Bike carrier for Toyota Yaris

Thomas_Holding

I would like to carry three bikes on the back of my Toyota Yaris - any suggestions on a good carrier?  Or is three too much to carry?

neilmcl

I would've thought 3 bikes would be pushing it for a Yaris but in general I'd recommend the Saris range of bike carriers, particularly the Saris Bones EX.

You'll probably also require a number plate board.

Thomas_Holding

neilmcl said:

I would've thought 3 bikes would be pushing it for a Yaris but in general I'd recommend the Saris range of bike carriers, particularly the Saris Bones EX.

You'll probably also require a number plate board.

I am worried that could be the case as well.

Herzlos

You can get up to 3 bikes on a rear carrier so that shouldn't be a problem unless they are very heavy.
Have a look at somewhere like https://www.roofbox.co.uk/bike-carriers/ and enter your car details to see what it recommends.

You'll almost certainly need a light board which means electrics, in which case you may as well go the whole hog and get a tow bar fitted and mount the bikes on that.
The cheapest approach is probably to get roof bars and 3 bike carriers which should fit comfortably. Accessing bikes on the roof should be easy enough as it's not a particularly tall car, but you're probably not going to be able to go into anything with a height restriction (multistory car parks, drive-thru's, etc).

AdrianC

Roof bars and a tailgate-strap-on? Two on one, one on the other?

facade

Be warned- carrying multiple 'bikes is not as easy as the salesman says!

There is usually an element of dismantling required- e.g. removing the pedals or turning the handlebars, and a fair bit of juggling to get them on.

Roof mounted racks on roof bars are much easier, there is enough space to get the bikes on assembled, although the middle one will still have to face the opposite way to the others.

And if you are thinking of ebikes in the future, they are really heavy, usually you put the batteries in the boot to reduce the weight when putting them on a carrier.

Herzlos

Very good point - on my towball rack I need to drop the seat on one bike to fit under the handlebars of the other, and with some bikes rotate the bars. That's enough of a pain when the bikes are sitting on a rack never mind hanging from one.
The roof carriers are far enough apart that I just need to throw the bike and clamp it in, though obviously lifting bikes onto the roof is harder work (and dirtier) than putting them on the back.

Thomas_Holding

facade said:

Be warned- carrying multiple 'bikes is not as easy as the salesman says!

There is usually an element of dismantling required- e.g. removing the pedals or turning the handlebars, and a fair bit of juggling to get them on.

Roof mounted racks on roof bars are much easier, there is enough space to get the bikes on assembled, although the middle one will still have to face the opposite way to the others.

And if you are thinking of ebikes in the future, they are really heavy, usually you put the batteries in the boot to reduce the weight when putting them on a carrier.

Thanks for this, I am beginning to think that as it is a one off hiring a bike would be a better idea.

facade

Thomas_Holding said:

Thanks for this, I am beginning to think that as it is a one off hiring a bike would be a better idea.

It is.  Although the cost of a days bike hire will make you go pale, especially when you have a 'bike at home, if it is only for a one off it isn't worth buying a carrier.

I have a Thule 3 'bike carrier that I used exactly once. It is in the way, but I'm too mean to sell it at a loss, and I might maybe possibly perhaps use it at some point in the future (except I won't)

I bought a couple of folding 'bikes instead, and although they look a bit odd when all the other boys & girls have full suspension mountain bikes, 99% of the time they are fine.