Bikes on Cars in Ferrys
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Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
IME no they don't charge extra for bikes on carriers, but I always inform them when I book.
I have a roof carrier and no experience of tailgate carriers. A mate of mine has a tow ball carrier and regularly shuttles his bike across the channel.
I have a roof carrier and no experience of tailgate carriers. A mate of mine has a tow ball carrier and regularly shuttles his bike across the channel.
Andrew_P
In between here and there
Pretty sure you would be better off with rear mounted. Eurotunnel is no surcharge and I have a 5 series estate and had four bikes on a rear tow bar rack. I think there was an option when I was looking at a ferry but it looked like there would be a surcharge for the overall length. Such a long time since I have been on a Ferry but my memory is that the car decks have limited height clearance?
D
Deleted member 35268
Guest
I would get in touch with them and amend the booking. Personally, a roof carrier is preferable, boot carriers are an issue for three reasons IMO;
1 - You can't access your boot / hatch contents
2 - If you have 3 or more bikes on the back, you are likely to be obscuring the lights and or number plates - so you'll need a lighting board (Halfords)
3 - I find rear mounted racks a lot more unstable.
Of course the downsides of a roof mounted rack are:
1 - A pain to get the bikes up!
2 - Fear of height restrictions!!!!!! - I destroyed a roof system and bike once (how stupid am I).
PS, I've used both types of carriers regularly.
Enjoy!
1 - You can't access your boot / hatch contents
2 - If you have 3 or more bikes on the back, you are likely to be obscuring the lights and or number plates - so you'll need a lighting board (Halfords)
3 - I find rear mounted racks a lot more unstable.
Of course the downsides of a roof mounted rack are:
1 - A pain to get the bikes up!
2 - Fear of height restrictions!!!!!! - I destroyed a roof system and bike once (how stupid am I).
PS, I've used both types of carriers regularly.
Enjoy!
StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
+1 to drop them a line. I've just had a quick look on BF's website & adding a rear-mounted cycle carrier increased the price £8. There's no increase if you have a roof load but the height restrictions remain unaltered.
Just to be clear here - Brittany Ferries will charge extra with cycles on the roof. There is no charge if your total height is below 1.83m, but there is a charge if you go over (up to 2.6m). It will add an extra £50-60 to your crossing. You can see all this when you book your ticket on their website.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Make sure you check out the vessel / give the ferry company a ring. Pretty sure some can cope with bikes on roof, but you may not be in the same place as a car without a rack - so don't follow them onto the boat.
I've done it once to the Isle of Mann, but the boats are small, so the bikes had to come off due to height restrictions.
I've done it once to the Isle of Mann, but the boats are small, so the bikes had to come off due to height restrictions.
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
For me it is rear rack every time if going on a ferry or on holiday. You don't forget they are 'up there' and so long as you stick within the overall length limits of your class of booking, no more to pay.
My old Mk I Renault Megane Scenic* had a tow ball rack which carried two bikes (though I could get three on it) and which pivoted down so you could then open the tailgate as normal. It had built in lights, and number plate, and was prewired so that it activated a beeper, that was already built into the car but not used normally, which sounded off when you engaged reverse (auto box) to remind the driver they had a rack on.
*My last company car under the old have anything you want from these francises up to a cost of £nn,000k I bought just about every optional extra in the book for that car, including the fancy bike rack.
My old Mk I Renault Megane Scenic* had a tow ball rack which carried two bikes (though I could get three on it) and which pivoted down so you could then open the tailgate as normal. It had built in lights, and number plate, and was prewired so that it activated a beeper, that was already built into the car but not used normally, which sounded off when you engaged reverse (auto box) to remind the driver they had a rack on.
*My last company car under the old have anything you want from these francises up to a cost of £nn,000k I bought just about every optional extra in the book for that car, including the fancy bike rack.
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
Doesn't look cool when the bike falls off and hits you on the head, or, as in the case of a very expensive carbon mtb I saw die in a trail centre car park, when it falls off and breaks the bike.Brill responses, thanks all!!!
I guess if I had the choice, I'd prefer the roof mounted option for reasons as per @Rooster1 kindly pointed out, plus it looks cooler
John the Monkey
Frivolous Cyclist
- Location
- Crewe
Watch out for height restrictions if you're using the toll roads too - quite often the lanes intended to restrict motorhomes &c are restricted to 2m or 1.9m height.
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Yes indeed. It took a last minute shouted intervention from my wife to prevent me from scraping the bikes off at a French toll gate line.
Oldfentiger
Veteran
- Location
- Pendle, Lancs
Towball mounted rack for me.
As stated previously, access to boot courtesy of tilt-down facility. Rear lights and number plate incorporated.
100% stable.
Lockable.
Negligible effect on MPG, (Roof mounting = 5MPG less on my car)
The only time I roof mount is if I'm towing our caravan - then I have to take a step ladder as I have a SUV. Bloody bikes are so high they have ice on them when I get them down.
As stated previously, access to boot courtesy of tilt-down facility. Rear lights and number plate incorporated.
100% stable.
Lockable.
Negligible effect on MPG, (Roof mounting = 5MPG less on my car)
The only time I roof mount is if I'm towing our caravan - then I have to take a step ladder as I have a SUV. Bloody bikes are so high they have ice on them when I get them down.
