Informal Tall Riders Group: What is the best vehicle for hauling your bike?

[robert zeidler]

Here's why I ask? I'm thinking about some new (4) wheels, and would
like to be able to keep the bike inside at times in the event of rain,
theft-prevention etc. Thinking of maybe outfitting a Jeep Wrangler w/
a floor-mounted fork mount-just back the bike in, tighten the QR,
slide the wheel in next to it....

Anyway, what is everybody else doing?

RGZ

[Kelly Sleeper]

Good luck with that. I had a General Motors mini van 6 years ago that
I could do that with. When I got my Ford Mini 2 Years later I
couldn't do it any more becauseof a bench rear seat an not enough
length for my bikes anyway. Then went to roof racks.

We are now looking at a full sized van. I don't think my bikes would
fit inside a wranger without lowering the seat .. then I don't see the
length with a rear seat.

Since buying my Rivendells I've had a nightmare with roof mounts too.
The only rack that works well is my tandem rack for fender
clearance. I found a simliar design at draftmaster which is made for
bikes with fenders. At 114 bucks I may have to buy some to replace my
thules.

I forgot to mention that locking the bikes to the roof has worked
well ...though I hate the bugs and such.. the bra's just add wind
resistance and kill gas milage dramatically.

Kelly

Good luck with that.

[AmiSingh]

Standard loading procedure:

1. Take front wheel off. Lean front wheel on side of vehicle.
2. Slide Homer in trunk of vehicle, back wheel first. Homer must be
diagonal to fit fully.
3. Place front wheel in remaining open space in vehicle securely.

RGZ - why not build a stand for your wheels? Sounds like a fun winter
project and an excuse to go down to the hardware store ;)

For us tall guys, it helps if you have an SUV / Station Wagon.

I've contemplated loading it in a car with the rear seats folded. To
do this I'd remove both front and rear wheels, lower the seat post and
stem and then slide it in.

I'm considering a car-rack/trailer hitch for vacationing this spring
and summer ... anyone have any experience with Yakima or Thule tow-
hitch racks?

Ami

[rperks]

Take a look at the Ford Transit connect. My buddy has one and we get
two decent sized bikes in there. I can get my 63cm bikes into the VW
Golf, but that is with one rear seat removed and the other folded
down. Even with that the seat is like 1/8" from the headliner and
people cringe when I shut the back hatch.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rperks1/5254096133/in/set-72157625583483616/

Smaller than the TC above and you a likely looking at seat removal,
other than that you are in van territory. I dream of a Dodge
Sprinter.

Rob

[MichaelH]

I drive a 2010 Prius and have no trouble carrying either two full size
bikes, or our Bilenkey, coupled touring tandem inside the car. Last
summer we went from Vt to MI and back with the tandem inside our car.
I have a Saris hitch rack that quickly carries two single bikes or the
tandem in two parts, on the rack. My Thule Tandem roof rack, which is
a rebranded ATOC Carrier, can carry the tandem, or a single bike,
with fenders, on the roof. I have also used a Thule carrier
(Criterium) that grips the down tube and therefore allows for fenders
and quick access. I easily carry a 19 1/2 foot expedition canoe on
top of my Prius, and the hatchback makes accessing equipment pretty
easy.

Last month, I drove up to an outlet and bought a full size, seven foot
Christmas tree. The seller was amazed as I quickly tied up the entire
tree, slid it inside my car and closed the hatchback for the drive
home. You can't do that with an SUV.

Frankly, an SUV like the Jeep, is the least useful shape for carrying
cargo, and the van and mini van, while quite useful for many
applications, are overkill for people who occasionally carry large
items.

michael,
westford, vt.

[zeidler...@gmail.com]

Well that's just it. I had a Focus SVT w/ a roof-rack for a bit, but as a bike hauler.... Bugs, a Brooks that you really can't get wet (only the heaviest baggy will work, but even they shred), so I thought the 4dr Wrangler might work. Fold/remove the back seat. Never measured the floor/ceiling distance. The new little Ford van has promise but doesn't have enough sex as far as I'm concerned. A VW GTI van would work.
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[zeidler...@gmail.com]

I have the spare wheel Thule Rack. I like it. But if it rains....

