New idea for coupe bike/board etc carrier - on to something?

N

Newbers

Active member
 St Albans (one days march from London)
I find having to take the handlebars of my bike to get it into the boot a pain + there's no way a mountain bike would go in so I'm looking for something different.

I've ruled out the BMW version on cost/hassle & holes in the bumper. I don't really care for the folding racks - there seems to be too much risk of a pedal guaging the paint so.....

I'm thinking of using some of those vacuum pads that you lift panes of glass with (like this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150522521209&category=66916&_trksid=p5197.c0.m619 ). I think two of these, one either side of the tailgate glass and a conventional roof rack bar (shortened) attached between them (i.e. horizontal). Then another sucker thing at the bottom of the window in the centre. I could then use a standard bike carrier (that would normally go on a roof rack) - or even two attached to the bar at the top and directly to the sucker at the bottom.

In the interests of safety and security I'd also use some straps attached to the bottom lip of the bootlid with some suitable hooks this would be to counter large cornering forces :driving: + provide a means of attachment should the rack and car part company (with or without the glass!)

The glass carriers are apparently good for lifting 30kg each so that is a lot of load between three when you don't need to fight gravity. (Hi quality ones are even better). Obviously the glass wasn't designed for carrying bikes but there must be an enormous safety margin engineered in and we are talking about a very well spread load.

Crazy :thumbsdown: or cool :thumbsup: ?

By the way are the owners of the other two coupes that were at the Chiltern 100 on here?
 
Rather you than me. This is an issue I have been thinking about to get the kite surfing gear in the car (mainly board) without risking ripping the roof lining/chairs and without ejecting/inconveniencing the other half. I saw, on bimmerfest I think it was, a purpose built (but not for the coupe) suction pad roof rack that a chap used on the back window horizontally, but he just used it for snow boards.

Let me know how you get on...
 
Taz x said:
buy an estate car and keep the zed for fun
Click to expand...

that's what I did (well a diesel hatchback) so that I could carry my bike and kids around.

Best solution would be something like this.

http://www.birdautomotive.com/Bike Rack BMW Z4.htm

I'm sure you could make something similar using a bike carrier that was meant to be used with a towbar, would just need some fabrication to make up a bracket to attach to the car. Could all be done so when carrier removed nothing is visible.
 
I'm not feeling the love here!

Are you concerned for the strength of the glass (i.e. it breaking) or the suckers letting go. Or is it more a question of aesthetics?

srhutch I am going to going crawl around the back (sounds wrong) and see what I could attach a bracket to. I didn't really want to get too involved in fabrication but I'm sure something much more elegant than Bird Auto system (but along the same lines) could easily be achieved.

I do also have an ML with a towbar rack that takes 4 bikes plus I've had another strapped on top but I really want to be able to move a bike in the Coupe. My old E46 Coupe was great, just drop the seats and I could get two in the back!
 
I've bought a cycle carrier, some bars and some glass suction thingies to give it a try. Watch this space.......
 
You can get a mountain bike in just by removing the wheels and loosening handle bar so it twists. Been there done it since again with a hybrid.
 
51036f18-5c47-3c1a.jpg


I've had no problems with this so far, well over 1k miles and up to high speeds. My bike is around 9kg and the front wheel goes into the boot, as here in back & beyond Wales the roads are narrow!

There's not much weight on the rear screen, most is transferred onto the bumper.

I did see the suction pad option on t'internet but chose against it - let us know how you get on.
 
vvrooomM - How do you get your mountain bike in? I have a Specialized Epic which is an XC bike rather than a massive downhiller but i couldn't get it in even without the forks!

Wills - is that a Saris Bones carrier?

I had a fiddle last night but have run in to problems because the glass lifters that I bought are the double ones nad the can't handle the curvature of the glass. I either have to cut them in half or get some single ones.
 
Took my mountain bike out in my coupe just last week. Both wheels off, didn't have to loosen bars, forks or anything else.
 
Raify that is very impressive. There's no way my Epic (full susser) will go in tho unfortunately.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom