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How do you carry your bike externally? I have a 54 plate 5 door and the insides are getting too muddy.
Open to ideas would ideally prefer rear mounted but then run into lights,number plate issues.
Easily on and offable and able to store in boot.
Its my wifes car and she won't be happy with a permanent roof rack.
Hate using external racks and it's an invitation for the 'follow you home' thieves.
I simply have a large tarpaulin in the back of my Mondeo that i fold out when i put a muddy bike in and the interior of mine is pretty much spotless after 3 years and that's with a 23" 29er so any other smaller bike would be less likely to leave mud on the sides.
Boot-racks are a PITA
Roof-rack no good?
Thule roof + bike racks for me, put it on and off only when transporting the bike - only takes 10mins to put on and about 5 to take off
I have a big brown tarp. (after 2 years of carrying bikes in my Focus estate, it took 5 minutes to remove every trace there'd ever been mud in the back- the footwells were harder)
But I do also have thule roof bars, for when roof bars work better.
Tow bar rack for me
But you could just buy a large bike bag and wheel bags to carry them and the mud
Big plastic sheet 😀
I bung it in the boot - also have a tarp that I bought on Ebay about 10 years ago. Only reason to have a big estate for me.
52 plate Mondeo here, has tow bar so I use a basic rack that slides onto a plate mounted behind the tow ball. Doesn't contact the car body at all. I always keep an eye on who's behind, & pull up a street or two away if necessary.
If you need to carry it inside the car a mattress bag makes a good bike bag. They will normally give you one in s bed store if you ask.
Aldi did a car seat protector once, meant for dogs but was perfect for muddy bikes. It clips onto the grab handles inside the car.
Tarp from B&Q for cheapness or a boot-buddy boot liner if you have a bit more cash to spend (it's a bit less hassle as you don't partly drag it out all the time when removing the bike).
Is there a rear mount one that doesn't interfere with lights and number plate? I think a tow bar mounted one would be optimum.
As regards bike thieves is there much of a market in 12 year old mount visions? Plus ,matey opposite is captain carbon.