If you cannot get a single bike inside could you carry it on a roof rack.?

IME roof is way to go anyway with a normal height car. Transverse bars on car and a suitable longitudinal carrier, the Halfors's economy one is OK, that clamps bike's down tube to hold bike upright. Works even on Miss B's b/f's Pug107 for two bikes.

With a bit of experiment for best order of different framesizes and bar/saddle heights we could get four on top of our old Xantia.

Far less faff then strapping some contraption to the tailhatch.

Edited by Bromptonaut on 09/09/2013 at 22:55

Bikes or no bikes, it's amazing how many estates and hatchbacks fail the 'picnic test' as described by Alby.

Unlike you, Alby, we have happy memories of our Renault Espace - the boot floor and height were ideal for Mum or Dad to sit at the back doling out the picnic to the children. But that was a 1988 petrol model whch served us valiantly for 125,000 miles - well before Renault's fall from grace.

The current Octavia is also fine provided you specify a variable boot floor.

Oh to be fair to the Espace, I spent many an hour sitting on its "back step" drinking coffee.

Mainly while waiting for the AA.

But to come back to bike racks, there's a knack to loading the roof mounted ones. If you are struggling to reach, one trick is to open a back door of the car and step up onto the sill.

I've used roof mounted racks on Qashqais which are tall-ish cars using that method without problems. Admittedly though it's a lot easier now I have a more conventional estate car ( E Class ) with that I can easily reach even the middle rack without having to stand on anything other than the ground beside the car.

I really mistrust those strap on hang-it-off-the-back type bike racks. They may well be secure but they don't look it.

I'm using Thule roof mounters at present and while not cheap, they do just work. ( and you can have a picnic ! )

Fuel consumption is affected though. My car will average 45 or so to the gallon with no bikes upstairs but on a run down to the Vendee this summer with 3 mountain bikes up there it fell to 32 mpg ( by the trip readout anyway ) I wasn't too bothered as it was for a purpose and my weekend trips with bikes as a function of my total mileage are insignificant but I guess a towbar mounted rig would give better economy. They're not cheap to buy though so you pays your money / takes your choice so to speak.

Happy biking !