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-----Original Message-----
From: AmiSingh <asd...@gmail.com>
Sender: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2011 16:28:46
To: RBW Owners Bunch<rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com>
Reply-To: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [RBW] Re: Informal Tall Riders Group: What is the best vehicle for
hauling your bike?

[zeidler...@gmail.com]

I have a fleet of vans-27 Fords and one Sprinter w/ 265k on it. We normally turn them over @ 160, but we're pushing the Sprinter to the last mile. Been very reliable. Can't get a Dodge any more, only M-B or Freightliner. There was a guy on the web a few years ago who customized one for sailboarding. May still be on there.
I like the VW solution because I'd love a GTI. Do you remove the seatpost?
RGZ

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

-----Original Message-----
From: rperks <perk...@gmail.com>
Sender: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2011 16:57:39
To: RBW Owners Bunch<rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com>
Reply-To: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [RBW] Re: Informal Tall Riders Group: What is the best vehicle for
hauling your bike?

[zeidler...@gmail.com]

Well, all true, but also in the Jeeps favor:
4WD-you probably got the same 30+" we got yesterday.
Removable tops, doors, so you also have a convertible.
A certain fun factor too.

RGZ
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

-----Original Message-----
From: MichaelH <mhec...@gmail.com>
Sender: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2011 17:20:14
To: RBW Owners Bunch<rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com>
Reply-To: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [RBW] Re: Informal Tall Riders Group: What is the best vehicle for
hauling your bike?

[Jeremy Till]

Hate to burst your fantasy but a friend has a four door wrangler and
it was never that easy to get our bikes inside...we're both 6'3",
riding ~63cm bikes with ~85cm saddle heights and they couldn't fit
vertically even with front wheel removed. The Wrangler cabins are
deceiving short, especially behind the rear seat. Usual procedure was
to remove our front wheels, fold down the rear seat, and lay the bikes
down flat, one on top of the other. He ended up buying one of the
thule racks that attaches to the spare tire mount.

Best way to haul your bike? Ride there!

[zeidler...@gmail.com]

Can't always ride to the start. I'll have to try the seat-down experiment.

[rperks]

Sexy is a state of mind, Google turned up this gallery:
http://www.motivemagazine.com/gallery/gallery.html?c=show_thumbs;p=Manufacturers/Ford/Europe/Tourneo
Connect/Interior
draw your own conclusions

As for the Golf, the back seat is fully removed on the side behind the
driver to make room for the rear wheel, passenger side is folded
down. This just fits my bikes by fractions of an inch, saddle height
around 86-88. Main reason I worked this out was similar to yours,
security and weather. If it were not for the wife and baby I would
have pulled all but the driver seat out, think road warior.

> For more options, visit this group athttp://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[Michael_S]

sorry if I'm infringing ( I'm only slightly above avg) on your
subgroup but people say tall bikes can fit upright with front tire off
in the Mitsubishi Outlander. Avail in 4wd too.

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?p=6519393#poststop

~Mike~

[Larry Schellhase]

I have a VW Vanagon Camper and I can get both my 68cm Ram and wifes 65cm Riv in the bike. I have a glider board on the back seat with fork mounts and it works real good. Big bikes will fit into the back of a Honda Element with both wheels on. 

Larry

[robert zeidler]

When I say "sex" referring to a car I mean the following. You know
when you see an older guy, like me, driving down the road in a hot car
and they're being SO careful to not inflict too much damage and they
"don't want to ruin it", and "do you know what this car's gonna be
worth some day"? To me that totally misses the point. If I buy a
Mustang GT500 et al, when I'm finished with it, it will be the auto
equivalent of Keith Richards. Every time I drive it I'm going to know
it's a GT500, not preserve it so I can brag to my friends how it's
been babied it's whole life. A bit OT here, I know, but sometimes
that's where these things lead us.

A Scion XB, though lacking AWD, might work also.

RGZ

[robert zeidler]

Even the VW version of the Dodge mini-van would work, but I'm not sure
if I can't get my head around driving it the rest of the time.

