Mr potts]

What does that mean in practical terms? Do you ride a tiny bike? What are the dimensions? How many bikes and how many jiffybags will fit in at once?

ETA: I do find these what-car-for-bikes threads slightly frustrating because they fill up with comments like "my bike fits in my car" which is fantastic for you, I'm sure, but fark all use to most readers because you might be very short and frankly even if I've met you I might not remember how big your bike is, whether it's a tiny Brompton or a hulking Dutchie.

No doubt Berlingo multispace are a useful car for bikes as i am six two and ride an xl frame, dont even need to take the front wheel out just drop the seats and wheel the bike in

 

[Mr potts]

Up on the roof is the bestest place, if you're tall enough. I'd love a Berlingo/Teepee, I think they're brilliant - undiluted essence of transport with no ego or pretension.

They are as practical a car as you are going to get and i am not bothered about the status thing, its just that i have driven quite a few new hire cars through work and when you get back in a 09 plate Berlingo they do seem a " bit rattly" dont know if that is just mine?

 

[Bollo]

This. The thread can now be closed.

Old Mavic Renault

• Bollo
• 3 Nov 2017

Taken outside this year's Rouleur Classic.

 

[Salad Dodger]

I have recently bought a Peugeot Bipper Teepee, and am very impressed. I haven't yet tried carrying bikes (but it has a towbar so the bike rack that we use on the campervan will fit ) but we already call it the "tour bus" as it routinely carries 4 people with ukuleles, music stands and lord knows what else, as part of our uke band....

 

[Mr potts]

None at all . It's hard but doable if we can handle changes to our lifestyles , priorities etc.

I'm 52 and never owned one so I know how hard it can be. You have move to to follow the work instead of extended commutes and you'll need to shop according to what you will need over the next few days. Car hire fills the gap when its really needed.

Nice idea not having a car but have to be at work for 5.30 am 10 miles away and in the depths of a Yorkshire winter that wouldn't be fun

 

[GrumpyGregry]

+1 on the roomster here.

 

[mjr]

Nice idea not having a car but have to be at work for 5.30 am 10 miles away and in the depths of a Yorkshire winter that wouldn't be fun

It's only 10 miles and studded tyres exist so it would be fun... sometimes. But it's your choice.

 

[Drago]

I managed an 8 mile rural commute, all year round, all hours of the day. T'was lovely, essence of cycling.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

View attachment 387294

Took the bike to Exmoor, Bolton and Provence.

A running club-mate, had a Boxster, with a chassis-rail mounted rack
She's since px-d it for a SLK, & gone to a boot-rack

This. The thread can now be closed.

Old Mavic Renault

• Bollo
• 3 Nov 2017

Taken outside this year's Rouleur Classic.

Then there's the Holdsworth Cortina, that the Planet X guys had in the shop
https://www.holdsworth-bikes.co.uk/survive-long-bike-road-trips/

​

As for myself................
​

 

[Bollo]

I always liked the promo Jag F-type that Sky used for some TT stages a year or two ago.

When they switched over to Ford sponsorship they had to put up with this 'merkin horror and it wasn't even used to carry bikes. This is my pic from the 2016 TdF 2nd stage at St Lo.

 

[confusedcyclist]

@mjr, it was more of a tongue in cheek post, isn't that what manufacturer specifications and brochures are for? In all honesty my bike probably wouldn't stand up, (I've got an XL frame) if we were ballparking it, you could easily fit two and a half hulking Dutchies in the back (laid down). The Superb is like the passat mentioned above, only a bigger boot.

If OP was relying on second hand information to check his bike compatibility, rather than reading manufacturers boot dimensions, he's bound for disappointment!

 

[FishFright]

Nice idea not having a car but have to be at work for 5.30 am 10 miles away and in the depths of a Yorkshire winter that wouldn't be fun

I never said it was fun