Van internal bike transportation

[Jackware]

Stop bleating about your large comfy fast estates

 

[LowStandards]

Estates are for old men who have given up on life...


... what you need is an mpv




I removed the centre middle seat from my Elgrand and used the base to bolt a roof mounted bike rack on. Added bonus, the bike now slides out the back for easy loading

 

[Doomanic]

I see your taste in cars matches your user name...

 

[LowStandards]

Incorrect

I have kids, a bike, somewhere to sleep and a 3.5 V6 with 250bhp from the Nissan 350Z under the bonnet


I can transform super unleaded into an amount of movement for little substancial cost


I could of course be exceptionally dull and buy a generic Audi/Bmw monstrosity if it helps me fit in. I could swap for a Specialized as well if it helps? Though it would probably bankrupt me at 15mpg taking it back to the shop every other week for a new motor

 

[R120]

No the EL Grand is pretty much the perfect MTB car, cant really argue with that.

Thing is its easy to buy a car that ticks all the boxes for MTB, all the van based mpv's, and larger mpv's will do it, the difficulty is if you dont want to go down that route.

 

[Doomanic]

EL Grand is pretty much the perfect MTB car

Until you reach a corner.

Assuming there's one fairly near a petrol station of course.

 

[LowStandards]

Chill out sweetness, note the line after about owning an mpv...



Estates are shit though, Audi's even more so. Discuss ??

 

[Jimbo Vills]

There’s only one estate. For me! ? gotta love the RS6’s

 

[LowStandards]

Jesus Christ that's an abomination ?


Please tell me that's some 17 years old take on one after a trip to Halfords

 

[The Hodge]

If I could I would ..but the price was slightly prohibitive ..!
Second best ( for me anyway ) was the Allroad .

 

[The Hodge]

Jesus Christ that's an abomination ?


Please tell me that's some 17 years old take on one after a trip to Halfords

Christ ..you really do live up to your user name..especially if you think that underpowered japcrap you drive could get anywhere near ..

 

[Jimbo Vills]

Jesus Christ that's an abomination ?


Please tell me that's some 17 years old take on one after a trip to Halfords

Ha ha ha.

No this is after reading max power, their trip to Halfords and a Maccie D!

 

[LowStandards]

Not once did I mention that ladies.

In fact I ridiculed it many times in my post, but hey, you carry on ??‍

 

[LowStandards]

Ha ha ha.

No this is after reading max power, their trip to Halfords and a Maccie D!

View attachment 49939

Do you know where I can get them rimz?

 

[Jimbo Vills]

Do you know where I can get them rimz?

they are zinging ain't they!

 

[LowStandards]

Christ ..you really do live up to your user name..especially if you think that underpowered japcrap you drive could get anywhere near ..

Fuck me ??‍

 

[R120]

I have a love of estates born out of a youth spent in the alps, where the go to car for any self respecting gauloise smoking ski instructor was a fast estate, in my time this was usually the original Audi all road with he v8 under the bonnet - I had the original RS6, and RS4, plus an C43, E53, and e55 estate, and an e39 540i - this to me was the golden age of fast estates, where they had a subtle presence, if you knew you onions you knew what these cars where about, but they didn't shout about it.

I feel like most cars except for base models from the big German brands look like they have been over accessorised with design details at the alter of sportiness, I think BMW have particularly lost their way - for me the e39 Touring was a masterpiece, shit cupholders aside.

On thing I like about my E Class is that its relatively subtle, I love it for all the boring things that it does welll, rather than the exciting things it doesn't do - but then again I am the wrong side of 40 now.

 

[The Hodge]

Fuck me ??‍

Not my type mate ..?

 

[EebStrider]

The more I think about it, the more a fast estate makes sense. I don’t need an SUV, will soon get bored of using a camper or van to use as a main car, plus estates tend to be nice and low, so loading the bike in the back isn’t going to break my back.

 

[LowStandards]

Not my type mate ..?

You dont know me at all.

You ran with my username (which incidentally is about my lowered 1955 Standard 8)


I'm very cuddly and always willing to spoon*




*Something we could do easily on the folded seat of my 'jap crap'

 

[The Hodge]

It all sounds lovely ..but I think I will pass ?