RGZ

[robert zeidler]

You're not infringing, dude. What you lack in door frame,
head-smacking height, you make up for with great ideas!

RGZ

[MichaelH]

Two things to keep in mind here. First the ego wants wanting more
than it wants having. That's why as soon as we get what we want, we
start wanting something else. If that weren't true the entire
consumer driven economy would collapse.

Second, oil industry executives are forecasting gasoline prices of
$5.00 by early 2012.

At the end of Feb I will put our tandem, in 3 pieces, inside the
Prius, along with all our camping equipment, and a roof rack, then
drive from Vermont to New Mexico. Once there (actually to Big Bend in
west TX) we will put the three parts of the tandem back together and
carry it up on the roof. To do the same trip in a Jeep or a van would
require about 50 gallons more gas, which cost as much as shipping the
bike back and forth.

On other long trips, with two bikes outside the car, I have covered
the seats and removed the chains. The rest is a wash.

As for sexy... you can buy sex, but you can't buy love.

michael

> >> For more options, visit this group athttp://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.-Hide quoted text -

[Scott G.]

You need a Honda Tardis aka Fit.
A Honda Element or a Mazda 5 also work well.

[Garth]

I drive a '99 Ford F150 with a fiberglass shell and a Bedrug(padded
marine grade carpet). Standard cab, standard bed. The gas mileage
isn't great, but I paid for it upfront when new, and maintenance costs
have been very low. The fuuny thing is though, despite it's large
size, it gets about the same mpg as a Jeep Wrangler. I can camp out
in it, even with a bike inside. ... and being tall .... there's
nothing like the inside cab of a pickup truck. You're butt's not
sitting on the floor and you have room for big feet!

So hey .... the oil guys want and want too. So they want $5 gas .....
what's new. Sadly ...greed lives in us all, and may end up killing
us... unless we're fortunate enough to get a big meteor to hit the
earth first. LoL! ha ha.

If you want to read something pretty wild, and it's 96 pages ....
check out this . It covers a lot, how much is true we'll never know.
http://www.spiritualeconomicsnow.net/solutions/How_I_08.pdf

[zeidler...@gmail.com]

I'll check it out. I'm not out to use less gas, in fact I hope to use the rest of the fossil fuel up so we can go on to something else.
The way I look at it, I pay for it with money I earned. Case closed. Everyone is greedy in one way or another. Sayin'?

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

-----Original Message-----
From: Garth <gart...@gmail.com>
Sender: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2011 12:23:51
To: RBW Owners Bunch<rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com>
Reply-To: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [RBW] Re: Informal Tall Riders Group: What is the best
vehicleforhauling your bike?

[Seth Vidal]

On Fri, Jan 14, 2011 at 3:52 PM, <zeidler...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I'll check it out. I'm not out to use less gas, in fact I hope to use the rest of the fossil fuel up so we can go on to something else.
> The way I look at it, I pay for it with money I earned.  Case closed. Everyone is greedy in one way or another. Sayin'?
>

My opinion only:

I think this thread of the conversation should probably stop here.

it's not riv, and it's going to make people angry.

sound reasonable to everyone?
-sv

[zeidler...@gmail.com]

Well it kind of is, we're discussing a vehicle of choice and the merits of each w/ some practicality thrown in and the reaction to each. It's a flea on a flea as far as discussions go and there hasn't been one negative utterance yet. Why would anyone get mad?

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

-----Original Message-----
From: Seth Vidal <skv...@gmail.com>
Sender: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2011 15:58:05
To: <rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com>
Reply-To: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [RBW] Re: Informal Tall Riders Group: What is the
bestvehicleforhauling your bike?

[robert zeidler]

1st off, Thanks to everyone who replied. It's harder than everyone
thinks to cram a Tall Rider and his stuff into a vehicle. I'll take
everyone's advice into account.

I'll bring this topic to a close, but let me explain my remarks-and
they are somewhat ON topic, as we (some of us) are deciding to use our
bikes as alternate transportation.

