Bike storage in garage area

[Baldyz1]

Please could somebody with a 600 Grand California tell me if is possible for a racing bike to fit under the rear bed when it is in the down position. Obviously I realise that 1 or 2 wheels would have to be removed.

I don't own a Grand California but this point is quite essential for me if I were to buy one. I would like to have the bike standing up to protect it perhaps using a floor mount assuming there is a rail in the garage area. This would also allow the garage to be used for all the other camping essentials. Perhaps I could create my own partition.

I guess if nobody has done this so far then if someone would be kind enough to measure the useable dimensions with the bed down then I could mock it up.

I am afraid with my Ocean I have not had the bravery to take an expensive bike with me camping even though I have a rack. I would not rest comfortably knowing it could be stolen at any time. Having the bike in the vehicle is the only real option as far as I am concerned.

Thanks
Chris

 

[Azteccamper]

Please could somebody with a 600 Grand California tell me if is possible for a racing bike to fit under the rear bed when it is in the down position. Obviously I realise that 1 or 2 wheels would have to be removed.

I don't own a Grand California but this point is quite essential for me if I were to buy one. I would like to have the bike standing up to protect it perhaps using a floor mount assuming there is a rail in the garage area. This would also allow the garage to be used for all the other camping essentials. Perhaps I could create my own partition.

I guess if nobody has done this so far then if someone would be kind enough to measure the useable dimensions with the bed down then I could mock it up.

I am afraid with my Ocean I have not had the bravery to take an expensive bike with me camping even though I have a rack. I would not rest comfortably knowing it could be stolen at any time. Having the bike in the vehicle is the only real option as far as I am concerned.

Thanks
Chris

I need to know what bike you have now?

 

[Baldyz1]

Ahhh well its the n+1 bike phenomena so depends what time of year. But we are talking generally about say a 54 CM Cannondale Synapse with dropped bars not a mountain bike with their much wider bars.

Many thanks
Chris

 

[Azteccamper]

Ahhh well its the n+1 bike phenomena so depends what time of year. But we are talking generally about say a 54 CM Cannondale Synapse with dropped bars not a mountain bike with their much wider bars.

Many thanks
Chris

I’m down to just n at the moment but looking at Trek Domane in the near future.
just as an aside I’ve been touring all over for a number of years with £3k bikes and never had an issue - couple of locks and insurance.

 

[Baldyz1]

I suppose its the luck of the draw. I have suffered thefts from vehicles and complete clearouts from my garage. The trouble is its expensive to lose a good bike as generally they are under insured and the replacement has gone up in price + excess and increase in insurance due to claims; blah blah.
I also always customise my bikes and go on many adventures with them so there is an attachment.

Part of the attraction of camping though is to explore with a bike allowing this even more so. I bought a £100 bike that I would no worry losing but I could not bring myself to ride it. Aside of the fact that the tyres would not stay inflated as the wheels were of such poor quality they holed the tubes. Sounds terrible but you get spoilt.

Cheers
Chris

 

[Azteccamper]

I suppose its the luck of the draw. I have suffered thefts from vehicles and complete clearouts from my garage. The trouble is its expensive to lose a good bike as generally they are under insured and the replacement has gone up in price + excess and increase in insurance due to claims; blah blah.
I also always customise my bikes and go on many adventures with them so there is an attachment.

Part of the attraction of camping though is to explore with a bike allowing this even more so. I bought a £100 bike that I would no worry losing but I could not bring myself to ride it. Aside of the fact that the tyres would not stay inflated as the wheels were of such poor quality they holed the tubes. Sounds terrible but you get spoilt.

Cheers
Chris

Much the same. I love my day trips with a couple of bags with “stuff” in to make proper lunch, etc. In the end I got myself a bit of an all rounder in a Sonder Camino in an Alpkit sale. Love it. Go all day, off and on road. Good luck anyway. Pete

 

[leeb]

no problem with saddle and stem out...I use a lightweight stand under the baed in by 680

EVOC Road & Triathlon Bike Aluminium Stand | Sigma Sports

Shop the EVOC Road & Triathlon Bike Aluminium Stand online at Sigma Sports. Receive FREE UK delivery on all orders over £60 and easy returns!

www.sigmasports.com

 

[Baldyz1]

no problem with saddle and stem out...I use a lightweight stand under the baed in by 680

EVOC Road & Triathlon Bike Aluminium Stand | Sigma Sports

Shop the EVOC Road & Triathlon Bike Aluminium Stand online at Sigma Sports. Receive FREE UK delivery on all orders over £60 and easy returns!

www.sigmasports.com

Hi Leeb,

Thanks for the reply. Do you mean that you only take the saddle and stem out or do you remove the wheels as well? I guess with everything removed its akin to packing for a bike bag style trip abroad. No doubt when the bed is up things are a lot easier if you don't wish to disassemble every time.

It could be really helpful for me and others to know the garage area height with the bed down.

Many thanks
Chris

 

[leeb]

Chris
I remove seat post and wheels only. I have a large 60cm frame and on the evoc stand it slides easily under the bed. The wheels go in wheel bags which sit in space between near side back door and the external shower thingy....havnt tried yet but suspect I could get 2 racers in this way in the avaiable space.
So..no..definitely not a complete bag dissassemble
I'll try and post some photos when I get back from work
Lee

 

[Baldyz1]

Ahhh thats great information and exactly what I was hoping for. Taking out the stem is a risk due to torquing etc you don't want to be stressing these areas too often.

Cheers

 

[leeb]

A small (0-14Nm) torque wrench with allen key sockets is a few quid only...make it part of you GC kit out..

 

[Baldyz1]

Sounds like a plan.

 

[Bendwg]

If it helps the height under bed is 800mm, 700mm wide.
Thread 'Grand California 680 Interior Sizes'
https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/grand-california-680-interior-sizes.38142/

 

[Baldyz1]

Thanks for the measurement. My end of fork to handlebar height is around 840mm with the wheel removed so the bars would probably need to come out. I do see in pics a U shaped cut out at the cabin end of the bed so maybe the bars would fit in that space with the bed down. I guess I need to find a dealer with one to experiment in the long run before I bought.

Many thanks
Chris

Oh I see in the brochure that the 680 that has a cut out at the fore of the bed and the 600 does not have it I guess as the bed is longer on the 600.

 

[andyinluton]

Oh I see in the brochure that the 680 that has a cut out at the fore of the bed and the 600 does not have it I guess as the bed is longer on the 600.

Wrong way round, the 600 has the shorter bed as you lay across the van. 680 you lay lengthwise & has that cutout between the two bed spaces at the end of the bed.

 

[Baldyz1]

Sorry yes I get confused with the numbers I better understand SWB and LWB.

 

[andyinluton]

Sorry yes I get confused with the numbers I better understand SWB and LWB.

Should be simple as the numbers are the length in CM ie 6.8m or 6m long

 

[marco01]

small road-bike fits in the garage area in a 680 with only the wheels taken off (only just) - size 52 / & i'm about 5'6
as you can see in the picture there is room for another bike of similar size next to it & the wheels as well
anything bigger / or taller rider is going to need the seat lowered
can't comment on the 600
the bike bags from Wiggle are great for £40 inc 2 wheel bags