Hatchback bike carrier/transport solution

[ChrisF]

1 hour ago, PregoRoll said:

Roof racks are great and all, but have a few downsides, 

 

Remembering bikes on the roof

Higher fuel consumption (Just my roof bars with no bike added over 1L/100km

If you are short it can be a mission getting a bike up there

Wind noise, my lefty whistles like a school kid on tuck shop day when going over 70kmh

despite all the downsides, I still prefer having my bikes on the roof vs on the back of my Fiesta

 

Certainly a good few photos showing what happens when you forget about the higher roof clearance ....  Thankfully this was not an issue for us (maybe because I used to have a tall vehicle that could not enter standard garages and parking areas)

 

Fuel economy .... ver interesting topic, with no clear answer.  At least not a one size fits all answer.  The emty roof racks on the RAV4 made hardly an difference to the fuel economy.  With the bikes on I slowed down maybe 5km/h for a simmilar fuel economy ... a stiff headwind certainly made a noticable differenc !!!  I used a platform rack before getting the roof rack.  On the RAV4 the bike was shelterred bhind the car and the fuel economy went up only lightly with the bikes on the rack .... same as with the bikes on the roof.  Our current car is narrowerr and the wheels stick out past the sides of the car on the platform rack - OUCH !!  Significant drop in fuel economy !!  (With the Ertiga the bikes are inside or on the platform, so cant comment on the fuel economy with the bike on the roof of this car)

 

Fitting the bikes on the roof rack ... uhm ja .... the RAV4 is just high enough that this was an issue .... I used a two-step steel ladder to put the bikes on the roof.  With the ladder it was actually easy  Certainly something to consider ....

 

 

wind noise ... thnkfully never had this issue wth the RAV4.  This issue comes up from time to time .... 

 

 

FULLY AGREE .... short of fitting it inside the vehicle, the roof rack is the best option.

[MORNE]

Ive always wondered why it is considered sin to hang a bike from its top tube in a bike stand while working on it but it seems to be acceptable to hang one from those bootlid racks then go drive 120kph(or more) on the highway. 🤪

If they cant go inside the car…Platform or roofrack. Unless you really don't care too much about your bikes or your bootlid. 

also @ChrisF, your garage remote in the cubby means nothing when you could brainfart and drive into a basement at the mall or under low trees in the burbs haha. 

vigilance required at all times when they are on the roof for sure. 

[ChrisF]

1 minute ago, MORNE said:

Ive always wondered why it is considered sin to hang a bike from its top tube in a bike stand while working on it but it seems to be acceptable to hang one from those bootlid racks then go drive 120kph(or more) on the highway. 🤪

If they cant go inside the car…Platform or roofrack. Unless you really don't care too much about your bikes or your bootlid. 

also @ChrisF, your garage remote in the cubby means nothing when you could brainfart and drive into a basement at the mall or under low trees in the burbs haha. 

vigilance required at all times when they are on the roof for sure. 

 

At the fuel stop at Augrabies my wife had to get out and guide my in .... there was about 3cm clearance above the bike to the roof ....

 

So YES .... one needs to be aware of this.

 

 

 

Having owned a 2,3m tall vehicle beforre I am used to checking height restrictions ....

[MORNE]

2 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

 

Having owned a 2,3m tall vehicle beforre I am used to checking height restrictions ....

There are older basements in town where i have to watch my head…never mind the car haha 🤣

[Robbie Stewart]

1 hour ago, PhilipV said:

Oh and don't forget that a bakkie is pretty useless without a canopy.

whatever makes you sleep at night 

I have a canopy on mine, and I have plenty use cases for both canopy on or off.  I have removed my canopy on the odd occasion and I have never felt that my bakkie was useless because of it.

Best part of mine with the canopy on is that I turn my bars full to the side push the bike in the back and close the hatch and leave. I can get to my bakkie post ride and be driving away within 30 seconds if I really want to.

But, then again, I can do that without a canopy on as well.

[ChrisF]

2 hours ago, MORNE said:

There are older basements in town where i have to watch my head…never mind the car haha 🤣

 

but you do look down on a 2,3m bakkie .... 

[PhilipV]

3 hours ago, Robbie Stewart said:

whatever makes you sleep at night 

I have a canopy on mine, and I have plenty use cases for both canopy on or off.  I have removed my canopy on the odd occasion and I have never felt that my bakkie was useless because of it.

Best part of mine with the canopy on is that I turn my bars full to the side push the bike in the back and close the hatch and leave. I can get to my bakkie post ride and be driving away within 30 seconds if I really want to.

But, then again, I can do that without a canopy on as well.