Whenever it comes to fuel efficiency in autos, or home solar power,
etc., almost everyone will act in their own best interests first.
"What's the payback?", "Yeah, I know the Prius gets 5 more mpg but I
can get the XXX for a lot less and only get a few mpg less". If
that's not greed, then what is? But, that's also the way it should
be, one could argue (not necessarily me, but still). There a very few
people who are riding to use less fuel and help mankind, but rather,
"I'm not giving my money to some multi-national corporation", or "Look
at the money I'm saving!".

When I talk about using all of the remaining fossil fuel, I mean this
more than you know. How many lives, including our beautiful American
youth, have been wasted over this? How many dollars squandered? How
many borrowed dollars? The sooner it's gone, the better. And this
from a person who makes his own electricity from wind and solar
(grid-tied), and heats is own domestic hot water w/ solar. The
systems cost me over $100K. Why did I do it? The payback on the PV
is around 23 years, and 6 for the solar hot water. I did it as a
patriotic act, and to support these kids who put themselves in harm's
way. It's my way of lifting a middle finger, not to the
companies-that's like blaming a pimp for supplying something that's
wanted, but to the whole fossil fuel concept, and saying, "Not this
white boy".

Sorry for this rant, but I didn't want to alienate some of my brothers
and sisters who may have misconstrued my comments. And once again
thanks to all.
Now let's go have some fun!

RGZ

RGZ

[robert zeidler]

A Mazda 5 is a brilliant suggestion, and soon the Ford version, the
C-Max will be here.

On Fri, Jan 14, 2011 at 10:22 AM, Scott G. <sco...@primax.com> wrote:
> You need a Honda Tardis aka Fit.
> A Honda Element or a Mazda 5 also work well.
>

[j4gitr]

I'm driving a Honda Element. I put my 68 cm Waterford Adventure Cycle
inside. I have toted it with another bike and our gear for Ragbrai and
the Katy trail with my 6'4" 280# cousin next to me in the front seat.
It's been one of the greatest most versatile vehicles I have ever
owned. I'm 6'6" 99PBH. Long legs and I fit comfortably. I've been
driving it for 4 years now.

[zeidler...@gmail.com]

This is the second suggestion for the Element. You find plenty of front seat comfort too.
Thanks for your insight (no pun).

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

-----Original Message-----

From: j4gitr <jsto...@comcast.net>
Sender: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com

Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2011 20:52:24
To: RBW Owners Bunch<rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com>
Reply-To: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [RBW] Re: Informal Tall Riders Group: What is the best vehicle for
hauling your bike?

[Angus]

I also drive a Honda Element, specifically purchased because I can get
my bikes inside. I remove the front wheel and get the 64cm Ram
vertically inside "The Toaster."

I fold up one rear seat when carrying a bike and can use the 2nd rear
seat as a changing room if necessary. The rubber/plastic floor is
easy to clean up.

I don't find the Element particularly comfortable, but it's good
enough, has plenty of leg/head room and is very versatile.

Angus

[Thomas Nezovich]

I have a Honda Element too and I think it is ideal for a bike and gear carrier. I use fork holders mounted on pieces of old Trex decking to lower the bikes to make easy entrance to rear hatch. As an exercise I managed to fit four bikes alternating front ends and back ends but three is more practical (this is with both seats removed).
As to comfort, I have made two trips to the mountains of Colorado from Cleveland with my element which were ok sitting in the front seat. I made a trip to North Carolina with four guys in the car where I got to sit in the back which was annoying with the rear seat theater seating. However, on all those trips the mpg was right around 30 mpg on the interstates.

[jim phillips]

Do you guys not use the carriers that fit onto the back of the car? That is how I am transporting my Sam Hillborne (aka Crazy Horse). Is there a downside to that?

best,

JimP

> Subject: Re: [RBW] Re: Informal Tall Riders Group: What is the best vehicle forhauling your bike?
> From: tn...@cox.net
> Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2011 10:02:56 -0500
> To: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com

[robert zeidler]

Well, Jim, that was the initial concern. I have a pick-up that is my
company work truck and have a bed rack in there. So far so good. But
it's when one wants to travel, and you are staying overnight, or you
stop for a bite to eat, or it's really raining..... These are pretty
nice bikes that can get crudded up pretty quickly, components aged
quickly and in the case of a Brooks, potentially ruined. As I'm
ending up w/ more time to be able to wander around, I was just looking
for the type of vehicle described here and depending on the generosity
of this group to relay their experiences.

