Z4 Bike Rack - in case you need one!

P

PawnSacrifice

Veteran
 South Oxfordshire
Thought I'd share this one as it took me an age to find... I needed a bike rack for my Zed and couldn't find anything that would suit the raised lip on the boot. Bought this:
F2: Hollywood Baja Spoiler Rack for 3 Bikes - bought in 2007 for £70.

For one reason and another never actually got around to using it until today - needed to get back from dropping the car in to Chips Away / Paintwork Pro (dent removal / bumper respray). The rack works surprisingly well - although the bike didn't have the wheels on. Even took a couple of pics...

BikeRackBack.jpg

BikeRackSide.jpg

Now, if anyone has a solution for transporting a surfboard that would be useful! :thumbsup:
Other than buying a coupe.
 
RX-78 said:
gannet said:
someone on here has done the surfboard - or was it skis :?

my bike folds up into the boot :D
Click to expand...

x2 but just :D Which bike have you got?
Click to expand...
It is a Giant Halfway Lite - 20" wheel:
NewBikePeter.png
 
How robust are these things?

RX-78, am I right in saying yours is a tradition MBT style? Did I see it in the bike gallery?
 
PawnSacrifice said:
How robust are these things?
Click to expand...

Well Ive had one since the start of the year and apart from the first frame being out of alignment where the chain kept coming off it has been fine. not shaky at all - I test rode a dahon before getting the Giant and was shocked how flimsy it felt. Rode the Giant and its in a different league.

I use it mainly for commuting as I cant take a full size bike on the train. Ive put over 700 miles on it since april (replacement bike) and do about 12-16 miles a day up to 4 days a week. Average speed of 16mph and a max of 30mph - but that downhill with the wind behond me....

I love it and it folds in seconds :thumbsup:
 
gannet said:
Average speed of 16mph and a max of 30mph - but that downhill with the wind behond me....
Click to expand...

Damn... that's a good average! :o Not getting much more than that on mine - of course I blame the 12% hill I go up. Going down the same hill on the way home... max 34.6mph!

Yeah, Giants are great - love mine!

Do you have decent lights? I tried cycling home the other night in the dark, about 5 miles of which is along country lanes, and it was lethal! The main road is even worse, even in daylight! From where I used to live it wasn't too bad as it was open roads and mostly lit.
 
PawnSacrifice said:
gannet said:
Average speed of 16mph and a max of 30mph - but that downhill with the wind behond me....
Click to expand...

Damn... that's a good average! :o Not getting much more than that on mine - of course I blame the 12% hill I go up. Going down the same hill on the way home... max 34.6mph!
Click to expand...


It is amazing how much speed you can carry when you have 35 minutes to do eight town miles ( ie lots of lights and traffic) in order to catch a train... erm... wouldnt want to be sat/stood next to me on the train though :P


PawnSacrifice said:
Do you have decent lights? I tried cycling home the other night in the dark, about 5 miles of which is along country lanes, and it was lethal! The main road is even worse, even in daylight! From where I used to live it wasn't too bad as it was open roads and mostly lit.
Click to expand...

I use these lights:

cateye light set

the rear has two rows of LEDs which can be independently switched - I have one row on constant the other on side to side, flash or random.

The front is quite simply the brightest light Ive ever had - especially given it's just a single LED :o
 
Thats a good going gannet! I've only bought mine a couple of months ago, on the pretence of loosing weight :oops: Only my work wont allow bicycle commute (ability to drive is part of requirement of the job) so only a weekender. Mind you, have discovered some parks and lanes I never knew existed in merseyside!

Mine is SwissBike LX - foldable mountain bike. Worked very well so far but not been down a serious downhill yet - was planning to go try off roads but the missus isn't keen on it now.

LXopenmed.jpg
P1000437.jpg
 
they look different :)

losing weight... hmmm well - lets just say Ive had to buy a whole load of new clothes since starting the cycling and cancelled my gym membership to pay for them!

you need the car at the office all the time then?
 
Gannet, thanks. Very helpful :thumbsup: May have to give those a go. (Wiggle is a great site!)

RX-78, that bike looks like quite a feat of engineering! Quite incredible that it fits in the boot - had enough trouble just getting my wheels in... maybe that says more abuot me :roll: Just noticed, you have the coupe!
If that blue bike belongs to your missus she may need to lose the road tyre - I tried gentle offroading with them and it would get up gravelly hills :!:
 
PawnSacrifice said:
Gannet, thanks. Very helpful :thumbsup: May have to give those a go. (Wiggle is a great site!)
Click to expand...

Check the reviews on wiggle's site for that though - some people saying the front light ain't too good in unlit areas.

I only have about 200 metres of unlit side street and its fine there but no idea about country lanes etc.

The white spot can be seen on the ground in quite light conditions though :D
 
gannet said:
they look different :)

losing weight... hmmm well - lets just say Ive had to buy a whole load of new clothes since starting the cycling and cancelled my gym membership to pay for them!

you need the car at the office all the time then?
Click to expand...

Hehe, not lost much yet - more of a testimony to lack of bike usage! Unfortunately I have to do visits to peoples houses every day as part of my job (not a door to door salesman, wish I was one and could upset people going in my Zed :evil: ), and so I cant be without a car. Not sure if thats a good thing or bad!


PawnSacrifice said:
Gannet, thanks. Very helpful :thumbsup: May have to give those a go. (Wiggle is a great site!)

RX-78, that bike looks like quite a feat of engineering! Quite incredible that it fits in the boot - had enough trouble just getting my wheels in... maybe that says more abuot me :roll: Just noticed, you have the coupe!
If that blue bike belongs to your missus she may need to lose the road tyre - I tried gentle offroading with them and it would get up gravelly hills :!:
Click to expand...

Yeah the blue one is for the wife. Its actually same frame, just different gears, breaks and suspension folk. I think the tires are mountain ones, was wishing we bout road tires though.

The bike frame and its folding mech is aparantly used by US military. It folds in half, front wheel comes off and fits into nice bag. Putting it into bag is a bit of a fight but I can unpack/pack in less then 5 min. Folding can be done in less then a minute I recon. Should have seen the stealer's face when I pulled out of the boot of my Zed :D
 
Shoot. :headbang:

Now, realistically speaking... My current bicycle already sees second to none activity... A folding bike won't change that... :)
 
gannet said:
wooter said:
That swissbike fits in a Z4? :)
Click to expand...

does in a coupe - an M has that great big battery box in the boot though with which my bike wouldnt fit...
Click to expand...

Aye, one of the reason I didn't go for ///m (apart from the fact I didn't think I had the driving skill to justify one). Saw on a mod site some where (cant remember where) they changed the oem battery to much smaller one without any prob.
 
Iv always just used the standard halfords own high lift boot carrier, had it years and its fit everything iv owned so far, mines a coupe though but i would think it fits the rag top too.
 
martinf said:
For anyone else carrying a surfboard, my 6ft fish still doesn't quite allow the roof to close...
Click to expand...

Traditional fish?

Same problem with my Rusty Piranha... have strapped it to the roof a few times - biggest problem is having to drive slower and the straps inside the car! Easiest solution... keep the board at a mates house.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom