What do you haul your bikes on?

[CCinSC]

Thanks everyone for all of the responses! I'm printing this right now to give to DH to read. He thought that I would get picked on...hehehe! Little did he know that you would all be helpful and have great suggestions and points!

I just love this group!

[nic840]

I have a Tahoe and currently use a board with a front fork holder to transport my bike. (made it)

I see that you have a little one too, carseat?. I just put the smaller side of the split seat down and have the back time go through there and then put the fork mount/board towards the back and tighten the fork in. I can still fit a gike in the back along with two carseats.

I have put three bikes inside attached by frontfork mounts and had three adults in there too. Its nice to have a car you can put the bikes inside.

On long trips w/ lots of gear I usually use a roof rack/tray mount because I have a rocket box up there too. I usually travel with two kids and one dog/kennel. Adding another dog/kennel today...ugh! Its going to be trip fun!

As for the Tahoe, I love it! Its a 2000 (new body style) and I would consider another in a heartbeat. It fits all my gear, kids and animals with little problem. Gas mileage isn't the greatest but the new ones are a little better.

[silver]

I drive a Toyota sienna Minivan. I've taken three seats out. So it only seats 3 people. And it fits three bikes inside. perfect!

Mr. drives a Lexus ES300. He has a saris rack. He used to travel with the bike on it, but the bike was getting so dirty that he's switched to putting the bike in the trunk. He has to take both wheels off to do this.

My mom has a Caddy CTS. It's very nice!!! I love driving it. I can't see any reason that you couldn't put a rack on it and haul your bike that way.

In my tri team....one gal drives a BMW M3. She hauls her bike using a Saris rack. IMO, it doesn't look stupid at all....gotta haul your bike someway! Another gal had a Nissan 300ZX, She had to have a rack modified in some way to haul her bike. She has since traded it in for a Toyota FJ. She also had a baby.

[bike4ever]

silver - I went to the websites of Saris, Thule and Yakima and all said there was not a fit recommended for the vehicle. Since I sell these products, I go with the manufacturers suggestions since they have already tested their products of the vehicle.

Anyone can attach a trunk rack onto a vehicle against the suggestions of the manufacturer. I personally wouldn't want to be the shop that sells CCinSC a rack for the Cadillac and it damages the vehicle. I would actually dismiss an employee for recommending a product not authorized for a particular use.

[Mr. Bloom]

The "CTS" and the "STS" are two different cars.

The "CTS" does have a recommended rack from Saris...

The problem with these "streamlined" models is there is nothing to "hook" onto. The only reason it works on my Lexus is that I have "towing hooks" on the underside of the car that work fine for the bottom hooks (as long as I don't grab the hot muffler by mistake).

[DirtDiva]

Trust me, you can carry two bikes on or in any kind of car. My personal favourite is my friends' Mini Cooper with two muddy full-sussers on top.

[surgtech1956]

I have a Jeep Grand Cherokee and have a hitch receiver rack - its made by Reese(from Meijers). Anyone drive a Jeep Wrangler???

[Tuckervill]

If you get the Cadillac, put a receiver hitch on it and use a bike rack, instead of a trunk mounted rack. That way you don't have to take a chance on scratching up the paint, etc. Lots of the receiver hitches are virtually invisible when not in use.

I have an Element, but there are times when I need to haul the bikes on the back (like last weekend, when I hauled 3 bikes to the Big Dam Bridge ride and bought another bike while I was down there!). So I used the cargo tray with fork mounts attached, even though I have a Yakima Kingpin. Two bikes went on the cargo tray, and two bikes went inside.

The reason I like the cargo tray best (or one of those racks that the bikes sit on instead of hang from) is that both bikes were vintage and I didn't want them scratched up. Hanging off the Kingpin, they sometimes come in contact with each other.

ETA: I can't reach the top of the Element, and I don't want to haul a stepladder, and I can't imagine how many times I would hit my bikes on stuff after I forgot they were there! I have trouble remembering the kayak is up there.

Karen

Long story short-we are looking for a new car! We've narrowed down the results to either a Tahoe or a Cadillac CTS (car). I know, they are COMPLETELY different!!!

So here's the thing, he thinks that putting my bikes (road and Mt) on the back on the CTS is completely ridiculous . I don't care either way on what they go on, as long as they are safe and comfy . He wanted me to ask you all what you think about a bike on the CTS and what you drive to haul around your bikes?

Your answers will determine the fake of our car buying experience!!!

[Tuckervill]

Trust me, you can carry two bikes on or in any kind of car. My personal favourite is my friends' Mini Cooper with two muddy full-sussers on top.

The bikes are longer than the car!

Karen

[sundial]

I have a Honda Element and if it's just me and my bike, I hang the seat out of the way and put my bike in the cargo area. If hubby is joining me for a ride, I put on the Thule hitch mount rack to carry our bikes.

[singletrackmind]

18/26 vs 14/20 mpg if you don't have roof racks. Assuming the 2008 CTS reviews are pretty good on both. GM is doing better in long term reliability and some are even showing up as used car best bets (though I don't believe either of these are one of those). The sedan would prolly be a more reasonable car for driving clients around in, the Tahoe would prolly work better for hauling stuff inside such as bikes, signage and whatnot.

There's several good car sites, I'd check out edmunds.com, kbb.com, carsurvey.org, maybe fueleconomy.gov to get as much info as possible, including looking at older models with the same engine to find out about potential problems or excessive maintenance/repair/reliability issues.

I drive a 4runner. Excellent reliability, not too hard to repair when stuff does come up, I'm expecting to go at least 300,000 miles, poor mileage (18), too small a gas tank, half-decent off-road capability. Carries everything from kids to garden equipment to bikes. If it weren't for the off-road part a wagon would suit me as well.

[Tuckervill]

I have a Honda Element and if it's just me and my bike, I hang the seat out of the way and put my bike in the cargo area. If hubby is joining me for a ride, I put on the Thule hitch mount rack to carry our bikes.

Yep, if it's just two bikes, the seats go up (or out on long trips, like to Maine last month), and then the bikes get bungied around the top tube up to the handle above the door. My bike rolls right in, but the boy's bike has to lean over a little.

Karen

[MomOnBike]

I know what not to get. Anything like our Neon with the rear spoiler. Bleh. We can't fit a bike rack on the thing 'cause of the spoiler. (and that's just one reason that I hate the car...)

My other problem is that DH & I ride honkin' big recumbents, just about the size of a tandem apiece, with those big comfy seat backs and my fairing that act like sails. Not something I want on top of the Neon.

What I'm thinking of doing, therefore, is putting a trailer hitch on the Neon and renting the smallest U-Haul Trailer for those times we need to take our bikes longer distances than we wish to ride. Bikes are covered and out of the way, gas mileage suffers, but not on a permanant basis, and the trailer Goes Away when we are done. No storage headaches.

Something to consider. It might just free up your car considerations a bit.

[KnottedYet]

Wow! The trailer is a great idea! Don't have to worry about the bikes getting stolen or nastied up!

And those trailers aren't too expensive, and oh so convenient!

[uforgot]

I have a Neon and I had a hitch installed on it. Yes, it can be done. I made them promise not to laugh before I told them what I wanted. I have a Thule hitch rack. It locks down over the bikes so they are also safe.