How to Transport Bicycles in a Car

If you need to transport bicycles in your car, we offer options and solutions to do so safely and legally.

The fact is that we know full well that bicycles aren’t just for summer, but it’s true that with good weather and mild temperatures, they invite us to take these vehicles out of the storage room, for some a recreational activity and for others a way of life.

On many occasions, getting them to the destination is a challenge, both because of the characteristics of the vehicle carrying them and the type of luggage being taken in the car, which is reason enough to recall some tips on how to arrange luggage inside the car or on the best way to carry luggage outside the boot.

Either way, there are up to four options for transporting bicycles in a car:

• On the roof: the roof bike rack is the traditional option because it is comfortable to fix bikes to a roof bar, lifting and lowering them with no more difficulty than the weight of the bicycle. The main drawback is its aerodynamic impact and, at the same time, the increase in fuel consumption.
• On the rear hatch: tailgate bike racks have gained ground over the traditional ones in recent years due to their price and the number of bikes they can carry, up to a maximum of three, and because they have less aerodynamic impact than roof-mounted racks. Their main disadvantage compared with others is that, once the bikes are fitted, you cannot access the boot; you would have to put the bikes back on the ground before opening and closing the hatch.
• Towbar-mounted: fitted to the car’s tow ball, there are hanging or platform types. In either case, they sit at the rear, parallel to the tailgate, without blocking access to the boot.

Another option, if you need to carry more than three bicycles, is a trailer hitched to the car’s tow ball. In this case, up to 7 bikes can be transported.

There is also the possibility of looking for car manufacturers that offer factory solutions for those who regularly need to carry bicycles. This is the case of Opel and its FlexFlix system.

https://youtu.be/Gek0tOo7mUA

Legal recommendations for transporting bicycles

One of the biggest drawbacks of transporting bicycles on a car is the reduction or even obstruction of visibility of elements such as the number plate, or the interference with or blocking of the rear lights.

In any case, it could result in a traffic fine, either for obscuring or preventing the identification of the vehicle via its number plate, or for interfering with the car’s mandatory lighting.

Therefore, if you carry bicycles on a bike rack, the rack must display the number plate of the car carrying them. Also, if it interferes with the lighting, you will also need to have approved lights to replace the car’s lights.

Regarding the permitted overhang at the rear, the law sets a maximum of 15 percent of the vehicle’s length. For example, on a 4-metre car, the bicycles may overhang by a maximum of 60 centimetres; on a 5-metre car, up to 75 cm.

This load must be indicated with a V-20 warning sign and, if the bicycles occupy the full width of the vehicle, there must be two signs, one at each end forming an inverted V.

Under no circumstances is any object permitted to project laterally, so if the bicycles stick out from the car, they must be dismounted so that they stay within the width of the vehicle.