I do the same with mine in the bakkie, it's really convenient. But on my wife's bike I have a thule swing type rack. That is not convenient, fortunately the bike mostly goes on top of a trailer when we go with her car to a cycling destination. But that is a whole different kettle of fish. 

 

@OP,in your situation a roof rack really is the best option. Hopefully you doesn't have to sell a lens to finance it. Maybe take a couple of stunning photos of Wifey and family to remind her how much of a waste of talent it would be for you to stop taking photos. The long game usually reaps the most rewards. 

[Spy007]

use that hatc rack on wifes I10

no issues

Use ball rack one on bakkie

No issues

Same as camping if you dont do it right then it will damage. had no issues at all

 

 

[OVERDRIVE]

On 4/19/2022 at 9:49 AM, Robbie Stewart said:

This bike rack solves all your travel pains. No more worrying about where to pack all your things. You'd have enough space for bikes, toys, paraphernalia, bags, groceries, the kitchen sink and even your wife and 5 y.o.

I have one myself, and I do not regret my choice of bike rack at all. Yes, mine is the previous model, but there's nothing wrong with it.

I’ve had two and waiting for the new one to come and I agree. Must never had the double cab!

On 4/19/2022 at 10:54 AM, PhilipV said:

Just the licensing and insurance on that over the next three years will be more than the Thule roofrack setup. But the fuel, tyres and wear and tear will probably less than his ST. Oh and don't forget that a bakkie is pretty useless without a canopy.

Lol, dog and fleas are a package. I hate canopies. Thule at the back 😎

[Spy007]

Sondela camping trip. 

 

No bikes were harmed

[LazyTrailRider]

I do over 100 trips/year with my Thule Euroway 923.

The middle stand was removed about 2 years ago because it's pointless, 2 big bikes (combination of a Levo and Stumpy, even 2x Levos) go on with zero fiddling or touching. When I say zero fiddling, I mean zero, it takes all of a minute to load both bikes if I'm in a hurry.

I've also had hang-on and roof racks, but there is no question at all that platform is simply better. I can't imagine lifting bikes onto the roof twice or three times a week. Just no.

This is on a Golf GTI. I wouldn't be able to deal with a car with a silly central exhaust/diffuser which eliminates the towball option 😜 Actually, I would love a new M135i, but it's a no-go due to that.

[LBKloppers]

On 4/19/2022 at 9:49 AM, Robbie Stewart said:

This bike rack solves all your travel pains. No more worrying about where to pack all your things. You'd have enough space for bikes, toys, paraphernalia, bags, groceries, the kitchen sink and even your wife and 5 y.o.

I have one myself, and I do not regret my choice of bike rack at all. Yes, mine is the previous model, but there's nothing wrong with it.

Now you are talking. Only, South African takes things they can get access to without asking if they may. My solution is a VW Caddy or something similar. Its just that little bit harder to get to and if the windows are tinted, even a bit harder to see. Out of sight out of mind.

[dave303e]

On 4/19/2022 at 10:54 AM, PhilipV said:

Just the licensing and insurance on that over the next three years will be more than the Thule roofrack setup. But the fuel, tyres and wear and tear will probably less than his ST. Oh and don't forget that a bakkie is pretty useless without a canopy.

I hope I am just missing the sarcasm on this. But it is literally the definition of a pick up truck. closed cabin with open loading bin...

May as well just buy a fortuner otherwise.

 

That being said Focus ST is just too impractical in my 2c opinion. Rather get something you can fit a tow hitch too for a platform rack.

[ChrisF]

4 hours ago, dave303e said:

That being said Focus ST is just too impractical in my 2c opinion. Rather get something you can fit a tow hitch too for a platform rack.

 

As much as my brain agrees .... 

 

DAMN, that ST is one fine animal ..... been a passenger in one, with a gent that can balance that thing on the edge of the grip level .... 

Edited April 21, 2022 by ChrisF

[Rolf Hansen]

I could not deal with the clip on carrier so I bought a bakkie for this purpose. I kid you not...

 

[PhilipV]

2 hours ago, dave303e said:

I hope I am just missing the sarcasm on this. But it is literally the definition of a pick up truck. closed cabin with open loading bin...

May as well just buy a fortuner otherwise.

 

That being said Focus ST is just too impractical in my 2c opinion. Rather get something you can fit a tow hitch too for a platform rack.

No sarcasm. But Thanks, I just realised that I'm injecting my own bias here.

To me a bakkie is useless without a canopy, but that's because I need to put half a bar worth of stock in the back in the week, followed by my bicycle after work. So I need a lot of space, and enough security to prevent a skollie from grabbing things off the back. 

For a farmer, a canopy is what he put's on his wife's bakkie, if she isn't driving a Fortuner.