Options for transporting ebike by car

[georgehenry]

Buy a Peugeot 406 HDI estate for next to nothing on Ebay and put your bike in the cavernous boot when the rear seats are folded down.

So much easier than any kind of rack and much more secure. Rear seats fold in seconds. 50+ miles to the gallon, 600+ miles to a tank of diesel.

Either keep it and enjoy or trade it in for something else when the diesel scrap-age scheme arrives at the end of the month. Although governments are predictably untrustworthy the incentives have been speculated to be in the region of £8000 so buying an old diesel like this might be worth a speculative punt anyway.

 

[Ultrafunkula]

Love this cycle carrier for towball, folds away and fits in seconds load capacity 30kg and only £50
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/xpress-970-towbar-cycle-carrier-2-bikes-id_8176983.html?iv_=__iv_p_1_g_38294000829_c_174448348725_w_pla-185333117576_n_g_d_t_v__l__t__r_1o1x_pla_y_15177021_f_online_o_1356560_z_GB_i_en_j_185333117576_s__e__h_9046153_ii__vi__&gclid=CLa07JOnsNMCFcFuGwodv1AAnQ

 

[tommie]

I have one of these Roadmax items for the towbar, max carrying weight 45kgs, possibly two bikes at a pinch, £20

 

[Steve A]

Love this cycle carrier for towball, folds away and fits in seconds load capacity 30kg and only £50
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/xpress-970-towbar-cycle-carrier-2-bikes-id_8176983.html?iv_=__iv_p_1_g_38294000829_c_174448348725_w_pla-185333117576_n_g_d_t_v__l__t__r_1o1x_pla_y_15177021_f_online_o_1356560_z_GB_i_en_j_185333117576_s__e__h_9046153_ii__vi__&gclid=CLa07JOnsNMCFcFuGwodv1AAnQ

Agree, I also bought one when I had my tow bar. It never let me down, but I never felt totally comfortable, as doesn't feel as solid as likes of pendle etc. I think this is just me though.

 

[Zlatan]

Without a doubt easiest solution is Thule 3 bike tow bar mounted carrier. Its brilliant. On and off in seconds, really secure, no mess inside and lighting board part of carrier.
Already had tow bar and got carrier second hand off ebay. Tried simpler click on carrier but by time you,ve added lighting board ( which you must) its no quicker. Bikes must be hardest piece of equipment to carry in a car, take up way more volume than they actually are.. Get a tow bar fitted.

 

[PeterCo]

Buy a Peugeot 406 HDI estate for next to nothing on Ebay and put your bike in the cavernous boot

I have Volt metro folding bike. I'm six foot and 13 stone. I regularly use it for rides around 30 miles. I have the smaller battery fitted. It was around £1200 I think 3 years ago. I had your dilemma but fitting a tow bar, electrics and a suitable rack came to a similar figure. Go and try out a Volt folder. You'll be surprised at how good they are. It easily fits upright into a little Nissan leaving room for loads of luggage.

 

[Izzyekerslike]

Love this cycle carrier for towball, folds away and fits in seconds load capacity 30kg and only £50
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/xpress-970-towbar-cycle-carrier-2-bikes-id_8176983.html?iv_=__iv_p_1_g_38294000829_c_174448348725_w_pla-185333117576_n_g_d_t_v__l__t__r_1o1x_pla_y_15177021_f_online_o_1356560_z_GB_i_en_j_185333117576_s__e__h_9046153_ii__vi__&gclid=CLa07JOnsNMCFcFuGwodv1AAnQ

That's the one I use it's absolutely fantastic and I would highly recommend it, but only for one bike.

 

[Malcolm Stephenson]

View attachment 18769 I have one of these Roadmax items for the towbar, max carrying weight 45kgs, possibly two bikes at a pinch, £20

does that fit detachable towbars or is it bolt on only

 

[Steve A]

Without a doubt easiest solution is Thule 3 bike tow bar mounted carrier. Its brilliant. On and off in seconds, really secure, no mess inside and lighting board part of carrier.
Already had tow bar and got carrier second hand off ebay. Tried simpler click on carrier but by time you,ve added lighting board ( which you must) its no quicker. Bikes must be hardest piece of equipment to carry in a car, take up way more volume than they actually are.. Get a tow bar fitted.

There are nice, but bulky. The new foldable ones are even nicer.

 

[Malcolm Stephenson]

Without a doubt easiest solution is Thule 3 bike tow bar mounted carrier. Its brilliant. On and off in seconds, really secure, no mess inside and lighting board part of carrier.
Already had tow bar and got carrier second hand off ebay. Tried simpler click on carrier but by time you,ve added lighting board ( which you must) its no quicker. Bikes must be hardest piece of equipment to carry in a car, take up way more volume than they actually are.. Get a tow bar fitted.

