cycle carriers
 

HI, i am after a cycle carrier for my xc90. I don't have a tow bar and i don't want to put them on the roof as i'm only 5ft 6". Have looked at a high mounted 3 cycle carrier, £60 at Halfords but am concerned that it might snap the spoiler on tailgate that houses the high stop light. Apologies if this appears twice, i thought i'd sent it earlier but couldn't see the thread when i checked. Any help/views would be great. Thanks.

Cycle Carrier
 

I had that problem and did snap off the tail light spolier on by BMW 3 series tourer last year so I know the feeling. My XC90 is not going to sufer the same fate. Having said that my carrier is a 4 bike one of unknown make that I got from a closing down sale but it is fairly standard frame variety that sits on the bumber and hooks onto the tail spoiler. TBH the XC90 spoiler looks and feels a lot more solid than the BMW one which was only fixed with a couple of GRP mounts which duly broke as I went over a sleeping policeman. I would be happy with samll bikes and short even journey. I recently did a 2 hour trip and decided to take the straps over to the roof rail and simply tie them on. They are certainly stronger and a simple half hitch suffices as the metal clamp/hooks prevent unravelling. It was sound and I am very fussy on this subject with years of loading precious windsurfing equipment experience. Hope this helps? If in doubt use the rails.

thank you. i thought no one was going to answert me!

Hi,

Just a bit late maybe but...

I have seen a bike lift, perhaps by Thule, to assist getting bikes onto a roof mounted bike carrier..

May be worth looking into.

Des. . . ;)

cheers, i will look into it as not too late. i have also got my old cycle carrier back( from an old hatchback) and that fits ok and sits on bumper so doesent seem to hurt the spoiler.

Don't know if it helps, but BMW (who I work for) do a hinged bike carrier with a big arm that clamps to the bike and allows you to lift them onto the roof (works on an X5) so volvo might do the same sort of thing. Not sure if the BMW one will fit your roof rack system but it retails at 240.00 inc VAT.

Cheers
Andy

Hi,Yes... This is the sort of thing I was refering to. And I believe that it will be an option for Volvo carriers..
I suspect that Thule will also sell their own as they make the carriers for Volvo and likely BMW as well..

Thanks for pointing that out.. :)

Des. . . ;)

I use the volvo servo bike lift which is great for lifting bikes up on to the roof, you need to be carefull when you first set it up to avoid scratching the paintwork with the pedals though, i learned the hard way. The Volvo one is exactly the same as the BMW one but costs half the price, (no brainer there).

Only other problem is that you can only use two of them so your stuffed if you have more than two bikes.

Hope this helps.

Thanks to everyone who replied. Just returned from Centerparcs and used my old cycle carrier. No problems to report, sat well and stable on the rear bumber. Spoiler wasn't a problem although there was a lack of places to attatch the staps, couldn't attatch to side as was glass or rear bumber either as all plastic. But more than stable just attatched to top and bottom of tailgate. I only other thing, you can't use the rear wiper when on as will hit the bar that sat on the rear screen just below the top stop light.Still much cheaper than fitting and expensive Volvo rack either roof or towbar fitted !