So far that's 3 for the Element. It ain't the sportiest thing out
there to be sure but it does make sense.

RGZ

[Jon Grant]

Make it at least four for the Element. It’s not sporty in the least. We bought it because it’s light for its size, its rugged interior can be configured variously, and because it can haul bicycles standing up with wheels on — at least as tall as my 60.5 cm Rivendell custom. We can put three people and three bikes inside the car if we remove a back seat. It has only four seats though, so now that we have twins, the bikes ride on a hitch-mounted rack out back. Ironic, huh?

Also, please note that Honda has announced the end of production for this model, and probably won’t support it as long as I plan to keep it — which is approximately for the rest of my life. Ours has been very reliable — no repairs outside normal maintenance for 50k miles now.

--
Jon “Papa” Grant
Illustration + Information Graphics
Austin, Texas
jgr...@papagrant.com
512-284-9599

Drawings — all sorts

---

From: robert zeidler <zeidler...@gmail.com>
Reply-To: <rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com>
Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2011 11:55:34 -0500
To: <rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com>

[CycloFiend]

on 1/14/11 1:02 PM, zeidler...@gmail.com at zeidler...@gmail.com
wrote:

> Well it kind of is, we're discussing a vehicle of choice and the merits of
> each w/ some practicality thrown in and the reaction to each. It's a flea on a
> flea as far as discussions go and there hasn't been one negative utterance
> yet. Why would anyone get mad?

I think it's one of those quirks of the webbernet. Over the years,
auto-trending threads in bicycle forums and groups seem to get folks riled
up.

And while I do understand the specific intent of the thread was to address
clearance issues in the motorized transport of larger-framed Rivendells (the
tone and topic of which has been nicely maintained in this thread), having
it morph into a general discussion of good/bad autos would be OT.

- Jim / list admin

--
Jim Edgar
Cyclo...@earthlink.net

[robert zeidler]

A million apologies to all. It is kind of on-topic because tall folks
can't just throw their bikes in anything, and Riv does make a lot of
bigger sizes. But it is your list and so I respect what you say.

RGZ

[CycloFiend]

on 1/15/11 9:21 AM, robert zeidler at zeidler...@gmail.com wrote:

> A million apologies to all. It is kind of on-topic because tall folks
> can't just throw their bikes in anything, and Riv does make a lot of
> bigger sizes. But it is your list and so I respect what you say.

"I thought we were an autonomous collective..."

;^)

Just to clarify my hastily typed point -
I do think this thread has remained within the topic of our group, insofar
as it _was_ about Rivs rather than cars.

As a parrallel point, it speaks highly of this group that requests to temper
the thread were met with positive responses. As I've said, it's an
imperfect boundry, and depends upon context, tone and the willingness to
listen to other's points of view.

Thanks again!

- J

--
Jim Edgar
Cyclo...@earthlink.net

[zeidler...@gmail.com]

Yes especially as we(I) started to color outside the lines a bit. As I said bike riders are a flea, Riv riders are a flea on that flea. So we'll need to stick together.
RGZ :{)

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

-----Original Message-----
From: CycloFiend <cyclo...@earthlink.net>
Sender: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2011 09:47:15
To: <rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com>
Reply-To: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [RBW] Re: Informal Tall Riders Group: What is thebestvehicleforhauling
your bike?

[Montclair BobbyB]

I have been transporting my bikes on (and in) my 2005 Honda Element
for 5 years... It is one of the best bike-totin cars for sure. I have
a hitch-mounted rack (with perfectly suits my Bombadil), but it can
also fit upright inside the Element (using a fork mount attached to a
small piece of plywood with a yoga mat glued to the underside)...
Provides the best of both worlds ... I can quickly load & transport my
Riv with no hassle, or optionally protect it inside (when necessary).

