What American car or wagon can swallow a bicycle?
#27
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Believe it or not, my Acura RSX 2 door will take any of my bikes, including the Panasonic Tourer with the long chainstays and with fenders. You don't have to remove the front wheel. You have to be careful about how you lay it down, however. As many of you know, plastic fenders readily take on new shapes when they get warm.
#29
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My bike fits in the trunk of my jetta if the back seats are down. No wheel has to come off. However, it stands up with ease in my Rav4. But you don't want a "SUV, MiniVan or foreign brand."
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For new I can fit one bicycle in the trunk of my '12 Civic 4 door with the seat down and both wheels off. It was US made. Seriously with both wheels off just about any car will carry a bicycle. Hatch backs are the best. Wish I had gotten one. I also have an '99 Olds 88. A bicycle will fit with only the front wheel removed.
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My Honda Civic was built in Ohio, now has 190,000 miles on it, still runs like a top, gets 45 mpg, and my bike easily fits in the trunk with the front wheel off and the seats down.
#32
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A friend use to make out with his girlfriend in an Austin Healy Bug Eye Sprite. You have to fold the seats forward and stick your feet in the boot. If he could do that I'm sure a bike would fit.
#33
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First, read John_V's thread on the Transit he and his wife bought and customized over the last few weeks.
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...w-bike-carrier Nice rig he has.
Second, out 2012 Accord is made in the U.S.A. and with the trunk empty otherwise I can get two bicycles in it if I put some to protect the bottom bicycle. I can easily fit one in the back set area with the front wheel removed. Our 2004 accord was just a bit tighter but it could do the job too. For an "American" badged car try the new Taurus or one of the Buick platforms based on the European Opals.
Bill
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...w-bike-carrier Nice rig he has.
Second, out 2012 Accord is made in the U.S.A. and with the trunk empty otherwise I can get two bicycles in it if I put some to protect the bottom bicycle. I can easily fit one in the back set area with the front wheel removed. Our 2004 accord was just a bit tighter but it could do the job too. For an "American" badged car try the new Taurus or one of the Buick platforms based on the European Opals.
Bill
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I Can Do All Things Through Him, Who Gives Me Strength. Philippians 4:13
#34
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With the 3rd row seat down, my bike fits perfectly in the back of my Expedition EL.
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Friend just got a new Fiesta, fits a bike easily and gets around 40mpg.
You didn't say how big your bike is but size does matter. If you want to leave the rear wheel on a bigger bike (62-64cm) won't fit where a smaller one will, especially if you have a lot of seatpost exposed. For example, my bike will fit into an Impala from 2005 but not a newer one, (rear wheel on). It will also fit into a Grand Prix from 2006 and newer.
You didn't say how big your bike is but size does matter. If you want to leave the rear wheel on a bigger bike (62-64cm) won't fit where a smaller one will, especially if you have a lot of seatpost exposed. For example, my bike will fit into an Impala from 2005 but not a newer one, (rear wheel on). It will also fit into a Grand Prix from 2006 and newer.
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I think among current American badged vehicles the Transit merits a look simply because of its space and available configurations.
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I don't understand your requirement, but it's your money and your life. The new Chevrolet Spark, assembled in South Korea with components sourced from many countries, is an American "brand" and will hold a bicycle inside. The next model size larger Chevy Sonic (you'd probably want the hatchback) is actually assembled in Michigan out of components sourced throughout the world.
Last edited by tcs; 06-26-12 at 11:42 AM.
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#40
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Actually, no. "Made in USA" has a legal definition and not a single automobile meets that definition. For complex manufactured products like automobiles, they have another measure, called "domestic content". I've seen the domestic content on automobiles for new sale in the USA as high as 98% and as low as 0%. Anyway, you can have US branded models with very little or even no domestic content and foreign branded models with quite high domestic content. There are different legal definitions for declaring a vehicle domestic or foreign for "buy domestic" laws and for EPA/fuel economy. I'm sorry this is so complicated, but don't get mad at me - I'm not the government.
#41
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Consider a Mazda 5
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When I ride my bike I feel free and happy and strong. I'm liberated from the usual nonsense of day to day life. Solid, dependable, silent, my bike is my horse, my fighter jet, my island, my friend. Together we will conquer that hill and thereafter the world.
When I ride my bike I feel free and happy and strong. I'm liberated from the usual nonsense of day to day life. Solid, dependable, silent, my bike is my horse, my fighter jet, my island, my friend. Together we will conquer that hill and thereafter the world.
Last edited by Barrettscv; 06-26-12 at 11:51 AM.
#42
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Early 2000's Subaru Outback and Forester wagons (mentioned for comparison purposes - these are pretty small cars): both will eaily hold a full sized road, hybrid or mountain bike with front wheel on. No need to remove wheel. Rear seat folded down, but plenty of room for other stuff as well.
I imagine almost any current station wagon type of car you could slide a full sized bike into and close the hatch.
