Good Cars for Bikes [Archive] - Women's Cycling Discussion Forums

tangentgirl

03-01-2010, 11:08 AM

I'm starting to think about getting a new car, doing initial research right now. I usually like very small cars - I really like the Mazda 3 and the Mini Cooper S- but as I loaded two bikes in and out of the back of my little Hyundai Accent this morning, I thought, heck, maybe I should start thinking bigger.

Anyone have a car or suv or truck that works awesome with bike transport? Bonus points for good gas mileage!

Biciclista

03-01-2010, 11:13 AM

I just got a honda FIT. it is great for my bike, but not so great for my husband's long bike with aerobars. Gas mileage is excellent.

Blueberry

03-01-2010, 11:17 AM

I have a honda element and love it. But the gas mileage isn't great. However, the bonus is that 3 bikes + luggage fit inside - without removing any wheels.

If I were starting from scratch - I'd get a fit with a roof rack or (more likely) a hitch rack.

zoom-zoom

03-01-2010, 11:18 AM

I LOVE my Mazda 3s hatchback! Hubby and I can get both of our bikes in there pretty easily...mine only needs the front wheel removed. Of course, this means no backseat passenger (DS is 9), so we're considering our rack options. There are a few racks that will work well with the Mazda, from what I have been told. We may consider one that mounts to a trailer hitch, as well.

DH currently drives an older 626 and when that dies will almost certainly go for a Honda Fit (his previous car was an '89 Civic Si hatchback). The useable space in that thing when the back seats are down is unreal. Way bigger than what my 3 offers, and with a smaller vehicle. Honda did good.

The Mini Cooper is cool, but friends have one and it feels very small...not a lot of cargo room.

TsPoet

03-01-2010, 11:33 AM

The Mini Cooper is cool, but friends have one and it feels very small...not a lot of cargo room.

Check out a MINI Cooper Clubman. I traded my cooper in on a clubbie and Love it! I get 32 mph around town (turbo), I can put a DF bike in the back with the front wheel off (but not my recumbent). An adult can, in a pinch, climb in back using the extra side door.
Not really the answer for the OP, though.

zoom-zoom

03-01-2010, 11:47 AM

Check out a MINI Cooper Clubman. I traded my cooper in on a clubbie and Love it! I get 32 mph around town (turbo), I can put a DF bike in the back with the front wheel off (but not my recumbent). An adult can, in a pinch, climb in back using the extra side door.
Not really the answer for the OP, though.

Yeah, the Clubman is really cool. We were ogling that at a recent auto-show.

tangentgirl

03-01-2010, 11:55 AM

How long does it take to get trailer/roof racks situated on cars and then to get the cars onto the racks? Is it a one person operation? A long time ago I had a trunk rack and it was a pain in the <body part> to get on and off the car, to get the bikes on it, etc. Then I'd always be worried about the bikes or rack falling off. Granted, it was a pos rack that I borrowed (stole) from my mom, who probably got it at the Wal-mart, so perhaps there are better experiences out there.

Are there locking racks, so that if you stop for donuts you don't have to keep one eye on the car?

And, the Fit, you say? Hmm.

Blueberry

03-01-2010, 12:00 PM

Yep - there are roof racks and hitch racks that lock. My Yak roof rack locks to the roof of the car, and then each fork mount locks. I've only ever left bikes on it overnight at my dad's house (in the middle of nowhere), but I don't worry about stopping to eat. My hitch rack has a cable lock. I worry a little more about that one - but still it's OK for stopping to eat.

That *is* the nice thing about the Element - at the MS ride and other similar events - just wheel the bikes inside and lock the car. Pretty cool.

Biciclista

03-01-2010, 12:04 PM

of course if you are the least bit forgetful, be careful with a roof rack. I have heard many horror stories about expensive bikes being smashed by going under things that were TOO LOW...(drive throughs, garages)

tulip

03-01-2010, 12:09 PM

Roof racks stay on the car. You don't take it off once it's on there, unlike a trunk rack.

Hitch racks typically stay on, too, although I understand they are fairly easy to remove.

Right now I can fit my regular bike inside my VW Rabbit with the front wheel off and the back seats down. I can fit my Bike Friday in the way back of my Rabbit without messing with the seats.

In fact, it would be a whole lot cheaper to get a really nice folding bike instead of a new car...something you might want to think about.

Biciclista

03-01-2010, 12:15 PM

In fact, it would be a whole lot cheaper to get a really nice folding bike instead of a new car...something you might want to think about.

