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Please post Toyota Sienna photos with tandem inside

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Please post Toyota Sienna photos with tandem inside

Old 01-26-12, 10:41 AM
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Please post Toyota Sienna photos with tandem inside

We are thinking seriously about a Toyota Sienna XLE. If you have one and use it for your TTV, please post photos with the bike inside. Thanks!
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Old 01-26-12, 11:42 AM
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I don't have photos and it's a bit more work than I feel like doing, but my Cannondale road tandem does fit nicely in our Sienna.

What's needed:

Remove one or both rear seats (usually both because we don't need them and we're carrying bags for a trip).

Remove stoker pedals and slip the tandem in rear wheel first between the four captain chairs.

If both rear captain seats are occupied, rotate the stoker bars 90 degrees so the kids aren't hit in the head.

If both rear seats are out, rotate front wheel roughly 90 degrees and pack bags around it. That, plus the rear rack nestled between the arm rests of the front seats keeps it pretty stable.

Remember to throw the bag with the stoker pedals and pedal wrench into the van. :-)

If the kids are along, I'll also "drop" newspaper sections at their folds onto the two chains.
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Old 01-26-12, 12:23 PM
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Originally Posted by MNBikeCommuter

What's needed:

Remove one or both rear seats (usually both because we don't need them and we're carrying bags for a trip).




All the newer Siennas have rear seats that fold into the floor. No need to remove.
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Old 01-26-12, 12:36 PM
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We have a 2007 Sienna with second row captains seats. With rear seats folded into the floor our size medium - medium Santana rolls right down the middle without removing anything.

fyi, our seat heights (from center of bottom bracket) are 73 cm front, 69 cm rear. If your seats are very high, you may need to lower or remove them.

I recommend either taking a Sienna for an extended test drive to your house, and try to load your tandem - or take your tandem to the Toyota dealer and try to load it there.

That way you'll know how YOUR tandem fits.

Last edited by coloroadie; 01-26-12 at 08:48 PM. Reason: correct vehicle year
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Old 01-26-12, 01:07 PM
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Originally Posted by Goldrush
All the newer Siennas have rear seats that fold into the floor. No need to remove.
Yeah, I guess things may have changed since '01. :-) Any idea how they make room for the seats? Did they lower the ground clearance, or is the floor to ceiling space less these days? My tandem fits just fine, but my father's Trek needs the front wheel removed first to squeak it in. Once inside, there's enough clearance to put the front wheel back on. As coloroadie mentioned, a test drive would be the best option.
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Old 01-26-12, 07:26 PM
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Correction - we have a *2007* sienna.

And our tandem fits most easily with rear seats down, and putting the bike in front wheel first.

Sorry for any confusion!
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Old 01-26-12, 08:15 PM
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Am not going to run out and set up a picture, actually, but we most definitely carry our tandem in a '99 Sienna. As others have said, we take out the rear (third row) seats. Leave the second row captain seats in and simply back the tandem, rear wheel first, between the second row seats. No need to fold seats or take pedals off. I DO orient the cranks "just so" in order that the pedals clear the seat belt clamps. When fully inserted, the stoker bars just press against the seatbacks; loop the rearmost seatbelts over the drops to keep bike from shifting, turn the handlebars slightly one way or the other, and shut the hatch for a tight but perfect fit. Over the years we've accrued some scuffs and scrapes on the car seats and such, but hey, we haven't scratched the tandem, and that is the important thing.
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Old 01-26-12, 09:38 PM
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OP, what year are you looking at?

Last edited by AllezDada; 01-27-12 at 06:05 AM.
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Old 01-27-12, 11:10 AM
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Looking for a 2011, if we can't find that, then maybe a 2012
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Old 01-27-12, 04:10 PM
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Can the center console be removed from late-model Siennas? We need space between the two front captains in our 2001 edition (which sadly appears close to hearing last rites). Backing in the bike with just the front wheel removed, then bolting the bike to a fork mount, works well for us.
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Old 01-27-12, 04:15 PM
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I can remove the center console on my 04 Sienna but there is a plastic piece with a lip that sticks up when the console is removed. Both of my Co-Motion tandems fit without removing the console when I put them in backwards with the front wheel removed. They only clear by an inch or two.

Sheldon
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Old 01-27-12, 05:02 PM
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I have a 2007 Sienna. With the rear seats folded down into the floor and the middle seats folded up and swung up against the front seats, my Cannondale road tandem fits barely, front wheel intact, by backing it in. The rear wheel is between the folded middle seats and up against the center console. My front wheel is against the rear hatch, and my handlebars against the rearmost part of the ceiling. It's snug but not too tight, and doesn't move at all with no other restraints. If my tandem were 1 cm longer I don't think it would fit. I'd say definitely to try before you buy.
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Old 01-27-12, 06:44 PM
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Originally Posted by bikefor2
We are thinking seriously about a Toyota Sienna XLE. If you have one and use it for your TTV, please post photos with the bike inside. Thanks!
We have a 2011 Toyota Seienna XLE also and it works out great for safely hauling the tandem inside away from prying eyes and hands.... Our KHS fits between the center row seats nicely without removing any bike seats. The front console box is not in the way at all. We use a Sarris mount to hold the bike upright by the fork and mount the front wheel in a carrier off to the side.



