Bike Rack on Car Ferry

DrGroove

I am going to South Wales next weekend for the wedding of a friend.

I am going to bring the car and the bikes (x2) on the back, using the bike rack
what I procured from Union Man earlier in the year (and a great deal it was too).

Is there something that I should be aware off in terms of bike racks and
ferrys? Are there horror stories that you wish to impart to me about

1. Ferry's
2. Lorry's
3. Wales

I'm keen to survive the trip and for my bike to do the same - so I await your experiences.

TheJones

As your going to South Wales I'm guessing its from Rosslare to Milford Haven by ferry, absolultey nothing to worry about, have driven over with the bikes on the roof and have even cycled onto the ferry for a spin around Pembroke earlier in the year.

No horror stories and no worries just drive on, park, apply the handbrake and lock your bike onto your rack with a U lock or two while your up in the lounges for extra security and away you go! Enjoy

Beasty

You will end up paying more with a bike on the roof (there is an extra charge for high vehicles), but should be OK with one on the back of your vehicle, unless it makes it unusually long.

You are presumably going either Irish Ferries (Rosslare/Pembroke) or Stenaline (Rosslare/Fishguard), and you can check any extras when you book online. I find Irish Ferries are normally slightly cheaper. Ferry time is about 3h 45m. I find it does not make much difference which port you land at if you're heading for the M4 - time from each is pretty similar

Don't worry about lorries - you will be on a separate deck on the ferry

Wales (or more importantly the Welsh) - that's worthy of a completely separate thread:D

TheJones

barrabus wrote: »

In the last month I have taken the following ferry trips paying standard fare with bikes on roof and no issue was raised or extra cost incurred. Belfast - Stranraer . Dover - Calais, Calais Dover, Holyhead - Dublin.
I would not pay extra and in the highly unlikely circumstance they raise an issue . I would offer to tie them flat on roof / put em inside the car for the durantion of the ferry journey.

Have to agree with barrabus, didn't get any extra charges for carrying two bikes on the roof and doubt I'd pay it myself, rather take them down and lock em to a railing onboard if the question was ever asked!

Beasty

barrabus wrote: »

In the last month I have taken the following ferry trips paying standard fare with bikes on roof and no issue was raised or extra cost incurred. Belfast - Stranraer . Dover - Calais, Calais Dover, Holyhead - Dublin.
I would not pay extra and in the highly unlikely circumstance they raise an issue . I would offer to tie them flat on roof / put em inside the car for the durantion of the ferry journey.

I understand what you are saying - just when you book you are required to enter which size category your vehicle fits into - I regularly do the Dublin/Holyhead and Rosslare/South Wales routes with a roofbox, and book based on the height including roofbox - I guess I just like being honest:D

bcmf

your ferry booking for the car is based on height and lenght. Even with a standard car and a bike rack you weill be well inside the limit.

cdaly_

Height should only affect which deck you can be accomodated on but not the price. When I bring bikes on the roof, I end up on the truck deck along with camper vans and caravans. OTOH, length affects how many vehicles they can fit and therefore affects price. Then again, bike rack on the back isn't going to put you over the standard car length.

The main thing to watch out for is clearance to the ground for the bikes. There can be very steep angles getting on/off the ferry and the associated risk of the bike grounding. I killed a rear wheel that way one year.

Redjeep!

The height affects which deck they can put you as some of the boats seem to have much less headroom than others in certain parts of the deck. I think that the vomit comet (fastcat) is the lowest. Now you wouldn't want to drive on and forget that they were there now would you...

I took 1 bike over on a rear mounted rack during the summer with no bother. I even forgot to lock it on, but would do in the future. My son ended up cycling it back. There's a €5 charge for a cyclist above a foot passenger.

All in all, there was no problem at all. We go back a lot as my wife's family live near Fishguard, but hadn't taken the bike before.

Hope that you get the opportunity to sample some of the Welsh hills. I did and want to go back.