Peace,
BB

On Jan 15, 1:06 pm, zeidler.rob...@gmail.com wrote:
> Yes especially as we(I) started to color outside the lines a bit. As I said bike riders are a flea, Riv riders are a flea on that flea. So we'll need to stick together.
> RGZ :{)
> Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: CycloFiend <cyclofi...@earthlink.net>
>
> Sender: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
> Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2011 09:47:15
> To: <rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com>
> Reply-To: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
> Subject: Re: [RBW] Re: Informal Tall Riders Group: What is thebestvehicleforhauling
>  your bike?
>

> on 1/15/11 9:21 AM, robert zeidler at zeidler.rob...@gmail.com wrote:
>
> > A million apologies to all.  It is kind of on-topic because tall folks
> > can't just throw their bikes in anything, and Riv does make a lot of
> > bigger sizes.  But it is your list and so I respect what you say.
>
> "I thought we were an autonomous collective..."
>
> ;^)
>
> Just to clarify my hastily typed point -
> I do think this thread has remained within the topic of our group, insofar
> as it _was_ about Rivs rather than cars.
>
> As a parrallel point, it speaks highly of this group that requests to temper
> the thread were met with positive responses.  As I've said, it's an
> imperfect boundry, and depends upon context, tone and the willingness to
> listen to other's points of view.
>
> Thanks again!
>
> - J
>
> --
> Jim Edgar

> Cyclofi...@earthlink.net

[Kelly Sleeper]

I just went out to put my bike in our element.  I guess the lower bottom bracket makes a difference because my old / sold / X race bike the seat was to high to stand up in the element.  No the AHH if I turn it sideways to get it past the entrance I can just barely stand it up…then I have to put the front wheel in first and turn it sideways at the front seat or it’s too long to fit.  Took two of us to wiggle it in.  For long trip with just the wife and I it would be ok.. but not worth fighting on a regular basis to me.  So I’ll keep using the roof racks on my escape…

 

Note if like my you find your fenders too long for standard roof racks .. mine works great with my tandem rack and I found a place that sells singles with the sole intent to be high enough for fenders.  At 115 bucks I am going to order one and see how it is.  I think and won’t swear to it that it was made by draftmaster.

 

Kelly

[William Pustow]

   That's what I've been looking for!  Please let us, (forget them, tell only me), know if the single unit works with fenders. What's the brand/web site?

Bill

Louisville, Ky

[Kelly Sleeper]

Ok William I'll whisper the link to you only..
http://atoc.com/biketopper.php
Then scroll down to the BT-HT47 ... that is the one I'm buying.

My Tandem topper is a Rockymount.. haven't check to see if they make
something.

Kelly

[PATRICK MOORE]

On Sat, Jan 15, 2011 at 8:41 AM, jim phillips <thefa...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Do you guys not use the carriers that fit onto the back of the car?

Can you describe these or point to an image url? I may want some to
bolt into my Voyager.

I carried 4 bikes today, all just shoved in the back with both wheels
on. Of course, three were kids' bikes (2 X 20" wheel and 1 X 24"
wheel, but those high rise handlebars!) and the biggest was a 57 or 58
cm Motobecane Grand Record, but still ....

Just wish I had the 5 speed turbo version.

Patrick "love my Plymouth two seater" Moore

[PATRICK MOORE]

Sorry, don't bother, never mind, etc etc etc -- I misread that as
"carriers that fit INTO the back of the car".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3FnpaWQJO0

--
Patrick Moore
Albuquerque, NM
For professional resumes, contact
Patrick Moore, ACRW at resumesp...@gmail.com

[Ken Freeman]

I'm also not a tall guy, but I am a car guy.  The Element, aside from gas mileage, is a great carrier, but Honda is taking it off the market.  As a new vehicle, it's not a viable recommendation.

At least one local Rivendeller (see, back on topic!) used a RAV-4 as a bike carrier, to store them vertical in the back, but I think he needed since then to go a different way.  Not sure if the current platform is as roomy.

Toyota is coming out with a Prius wagon or crossover.  I can get two bikes to lay flat in our standard Prius 5-door, so this should be even better.  

If you like vans, how about the Chrysler vans with seats that fully fold in to leave a tall space with a flat floor?  

