So I learnt to cycle at 51, I'm still a bit shaky and nervous, particularly in traffic. The next logical step is for Mrs Dent and I to combine cycling with caravanning. Particularly with the number of new greenways springing up in Ireland and of course loads of cycling in France. Also thinking about ebikes as a way to increase our range.
We have 2 lower end fairly new Trek bicycles, disc brakes, theyre great, and light, but they are hard to transport. We also have 2 old, v cheap and not particularly comfortable Argos folding bikes.
Thinking now what the way forward is for us, some ideas are :
Just use the current folding bikes on holidays.
Try to transport the Trek bikes, maybe with front wheels off, maybe 1 in the car, 1 in the van. Its something extra to do when pitching / striking though.
Get new folding ebikes.
Add electric to the current folding bikes, though this isnt cheap either and it seems wrong to spend so much on bikes of such low value.
Find a good solution for transporting the Trek bikes along with the caravan - tho Im not keen on most Ive seen so far, eg rack on the back of the van, temporary boot racks, dont fancy manhandling them onto the car roof either.
Get 2 full size ebikes but still have the transport problem.
Car is a Ford Fusion, caravan is a little Elddis Xplore 304. Currently very low cycling distances eg 10km but Id like to increase that which is why Id like to bring better than the folding bikes - I dont think we'd do longer journeys on them, although we would probably use them for getting to and from supermarches and beaches and the like. I'm not even convinced we'd use better folding bikes that much for longer journeys either.
We could always mix and match, bring the folding bikes for short journeys but bring the Trek ones if theres going to be a greenway nearby. Still that transport problem though.
I wouldnt say moneys no object, but I would rather pay for a good solution than scrimp and get a half solution. On the other hand theres no way Im shelling out �5000 on two Bromptons either . And if I can do without paying loads then all the better.
Anyone have ideas or a solution theyre already using ?
Start with the cheap option, take the folding bikes and see how you get on.
If the terrain is fairly flat you should be ok. Watch others on campsites, see how they transport bikes.
We have had Bromptons for about 25 years now and always take them on holiday. 3 years ago we changed to the ebike version, which is better in many ways, but it's a matter of what you are used to. The batteries have to be carried and stored, it took us a few days to get the hang of how to cope.
Buy a rack to carry the Trek bikes on the car , or 2 bike bags so you can put them in the van without making it dirty (you just take the wheels off to put them in the bags.
You will enjoy your cycling much more on your decent lighter bikes!
We have an xplore 302 and we carry the bikes ( Dahon Folding bikes ) in the boot of the car like your caravan it all adds to the limited weight that you allowed to carry in the van. Just a thought.
Remember, if you put your bikes on the A frame, that means you have to re adjust caravan loading so that you do not exceed the nose weight limit for your vehicle.
I suppose we are lucky as I can load two Raleigh Motus e-bikes into our mondeo estate. I have built a platform to sit over one bike so the second can lay above it.
Daughter has an Xplore 304 which we've towed a few times. I think that bikes fitted on the A frame would greatly overload the nose weight. If you're going to cycle a lot I'd be tempted to invest in good folding electric bikes.
------------- Jean
Sometimes a little rain must fall before you reach a rainbow.
The work will wait while you show the child the rainbow, but the rainbow won't wait while you finish the work.
Use a witter rack that fits permanant behind towball. Then main shaft of rack pops in and out as required and is part of towbar and not A frame. Sturdy as a rock
We are or were keen cyclists and took our roadbikes everywhere.
Initial reaction is in respect to transporting whilst caravanning, is e bikes just complicate things not least because of weight.
Decent, light road bikes, say 700s can be made quite compact, and of course offer a good ride. Go quick release F & R wheels, and slacken and or remove bars. These then are very compact, idea for bagging, and wheels don't have to travel in the same space. Assembling and disassembling is not very time consuming, and once on site, as you have a tow ball the bikes don't need breaking down; transport from site when solo on a light hang on towball mounted rack.https://www.roofracks.co.uk/xpress-2/p/17
I have a folder, 20" and a quality one, but using that brings little pleasure so that lives in the boot of our shopping trolly second vehicle, simply for short essential town rides.
Quote: Originally posted by JTQU on 18/12/2021
Initial reaction is in respect to transporting whilst caravanning, is e bikes just complicate things not least because of weight.
I think you might be right there. We're going to initially try to transport the Treks in the van over the axle minus their front wheels (which we'll put in the boot) and the rear wheels in one of the small 2-bike racks that we have, and see how that goes. This approach requires no purchases too which is always a plus.
That gets them to the camp site. Then if you want to use them away from the site and they don't go in the "car", then that cheapish Thule towball rack makes a viable tool to enable doing that. It can for ventures off site offer bikes assembled ready to go, or even nicer no dissembling after a hard ride.
IMO, there can in my experience be some "mileage" in thinking about it as two separate tasks, transporting when towing, and when not towing.
A non elecrric bike is usually less than 15kg, so 2 of them in a caravan shouldn't make too much difference to the overall weight, unless you have a very small payload available!
We have Bromptons which were adapted for electric about 10 years ago.. They go,in their bags, on the backseat of the car.
We have traveled over 5000km on them, up to 2020, mainly on the voie vertes and towpaths of France. The most we have done in a day is 65km and the battery coped.
I would advise anyone to go electric and as folding as possible.It allows you such increase in mobility and touring. We are both in our mid 80s and have problems walking, but none cycling. Locally we are known as the Hell's Grannies
If you like the bikes you have why not fit a switch kit to them ? & rather that put them in the van get the thule roof bars/ cycle carriers.
That's what i use it literally only take 5 mins to put both bikes on the roof, i think the switch kit without the battery fitted is only an extra kilo.
you can then put the batteries in the car or caravan.
I fitted a switch kit on my wifes bike and she loves it, hers has nine speeds she only really uses it on 3 but might crank it up to 5 on a steep hill, it literally just assist her riding as she has a dodgy knee
Quote: Originally posted by JTQU on 20/12/2021
The OP suggested they can't afford a pair of Bromptons, that is easily understood, neither can we.
"Swytch" for these can add another grand each, even DIY, ouch.
Swytch is £500 per bike for the trek bikes they have, Or if you are lucky like i was i paid £220 for the one on my wife's bike, it had only done 19 miles.
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Topic: Caravans and Bicycles
via mobile 14/12/2021 at 10:27pm
. And if I can do without paying loads then all the better.
