Bike on your XC60

[andymcp]

On our last car we started off with roof bars and bike holders. Freelander was a similar height to XC60, and we later coughed up £1100 for a dealer fit detachable towbar and Thule bike rack for several reasons:

1. Loading bikes on the roof was a pain. 20 minutes every time for 4. If it's raining that's no fun - we bike all year round so very cold after a ride.

2. Clearance. For our local council skip and just about every multi storey car park, the roof bars need to come off. Another 10 minutes each way to get ready for a bike ride.

3. Damage. Inevitably, one day a bike will topple over, either because it getting them up to that height is unwieldy or because you're cold in the rain and fingers slip. Happened twice, around £200 of repair work on the car each time.

4. Enjoyment. I like going out on my bike. I don't want that enjoyment dulled by half an hour of swearing, cold and damage before I even get into the saddle!

It got to the point where only I would load bikes, so Mrs McP couldn't take kids for a ride when I was working. Compared to the Thule towbar approach it's night and day - 5 mins tops to load 4 bikes, can still access the boot to get in/out, never damaged the car and it is easy enough for anyone to fit. As someone else mentioned, also allows for roof box storage which has been a must when packing up for longer holidays including cycle gear. Haven't compared mpg using the D4 engine yet, but in the Freelander bikes mounted in towbar were a good 3-4mpg easier on the wallet than bikes on roof. We do about 2500 miles a year loaded with bikes, so every little helps!

It seems like a lot of money until you spend it (and use it). To me, it now feels like a bargain.

[Flux]

I tend to agree with andymcp.

If it costs £1,100 but saves you time, increases flexibility, reduces fuel consumption and makes life easier then it's a price worth paying. Now I know a grand is a grand but in the overall scheme of things AND over the lifetime of the car, it not much at all.

Plus the fact that if you ever need to hire a trailer or tow something then it's there..........

Went out with the family yesterday for a walk in the forest and there were loads of folk on bikes and the car park was full of bike racks fitted to tow bars - seem to be increasing in popularity over roof mount. The way to go if you don't have the strength or inclination to haul them up on the roof.

You can also take your bike rack with you and fit to another towbar on a future car....

[norco]

I got 2 rd bikes in the boot last yr for Europe but with new dog now in same dilemma. Had roof mounted before but the memory of bits of bike bouncing off the bonnet when l forgot and hit a car park barrier makes it hard to go back. The grand has stopped me so far and I'm considering putting a box on and seeing how many bike bits l can get in there certainly wheels maybe a rd frame. I would only use a bar and rack a few times a yr as my mtb normally goes in my focus estate so seems a big investment. As someone said hiring may be cheaper although rd bikes more than downhill bikes - many places in the Alps are 80 euros plus per day. Still a few months to sort something out - dog is proving expensive as also getting a barnesbrook cage in case he's a chewer!

[Considered1]

Know what you mean, we need to kit out the new car for the dog first so this is the subject of another thread, and more expense. The bike thing is also a few times a year so large investment probably not going to happen just yet.

I'd manage (financially) the roof mounts if i thought I could reach but I'm not Geoff Capes so maybe asking for trouble and makes you think twice about fork mounting, at least with the wheels on less likely to damage the roof!

[inego]

Originally Posted by Considered1

Thanks, it was a Thule holder that we saw on the motorway, but again pricing these with towbar seems best part of £1k

They do seem pretty niffty

http://www.thule.com/en/gb/products/...6-929-_-929000

WE had a heavy duty towbar fitted, partially so we could get one of these, or its equivalents. I have roof carriers so could easily fit 4 on top but:

1. I don't really want to carrier a step to get the bikes on top - it was bad enough for the bikes in the centre on the Skoda; and

2. I want the option of taking the roofbox and the bikes.