Genuine VW California T5 bike carrier: rails too close to each other to fit 3 mountainbikes

[jannijm]

Hello, we use the original VW California T5 bike carrier on our California. When we take our 3 bikes with us during our travels, only 2 racing bikes and our son's mountain bike will fit. 3 mountain bikes do not fit: the rails are too close together. Does anybody has a solution to take 3 mountain bikes with us?

 

[greenfintry]

Just turn the handlebars by 90 degrees on mountain bikes...slacken off at headset...

 

[jannijm]

Thanks for your reply. The problem is not the handlebars, but the fork/hub: that part of the bike is wider on the mountainbikes than on the racing bikes.

 

[greenfintry]

We also use front wheel out fixation points using a racing type fitment (thread on here somewhere, fixed into part of an IKEA chopping board) that slides in the rack track.....very stable and lets you alter the height and angle of some of the forks..... also for road bikes, let’s the frame drop below the roofline so does not make a problem for 2m height limits..

 

[pjm-84]

Common problem with all carriers.

 

[jannijm]

I do not have the space in the car for the front wheels, so I do not want to take them out. Has anyone taken off the third rail and move the second rail to a place between second and third rail fixation points? I thought this would be possible when you drill 2 extra holes and screw the rail there.

 

[NZCol]

Did that on my previous one and works fine.

 

[jannijm]

Well, it took a while... but the problem is solved: now 3 MTBs or other wider bikes fit on the original T5 bike carrier.

We disassembled the second and third rail, then made 2 extra holes with blind rivet nuts between the original holes in the carrier. After that we drilled 2 extra holes at the correct distance in the longest rail and mounted this rail back on the carrier.

Now the three of us can finally go to the forest with the California to cycle together. Happy with it!

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[jannijm]