Roof Racks vs Shipping a bike

[Sabantien]

Hello,

So I moved to WInton in outback Queensland in April last year for a six month contract. I'm now staying far longer than intended and my girlfriend has just secured a secondment to come join me.

Thing is, she also just dropped a few grand on a nice carbon fibre bike a few months back and is really enjoying getting back into cycling.

She'll be driving her little Audi A1 up, and it doesn't have a tow ball, so only option on the car is a roof rack. (If she does manage to squeeze it inside, she won't fit anything else!)
Audi have quoted over a grand for their roof rack gear, Thule around $700 (suitable roof rack and bike carrier).

I'm all for spending good money on something high quality, but it's pretty expensive for something that will likely only ever be used twice. Her car is also a salary sacrifice job, and she doesn't plan to keep it past next year, so buying something suitable for that vehicle may be a waste.

I thought shipping it up might be an option.
The bus company that comes through does freight, but unsure on size, and Toll also come through town.

Has anyone done similar before and have any recommendations?

I did suggest she head down to her local bike shop and ask them for advice, because it's likely they've shipped bikes.

[RobertL]

You can also get hatchback bike racks that you can swap from vehicle to vehicle. They work on a combination of suction pads and straps. Here is a google image search: https://www.google.com.au/search?q=hatc ... 31&bih=873

[madmacca]

Hello,

So I moved to WInton in outback Queensland in April last year for a six month contract. I'm now staying far longer than intended and my girlfriend has just secured a secondment to come join me.

Thing is, she also just dropped a few grand on a nice carbon fibre bike a few months back and is really enjoying getting back into cycling.

She'll be driving her little Audi A1 up, and it doesn't have a tow ball, so only option on the car is a roof rack. (If she does manage to squeeze it inside, she won't fit anything else!)
Audi have quoted over a grand for their roof rack gear, Thule around $700 (suitable roof rack and bike carrier).

I'm all for spending good money on something high quality, but it's pretty expensive for something that will likely only ever be used twice. Her car is also a salary sacrifice job, and she doesn't plan to keep it past next year, so buying something suitable for that vehicle may be a waste.

I thought shipping it up might be an option.
The bus company that comes through does freight, but unsure on size, and Toll also come through town.

Has anyone done similar before and have any recommendations?

I did suggest she head down to her local bike shop and ask them for advice, because it's likely they've shipped bikes.

If you take the wheels off, and put the bike upside down, you will be surprised at what you can fit in a hatch with the back seats down - especially with the rest of her gear to wedge it in.

[syu]

Go to local bike shop. Ask for a bike box that's going to be thrown away. Thank them. Also ask them for the plastic front and rear drop out inserts that ship with frames and forks. Thank them again.

Partially disassemble bike for shipping. If you don't know what's involved there are videos on YouTube. Buy pool noodles $9 for pack of 3 from Big W or similar. Cut to size and place on frame tubes for protection. Add any other protection you require. Clothes would be a bonus for cushioning. Less to take in the car.

Book courier through https://au.interparcel.com or similar. Alternatively if your LBS is very nice they might send it on your behalf using their preferred shipping service.

Sending a bike box is roughly $50 uninsured metro to metro on the east coast, regional I don't know maybe $100 at most.

[foo on patrol]

Hello,

So I moved to WInton in outback Queensland in April last year for a six month contract. I'm now staying far longer than intended and my girlfriend has just secured a secondment to come join me.

Thing is, she also just dropped a few grand on a nice carbon fibre bike a few months back and is really enjoying getting back into cycling.

She'll be driving her little Audi A1 up, and it doesn't have a tow ball, so only option on the car is a roof rack. (If she does manage to squeeze it inside, she won't fit anything else!)
Audi have quoted over a grand for their roof rack gear, Thule around $700 (suitable roof rack and bike carrier).

I'm all for spending good money on something high quality, but it's pretty expensive for something that will likely only ever be used twice. Her car is also a salary sacrifice job, and she doesn't plan to keep it past next year, so buying something suitable for that vehicle may be a waste.

I thought shipping it up might be an option.
The bus company that comes through does freight, but unsure on size, and Toll also come through town.

Has anyone done similar before and have any recommendations?

I did suggest she head down to her local bike shop and ask them for advice, because it's likely they've shipped bikes.

If you take the wheels off, and put the bike upside down, you will be surprised at what you can fit in a hatch with the back seats down - especially with the rest of her gear to wedge it in.

I don't and won't put my bikes up top now. Pull the wheels off and put a blanket on the rear seat, so that you/she doesn't get any grease on the seat. You don't even have to lay the seats down to fit a bike in.

Foo

[Sabantien]

Thanks guys.

From the research I have done, the hatchback racks are a Bad Idea on the A1, at least this is what I gleaned from the Audi forums. I've seen the Saris Bones being suggested, but it looks like it obscures the number plate on the A1.

It probably would fit across the back seat with the wheels off, but it's a 3 door, so unlikely won't be able to get it in.

Sounds like shipping is the way to go, and I like the pool noodle idea!

I have suggested already she go to a bike shop and ask for advice. Maybe it's something they can do for her.

[Sabantien]

So Bus Queensland will ship a flat packed bike out here for $40.
The bike shop my girlfriend went to said about $60 to pack, and offered her a torque wrench for putting it back together at the other end.

I reckon that's more than reasonable.

[duncanm]

take out the front seat, drive the bike up and ship up the seat if you need it.

Really -- the bike should fit in the passenger seat if dismantled..

[Thoglette]

Really -- the bike should fit in the passenger seat if dismantled..

Drop the front and rear wheels and it'll fit into most hatches with the seat down.
Remove the bars, pedals and seat (or "slam" the seat) and it'll fit on the back seat.
Remove the forks (for the full "rinko") and you'll be surprised just how small a bike is.


Done properly by Jan Heine

[Cardy George]

take out the front seat, drive the bike up and ship up the seat if you need it.

Really -- the bike should fit in the passenger seat if dismantled..

I'll back everyone on this. I used to put my 90's dual sus MTB (minus wheels) on the back seat of an 84 Nissan Bluebird because it wouldn't fit in the boot.......

Wheel-less road bikes are way smaller than that.