Which model do you have as some of the prices on eBay are crazy expensive

 

[Danidl]

The front of the bike is pressed hard against the front seats. The front forks are at an angle and litterally pressing into my back. With the sort of forces involved in vehicle accidents the merest of forward movement and I'd be impailled, in such circumstances the seat frame such as it is would do nothing to save me. Even if the wheel did collapse, and I'm really not sure that it would, the flesh and bone in my back isn't tougher than a 27"+ MTB wheel!

In any case I'm pretty sure I've managed to mitigate most of the risk by putting the bike in rear end first with the rear wheel pressed against the back of the front passenger seat.

.. agreed see my earlier post. Insert bike with saddle first and if necessary remove front wheel.

 

[tommie]

does that fit detachable towbars or is it bolt on only

clamps straight onto the ball hitch

 

[Excalpino]

Plus 1 for the Buzz Rack Scorpion 2 bike towbar rack. I bought one of these back in February and am really pleased. Very strong, folds up small enough to go in boot of Passat, easy to lift on and off towball. Check out the video on Roofbox website. BTW noseweight is important, too much weight on towbar may mean lightweight steering. 2 Kalkhoffs + rack = > 68kg

http://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehsel4_tab.php/car-specific-accessories/buzz_rack_scorpion_2_bike_folding_wheel_support_rack_brp602/Qx@w,6M42VAwp3@Rb{~cC4urewybzg

 

[Danidl]

View attachment 18769 I have one of these Roadmax items for the towbar, max carrying weight 45kgs, possibly two bikes at a pinch, £20

. The bikes ride very high on this device, and lugging 25 kg might be beyond the capacity of some riders. I had something akin to this many years ago with a square mounting plate which fitted behind a bolt mounted ball hitch. ...

 

[PhilYerBoots]

If you're planning on keeping the car for a while fit a towbar and go for one of the Thule racks.
We've got a Thule 916 and it holds 2 ebikes very securely (and quickly) and allows boot access with a drop-down foot lever. It also has key locks on the towbar lever and the bike frame holder for added security.
Not the cheapest option granted but you get what you pay for, i.e. peace of mind your bikes will still be on the rack when you reach your destination without damage to bikes or car.

 

[farmer]

Mont Blanc Tow Ball Mounted 2 Cycle Carrier - 481000

is what I use,30kgs rating, I take a wheel off as I find my cube ebike, longer
than my cannondale push bike, without doing so it's too risky on the lanes.

 

[chris_n]

I have 2 options, if I am using the TT I can transport the Haibike in the back no problem ( apart from removing seat, wheel, forks, handlebars, pedals, chain and the rear mech ) with the rear seats up or if I am using the Corsa it has the flex fit bike carrier built in. That will take 2 bikes but only one ebike if the battery is fitted, I think the max load is 40kg.
The Audi only gets used this way twice a year taking the bike to and from Austria, once I'm there I just put it back together and ride everywhere.

 

[Danidl]

I have 2 options, if I am using the TT I can transport the Haibike in the back no problem ( apart from removing seat, wheel, forks, handlebars, pedals, chain and the rear mech ) with the rear seats up or if I am using the Corsa it has the flex fit bike carrier built in. That will take 2 bikes but only one ebike if the battery is fitted, I think the max load is 40kg.
The Audi only gets used this way twice a year taking the bike to and from Austria, once I'm there I just put it back together and ride everywhere.

... Well with the TT that is about as much as you can remove without an angle grinder.
Suggest it's Bad practice to leave the battery on the bike, if it mounted externally. The catch holding battery inplace could . Fail.

 

[Planemo]

Not sure where you are, but I have a very good condition Thule 9503 which I was going to put up for sale soon. Brilliant rack, I am only selling because as my daughter has grown a little and got a bigger bike I needed to get a 4 bike rack (we used to put her first bike in the boot!).

 

[chris_n]

... Well with the TT that is about as much as you can remove without an angle grinder.
Suggest it's Bad practice to leave the battery on the bike, if it mounted externally. The catch holding battery inplace could . Fail.

I've never actually had the Haibike on the Corsa, just noticed the weight sticker when I put my MTB on to bring it back to the UK last weekend.
Whilst I agree the battery should be removed you do need to ensure that the terminals are well protected and waterproofed, having just cleaned the MTB after a 900 mile journey on the back of the car in good weather I dread to think what it would be like in bad weather.