how do you load your bike on the car?

[Thorn]

we were thinking of buying a Honda FIT with this exact method/configuration in mind, but my husband's bike was just too big.

How tall is too tall? Just curious.

[djgafi]

mine is an audio a3 hatch back.

interesting the link with the bike-bra, good to know that is effective.

with the roof racks, isn't it too difficult/heavy to rise the bike over and place it on the rack?

[Grog]

with the roof racks, isn't it too difficult/heavy to rise the bike over and place it on the rack?

I would have a hard time if the car was higher maybe, but we have a Honda Civic, and it's totally manageable. My bike is in the 20 to 22-lbs range and I have matchstick arms.

[VeloVT]

I'm 5'6", also with puny arms, and I don't have a problem getting the bikes onto the roofrack on my Outback. If I were closer to 5'0", I think it might be a little awkward (as it is I sometimes end up stepping up onto the door frame). Raising the bike above your head is much easier than you expect if you haven't done it before. At the gym, I do shoulder presses with weights that are a good deal heavier than my bike.

[Biciclista]

How tall is too tall? Just curious.

just an inch too tall.
he's not even a big man, it's a 56cm bike i think. it's just the combo of fenders, aerobars, etc..

[Thorn]

just an inch too tall.
he's not even a big man, it's a 56cm bike i think. it's just the combo of fenders, aerobars, etc..

Bummer...I've stuck the Fit in the back of my mind as a possible next car, but I bet it won't work for me (won't keep me from test driving the car and trying put the bikes in anyway, of course).

Still looking for a high mileage vehicle (45mpg highway) with room on the inside for two bikes....a woman can dream.

Thanks for the info.

[gnarwhal]

We have a tow ball and one of these

http://www.roofrackshop.co.uk/bike/t...ke-carrier.htm

so so good. I was so sick of having to lift a filthy wet bike too high to get it up onto our window mounted angled rack and struggling like no body's business. I'd never go back now, only problem is that it's only a 3 carrier. But it does leave the boot empty for all your gear which is nice.

[OakLeaf]

Still looking for a high mileage vehicle (45mpg highway) with room on the inside for two bikes....a woman can dream.

You can put two bikes in the back of a Prius, one on top of the other, with a blanket between them. Doesn't leave a lot of room for much else, but a couple of backpacks with overnight gear would definitely fit.

[Becky]

We carry bikes one of two ways, depending on how far we're going, how much stuff we have, and how filthy the bikes are. I have an Outback and DH has a Legacy, and both are wagons.

If it's a long trip and we have lots of stuff, the bikes go on the roof to make room for baggage and Dog. If the bikes are filthy, they go on the roof. If we're not carrying much gear and no Dog, they go inside the Outback on a fork-mount rack that DH made from scrap lumber and some of those $20 fork-mount thingies for pickup trucks. It means removing seatposts, but a line with a marker make re-installing to the perfect height easy. Carrying them inside definitely helps the gas mileage compared to the roof rack.

I'm 5'4, and can put any of my bikes on the roof, including the full-suspension beast.

[papaver]

We just toss them in here.

http://www.renault.be/nl/gamma-renau...nieuwe-kangoo/

[fidlfreek]

I have a Camry Solara (coupe) and just take off my front wheel and slide the baby back behind the front seats. I have a very small road bike though. With a longer wheelbase it might get tricky. I don't care about grease but if you did:
http://www.wcfanshop.com/servlet/the...ver-for/Detail

[jobob]

We just toss them in here.

http://www.renault.be/nl/gamma-renau...nieuwe-kangoo/

Ow wow, we saw one of those yesterday on the freeway near us (near San Jose, CA). Cuuuuute!

They're not for sale in the US (yet?) - no clue how that one got here

But we still love our Honda Element. We can remove the back seats and roll 2 (maybe up to 4) bikes into the back, no disassembly required. Although if our bikes were any longer or taller that would be an issue. It's too bad the Element wasn't a couple of inches longer in the back compartment, but so it goes.