Chevy Suburban: Two to three bikes of any type with front wheels off, on fork mounts in back. Third seat removed or folded up, middle seat in place.
Most other small cars (including my daughters very small Subaru Impreza sedan - again for comparison purposes, it's a VERY small car): bike will fit on back seat or even in floor space with front wheel removed. Place blanket on seat as needed for cleanliness.
I imagine almost any current station wagon type of car you could slide a full sized bike into and close the hatch.
Chevy Suburban: Two to three bikes of any type with front wheels off, on fork mounts in back. Third seat removed or folded up, middle seat in place.
Most other small cars (including my daughters very small Subaru Impreza sedan - again for comparison purposes, it's a VERY small car): bike will fit on back seat or even in floor space with front wheel removed. Place blanket on seat as needed for cleanliness.
#43
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i have a ford fiesta, hatchback. with the tray thing in the back removed, rear seats folded down and passenger seat slid forward a bit can nicely fit in a whole bike. i sort of feed the upside down bike in from the right rear, handle bars first, drive train up and lay the bike on it's side. after a couple practice sessions takes about 30 sec to put it in or take it out. if storing the bike in your outside parked car - make sure to crack the rear windows open a little so your bike doesn't get too hot. i get 40+ mpg with the fiesta, it has been reliable, drives nicely and is comfortable for a small car - didn't run the bank too red to get it.
PS. This current season our local dirt roads have been poorly maintained, so I've often done a partial bike commute parking at a fishing access -I am kind of a moose- gotten plenty of stares when I cycle up to the fiesta, get off the bike, stuff it in the back and get in the front and drive off.
PS. This current season our local dirt roads have been poorly maintained, so I've often done a partial bike commute parking at a fishing access -I am kind of a moose- gotten plenty of stares when I cycle up to the fiesta, get off the bike, stuff it in the back and get in the front and drive off.
Last edited by martianone; 06-26-12 at 03:38 PM. Reason: ps
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As others have stated, just about any car with a rear hatch will fit a bike with front wheel removed. I have not problem fitting any of my bikes into my '91 Ford Escort Wagon...though I hardly ever do so, because I have a 1.25" hitch receiver and 4-bike rack attached.
The plant's not completely closed. Tesla took over...though their production rate isn't nearly the same, and they don't employ nearly as many people.
The plant's not completely closed. Tesla took over...though their production rate isn't nearly the same, and they don't employ nearly as many people.
#45
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Dodge Sprinter.. [don't own one, nor any car, now] With the Benz diesel they get decent MPG.
#46
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Friend just got a new Fiesta, fits a bike easily and gets around 40mpg.
You didn't say how big your bike is but size does matter. If you want to leave the rear wheel on a bigger bike (62-64cm) won't fit where a smaller one will, especially if you have a lot of seatpost exposed. For example, my bike will fit into an Impala from 2005 but not a newer one, (rear wheel on). It will also fit into a Grand Prix from 2006 and newer.
You didn't say how big your bike is but size does matter. If you want to leave the rear wheel on a bigger bike (62-64cm) won't fit where a smaller one will, especially if you have a lot of seatpost exposed. For example, my bike will fit into an Impala from 2005 but not a newer one, (rear wheel on). It will also fit into a Grand Prix from 2006 and newer.
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#49
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I agree about foreign cars, but what is wrong with having a minivan? I have a Dodge Caravan and can put my bike inside it without removing the front tire. I just open the back door, put the back seat down and put the bike in, back wheel first. Granted, it is a family car. And since it's white with black trim, it looks like the space shuttle (hence the name "USS Soccer Mom"), but it's a 2004 with a little over 70,000 miles on it and all I have ever had to do to it (other than regular preventive maintenance) was replace the oil pan after one of those quicky oil change places ruined it. (Note to self: Always change the oil before you go on vacation...)
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Heh, yeah, you have to stay on top of maint. and not let it get away from you. We have the eurovan with rear-facing theater seats and I just roll the bike in and close the sliding door, front wheel and all. Good on space, but not speed.
I think among current American badged vehicles the Transit merits a look simply because of its space and available configurations.
I think among current American badged vehicles the Transit merits a look simply because of its space and available configurations.
As long as we've broken the mold of American brands, I can routinely put two bikes inside a 2009 Prius with the rear seats folded and their front wheels on. Bottom one lies on its non-drive side, rear wheel in first. A thick cotton rug goes over it. The upper one goes in on its non-drive side, front wheel first. The bottom one is a one person job, but the upper one needs two people.
A friend used to do the same thing with his old Honda CRXSi, but he says it doesn't work with his Audi A3 (similar to a Golf Hatchback).
I used to put two bikes without front wheels into the rear seat area of a 1998 BMW 328. Bottom one was upside-down with drive side away from the rear seat. Second one was upside-down facing the opposite way. The front wheels were used to buffer the bicycles against the backs of the front seats. I'm sure you could do the same thing with any US-branded small sedan.