I have a large Specialized Sirrus commuter bike with fenders, back rack with trunk, side mirror, elevated flat bars, etc. and it takes up a lot of room.

I have put it in the back with the wheel off using a front fork clamp attached to a board, but it's difficult to get it in and out.

My newest solution is to put it in sideways behind the front seats at an angle. I know others have done this, but I thought I would share my procedure:

Fold the back seat bottoms up vertically.


Tilt the drivers seat forward


Slide the passenger seat all the way forward and tilt it forward all the way.


Open both back doors and the right front door


Take the front wheel off the bike


With one leg in the car from the right side, roll the back of the bike in and get the handle bars in.


Lift the back wheel over the left door jamb and partly out the left door while getting the front of the bike inside and angling the front forks forward toward the back of the passenger seat door.
Once you get it in this position you should be able to close all the doors.


Tilt the passenger seat back so that you can see the right side view mirror while driving.


Tilt the drivers seat back to what is comfortable, mine is slid all the way back with no interference with the bike.


Put the front wheel where ever you want, I put it as shown in the photos leaning against the right back vertical bottom seat.

Here's some pix:








This is obviously a one bike setup, but I like it because it is so easy and quick to get the bike in and out, the bike is secure inside the locked car, you can put a tarp down on the back floor if the tires are dirty or muddy so you aren't making a mess in the back hatch area. There is still room for a passenger, tight with my bike because of the front fender, but still possible.

 

Thats exactly how my Niner 29er fits in the back, i havent been mountain biking much lately (not as much as i did when i had my 4runner) but i was planning on installing a small hitch on my Fit so i can go back to using my Yakima 2 bike carrier again. I really hate to muddy up my interior of my Fit.

 

Yea.. if you have really mudy mountain bikes an outside rack would probably be better, but I really like this setup beause:

1. It's free
2. No rack on the back preventing getting in the back hatch
3. It's really quick and easy to load and unload the bike
4. The bike is secure inside a locked car.
5. If you have a side bar mirror, like mine in the photo, the passenger (hopefully female) can admire them selves on the trip.
6. With a tarp or old blanket you can keep dirt off the floor and seats.

Disadvantes are that you can only carry one bike, unless the second one is smaller and there is no back seating available for riders.

 

Wow! I'm gonna try this way on my next time out...

 

I really like the way the back seats fold up I actually pack computers behind the passenger seat with the back seat up. Easier getting them in and out with out having to lift the hatch.

 

It's one of the best solutions for storage space I have seen in any compact car.. it's actually sort of amazing. I find it easier to load groceries here than in the back with the hatch making you duck down to get things in and out.

 

Well been doing that with my Gary Fisher Utopia 29er hybrid since 2009 when I got my Fit. Rack bag too,same mirror, same style handle bars. Can also load from hatch with flattened seats without taking off the front wheel. Slide passenger seat full forward,put rear of bike in hatch first,hold and roll rear wheel till touching front seat back, lay bike down ,and tilt bars so front wheel is verticial. Old towel under pedal so it doesn't grind in carpet of seat backs. Either or, depending if I feel like taking off front wheel or not.

PaFitter

 

thanks for the info. I always wondered how i would fit my big bike in the fit. This is helpful. Pics are a big +

 

I tried that but it seems a lot harder to get it in and out, I was really straining to get it in with out damaging the seats or something. There is the advantage of not haveing to take the front wheel off though.

 

doane2u, The hatch method came about when riding and a very bad small hail thunder storm approached. Didn't have time to remove the front wheel. I am 6' 240lbs,so it's not a big deal to lift my aluminium framed bike . Facing hatch,standing left of bike and hatch,Lift bike up,place rear wheel on bottom hatch edge ,right side of hatch opening. Tilt handle bars hard left and lean at a 45 degree angle,holding front fork,roll bike tire along right edge of seat backs until rear wheel touches passenger seat back,lay bike down with front wheel verticial. Only problem is to place an old towel under right bike pedal so it doesn't chew into seat back carpet and chain and rear gears don't get grease on carpeting while driving. I can do it in less then 30 seconds. Of course if hauling anything else, the bike covers the whole back area,and a passenger can only be a child. I usually don't have anyone with me. You can reverse the bike lay,if you drive with the drivers seat up far enough. That eliminated the gear and chain grease issue,but the bar end mirror stem holds all the bike weight and may break. My bike design is big wheeled,but short framed,so it may not work with different bike models due to frame length.

PaFitter

 

I was also able to stand the bike up vertically in the back with the front wheel removed and attached to a fork clamp on a board, but it also was really hard to get in and out, probably more work than your system of just laying it down in back.. will try that again the way you did it.

Your logo looks like it should be PiFitter, not PaFitter

(Life of Pi)

 

doane2u, The tiger avatar comes from a while back. I had the pleasure of going back stage at a Siegfried & Roy show in Vegas. My wife and I were treated to interaction with several tigers. A very special treat was getting to pet 5,3 month old white tiger cubs and getting photos with them and Siegfried & Roy. While trying to herd them to take a photo, one cub bit at me. That cub's name was Montecore, the tiger that attacked Roy years later. Given the S&R statements that Montecore was actually protecting Roy,I have my doubts. However, I am still a big supporter of saving Tigers as an endangered species. San Diego zoo and Wild Animal park are a regular bi yearly visit for me. Strangely I have yet to see Life of PI,mainly because the tiger is computer generated .

PaFitter

 

Wow, great story!
Re Life of Pi, it's an amazing movie and I don't think you will be able to tell what is real and what isn't... well worth seeing, especially on a big screen and in 3d!