[Yves M.]

A few weeks ago I remember reading a tread about how to attach a bike rack to the Insight.

When I bought my Insight in 2000, I had sold my wife and I bikes and bought folding bikes cause the dealer did not permit to attach a bike rack. They said it would void the body warrenty (steel against aluminium creates corrosion to the aluminium)

Here is how I carry two bikes into my Insight. Takes about 4 minutes to go in or out. Still space for bags, helmets and other stuff:

http://www.md92raid.100freemb.com/foldingbicycle.html

 

[Guest]

Hi Yves:

___Is that you? It is nice to place a face with a nick …

___And how did you get those two bikes in their anyway! I am very happy to hear that solution worked out for you … Have you ever done an overnight with a few minor camping items stuffed in as well? I bookmarked your pics for future reference myself.

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___[email:1erx88z3][email protected][/email:1erx88z3]

 

[bjordan]

Cool!

I'm picking up a new mountain bike tomorrow. Unfortunately it won't fold.. :/ I'm hoping I can take off the front wheel push the passenger seat forward and fit it in the back. Guess I'll find out tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes.

bjordan

 

[Guillermo]

I remove the front and rear wheels of my full suspension mountain bike and it fits in the trunk. I use a shower curtain from a dollar store to protect and keep the trunk clean.
But putting 2 normal bikes in the trunk would be challenging....

 

[Yves M.]

HI,

Yes it is me in the picture. They fit easily side by side because they have 20 inch wheels. One folds in about 30 seconds.
We also have don an overnight but with small tent and sheets (no sleeping bags)

They are Dahon bikes. They also make a folding mountain bike with 26 inch wheels (called Mariner 26 if I remember). But once folded it mesures 13x28x38 so 1 will fit easily but 2 will not fit in.

It is nice to see you can remove the wheels to make it fit in. It probably gives the same advantages (size) has folding bikes without the cost (with a little more effort)

 

[fscott]

Very nice.

It reminds me of the time I loaded two lawnmowers into the back of the Insight. I took the handles off and they fit OK, although if I had hit a big bump, one of the mowers would have jumped up and cracked the rear glass. It was that tight of a fit. :shock:

I like those bikes. How well do they work compared to a normal bike?

Fred

 

[Guillermo]

For those that are serious about cycling or don't mind spending serious coin on quality bicycles, Bike Friday makes the best folding bikes on the market.


http://www.bikefriday.com/

I don't own one but if I was a frequent flyer I would.

 

[ext1jdh]

nice but I have found that Dahon is a bit more affordable.

 

[Yves M.]

HI Fred,

They are about the same. Where they differ:
- Slower top speed, because of the smaller wheels and 6 speeds
- Little more flex from the frame (specially handle bar)
- I had to install custom 'foot strap' (I do not know what to call them, calle-pieds in French) the things that holds the foot to the pedal to allow more force pedalling up/down. Because the pedals fold and are different from the standard pedals
- A little rougher ride because of the smaller wheels

But you gain space in the car, easy transportation and storage
It was the only solution I found then, to carry two bikes.


Guillermo, very nice bikes.
At the time I bought mine, there was an all aluminium one (actual brand is Mikado which uses Dahon parts) but it was twice the price and 2 pounds less. But better tires. They where 80 psi cold while mine are 50 psi
More pressure is better if you weight more than 200 pounds.

 

[Holicow]

Cool!

I'm picking up a new mountain bike tomorrow. Unfortunately it won't fold.. :/ I'm hoping I can take off the front wheel push the passenger seat forward and fit it in the back. Guess I'll find out tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes.

bjordan

It should be OK. That's what I do exactly. Bike lies on right (drive) side with handlebars turned all the way to the left. Front goes in first, angled to the passenger seat. Not a problem, at least with my road bike.

 

[james]

I take both wheels off of mine, and pull the seat out. They all have quick releases, so it's only a minute or so.

Another trick for fitting a bike in a tight space is to take along an allen wrench that fits the handlebar post. Loosen it enough to rotate the handlebars 90 degrees.

 

[bjordan]

Well it does fit. It's not pretty but it fits. I had a passenger too so I could only move the passenger seat up so much. Without a passenger I'd probably be okay.

James, I like the idea of loosening the handle bars to rotate them. My bike has quick release wheels as well, so it's not too bad. I haven't taken the back wheel off though. I wasn't sure how much would be involved because of the gears/chain. I'll have to try it sometime.

 

[james]

No real problem, just watch how the chain & derailleur (did I spell that right?) move as you take it out, and put it back the same way. Otherwise it takes a bit of fiddling to get it right.

 

[Holicow]

Well it does fit. It's not pretty but it fits. I had a passenger too so I could only move the passenger seat up so much. Without a passenger I'd probably be okay.

Ha Ha! Ooops, sorry. I didn't know you were also trying to transport another human... I move my passenger seat all the way up, and it would not be possible to sit in.

Glad you got it in oK.

Derailleur, right....

 

[jsanford]

Bicycle transportation

Hello,

This is my first post. I am seriously considering purchasing a pre-owned Insight.

I'm an avid cyclist and read all the posts about transporting bicycles, rack options. However, noone who said they got bicycles to load in the Insight mentioned what size frames they used. Ten years ago I had a Tercel, and while it fit my 57cm bicycles fine in the trunk without wheels, I couldn't fit a 59cm frame.

So, bicycle transporters...what size bicycle frame did you fit in your Insight?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Holicow]

Mine's a 56 cm...there was plenty of room if the passenger seat back is angled forward.

 

[SilverBullet]

I bought a saris roof rack for $150.00 of ebay and will post if it worth buying one or not, I have 2 yakimas in my garage right now and i cant believe they won't fit my insight!!!!!

But I also purchased a yakima basket to store things for long trip or things you just don't want to put in the car!!

It may be an investment you might want to look into??? Just a thought instead of all that work , also the guy i bought my insight had a saris rear rack on it before, so that could be an option to??

 

[figgy]

I have tried a Saris trunk rack (2 bikes) which a friend loaned me which seemed to fit well and not put much pressure on the glass at all. It directs most of the weight downwards to the bumper lip, not to the glass.

I have ordered up a Saris 3 bike rack, which has two arms onto the glass of the back and two to the bottom rather than the 1 arm on top and 2 bottom of the 2 bike system.

Many people on-line comment that they buy the 3 bike rack for this reason and only transport 1 or at most 2 bikes on it. They like the extra stability of the second top arm.

Anyway, I plan to try the 3 bike one with some 'hatch hugger' type inserts (likely home brewed) to keep from marring the lip of the hatch.

It looks from trying the borrowed rack that one bike is fine, and 2 a possiblity. If you drop one or even both wheels, then I can't imagine that one bike would ever be too heavy or come off.

The only drawback is the same for any trunk rack - that you have the clippy things marring your finish or hatch lip over time. I don't see how any add-on rack can avoid this problem.

I was thinking of doing the Saris roof system, mentioned in these forums, but the 3 bike rack was about 1/4 the cost and looks like it will fit the bill.