+++++ Good idea.

tangentgirl

03-01-2010, 12:22 PM

Ha. I'm not thinking of getting a new car because of the bike issue. (And it's fine for one bike - two starts getting tricky.) It's just something I want to consider for if/when I do get a new car. The car I'm driving now is kind of on its last legs. If anything more than a couple hundred bucks goes wrong, it's bye bye Hyundai.

ny biker

03-01-2010, 12:31 PM

I can easily fit 2 bikes inside my Prius. The rear seats fold flat. I take the front wheels off for easier manuevering, but I think they would fit with the wheels on also.

I average 50 mpg in warm weather, 38 or so in winter even though most of my winter driving consists of 4 miles or less (too short for the engine to warm up).

Pedal Wench

03-01-2010, 01:04 PM

Toyota Rav4 with a truck bed mount just laying inside. Front wheel off, bike rolls into back of SUV, fork secured on the mount, life is good. It's inside, so protected from weather, thieves, rear bumper accidents and garage mishaps. (Have you ever looked at how many cars have dents in their rear bumpers? I do not want my bike to be a bumper!)
It's this, but it's just sitting loose in the very back of the SUV - I can slide it back to leave room for my aerobar bikes. Bike Rack on truck (http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1031490_-1_400019_400007_400172), I put mine inside

I've had 4 bikes in the car with both back seats down plus camping gear, three with room for one passenger in the (split) back seat.

Biciclista

03-01-2010, 01:08 PM

It's inside, so protected from weather, thieves, rear bumper accidents and garage mishaps. (Have you ever looked at how many cars have dents in their rear bumpers? I do not want my bike to be a bumper!)
It's this, but it's just sitting loose in the very back of the SUV - I can slide it back to leave room for my aerobar bikes. Bike Rack on truck (http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1031490_-1_400019_400007_400172), I put mine inside

I witnessed two cyclists backing their motor vehicles into each other last year in a popular trail head park in Seattle. A few bikes got smushed...:(

Ritamarie

03-01-2010, 01:50 PM

I witnessed two cyclists backing their motor vehicles into each other last year in a popular trail head park in Seattle. A few bikes got smushed...:(

Sorry, had to chuckle at that.

I like my bikes inside the vehicle. There have been plenty of times I've gone to/from a ride in the rain. Also, plenty of times I'm going to another ride in a day or two and just leave the bike in the car, or need to load it up a day or two early. It's safe, snug and dry inside.

I have a Toyota 4Runner, way too big for your needs, but I pull a small horse trailer with it too so it serves a lot of purposes. If buying American has any appeal, my husband has a Chevy HHR which is a hatchback and we get two bikes in there easily with the front wheels removed and the back seat down. The seat has to come off my husband's bike because it's tall. Good gas mileage, zippy little car.

GLC1968

03-01-2010, 01:52 PM

but I think they would fit with the wheels on also.

Yep, they did in mine. I could also easily put my bike in the back of my Mini (wheel off).

Now we use our Toyota Matrix for bike transportation. They can fit inside with wheels on, but they have to lay on top of each other. DH's is too tall to stand up, we tried. We usually just use our trailer hitch bike rack. Even with bikes on the back, we get about 33-34 mpg highway. We just turned over 90K miles on the car and it still drives like new.

Ritamarie

03-01-2010, 02:02 PM

Toyota Rav4 with a truck bed mount just laying inside.

Or just get a couple of these http://www.performancebike.com/bikes//Product_10052_10551_1031488_-1___ and mount them on a piece of wood.

copperlegend

03-01-2010, 02:32 PM

The BF's mother has a Honda Element, and she easily transports her fully assembled bike in there, standing up! I think there are even hooks for a couple bungee cords.

runningteach

03-01-2010, 02:36 PM

I have a Toyota Rav4 and can put my bike in without taking a wheel off. Fits great. It is easy to get my bike in and out. Picked the Rav for that reason when I needed a new vehicle. Recently I was hit from behind in a 4 car accident, and have to say that it got crushed, but I was fine. Luckily I wasn't transporting one of my bikes.

wavedancer

03-01-2010, 03:17 PM

I like my Passat wagon. We can fit both bikes with wheels on in the back, lying on top of each other with a packing blanket between them. I will keep this one until it dies, but am also looking at other options for the future. The Fit sounds good. Has anyone tried or seen the Mazda 5? It looks like a pretty good option for gear transport Mazda 5 (http://www.edmunds.com/mazda/mazda5/2010/review.html)

zoom-zoom

03-01-2010, 03:24 PM

Has anyone tried or seen the Mazda 5? It looks like a pretty good option for gear transport Mazda 5 (http://www.edmunds.com/mazda/mazda5/2010/review.html)

It's OK. We would look at one if it were possible to remove the rear row of seats. For a family of 3 we would have NO use for that and it would leave a TON of room for bikes if those could be dragged out or even if Mazda offered an option without the rear bench--it's too small to be useful for anyone over the age of 7.

irrealised

03-01-2010, 03:49 PM

I have a Rav4 and I love it. I have two fork locks mounted on a 2x6 and can fit two bikes in the trunk AND keep the larger half of the backseat up.

jp4995

03-01-2010, 03:52 PM

I have a Ford Escape (2008 model) and it's great for bikes! My bike and my husbands bike fit in the back (seats folded down, front tires removed) upright, we hook up a couple of bungee cords to the seat brackets and it's good to go. We put the front forks in a couple of fork lock mounts to protect them.

