Motorad

Is this done much, to avoid the issue of trunk/roof racks ... and avoid the issue of damage/dirt/theft?

I have a 2001 Grand Marquis, and while not much leg room in the back area, the car is pretty wide. The bike for transport would probably be a Trek Pilot 5.9 model.

If you do transport your bike in the car, what kind of bike do you have ... what kind of car do you have ... and did you have to modify the car in any fashion?

Also, do you have to take parts off (& back on to ride bike & back off to transport) the bike to accommodate getting it into the car?

botto 

probably?

you don't have a bike yet, and you're already worrying about how to transport it?

derath

1998 Subaru outback. With the back seats down I can transport my bike (Giant OCR Comp) without taking anything off.

-D

TeamPlayers

I got a Mazda Protege5 with a 10" sub in the back, child car seat and all I have to take off is the front wheel and everything fits. But I do need a roof rack

BikerJoeP

Honda CRX.....I only remove the front wheel on the bike. 38 to 40 mpg with the CRX and I am good to go.

Weeks

maybe he doesn't plan on riding it home?

Mtn Mike

I've got a pretty big road bike frame (size 58) and I've squeezed it into many back seats and trunks. I prefer the trunk for security reasons. The only issue you'll have is whether to take off the front wheel, or front and back wheels. Carry an old towel or two in the trunk for protecting the frame, and get Pedro's chain keeper. The Madone (or any other bike) will be clean and safe when you arrive.

NameGoesHere

Curious about the Outback... If you took the seatpost out, and front tire off, could you put the bike upright where it was just inside the back door? That's a horrible way to describe what I mean. I don't love laying my bike down (in a Taurus currently) and wondered about this way around it. Thanks!

SDRider

I can fit my bike in the trunk of my 2003 Nissan Maxima only removing the front wheel and folding the rear seats down. I can fit it in the trunk without dropping the seats if I remove both wheels. I have a roof rack though, it's much more convenient and it locks so I feel comfortable leaving it on the roof to run a quick errand if needed.

I don't think it looks bad on my car.

bmfsiii

1994 Honda Prelude and Trek 2300. Both wheels in the trunk and the rest in the back seat, but have to remove the child seat first.

Psydotek

Subaru Impreza WRX sedan here, i can fit it in the backseat with the front wheel off. It's a Giant TCR2 medium sized frame. I think i could probably fit it in the trunk if i took both wheels off but i have a big box with stuff back there already...

My friend has a Toyota Echo and he can fit his Lemond 58cm frame in the backseat with the front wheel off easily.

pl8ster

I've got an '03 Accord 4-door and I can fit any of the bikes in the back seat/trunk with the seat folded down and the front wheel removed. Kind of a pain - should get a rack but just haven't bothered yet.

kingsfan4life

It's a lot easier if you take off the front wheel...saves you a lot of room

rufvelo

+1 . A very valid question - always plan ahead. The OP is definitely asking the right questions.

Pharmr

I have a Pacifica and I take off the front wheel and put my bike inthe back no problem.

RoboCheme

I have a Prius and, after folding down the rear seats, the whole bike fits without removing the wheels.

One other advantage of having the bike inside the car is that it's less likely to get stolen in case you want to run some errands after your ride.

rufvelo

I've done both the Saris bike rack off the back of the car and front wheel off inside the trunk with rear seats folded - I use a padded blanket, the kind movers wrap around furniture within the car. Goes in a small sedan, large sedan and fits best in my sports hatchback.

rufvelo

Very interesting and useful bit of info. Currently owning a gas guzzler sedan and sports car, I'm seriously thinking of a Prius.

bitingduck

I do it all the time to avoid the garage door issue-- up to 2 bikes laying down inside a saturn SW2. Just have to pop off the front wheel. If one's a guest bike where the rider is worried about scratches I put a blanket between them. My bikes get used a lot and I don't worry much about scratches.

I also have a roof rack for up to 4 bikes that I use when transporting friends, too, but once they're dropped off I put the bike inside so I can't accidently drive into the garage with the bike on top.

Coyote2

We just bought a new car. The selection criteria were fuel economy, sticker price, reliability, and the ability to carry my 57cm road bike inside. Bought a Honda Fit -- with the front wheel removed and one of the rear seats folded down, the bike fits inside, standing up with the front fork clipped into a homemade rack that I made from a length of 2x4 and an old front hub. The car looks very small from the outside, but the interior is very well designed to allow much carrying capacity.

TheKillerPenguin

saab 900s convertible. Can fit 2 60cm road bikes in the back seat after I take off the wheels.

derath

Good question, my short answer is that it would probably be close. I would have to go check.

The newer outbacks have a higher roof than mine so it is much more likely that you could.

-D

Kuma

Yeah. If I didn't know better, I'd think he was cruising around in that big ol' Mercury looking for bikes to snatch... (I'm sure that's not the case though, OP!)

cc_rider

used to have a nissan sentra wagon. after several years of using a rack on the hatch i figured out that i could fit the bike inside without taking the wheel off if i packed it in a very precise way
we replaced the sentra in 99 with a subaru legacy wagon. when we went car shopping we took the bike along for a test fit (rejected the saturn wagon for that reason). my trek 750 fits easily with the back seat down without having to remove anything. i normally store the bike in the car. i can fit several bag of groceries around it, or lots of luggage and can even put up half of the back seat for an extra passenger.

blickblocks

I can fit a pair of bikes in my New Beetle with the front wheels removed and the back seat folded down. I just bought a rack, however, because it takes up all the cargo room to keep the bikes inside.