Carrying Bikes

[ernieh]

Hi Guys,
In this time of increased exercise, I'm considering whether I should put a bike carrier on the 205 to carry max 2 bikes as I could see me using the bike more out of my local area after restrictions ease.

Not having been this way before, I would be grateful for any help from any of you who have carried bikes on their Merc and what the options are. For me, though I don't think a roof carrier would be an option, so I'm probably answering my own question by saying one that fits to the rear of the car would be best possibly via a tow bar? What do you suggest?

Just in case, somebody wonders if I'm a 'new' cyclist and that the fad might wear off, I should say that I have cycled most of my life.

As ever, thanks for any help.

Ernie

 

[TheBlimp75]

Hi Guys,
In this time of increased exercise, I'm considering whether I should put a bike carrier on the 205 to carry max 2 bikes as I could see me using the bike more out of my local area after restrictions ease.

Not having been this way before, I would be grateful for any help from any of you who have carried bikes on their Merc and what the options are. For me, though I don't think a roof carrier would be an option, so I'm probably answering my own question by saying one that fits to the rear of the car would be best possibly via a tow bar? What do you suggest?

Just in case, somebody wonders if I'm a 'new' cyclist and that the fad might wear off, I should say that I have cycled most of my life.

As ever, thanks for any help.

Ernie

Hi,

Not used one with my W207 but I have been mulling it over however in a previous life (a BMW 5 series) I used a Saris carrier.

It was very good, very sturdy and has very good reviews. Also a lot cheaper than the tow bar version.

If you look at their site they did have a compatibility checker.

www.saris.com

Cheers


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[LostKiwi]

Tow bar options are best. Especially if they fold back to allow access to the boot. Strap ons (oooh errr!) can be a nuisance if you need access to the boot.

 

[Wighty]

Avoid height restrictions with the roof bar option

 

[ernieh]

Hi,

Not used one with my W207 but I have been mulling it over however in a previous life (a BMW 5 series) I used a Saris carrier.

It was very good, very sturdy and has very good reviews. Also a lot cheaper than the tow bar version.

If you look at their site they did have a compatibility checker.

www.saris.com

Cheers


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Thanks for that; Saris don't seem to have one for the 205 Unless I'm mistaken.

Ernie

 

[JBell]

Saloon or Wagon?

Saris Bones is excellent on a Saloon

 

[Avnt]

I just use the thule bike racks


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[JBell]

I just use the thule bike racks


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I have one of these

https://www.thule.com/en-gb/bike-rack/trunk-bike-racks/thule-clipon-3-9103-_-910301

 

[ernieh]

Saloon or Wagon?

Saris Bones is excellent on a Saloon

Sorry. should have said saloon.

Ernie

 

[Mark A]

+1 for tow bar mounted.

Hurt my back putting bikes on the roof of the ML.

 

[JBell]

Sorry. should have said saloon.

Saris Bones or this

https://www.thule.com/en-gb/bike-rack/trunk-bike-racks/thule-raceway-2-_-991001

Roof mounting will need the bars plus the bike racks BUT they can remain in situ

 

[TheBlimp75]

Thanks for that; Saris don't seem to have one for the 205 Unless I'm mistaken.

Ernie

Hi,

Yes you’re right but they do for older model W204 . I wonder if the newer W205 just hasn’t been added yet.

I can’t believe the W204 and W205 rear ends are much different?

Cheers


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[JBell]

I can’t believe the W204 and W205 rear ends are much different?

Completely different, the 205 has a much more shaped and sloping boot lid than the square 204

 

[LostKiwi]

Been trying to remember what we used in Aus. Closest I can find is MaxxRaxx.

https://www.goodeleisure.com/maxxraxx-voyager-4-bike-cycle-carrier-rack--flange-tow-bar-9301-p.asp

That could even be the updated version.

There are cheaper options and this looks quite good:

https://www.parrs.co.uk/a009p3ra-towbar-mounted-car-bike-carrier-upto-3-bikes-p6449

One benefit to towbar mounts is they are usually transferrable to any vehicle with a towbar (4x4s with rear mounted spare wheels excepted).

One thing to think of is air resistance.
It's surprising how much drag a pair of bikes adds.
We used a high mounted bike rack on the back of our 210 estate (lifting bikes high enough to clear tail lights). On a 500 mile trip it cost us an additional 10mpg due to drag (normal 30mpg became 20!)

On the return journey we removed the wheels and stored them inside the car, allowing the rack to be dropped down 12" and economy was 3mpg worse than normal.
For this reason (plus the additional width on the vehicle) I'm not a fan of those racks where the wheels sit in trays behind the vehicle. The more you can keep out of the airflow the less drag.

 

[ernieh]

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions; a lot to think about but for me, it looks like it will need to be towbar mounted. Like LK, I once brought a bike from England to Scotland on the roof of a Passat and I probably lost 7 or 8MPG. As it was also winter, the salt spray made a mess of the bike.

Regarding boot mounted racks, a while ago I saw a Renault Scenic with 2 bikes clipped to a boot mounted rack and the weight had seriously kinked the top and bottom of the panel. With aluminium panels these days, I would be a bit wary of these systems.

Ernie

 

[Rappey69]

my friend uses a towbar mounted thule. Its amazing how it grips the towball so tightly without sliding round or putting teeth marks into the towball...