If you like sedans, can you take off the wheels, turn the frame upside down, and place it in the rear seat footwell?  Then the wheels can go on the bench seat behind it, oriented so the dirty drive parts will not rest on upholstery.  The trunk is then free for gear and luggage, if you're traveling.

--
Ken Freeman
Ann Arbor, MI USA

[robert zeidler]

A car guy! Ssssshhhhh! Don't type it too loud! I saw the new
Prius-V, it looks promising. And in keeping this Riv/tall boy
on-topic, all of these vehicles would have to meet this criteria:
Bike loaded in, rear wheel first, still attached, preferably with the
seat still in it's riding position, front wheel removed. Point being,
a rider with a 56 can get back to his vehicle, and if caught in a
downpour, or in a hurry etc, toss it into almost anything. I want to
do pretty much that with a 68-70. Kept in this light, a vehicle is
just another bike accessory.

RGZ

[j4gitr]

I personally just roll the bike into the car. I have to angle it a
bit, but I am able to put the bike inside without removing the front
tire. I then use a bungie to the rear passenger handle to secure it in
place. The front tire positions between the two front seats ever so
slightly with two bikes. with one I just push the passenger seat
forward a bit and all is good. This alleviates the need for the fork
mounts and allows me to convert the car quickly. I also have a custom
cut carpeting in the car that deadens noise and gives a little more
class to the vehicle that I may or may not have to remove if I used
the fork mounts. I'm all about ease of conversion.

On Jan 15, 9:41 am, jim phillips <thefamil...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Do you guys not use the carriers that fit onto the back of the car? That is how I am transporting my Sam Hillborne (aka Crazy Horse). Is there a downside to that?
>
> best,
>
> JimP
>
> > Subject: Re: [RBW] Re: Informal Tall Riders Group: What is the best vehicle forhauling your bike?

> > From: t...@cox.net

[Kelly Sleeper]

I don't know that there is a "best vehical" Maybe it's more a best method based on application.

 

Roof racks have been great from me.  Especially when traveling with three people, bikes and gear.

They have worked on cars, mini vans and my current Escape.  The Element we have will barely get my bike insdie., and I have no chance of getting three bikes, people and gear in it.

 

For around town nothing is easier than the roof rack and it has fork locks, rack locks and cable locks.

 

Bikes getting rained on is no biggie, I ride in the rain and in the mud etc.  The brooks saddle cover keeps the seat nice and dry.

 

For me the ideal vehical would be the full sized van with a  gear carrier hanging off the trailer hitch. That way I can carry 4 bikes inside with comfortable seating for all and carry the gear.

 

I also have mountain bikes and do get muddy which sucks putting in the car. 

 

The rear outside racks I've used tend to promote scatches and dings on the bikes.  But for ease of use they are great.

 

The one mini van I had that worked great didn't have a rear bench seat so the rear tires could go between the two rear seats.  But I don't have that anymore.. life of company cars that get changed at employers choice every two years.

 

Just as we make trade offs on bicycle tires, gear, comfort on our bikes etc.. we make trade offs with our vehicals.

Practical for one is not for the next. 

 

For most activities the roof rack covers all my needs.  Including ability to carry the Tandem and people and muddy mountain bikes.  Bike bras keep the bugs off for longer trips even if it kills gas milage.  

 

Point being for me ... it's rare to have a single bike or person going to a ride.  Ability for minimum of 3 and 4 would be better.

 

Kelly

 

 

 

 

 

[charlie]

I ride my bike mostly........when I have transported I have used a
rack outside or I slide it into the bed of my truck when I have the
canopy on. We used to have an Astro Van that I could load four bikes
into easily. These days I drive a 92 Suzuki Swift (38 mpg) and can't
haul a bike without taking the wheels off and/or taking off the
fenders so I just ride to my destinations. A Bike Friday folder is
nice to own when you are traveling by car often and I may get one in
the future, depending. You may consider S&S couplers then you could
toss it into any small car. Way less expensive than buying a new car.
Heck you could even get a special coupled bike when traveling for
less.

[PATRICK MOORE]

On Sun, Jan 16, 2011 at 10:40 AM, Kelly Sleeper <tksl...@gmail.com> wrote:

>
> I also have mountain bikes and do get muddy which sucks putting in the car.

