Bikes Inside the Cali

[aileron346]

I'm not a Cali owner yet - just considering... But carrying a bike inside the van would be a regular necessity for me. So can anyone help with advice/opinions on these questions...

1) Having removed the bed section,does the sliding rear seat slide forward enough or backwards enough to comfortably fit a bike in without removing the wheel etc?

2) What about with bed still in place - is it then possible with the rear wheel of the bike protruding between the front seats a little?

3) And, for either...how do you all secure the bike? Are there any systems that might fit into the seat runners and be used to secure the wheels etc?

I'm fully aware of the external options for carrying bikes but I will also need internal storage regularly and just want to know the options.

Thanks
Paul

 

[KernowLad]

I'm not a Cali owner yet - just considering... But carrying a bike inside the van would be a regular necessity for me. So can anyone help with advice/opinions on these questions...

1) Having removed the bed section,does the sliding rear seat slide forward enough or backwards enough to comfortably fit a bike in without removing the wheel etc?

2) What about with bed still in place - is it then possible with the rear wheel of the bike protruding between the front seats a little?

3) And, for either...how do you all secure the bike? Are there any systems that might fit into the seat runners and be used to secure the wheels etc?

I'm fully aware of the external options for carrying bikes but I will also need internal storage regularly and just want to know the options.

Thanks
Paul

Not sure if this photo might help?



I take the bed shelf out completely.

I slide the bench seat fully forwards (after sticking tarp on the floor) then use a Thule roofrack strap tied/looped around the rear headrest (in the up position) then just below the seatpost binder - the front wheel juts slightly into the gap between the bench seat and the side of the van. The bike is completely solid and doesn't move at all as long as the strap is tight.

For two bikes, I do similar but fit them in straighter and have to take both front wheels off.

I have got two bikes in the van with the bed shelf still in but it meant totally dismantling them (front and rear wheels off) then lying them on and under the shelf; a bit of a faff!

 

[owen_h]

I have the Beach version of the Cali and often put (Road or TT) bikes in the back. (muddy MTBs go on the back)
The 2 rear seat bench version of the Beach has the same size sliding seat as the Cali SE but behind the seat a full width ‘multiflex’ board. With the front wheel removed a Road or TT bike will fit here (you may need to move the bench seat forward one or two stops for large frames).
The bench can slide all the way up to the front seats to give maximum load length. In order to do this you need to remove a stop in one of the floor rails, its just a bit of aluminium with one screw and doesn’t prevent the bench from safely locking in place. That would probably give enough length to put bikes in without needing to remove wheels.
If no rear passengers you could fold the rear seats down (in bed mode) and lay the bike directly on top (bed & bike suitably protected of course).
There are various fixings on the market that locate in the floor rails (on German ebay mostly), not seen one specifically for bikes though. Years ago I rigged up a series of car roofrack carriers on a board to hold 5 bikes inside a mates panel van. Something similar using one of the fork holders might work well in the Cali. How many bikes are you going to be carrying inside?

 

[aileron346]

Thanks. It would likely one or two bikes inside. P

 

[Robovw]

This thread has some details of attaching a bike to the floor rails.
viewtopic.php?t=4233

 

[aileron346]

Thanks. The thread link above gives a link to a very useful looking floor rail attachment. Thanks also for the other comments and the photo - really helpful for working out what's feasible.
Paul

 

[MisterTea]

Just for the record, on a recent lads mtb winter weekend in the lakes I recently had our van loaded with 3 mtbs inside. Rear seat pushed all the way forwards & rear bed section removed. All of the bikes were with wheels removed and stood up upside down resting on their saddles and bars. Padded out with wheels inserted in between them and old blankets to protect frames and to hide from prying eyes.

 

[GeoffB]

Rose has a Brompton which if folded fits nicely under the back shelf, when raised.

 

[Jimbobob]

I regularly carry my road bike in the Cali by putting the rear wheel between the sink unit and the front passenger seat. I turn the front wheel 90 degrees and close the sliding door. The bike is stable and nothing seems to get marked although the forward facing part of the sink unit may do but I haven't seen that for ages!

 

[gatvol]

If it's mountain bikes you need I can't help.

But in case helpful to you or other forum users, we take two bromptons in ours, inside their cases so as to avoid fouling the van.

I haven't tried elevating the rear shelf as mentioned above. Instead I put one on top of my mattress topper which lives on the rear shelf. The second I store behind the sliding seat, between it and the shelf

When we park up both fit in the front footwells, with seats either forward or rear facing

 

[johnyboy]

Rear seat all the way forward, deck out, my 29er (XL) and SWMBO bike in, no wheels off, no problem. Taking the bench out is bloomin heavy!



