sac02

I just bought a Volvo 760turbo wagon as a beater (well, maybe a little more - I wagons).

Who's put people and their bikes in a wagon? What's the best way to package them both? I do not have the option of a roof or tailgate rack at this time. Everything must go in the vehicle. I imagine the bikes will fit best standing up, with front wheel and seatpost removed.

Fold down part of the split bench, load the bikes lengthwise. Leaves lots of room for gear on the passenger side, but only 3 people.


Load the bikes widthwise across the car. Leaves seating for four, but not much room for gear, if any, in the back.


So, anyone tried to stuff as many people and bike as possible in a wagon?

Mac

nebrider

go buy the cheap Bell Doubleback rack for $30 at walmart, kmart or pretty much anywhere else. eliminates two of those bikes.

nebrider

I read the part about the roof/tailgate rack, but just a suggestion

Nickshu

Does the car have a trailer hitch on it? You can get a hitch rack for pretty cheap, or a beavertail rack to put stuff on.

otherwise your best bet is taking both wheels off each bike and putting them in the car in an alternating fashion (one with bars forward, the other backwards) and wedge wheels between. I would do the configuration where you fold half the rear seat down....that makes the most sense. You didn't say how many people you have to carry, hopefully it's only 3.

What about renting one of those cartop cases for your gear??

Wagons do rule....I have a Saab wagon (2007 9-3 sportcombi) and a 2004 Volvo v40. Both get 25-35MPG....wagons have all the space of an SUV, but all the performance of a sports sedan.....the best of both worlds.

nycphotography

Seriously though... dry run try different configurations until you see what works.

Moving blankets between the bikes might help, and when packing tight, removing the pedals and loosening the stem to twist the bars can help get the bikes into about 6" each.

sac02

The wife is already less than thrilled that I bought another car (I'm a car addict, constantly shuffling cars in and out of my fleet). If I come home with some bike accessories to put on it she may take a ball peen hammer to my fingers, one by one...

Mac

nycphotography

In that case, hook up a tow bar and pull one of your other cars as an impromptu "gear trailer".

sac02

No trailer hitch or roof rack.

Will the bike be too tall if I leave the rear wheel on? If I take both wheels off, the bike is resting on the chainrings, I'm not sure that's the best idea...

I would do the dry run, but I only have two road bikes. I had thought about removing pedals to make things pack tighter, but not rotating the handlebars. Good idea.

Mac

nycphotography

Basically, stop at your LBS and look at a bike box (suitcase). That's your target size. You can't get any smaller than that, but using cardboard, blankets and creativity, you can probably get down to that size.

jsharr

Devise some sort of cargo net thing over the bikes so that gear can hang over them. Does it have any sort of hooks near the ceiling? Maybe you could use two hanging bars and attach the net to them? Then load the bikes sideways and have room to seat four still.