Suggestions for a car that I can fit a bike into please.

ProudDUB

Hey folks.

Am looking for suggestions for a used car, that I can put a bike into the back of. Budget is about 6000-8000 quid.

I currently have a 2007 Ford Focus saloon. The rear seats do fold down, but they do so at an angle. They don't fold down enough, so that I can slide the bike far enough in & still close the boot. Closing the boot is important.

I have already looked into getting a bike rack, or upgrading to a bike with removable wheels. But I want to explore all of my options.There are so many cars to choose from on Carzone and what not. So I'd appreciate it if ya'll could point me in the direction of the makes and models of cars that would take a bike, so I can narrow my search fields. Cheers.

ba_barabus

To actually fit a full size bike into you're actually looking at a full size mpv (minus the seats) or a van.

Surely a Volvo estate or similar would take a bike with the seats down.

ProudDUB

ba_barabus wrote: »

To actually fit a full size bike into you're actually looking at a full size mpv (minus the seats) or a van.

Really? I am pretty sure that if I could find a car that had seats that folded all the way down, it would fit. I have measured the current set up with the cars back seats and the bike. The bike would definitely fit length ways, if the seats folded fully flat. Do no such car seats exist?

ba_barabus

Augeo wrote: »

Surely a Volvo estate or similar would take a bike with the seats down.

Quite possibly but it depends on the size of bike and how adjustable it is.

Some bikes are just bloody awkward.

ba_barabus

ProudDUB wrote: »

Really? I am pretty sure that if I could find a car that had seats that folded all the way down, it would fit. I have measured the current set up with the cars back seats and the bike. The bike would definitely fit, if the seats folded fully flat. Do no such car seats exist?

How adjustable is you bike and do you carry other passengers? Tbh a focus hatch should take one but it depends if you want to carry other stuff. To my expensive I've found throwing in the bike into a hatch will knock off settings on the bike. I'm not well up enough to adjust the gears myself which is a pain if you want to go cycling somewhere.

Stoolbend

Does the base of the seat not hinge up to allow the seat backs to fold flat?

ba_barabus

Stoolbend wrote: »

Does the base of the seat not hinge up to allow the seat backs to fold flat?

In a saloon the boot is restricted by a moulding behind the front seats if they fold down

ProudDUB

ba_barabus wrote: »

How adjustable is you bike and do you carry other passengers? Tbh a focus hatch should take one but it depends if you want to carry other stuff. To my expensive I've found throwing in the bike into a hatch will knock off settings on the bike. I'm not well up enough to adjust the gears myself which is a pain if you want to go cycling somewhere.

The bike is not adjustable at all. Unfortunately.

When the bike will be in the car, I won't have other passengers. It will be just me & the bike. I have already been given a crash course in putting bikes in cars, by a bike shop mechanic. I feel pretty good about being able to get it from A to B, without damaging any of the moving parts.

Stoolbend wrote: »

Does the base of the seat not hinge up to allow the seat backs to fold flat?

Nope. The seats are quite bulky. There is a lot of foam/padding (or whatever it is called) at the back of the seats. Even when the seats are fully reclined, that sticks up at the back, at a 45 degree angle, which prevents the bike being slid all all the way into the back of the car.

Mark Tapley

I've got a Citroen Berlingo Multispace, a passenger version of the van. The seats fold completely out of the way. It has plenty of headroom to stand a bike upright aswell.

FirstinLastout

Any bike regardless of “adjustability” can be made fit in nearly any car but ideally a hatch or estate helps; it’s as difficult to do as you want make it.
If the bike is such a critical factor then you could look at the likes of a Citroen Berlingo/VW Caddy type but it’s not necessary to compromise that much.

If I’d the requirement to upgrade it’ll probably be towards a medium size estate similar to A6 Avant/XC70 however my current chariot is more than capable for now plus it’s cheap as chips, Yaris 1.4 D4D.
Drop the rear seats, push the passenger seat forward and remove the bike’s front wheel and there you go.
Depending on the shift pattern I’m working the bike will stay in the car for most of the week for security purposes while I’ll also squeeze in a couple of travel bags too.
This will usually be a larger size MTB frame with 29er wheels shod with 2.4 tyres so not small.

A rack is essential regardless of car size for when you need to travel with people & bike. The simple scissor style that pops onto a tow hitch folds up small and can also live in the car so it’s always at the ready.

jeni

don't laugh but I drive a alahambra not sure if that's spelt right lol its a 7 seater green machine, any way I can take two seats out from middle and back and still have four people seated and two bikes neatly standing beside

Dord

I was able to fit my 63cm Bianchi road bike in my old Mercedes A class longwheelbase (W168). Not sure I'd recommend one though. Perhaps have a look at the B Class. The ride may be a little more composed.