As for security; put the blinds down :mrgreen:

 

[KernowLad]

Have to say, I'd be very nervous leaving my bike (around £3k) on an external rack. Just like many here.

 

[johnyboy]

My mate runs a £3k+ bike and will leave it locked either to the rack or to the alloy wheels, at least on the sites we choose to camp at - he's more nervous at the service station to be fair

 

[aleve]

You can also get a bike through the side door with the bed folded down although not recommended if you're going off road and haven't had the chance to wash the bike down

 

[Jimbobob]

...and stick it under the duvet to keep it out of sight

 

[barry]

If it's mountain bikes you need I can't help.

But in case helpful to you or other forum users, we take two bromptons in ours, inside their cases so as to avoid fouling the van.

I haven't tried elevating the rear shelf as mentioned above. Instead I put one on top of my mattress topper which lives on the rear shelf. The second I store behind the sliding seat, between it and the shelf

When we park up both fit in the front footwells, with seats either forward or rear facing

B&Q make a plastic box for which the folded Brompton is a sliding fit.
Also holds floor pump, helmet and waterproofs.
£9.99

 

[campandfly]

[/quote]

B&Q make a plastic box for which the folded Brompton is a sliding fit.
Also holds floor pump, helmet and waterproofs.
£9.99[/quote]

Hi Barry

do you have a bit more info on that box for the Bromptons please. We hope to carry two with us. Or perhaps you have a picture somewhere.

Thank you
Tony

 

[wingate_52]

Locking clamps plus cable locks in transit plus U locks when stopped when using the bike rack. Bromptons folded inside. I am interested in the B&Q boxes.

 

[barry]

B&Q make a plastic box for which the folded Brompton is a sliding fit.
Also holds floor pump, helmet and waterproofs.
£9.99[/quote]

Hi Barry

do you have a bit more info on that box for the Bromptons please. We hope to carry two with us. Or perhaps you have a picture somewhere.

Thank you
Tony[/quote]

Here's the url, tony

http://www.diy.com/departments/curver-p ... 475_BQ.prd

We bought two for our two brommies six months ago.
They sit back to front on the back shelf, side by side.
The folded bikes sit up above the top level of the box a few inches.
I rode the brommy into our local B&Q to try them for size.
Folding the bike to see if it fitted drew quite a crowd.

We always sleep upstairs - so they just stay in the back overnight.

We used to put them (without the box) in the gap between the back shelf and the back seat (slid forward) but it was a bit of a struggle for we 69 year olds sliding the bikes in the gap.

We've thousands of Cali photos with the bikes but none with them in their boxes.

We live in Glasgow so spend a lot of time up the West coast and on the islands. Trouble is, all the roads on the coasts near the sites and the wild camping opportunities are so :censor hilly. We end up knackered at the end of the day and THEN have to climb up into the roof bed.

Barry

 

[campandfly]

Thanks Barry

We can't go anywhere without our Brommies, being able to keep them safe inside the vehicle while travelling is a must for us.

Also don't fancy leaving them outside while we are sleeping. So our plan is to predominantly sleep upstairs and leave them downstairs at night.

Will pop into B & Q and check them out, all the best

Tony

 

[wingate_52]

Thanks for the link and info. What handlebars do you have. I shall cycle round to B&Q and try out a box as I have Erogrips and bar ends on 1 bike. Thanks.

 

[campandfly]

yes we have Ergon GP1's on both our bikes.

Great grips. Does not interfere with the fold and easy on the wrists.

Oh and we have M bars.

 

[wingate_52]

Thanks for all the info, enjoy your Bromptons and the California combo.

 

[campandfly]

But in case helpful to you or other forum users, we take two bromptons in ours, inside their cases so as to avoid fouling the van.

I haven't tried elevating the rear shelf as mentioned above. Instead I put one on top of my mattress topper which lives on the rear shelf. The second I store behind the sliding seat, between it and the shelf

When we park up both fit in the front footwells, with seats either forward or rear facing

That's great info, we are working out the most efficient way of travelling and keeping them inside while sleeping. We don't have the cases but we have some bags to keep everything clean.
Any pics would be great
thanks for your post

 

[Suomi man]

Hi all,

I´m reanimating this old thread to ask if any of you is using a protective tarp to transport muddy mountain bikes inside the Cali. That´s what I intend to do, but I´m not sure about what length and width, what tarp to get, and so on. Any tips?