HOW TO TRANSPORT A BIKE WHEN MOVING BY CAR

August 10, 2008

    I am moving from Chicago to Vancouver and I will be driving to Vancouver with my things, including my bike. What do you recommend as the best way to transport my bike (e.g., mail it, roof rack)?

Karolina D.

Karolina:
    My basic criteria for this decision: cost and space.
    Let’s take the zero-cost option first: putting your bike in your car. First, you could make the bike fit easily in your car’s trunk or passenger compartment by removing the bike’s wheels & pedals, and turning the handlebar sideways. Second, you could slide the (fully-assembled) bike into the car’s trunk on top of your other baggage, and leave the front wheel and handlebar hanging out of the trunk. I show how to do both of these in my book.
    The next least-costly option involves a bike-carrying rack. On the plus side, with a rack the car can carry your bike without it taking up space you might need for other baggage. However, a bike-carrying rack will cost you between $30 (for a cheap trunk-mounted model) and $150 (for a high-quality roof- or hitch-mounted rack); see the products at right. But if you plan to regularly drive your bike up for weekends in Tweedsmuir Park, you could justify investing in a rack. (Generally, you get what you pay for—so if you do plan to use a rack lots, I say pay at least $50. Else go cheap.)
    Last time I checked, shipping a bike to Vancouver via UPS costs between $150 and $200—a pricey option you might consider only if you absolutely can’t fit your bike in or on your car.
    Reading the paper some days, I wish you’d take me with you.

Mr Bike

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