You need the special "bike porteur" version for dirty bikes.

[Kelly Sleeper]

I love it... we need a group on Flickr for bike travel.. here are some
photos I had..
The Mini, and the rear racks aren't me the rest are my vehicals.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tksleeper/sets/72157625836620518/

[davidfrench]

Hi, very late on the topic, but for a -used- solution, I bought a VW Eurovan from 2001 (I wasn't in the market for new vehicle which is fine cause VW stopped importing those).

I put a hitch and a 4-bikes rack from Hollywood in the back. Works great and there's even room for my wife's surf boards inside!

:-)

 

[Rex Kerr]

I find that carrying my big bikes in/on vehicles is a pain... 

They're too tall to fit IN the car -- with the front wheel off, my 67 cm AHH BARELY fits in the back of my Subaru Outback with the seats down.

They're too accessorized to fit ON the car -- fender or front lowrider rack prevents using fork mount racks, water bottle cages prevent using downtube mount racks, fenders prevent using over the tire type racks, etc. 

I've always hated hitch mounted racks, though I do have one... problem is, I don't have a receiver hitch on my Subie.

I did manage to get some of my bikes to work on a fork mount by removing the wheel tray and leaving just the fork mount bolted to the front crossbar, and just cinch the rear wheel down to the rear crossbar, with the bars spaced exactly for the wheelbase of my bikes.   Having the tray removed allows the fender to drop down below the crossbar, BARELY clearing the roof, though requiring the mudflap to be bent back.

 

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[PATRICK MOORE]

One word: Citroen Acadiane.

https://picasaweb.google.com/BERTIN753/Acadiane#5720999573577885634

Carries my Ken Rogers tricycle with no need for disassembly.

--

Patrick Moore
Albuquerque, NM
For professional resumes, contact
Patrick Moore, ACRW

http://resumespecialties.com/index.html

[Larry Schellhase]

I have a 99 VW Eurovan Camper which does a great job of hauling two bikes and two people.

Lots of bikers I know have Honda Elements. Two or three bikes easily fit in the rear with two passengers up front. Too bad they stopped making it.

 

Larry

LA CA

On Tue, Mar 20, 2012 at 9:08 AM, davidfrench <nydavi...@gmail.com> wrote:

--

[davidfrench]

Patrick, what about this one:

http://images.caradisiac.com/images/3/1/9/9/33199/S0-J-aime-du-jour-Citroen-Tube-vs-Renault-Estafette-135216.jpg

Citroen Tub!

:-)

I saw one in San Francisco. I guess it belong to a bike shop in Russian Hill... This is the perfect vehicle (and pardon me even if I'm french I'm not into "tour de France", but I'm sure this Citroen was used extensively during the race, back in the days)

:-)

Larry, nice to meet (virtually) another eurovan owner!

Rex, try a Eurovan, or put that hitch on the Subaru. My Hollywood Rack can take any kind of bikes, fenders or not.

http://www.hollywoodracks.com/bike-racks/hitch-racks/sportrider-hitch-rack-4.htm

[PATRICK MOORE]

I have to bow before superiority. That does take the cake.

How's about this:
https://picasaweb.google.com/BERTIN753/Late70sOrEarly80sKenRogersBRT?authkey=Gv1sRgCMa-k8S2v-XZbg#5702101096963401378

> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
> To view this discussion on the web visit

> https://groups.google.com/d/msg/rbw-owners-bunch/-/rK8as66D6xMJ.

[davidfrench]

Is this thing a tricycle?
What don't lean like a bike is not a bike!
:-)

[PATRICK MOORE]

Don't *you* start! It was already kicked off the iBob list by the
moderatorsintheir
infinitewisdombelieveitornot. I say, if you pedal it, it counts.

Actually, I've been told that you can learn to lean them, but that
woud take away the entire point -- the fun of cornering with all three
wheels on the ground.

> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.

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[robert zeidler]

Yeah it's much better to read about everyone trying to describe about how they can tell the differences between ruffy tuffy and roly poly.

[Darin G.]

VW Eurovan Camper if you can find one.  

D.G.