We don't usually carry any passengers in the second row so I slide them all the way forward then push them back till they lock into position.


Probably not necessary but I use a plastic front wheel lift block from my trainer velcroed to the cup holders to keep the rear wheel in place between the seats, It keeps the bike from moving when driving and the chain away from the leather.

Hope the pics help.
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tandem 1.jpg (101.1 KB, 318 views)
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Tandem 2.jpg (103.6 KB, 354 views)
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Tandem 3.jpg (96.4 KB, 258 views)

Last edited by teamdonterri; 01-27-12 at 06:57 PM. Reason: Pics
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Old 01-27-12, 06:56 PM
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The trend we've noticed is minivans (in general) are placing more emphasis on hauling passengers and less on utility for other needs. A couple of vans now include 2nd row center seats which must be removed for tandem hauling.

In short, experiences with Sienna's prior to the current gen (2011+) wouldn't necessarily be of value to someone buying the current version.
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Old 01-27-12, 07:34 PM
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Originally Posted by teamdonterri
We use a Sarris mount to hold the bike upright by the fork and mount the front wheel in a carrier off to the side.
Did you attach the Saris mount to the car in any way, or is it just laying there?

I have just one of the fork mounts, screwed to a 2x4, bungee-corded between two cargo "tiedowns" in the back of my Ford Excursion. I've thought about the Saris mount, just curious if it's essential to screw down somehow.
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Old 01-27-12, 10:37 PM
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Originally Posted by p2templin
Did you attach the Saris mount to the car in any way, or is it just laying there?

I have just one of the fork mounts, screwed to a 2x4, bungee-corded between two cargo "tiedowns" in the back of my Ford Excursion. I've thought about the Saris mount, just curious if it's essential to screw down somehow.
No, it stays put over the 3rd row seats,it's 3'x 6". You could use velcro to stick it to the carpet
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Old 01-27-12, 11:01 PM
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Here is ours, but in a 2007 Honda Odyssey. That is a Saris rack, which is not bolted down. It is very stable.



Having a vehicle in which the bike can be stored upright inside the car is fantastic with a tandem. We use its capabilities all the time. For example, at work today I had the tandem in the back of the car all day, and I took off directly from work to our weekend destination. No worries about the car being on the car, or having to take it down to lock it up, or having to go home to pick up the bike before setting out.
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Old 01-28-12, 01:23 AM
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Thanks for the info on the Toyota. We have been thinking that it would be perfect to replace our Safari but were a bit concerned as it is quite a bit smaller. FYI the Safari was great for bike hauling. We were able to load our tandem(front wheel on)plus two downhill bikes with the front bench seat installed, as well as all our luggage for four people.
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Old 01-28-12, 09:32 AM
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Very helpful!!

Thank you all. This has been extremely helpful with some great recommendations for securing the front fork if we end up loading without the front wheel. I appreciate the effort to respond
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Old 01-30-12, 12:11 PM
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We own a '97 Honda Accord station wagon.
We have choices, with the back seat folded down:
Leave both wheels on; part of front wheel is sticking out and we use a bit of old carpet for padding the wheel and use bungee on rear hatch to hold it down. The tandem lies flat on the floor.
Or . . . remove front wheel and the whole tandem fits inside.
Works for us!
Pedal on!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem
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Old 02-02-12, 05:53 PM
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Honda Element - My CoMotion Robusta fits in fine with seats up and the front wheel removed. Rear wheel between the front seats. This is the last year for the Element.
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Old 02-04-12, 05:26 PM
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Originally Posted by teamdonterri
No, it stays put over the 3rd row seats,it's 3'x 6". You could use velcro to stick it to the carpet
We just bought a Sienna today and we are looking to do the same. I was going to order the 47" rack because I thought the Sienna was 4' across and your rack seems to go from side to side. Are you sure your rack is only the 35" rack?
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Old 02-04-12, 09:07 PM
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Originally Posted by WNY tandem
We just bought a Sienna today and we are looking to do the same. I was going to order the 47" rack because I thought the Sienna was 4' across and your rack seems to go from side to side. Are you sure your rack is only the 35" rack?
Your right it's the 47" rack, Goes all the way across...
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Old 02-05-12, 04:16 AM
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Thanks
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Old 02-13-12, 03:49 AM
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Thanks everyone, this thread has been a lot of help to us in deciding on the purchase of the Sienna (2008) and the rack setup.
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