Sgt Pepper 64

Had many a bike in the back of my mondeo
with seats folded down obviously

bazz26

Mondeo estate is definitely worth looking at.

mrsWhippy

Skoda Octavia Hatch. Boot like a black hole. Hubby could fit his bike in by just taking off the wheel (and not dropping seats either)

ProudDUB

Thanks for the suggestions folks, but I was hoping NOT to have to remove the bikes wheels. That is a very fiddley thing to be doing. It can throw the bikes gears & brakes off if it is done over and over. Also, messing around with spanners & wheels, is not something that I want to have to be doing at both ends of a bike ride.

What I need, is a car (not a van) that has back seats that fold fully down, or down far enough to be able to slide the bike into the car & have the pedals & handlebars and back wheel still clear the closed boot. If that kind of car doesn't exist, fair enough.

gerrowadat

+1 to the Octavia. If you put the seats down it'll fit pretty much any bike

leeroybrown

Removing the back wheel of a bike for transport isn't really a option except for one off moves. On the other hand fitting a quick release axle to the front wheel (even if you need to pull it out fully) is an easy option that should be very easy to sort. I've done it 100 times a year with no negative consequences for the bike.

Most mid sized cars comfortably take a bike with the rear seats down once you remove the front wheel.

bodonnell

Subaru Forester, rear seats fold flat

chicorytip

ProudDUB wrote: »

Hey folks.

Am looking for suggestions for a used car, that I can put a bike into the back of. Budget is about 6000-8000 quid.

I currently have a 2007 Ford Focus saloon. The rear seats do fold down, but they do so at an angle. They don't fold down enough, so that I can slide the bike far enough in & still close the boot. Closing the boot is important.

I have already looked into getting a bike rack, or upgrading to a bike with removable wheels. But I want to explore all of my options.There are so many cars to choose from on Carzone and what not. So I'd appreciate it if ya'll could point me in the direction of the makes and models of cars that would take a bike, so I can narrow my search fields. Cheers.

A Mazda 3,either saloon or hatch,would do the job.

Evac101

Ford Focus CMax - I'm a giant (6'5") with the largest frame MTB I could order (through the nice folk @ Wolfe in Crumlin) with saddle post and handlebar extensions - fits into our 2004 CMax without any issues.

Day Lewin

I drove an Opel Zafira for ten years and carried my bike in it frequently. Also lawnmowers, canoes, bands, camping stuff, furniture and numerous schoolboys and their friends

I loved that Zafira, talk about VERSATILE!!

Before that we had a Mazda 3 and that also took a bike comfortably without too much contortion

Evac101

The Zafira and the CMax were the two models competing for our money when we bought as they have (roughly) equivalent MPG, capacity and versatility. I would actually have said prior to purchasing the CMax (saw a great deal and grabbed it) that the Zafira edged it for the rear seat removal and the fact that a number of Ambulance/Fire services use them which is always a reassuring sign.

PaulKK

Could you not buy a quick release skwer for the front wheel of the bike?
You'll have it taken off in 5 seconds with no tools needed.
Any time I need to throw the bike in the car I just whip off the front wheel, you shouldn't need to adjust anything bar maybe open the brakes a little to let the tyre pass through.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Quick-Release-Skewers-Bicycle-Cycling/dp/B00M93G44W/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1415205131&sr=8-2&keywords=quick+release+bike+skewers

alias no.9

ProudDUB wrote: »

Really? I am pretty sure that if I could find a car that had seats that folded all the way down, it would fit. I have measured the current set up with the cars back seats and the bike. The bike would definitely fit length ways, if the seats folded fully flat. Do no such car seats exist?

The seatbase should lift up before you drop the seat back, reach in between the seatbase and seatback, grip the seatbase and pull.
Make sure that you take off the headrests of the seatback before folding. The seats should fold flat.

veetwin

I rented a ford fiesta recently and my Giant road bike fit into the back with the rear seats folded down and the front wheel removed no problem. I'm guessing the same would apply to any similar sized hatch. It's just saloon cars that are unless in that regard.

tmg

brompton....

just saying

but you wont beat something like a skoda superb estate which is enormous with the seats down, and a the back seat splits as well (or a passat)

t.

spurious

Skoda Roomster - you can fit two bikes, plus gear.

wotswattage

Surely you could compromise with a budget of €6-8k and get a new adjustable bike along with a newer car?

JJJJNR

Get yourself a decent bike rack, there are some really good ones out there.

There's absolutely no way my mtb would be going into my car after a few trails.

Pyridine

What about a Honda Civic? The rear seats fold up and down:



might be able to get a bike standing upright behind the front seats.

Coolbreeze2809

I've always been able to get m bike in the back of my mk3/4 golfs with the back seats folded down. Sometimes with only two of the back 3 seats folded down depending on the person.

looksee

I have a Honda Jazz that I bought specifically because it is so easy to fold the back seats. They will go flat provided you have the front seats one notch forward. If you need the drivers seat back to the max then they will have a slight angle to them.