I have the V6, 4WD version and I get way above the EPA estimated fuel (estimated is 17 city/21 hwy), I get around 19-20 city and upper 20's on the highway. It also comes in a 4 cylinder and/or 2WD for a little bit better gas mileage. There is a hybrid option but it is a bit more expensive.

Jaclyn

03-01-2010, 04:00 PM

We have both the Element and the MINI, and love both.

The Element is typically configured without the rear seats. It holds our tandem (with the back wheel between the front seats) as well as two single bikes and a ton of gear. You can hose out the interior! My only complaint is that the roof is high enough that this 5'0" kayaker really struggles to load our kayaks on top (we carry a small footstool).

The MINI carries two single bikes, but only with at least one of the seats pushed pretty far forward (it would be difficult with two tall passengers). My bike fits great with the passenger seat pushed forward. With two bikes, we put a picnic blanket over my bike on the bottom. Must remove both front and rear wheel on my partner's 58cm bike to put on top. But it works.

I do not want my bikes outside - too many risks. We hit one of those 7'6" warning bars once with three bikes on the roof rack. We were very fortunate that we only bent the rails on a saddle. And although we own a Saris Bones trunk rack, it is almost never used.

Blueberry

03-01-2010, 04:24 PM

My only complaint is that the roof is high enough that this 5'0" kayaker really struggles to load our kayaks on top (we carry a small footstool).

Heh. It's not any better at 5'4.5". My DH has learned to lift our sea kayaks by himself - I stabilize the ends....:rolleyes::rolleyes:

skinimini

03-01-2010, 05:02 PM

channlluv

03-01-2010, 05:22 PM

+1 on the Rav4. I love mine, too. I can load my Ruby Comp with the wheels on, plus my daughter's Trek mtb, and all our gear, toolbox, picnic basket, and all the stuff we normally carry in the wayback.

Normal gas mileage is in the neighborhood of 24mpg, but when we drove cross-country, fully loaded, we were getting 400 miles to a tankful, or 28mpg.

Roxy

Pedal Wench

03-01-2010, 06:12 PM

I should have added to my initial Rav4 comment. Yeah, I use the bike mount (and could have easily bought just the mounts and used a piece of wood, but I like the adjustability that I get with the bar - I can slide the mounts around depending on how many bikes and which bikes I'm using.

And, yes, I can also get the bike in with the wheels on, even a bike with aerobars. There's one in there right now like that! But, it's less secure and can slide around. I worry about the on my Colnagos - they're all handpainted, and the paint is notorious for chipping, so I'm a little more careful with those guys.

Cataboo

03-01-2010, 07:09 PM

subaru outback - hitch rack on the back - very easy to get the bikes on, and I have the yakima lock/cable to lock the bikes to the car, the lock to lock the rack into the hitch, and if I'm going to be leaving the bikes on the car - I start adding more cables/U locks/whatever to make sure all the wheels & bikes and such are locked to the car.

I've got the roof rack and have a couple bike mounts for up there - which I use if I want easy access to the trunk for whatever reason, or if I need to carry a ton of bikes. I can lift the light road bikes onto the roof rack by myself without having to stand on anything.

I can also just lay down the back seat and fit the bike in the car, I can stack a few on top of each other if I want - I haven't tried removing the wheels and seeing if a bike would fit in the trunk area,but I think it probably would. I can also just put a cloth or someting to protect the back seat and put the bike in the car in the back seat area (but I have a small bike).

Regarding kayaks - the outback's a little high for my 5'1ness to put the kayaks up on the roof just lifting. If I've got a person helping me, I can lift one end, as the other lifts the other end... Okay, maybe what I really want to say is, I can't lift a 60 lb 17 feet kayak straight onto the roof by myself, I could probably manage a shorter kayak. So what I do is - I've got rollers on my rear roof bar and a kayak loader extension that comes out of it... so I pull out the extension, I put the front end of the boat on that extension, resting the back end onto the ground - and then just pick the back end up and push it forward onto the rack. Then I can stand on the back bumper and on the wheel wells to tie the kayak down.

