Carrying Bikes in Car

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RunningRonnie Jan 2019 2:33pm, 23 Jan 2019 1,483 posts	0 RunningRonnie Just bought a new car and trying to decide whether to get on rook bike racks, the kind that go on the back of the car or to through the bikes into the boot. What's your preferred method? Perhaps something I have not thought of. My wife's bike does not have quick release wheels. I have a Kia Sportage, so plenty boot space and the roof rack rails from front to back are there already. I believe I'll need the ones that go from one side of the car to the other though as well?
larkim Jan 2019 2:41pm, 23 Jan 2019 6,639 posts	0 larkim I've used both methods and broadly found the roof mounted the ideal as they don't get in the way of getting stuff in and out of the boot, and avoids mess in the boot. But only if you have good access to the roof and don't have strength issues in lifting a bike above your head. Yes, you'd need the side to side bars and then mount one or more roof-mounted racks on that. We had a Fiat Multipla which was quite high, but also had a good platform to stand on in terms of the doors when lifting the bikes up; had four bikes up there quite a few times. Tow-bar mounted carriers are good too, but they come into their own when you get an expensive one which allows the rack to be tipped so that you can get stuff in and out of the boot whilst the bikes are strapped up. Another advantage of the roof ones is, I think, that they are slightly harder to nick off the roof, whereas the boot mounted ones might be vulnerable.
TRO Todd and alligator dodger Jan 2019 2:41pm, 23 Jan 2019 18,148 posts	0 TRO Todd and alligator dodger Bikes inside the car. If space is tight, stick the rest of your family on the roof rack Srsly, can't believe being driven along with all the spray and filth on the roads hitting your bike at 50+ mph does it any good so get them inside if at all possible if you value them.
larkim Jan 2019 2:43pm, 23 Jan 2019 6,641 posts	0 larkim Hmm, never thought of the dirt side of things TRO. Never seemed to cause any issues for us. Though it does compromise fuel efficiency. We've now got a much taller car (Hyundai i800) and haven't yet experimented with putting the bikes on the top of that - need to invest in a climbing harness, crampons and ropes
McGoohan Jan 2019 2:58pm, 23 Jan 2019 37,967 posts	0 McGoohan Also don't do what I did: rear mounted rack on hatchback. -Arrive at destination -Take bikes off rack -Open hatch to get stuff out of back of car -Get brained by hatch slamming back down on your head A car boot that'll happily swing up and stay up when not loaded is balanced completely differently with a bike rack on it. Sounds obvious doesn't it. At least it did after the rack tried to fit itself through my head.
megster Jan 2019 3:02pm, 23 Jan 2019 449 posts	0 megster On the roof. No bother. Cross bars and Thurle frame attachment - works for mtb or road, thin or thick frames (but not fat bikes). Only suggestion is to frame tape your bike where the grabber arm will be in contact to prevent scratches. And be careful of maximum headroom places!
McGoohan Jan 2019 3:04pm, 23 Jan 2019 37,970 posts	0 McGoohan Or the folks we saw at the Round Norfolk Relay: - arrive in big van with support bikes on roof rack - try to drive under overhead barrier forgetting the extra height of the bikes - hear bikes go crashing off back of van - reverse back over bikes to see what that sound was...
McGoohan Jan 2019 3:05pm, 23 Jan 2019 37,971 posts	0 McGoohan That was an xpost - great minds thinking alike etc
GordonG Jan 2019 3:16pm, 23 Jan 2019 7,671 posts	0 GordonG something to think about re the type that go on the back of your car, i don't know if it's the rack i've got but i now have some scratches on the roof of my car from the brake/gear levers. plus, i was always really nervous of the bikes falling off but to be fair that never actually happened. of the two, i would always go with roof rack if that's an option (though having said that, actually 'bike inside of car' is what i'll do if it's just the one bike, mostly because of the ease/speed of getting the bike in and out compared to using racks)
eL Bee! Jan 2019 3:36pm, 23 Jan 2019 20,451 posts	0 eL Bee! Generally - in the car. More secure and makes a massive difference to fuel economy. That said only our 'coupled' tandem (and our solo bikes obviously) is easy to put in the car, and it only takes a few minutes to break it down and it'll go on the back seat of the 'Tank' I use a large dust sheet to protect the inside of the car from the bike, and bits of the bike from itself.