Will a small Orbea rise fit in a SWB VW Transporter with rear seats up without removing front wheel?

Tonytank

Member
Jun 5, 2019
100
77
London
As per title
I have the 2+1 split rear seats and if i tilt the single seat forward my whyte e160 will fit with front wheel on. Otherwise its a no it wont fit. Even with bike on a fork mount as close to tail gate as possible the bike still need to be at an angle to fit with rear seats fully up.
 

Alex Ebiker

Member
Mar 24, 2022
86
19
Wiltshire
I have the 2+1 split rear seats and if i tilt the single seat forward my whyte e160 will fit with front wheel on. Otherwise its a no it wont fit. Even with bike on a fork mount as close to tail gate as possible the bike still need to be at an angle to fit with rear seats fully up.
Cheers thats what i suspected. So an orbea rise wouldn't fit even if you put it in diagonally and wheel turned through 90 degrees?.
 

Tonytank

Member
Jun 5, 2019
100
77
London
Cheers thats what i suspected. So an orbea rise wouldn't fit even if you put it in diagonally and wheel turned through 90 degrees?.
Yes i think it would, but not sure whether handle bar may hit window or poke over rear seat. Tbh mate i would never put my bike in like that as usually i got other stuff in there. What rear seat have you got?
 

Alex Ebiker

Member
Mar 24, 2022
86
19
Wiltshire
Yes i think it would, but not sure whether handle bar may hit window or poke over rear seat. Tbh mate i would never put my bike in like that as usually i got other stuff in there. What rear seat have you got?
Considering buying one when my pickup dies. I can fit the rise in the pickup laid flat diagonally but want something slightly shorter wheelbase.
 

Tonytank

Member
Jun 5, 2019
100
77
London
Considering buying one when my pickup dies. I can fit the rise in the pickup laid flat diagonally but want something slightly shorter wheelbase.
If your going for the SWB transporter try and get the one with 3 single rear seats thats the most versatile and with a seat tilted forward the bike will fit with wheels on, if nit get the 1+2 split rear. Also go for a highline, AC, cruise and heated screen, are nice
 

Alex Ebiker

Member
Mar 24, 2022
86
19
Wiltshire
If your going for the SWB transporter try and get the one with 3 single rear seats thats the most versatile and with a seat tilted forward the bike will fit with wheels on, if nit get the 1+2 split rear. Also go for a highline, AC, cruise and heated screen, are nice
Sounds good. I really need a 6 seater. 3 up front and 3 in the back as I have a family of three plus two dogs!. So the ability to tilt and play with seats is limited.
 

Ickle_legs

Member
Feb 9, 2020
22
13
Sussex
Just an FYI for comparison- I have a LWB T5.1 Kombi with OE 2+1 rear seats and I can get 4 ebikes(mix of large and mediums) in the back, seats up and bikes with all wheels on. Could prob.get a 5th in with front wheel off.
So if you can, get LWB with the 2+1 rear seats, note some Transporters have a 3 person rear bench seat so pretty heavy and diff.to handle whereas this scrawny 5'8" OAP can just about cope singlehanded with the 2 seater 💪.
Caravelle type seating has more flexible fore/aft positioning but I think they are heavier and poss.not as easy to remove/refit as the Kombi 2+1.
And yes, Highline spec.as minimum.
 

Shjay

Well-known member
Apr 30, 2019
835
491
Kent
My Large Rise fits in my SWB Transit custom with seats in the rear, turn wheel to side & bungee front wheel to van (have racking in mine) & can wedge rear wheel between one seat & side of van, have double seat & single all fold forwards & can be removed, plus everyone knows the transit drives better than the VW 😂
 

Alex Ebiker

Member
Mar 24, 2022
86
19
Wiltshire
My Large Rise fits in my SWB Transit custom with seats in the rear, turn wheel to side & bungee front wheel to van (have racking in mine) & can wedge rear wheel between one seat & side of van, have double seat & single all fold forwards & can be removed, plus everyone knows the transit drives better than the VW 😂
That's interesting. Cheers. Have you got a picture?.
 

Mikerb

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 16, 2019
6,565
5,055
Weymouth
SWB really limits your options. My son has a SWB. He carries his XL Levo on a fork mount and the rear wheel goes partly through the little gap between a 2 + 1 rear seat arrangement. With LWB ( e.g. mine) A bike on a fork mount fits between the tailgate/barn doors and the rear seats without disturbing the seats and with room to spare.

You will constantly regret getting a SWB instead of the LWB!!

You should also consider carrying your bike using a fork mount. Any other arrangement is not safe in the event of a crash or even sudden and hard braking. A fork mount is easy to do. The Transporter has luggage/load securing loops at the back of the van on either side. I removed the loops and bolts and replaced them with 10mm stainless bolts and spacers holding a bar across the rear. 1 or more fork mounts can then be bolted to the bar. With the front wheel removed and the forks secured in the fork mount the bike is far more stable and properly secure.
 
Last edited:

Robstyle

Active member
Nov 17, 2021
116
135
New Zealand
I have a swb t6. Yep they're pretty tight for space.
I use a Yakima highroad rack inside it and just load into that.
I made a very elaborate system to hold 2 bikes using Rocky mounts which would fit bikes as narrow as possible, but it's pokey af.
 

Mikerb

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 16, 2019
6,565
5,055
Weymouth
SWB really limits your options. My son has a SWB. He carries his XL Levo on a fork mount and the rear wheel goes partly through the little gap between a 2 + 1 rear seat arrangement. With LWB ( e.g. mine) A bike on a fork mount fits between the tailgate/barn doors and the rear seats without disturbing the seats and with room to spare.

You will constantly regret getting a SWB instead of the LWB!!

You should also consider carrying your bike using a fork mount. Any other arrangement is not safe in the event of a crash or even sudden and hard braking. A fork mount is easy to do. The Transporter has luggage/load securing loops at the back of the van on either side. I removed the loops and bolts and replaced them with 10mm stainless bolts and spacers holding a bar across the rear. 1 or more fork mounts can then be bolted to the bar. With the front wheel removed and the forks secured in the fork mount the bike is far more stable and properly secure.
just edited the a bove.....I edited it incorrectly before!! So just to be clear, on a LWB a bike mounted on a fork mount fits easilly between the tailgate/barn doors and the second row of seats with room to spare whereas on a SWB using the same mounting arrangement the rear wheel has to be wedged between the 2+1 rear seat arrangement and would not fit at all if the rear seat was a 3 seater. I dont know about all models but on my LWB shuttle you can fold the back rest down on the 2 seater whilst the single seat only levers up ( to allow passenger a ccess behind.) The 2 seater will lever up but not be locked in place like that.
 

cubbee

New Member
Dec 9, 2023
15
8
Whitby
Not quite the same but i had a transit custom kombi swb and i could get my levo in diagonally with the front wheel in.
 

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