Travel storage problems!

I second what Twister said, the tow ball racks are dead easy, but not cheap, especially the Thule type where the wheels of the bike sit in channels, good and simple though.

On a show car with no bumper cutting you'd probably need a removeable swan neck towbar, if the bikes obscure the lights n plate you'll need electrics too, to hide somewhere under your bumper.

The best way and probably the most expensive, apart from a 2nd car.
 
I agree that the tow-bar route is the most expensive. However, it answers the question posed by the op.
Also, it depends how many bikes you want to carry; we have a roofrack and 4 Thule bike racks, a towbar with electrics and a bike rack are a dearer solution but not as much as you might think.
 
Thanks for the replies, my dad has a bike rack that fits onto a towing hitch, but one problem, the Corsa VXRs exhaust is a centre exit jobbie and with its high pressure turbo it would make it very, very hot! If it wernt there, thats probably what I would do. Think Im gona try the inside the car first, spose the worst that can happen would be a spray job on the back bumper. Just have to be careful :( .
 
Rob Atkin":3ok4p5bk said:
jamabikes":3ok4p5bk said:
In all seriousness your car will get damaged if you carry bikes on or in it. If it's viable I would buy a van or estate cr cheap and use that.

Err how do you work that one out? 20 years of putting bike on (roof, tailgate, towbar) and in (hatchback, saloon, estate) cars I've never even scratched a car.

by being a clumsy git. i put my bike in and out of the car everyday and have always made marks on it. the guy has said its a show car too so his idea is damaged and ours is probably fairly different.
 
jamabikes":2p5vp6c3 said:
Rob Atkin":2p5vp6c3 said:
jamabikes":2p5vp6c3 said:
In all seriousness your car will get damaged if you carry bikes on or in it. If it's viable I would buy a van or estate cr cheap and use that.

Err how do you work that one out? 20 years of putting bike on (roof, tailgate, towbar) and in (hatchback, saloon, estate) cars I've never even scratched a car.

by being a clumsy git. i put my bike in and out of the car everyday and have always made marks on it. the guy has said its a show car too so his idea is damaged and ours is probably fairly different.

Well I'm known as paranoid about keeping my car in perfect condition - you've just got to be careful.

My current strap on rear rack has never made a mark (Thule 9104) as I put copter tape exactly where it clamps on. This has the advantage that I can place the rack in exactly the same position each time I use it and it's rock solid.

Tow bar racks are the business - I can't put a rowboat on my car as its a company car. :-(
 
Rob Atkin":3hw2lgwr said:
Tow bar racks are the business - I can't put a rowboat on my car as its a company car. :-(

is this some kind of iphone autocorrect thing or has the discussion taken an abrupt direction change!!!


re: the op's question - i'd be shocked if bike bags are the solution here. we've got a signum on the drive & its load space is pretty useless for a car its size (I used to get more in my old civic). vauxhall are great for flat folding seats but the size of the openings are what knacker your options so consider this before you drop £70+ on bike bags.

If the car is a show car & you don't want to risk any damage then in all honesty, don't drive it. Your probably more likely to pick up stone chip damage than you are damage the car with a good quality boot / roof rack. the only time they will damage the car is when user error creeps in.

I'm still using an early 90's paddy hopkirk boot rack that spent its entire life in the garden shed & it holds 3 bikes perfectly safely & hasn't put a mark on the paintwork on any car i've mounted it on (old 2 series rover, mk1 megane, mk1 megane coupe, corolla, citreon xsara, honda civic, vauxhall signum, mk1 clio, mk1 306, e39 5 series.....) when I chop in the 5 series later this year in place of an estate i'll be gettng a towball mounted rack for ease of use more than anything else but because the current one is rusty, the straps are slightly mouldy, foam padding is half mouse eaten & the rubber has hardened so probably won't be far off cracking up :LOL: I really should treat myself to a new one sooner!
 
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