I think a similar system might work for some of the shorter people with a honda element, to put the kayak up. Although, if it's a short kayak, it should fit in the back of the element (my friend carries her sit on top like that)

geekgirl

03-01-2010, 07:39 PM

It's OK. We would look at one if it were possible to remove the rear row of seats. For a family of 3 we would have NO use for that and it would leave a TON of room for bikes if those could be dragged out or even if Mazda offered an option without the rear bench--it's too small to be useful for anyone over the age of 7.

Maybe it's not obvious from the pictures, but that 3rd row of seats folds down completely flat (as do the 2nd row seats), so the Mazda5 is an incredibly versatile vehicle. I drive one, and for our family of 3, it has been a perfect solution - bikes fit easily in the back w/ the front wheel off (standing up with the fork mount as others have linked), TONS of room, fun to drive (zoom-zoom) and the option of carrying six people for occasional carpools. That 3rd row bench IS pretty tight, but it's not bad for short trips, and perfect for small kids.

Consumer Reports chose the Mazda5 for their Top Pick for a Family Hauler:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/new-cars/cr-recommended/top-picks/overview/top-picks-ov.htm

Although that link indicates the price is $23K+, that's for the fully-loaded version. We have the Sport model, which starts around $18K.

tangentgirl

03-01-2010, 08:13 PM

Tangentgirl's boyfriend: You know what kind of car works great with bikes?

Tangentgirl: What?

TGBF: A minivan! Remember how great they all fit in Randy's minivan?

TG: Yeah...

TGBF: And you can fit surfboards in there too! Minivans are awesome!

TG: Cool! Let's get a minivan! You can drive it, and I'll drive your WRX! :p

Fredwina

03-01-2010, 08:17 PM

I looked at the element, the Maza 5 and the Kia Rondo.
Surpirsling the element came in last . I live on the second floor, and I didn't like the idea of hauling seats up and down the stairs.
I wound up with the Rondo, a bit bigger than the 5, but you have put up with folks who can't get over the name on the Tailgate (it's been dead solid as far as reliability), plus the Rondo does have the "love it or leave it looks" and conventional rear doors
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vuerRrNlUQI/SseuOQHTL5I/AAAAAAAADzQ/zSr-W3vqwMU/s640/100_1173.jpg
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vuerRrNlUQI/SseuQQzcmII/AAAAAAAADzk/B94jC6WsIpo/s640/100_1175.jpg
I get about 21 in the city and 25 highway, but I have the V6

ClockworkOrange

03-03-2010, 02:43 PM

I love my Mini!!! And, you have the option of a bike rack that fits conveniently on the rear bumper. Costs the same whether you order custom (when you order the car) or retrofitted. Whenever other Mini owners around Atl. see my bike rack, they drool! I'll post pictures in a bit.

Hmmm, I have a rag top and as much as love having the roof down, I cannot get a bike rack for it, unless I am willing to shell out something in the region of £650 ($980)!!! I have had my car 5 years and had it been an option then, I would have probably paid it.

As usual and not available in the UK, there is a Swagman XTC-2 for around $179 but I suspect that needs a tow bar?

At the moment I am thinking of buying a second hand Strida folding bike...........they look fun. :D

Look forward to you posting some pics skinimini.

Clock

skinimini

03-03-2010, 03:16 PM

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=9128&d=1240525726

If I did this right, above is a link to a picture of my mini with the bike rack. When I ordered my car, the rack was about $500 (Aug 2008). Maybe it's more expensive now?

SLash

03-05-2010, 07:49 PM

I have a Honda Pilot and DH and I are able to load both of our bikes inside using a homemade rack (a 1x8) and 2 fork mounts screwed into board. It works great and still have room for luggage, etc. Plus, bikes are inside not out in the elements or at risk (as much risk anyway) for thievery.

Onix

03-07-2010, 08:09 AM

I have PT Cruiser (which I wouldn't recommend buying due to all of the problems I have had with it...)

But, I merely post to say that I think a lot of small hatchback cars can probably support your bike just fine.

In my PT, I took out the small back seat.

Mounted a fork holder on a piece of ply that fits snuggly wedged in the trunk area. Then, I just slide my bike (back wheel towards the driver's seat), lock the fork in place...good to go.

With both back seats out, I can even fit my roomate's taller man-bike next to mine!

I'm not sure how link posting works..but maybe this link works!

http://hphotos-snc1.fbcdn.net/hs158.snc1/5888_950609883090_7902247_54638516_3366705_n.jpg

I imagine a lot of hatchbacks could be configured in this way! (Some probably without taking seats out at all---depending on roof height!)