Carrying road bikes in dual cab ute with canopy.

[rtnicho]

Hi all
I'm wanting to carry up to 3 road or track bikes in the back of a dual cab ute. Having a canopy means that the bikes can't be easily accessed / attached from the front of the tray. I'm looking at getting some Yakima block heads (or similar) and putting them at the back of the tray. This would mean removing front wheel, putting bikes in the tray backwards and locking them in via the front forks. Anyone done this or can comment on how much of a hassle it would be getting bikes in and out?
......Or have any better ideas?
Thanks

[DarrylH]

I did something similar to carry two bikes in the back of a Pajero on long trips to QLD. I used a block of wood cut to the fork spacing with an old front axle through it to attach the forks. As I needed to carry a lot of other stuff, I had one bike nose in and the other nose out to maximise space. The bikes will need some support to stop them wobbling around too much so I just used occy straps from the seat posts to the body of the car to stabilise them. For the wheels, get a couple of old removal cartons and flatten them to a flat diamond shape to slip the wheels in (take out the skewers to mount the forks). Then fold and tape the bottom flaps and cut off the top ones and you have perfectly protected wheels. This is even good with disc brakes.

[bychosis]

Before you go and buy anything, can you actually fit the bikes in standing up with a front wheel off? I thought I'd try a similar thing in the back of our wagon once, only to be dissapointed I'd have to lower the saddle to the bottom too. When it came to removing both wheels or adjusting the saddle, I chose the wheels.

[Neddysmith]

Yeah perhaps do a test fit and see if the bikes will fit in the way you are thinking, you could use some c channel bolted to the back of the head board for the rear wheels to sit into which should help with the bike moving around from the rear and as DarrylH has suggested get a fork mount and get these fixed to a bit of 4x2 or similar and you should be able to fix the 3 bikes in.

[rtnicho]

Thanks all. Really helpful!! I think I'll give it a test fit with 3 bikes and then try the C channel thing on the head board and floor as well.
I'll try it with one bike first and let you know how I get on.

[rokwiz]

I carry my mountain bikes in the back of a ford panel van, , back in first, front wheels removed using a "bike tight" fork clamp bolted through the floor. No clearance problems. You should be able to fit 3 bikes like this easily in a canopy ute.

[Cardy George]

Don't have much to offer in terms of securing, but I can confirm my roadie fits under the canopy of our Colorado. I use an extra large twist tie (a rubber coated one from Bunnings) that I loop over the roof support bar then around my top tube and also the seat post. HOWEVER, it's only for short trips when I need rescuing, when it goes interstate it's the only bike in the boot and buried in luggage.