 

[Mikerb]

Seems the need to choose ( a compromise) is because you guys only want one vehicle!! You need a van to carry stuff ( bikeS/windsurf gear/camping gear.....and a BMW to drive...and a shopping trolley car for dog walks/ supermarket and back and forth to the stables. Simples!!

 

[RockySpieler]

You need a Transit Grand Tourneo Connect, remove 3rd row seats, 2nd row fold completely flat. Just throw bike in, previously had old man Avensis Estate, which you could manipulate bike in with wheels on (plus 10ft surfboard could slide in). I have added lashing points to the old seat mount points for straps. £30 road tax. Narrow for country lanes (much better than my lwb T5 caravelle which also has poor seating layout, middle row bench is massive, probably best layout is 6 single seats). No street cred or bragging rights, but I will never get pulled over by the police for speeding.

 

[Spreaders]

Looking at getting a Vito XLWB (as most choice in that size) tourer or possibly V class to replace a loved but ageing and increasingly battered T4. Whilst I do love my 5 series estate boards and bikes fit in van with so much less faff. Anyone who owns or used an XLWB Vito got any useful feedback on storage capacity/practicality.

 

[mark1a]

Jumped in to contribute my £0.02 on internal bike transport and accidentally stumbled on an automotive pissing contest.

I transport my Levo (size large) with both wheels on in a VW Caddy Maxi Life (that's the LWB MPV version), with 3rd row permanently removed, and 2nd row partially folded or removed.

Have had many non-sensible cars over the years but a modded Caddy mk4 remapped, lowered, bodykit, decent alloys, leisure battery is all the vehicle I need and is now the daily drive as well.

Front wheel in this, and a couple of straps around the top tube fastened to the floor tie-downs.

 

[RockySpieler]

Jumped in to contribute my £0.02 on internal bike transport and accidentally stumbled on an automotive pissing contest.

I transport my Levo (size large) with both wheels on in a VW Caddy Maxi Life (that's the LWB MPV version), with 3rd row permanently removed, and 2nd row partially folded or removed.

Have had many non-sensible cars over the years but a modded Caddy mk4 remapped, lowered, bodykit, decent alloys, leisure battery is all the vehicle I need and is now the daily drive as well.

Front wheel in this, and a couple of straps around the top tube fastened to the floor tie-downs.


View attachment 49979

The headlining is much less intrusive on your Caddy, there is a lot more clearance around the handlebars than on my Tourneo Connect, when I stand my bike up.

 

[Keggie]

Looking at getting a Vito XLWB (as most choice in that size) tourer or possibly V class to replace a loved but ageing and increasingly battered T4. Whilst I do love my 5 series estate boards and bikes fit in van with so much less faff. Anyone who owns or used an XLWB Vito got any useful feedback on storage capacity/practicality.

I have a Vito crew cab l3 (xlwb) I fold the second row seats pop in a 4bike bike stow and then my bikes with out removing anything probably the most practical vehicle I’ve bought oh and the inflatable awning for camping

 

[Couchy]

if I’m out on my own I grab my transit courier van and take one bike

Untitled by Tony H, on Flickr

If it’s a family trip I grab the elgrand and take 3 bikes

Untitled by Tony H, on Flickr

 

[Growmac]

I had years being spoilt by an Accord Tourer which would easily take a bike whole and loads of gear. You could even take both wheels off and get two bikes and a lot of gear in the boot with the cover over. Brilliant.

I'm now running a Golf R Estate. Both wheels on is a no-go, but it's easy to take the front wheel off then there's plenty of space. Not enough height to stand either bike up though. I stuck a towbar on it. Not legal to tow anything as it's not got a weight limit, but a bike rack is no problem (took a looong time to get a proper answer on that though!). Fast, comfy, economical, debadged so just looks like a regular Golf to most people, really lovely to drive. I'm fairly happy with it, though I do keep looking at vans.

 

[Richywalker64]

Until you reach a corner.

Assuming there's one fairly near a petrol station of course.

Haha I agree , it's perfect apart from fuel consumption and corners, mine is the 2.5lt 2wd Elgrand but still terrible.
I went down the route of an LPG conversion so only pay 0.53p a litre for fuel so it gives the equivalent of around 40mpg on a run.