You can get 2 or 3 bike carriers from the likes of Halfords etc. They hang off the rear door by means of hooks attached to the ends of adjustable webbing straps, 2 on the top of the door and 2 on the bottom. In that respect they are universal. I had one fitted to my Astra estate but when I changed to a Peugeot estate I found that the hooks were too broad to fit between the rear door lip and the roof panel so I could no longer use it.
------------- Nigel
March 2012 - Dove Meadows
6th July Moving to Hayle
If you go to an online shop like roofbox.com they have endless drop-downs that narrow down to what will fit your car.
We had one of those ones that hang off the rear door, a criminally expensive Thule which was the only one that said it could carry four bikes ona Passat. After if fell off the second time (the hooks at the top really didn't have a hope, IMHO) we decided it was just not a good place to be trying to fit to, and now have the type that go on roof bars.
The downsides are a scary drop in mpg (about 20% with four bikes up top) and an eerie whistling noise in certain wind conditions, but they are easier to get up top than I thought they would be and I feel a lot more secure. Can go scattering bikes down the road behind you!
If I ever felt the need for a roofbox I'd just get told we must be packing too much, and there's something to be said for that. I suppose.
If you have a tow bar. even if you don't tow, you can get bike carriers that fit to it and are very safe. If you only have the option of the "hook and strap" type they must be used with care, it is not unknown for bikes and carrier to be lost on the motorway leaving you open to a prosecution for an insecure load. Make sure they're tight before you start and stop and check them at regular intervals. Also bear in mind that your number plate and lights must not be obscured, and if they are you must use a tow/light board.
Lisa we have an excort hatch back and got a universal one for ours from Makro and did not have a prob with it but depending on kids ages ours does not fit the kids bikes on the bars were to far apart
Lisa + Lee, you said that you already have a roof box. Is it a full width box or a half width box?
My roof box is the half width size, (looks like a coffin, LOL!) and it is possible to get 2 bikes in cycle carriers either side of the roof box, or 2 bikes on one side & the box on the other. You have to "top & tail" the bikes to get them on, one forwards & the other backwards, but it is possible. As previously stated, they are quite stable & secure on top of the car.
My boys loved having their bikes on the campsite last year, being able to cycle off round the site with their mates. We take the bikes out on cycle trails near to where we live as well.
Definately stay clear of the type that "hang" on the back of the car. Lost my sisters bike on the M25 in the fast lane quite a few years ago. Miracle that no one was injured. Would never have one of them again.
Might be worth a visit to Halfords, or if you have a large cycle shop near to you, to get some advice.
I can only talk from personal experience about the rear mounted carriers, but I'm sure that other people love them & have had no problems with them at all.
Shame that you have got a full width roof box, as that could have been a solution for you.
Well, even if you did find a suitable hang-off-the-rear bike rack, you`ll almost certainly need a lighting board as well unless your plate and lights are 100% clear. And to run a lighting board you either need towbar electrics or an appropriate socket installed. And given that towbar mounted racks are the simplest to use, don`t reduce fuel economy and are extremely secure, well, you might as well go that route to start with.
Talking of roof bars, I'm just in the process of buying some to carry our bikes. Which cycle carriers are better...? Those where the bike is upright, or where it's upside down?
They are similar to these ones, but mine have a lock at the point where they are connected to the bike frame. I'm not sure that these ones do.
There are different ones, & it depends on how much you want to spend & how much use they will get. For my vauxhall I could have got ones that load them onto the top of the car, instead of me hoisting them up, but they were expensive & not worth it for the use I would have got out of them.
I bought my cycle carrier from Motor World for £30 and its universal and was surprisingly easy to fit - I found it harder to fit to my Laguna than my estate but its just practice in putting them on and off.
As Teloz says you need to make sure that they are fitted tight (webbing straps) and checked regularly - I check mine each time we stop its usually after you have put the weight of the ikes on that they need slight adjustment - if your bikes hang over your lights and VRN plate then you will need to buy a lighting board and reg plate.
I use mine as a luggage rack when I go camping if we dont take the bikes so it has 2 uses - as for fitting your car - mine had a list of cars and the position that the rack has to be fitted to which was very handy as I would have not had a clue!!
Good Luck
------------- Degsy Rowlands is my love, my life and a lunatic!!!!!!!! Louise x
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Topic: bicycle carrier, help please
