# Bicycles and motorhoming



## frankhanna (Apr 28, 2010)

Greetings,

This month we realized that we want to acquire two new bicycles for our travels in the motorhome.

We have a Rapido 7092df and are inclined to get a rack fitted to the back. The alternative is a folding bike but we are not too sure how good they are.

Ideally we would like to go to a one stop shop that will sell the bikes, fit the rack and sort us out. Somewhere near Liverpool would be best as we keep the van in storage at Ellesmere.

Any thoughts or guidance on any of this would be much appreciated.

Frank


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

We decided that we didn't want bikes on a rack.

We have quite a good garage on our van so we went for folding bikes.

We experimented with a 2nd hand cheapo with 20" wheels but there was no room for two of them and we wobbled quite a bit when riding.

The only ones that (very expensively) fitted are a pair of Bromptons which have 16" wheels.

They are superb and their foldability is much admired.
It takes less than a minute to set them up for riding.
The park position takes seconds and they are quite compact even in that state - very handy when parking outside a shop.

We also find that with 16" wheels they are much lower to the ground and the centre of gravity being low down makes us feel a lot more stable than with larger wheels.

We have done quite a few kilometres on them now and are very, very pleased with them. Well, our backsides complain a bit!

They do struggle a bit on deep gravel but we have used them on very rough tracks. Tarmac is a joy to ride on.

They come in many different variations.
We went for six speed, low ratio for oldies.
3 speed Sturmey Archer with a two speed derailleur.


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## tony50 (Oct 16, 2007)

frankhanna said:


> Greetings,
> 
> This month we realized that we want to acquire two new bicycles for our travels in the motorhome.
> 
> ...


We have just ordered 2 x Claud Butler " Glide " fold up electric bikes as my wife has arthritus in her knees , quite expensive though , but they weigh 22kgs. or 18.1 kgs without battery , they have 20 inch wheels probaly not good for hitting pot holes though , the makers do a non- electric which are quite light , go to www.claudbutler.co.uk

Tony A.


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## mandyandandy (Oct 1, 2006)

Depends how much you want to use them, we are both large people and love pleasure cycling along with our 11 year old. 

We have the fiamma cycle rack which holds 3 easily and is quick and easy to get them on and off. We have all gone for 26" wheels as they require less effort and get you there faster, on 7 gears which gives you less to go wrong. 

We have bought all ours in France as we like the "sit up and beg" city bikes that they use alot over there. Not into mountain biking  

Paid under 150 euros for all of them, not great quality but as I say they are for pleasure not exercise  and we all love them. 

Mandy


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## sideways (Jun 2, 2008)

I sell bikes and get people coming back to change all the time as they have bought the wrong thing, The first thing you should do is decide what you actually want the bike for and where your going to ride it, if your going to be on road with just the odd trail ride then a mountain bike especially a double suspension one isnt for you, if your just going to nip to the shop while on your travels then a folder will be fine but get one with 20 inch wheels 
If however you want to go further afield get a Hybrid or town bike, These have bigger wheels and are so much nicer to ride, plus they often come with mudguards and a rack. You can get front suspension and solid rear(hardtail) this takes the shock and bumps out of your arms without you losing energy compessing the spring which is what happens with a double suspension bike. Look on ebay at hybrids or town bikes to get an idea of what i mean. Good luck.


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## trevorf (May 16, 2005)

> Ideally we would like to go to a one stop shop that will sell the bikes, fit the rack and sort us out


There are plenty of bike shops around to sell you a bike. There are also plenty of motorhome places that will fit a bike rack for you. However I do not know of any places that would do both. Don't really understand why you would want a "one stop shop"?

Trevor


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Sorry for hijacking the thread but as there is an expert in the thread can you recommend a replacement folding bike for Mrs D. She currently has a cheap folding mountain bike which she finds hard work. Much harder to ride than her normal rigid mountain bike.

She never goes off road and just likes to cycle down country lanes (tarmac) for perhaps 5 to 15 miles at a time.

She has to have a folding bike and cant take the rigid one because of the scooter on the back.

Regards
BD


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## BillCreer (Jan 23, 2010)

Apart from Bromtons riding like a larger bike, due to their well engineered construction, they hold their secondhand values like a Rolex watch and are very easy to sell.
Have a look at the second hand ones on eBay.


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## trevorf (May 16, 2005)

Another vote for a Brompton. Widely regarded as the best folding bike.




Trevor


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## trevorf (May 16, 2005)

Have a look here:-

Folding bike buyers guide


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Thanks will have a look at brompton

bd


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## andrewball1000 (Oct 16, 2009)

Also look at Dahon Vitesse D7 in either aluminum or steel.
http://www.fudgescyclestore.com/index.php?p=104401

I bought one of each last year year and they are great. I am over 6ft and they were the only ones that were big enough. Not cheap but I picked both up new on ebay from different suppliers.

Suggest you first visit Halfords and try a few different makes first as some of the cheaper ones were too small for me. l


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

BillCreer said:


> Apart from Bromtons riding like a larger bike, due to their well engineered construction, they hold their secondhand values like a Rolex watch and are very easy to sell.
> Have a look at the second hand ones on eBay.


Hi

Your right about the second hand value. We sold my wife's Brommie on the Bay and got more than we paid for it and it was nearly three years old 8O

Still got mine and wont get rid. terrific little bikes they are with the best fold going. 

Steve


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## CaGreg (Mar 28, 2007)

We also think the folding bikes are the business with MHs. We bought two Strida bikes in Jan 10 and we never regretted the cost. We took them on our month trip to France and found them invaluable in towns and cities, where there small size made them a joy. 

They weigh less than 10kg and can be popped into the van if necessary when leaving the van without being on them. They are a doddle to ride and are a whole lot of FUN!! 
We covered about 40k on them one day, and it was fine-ish. They are useless on hills and rough ground, so really only suitable for tarmac roads. But still delighted that we bought them.

It really is a case of what kind of cycling you want to do and whether it will bother you taking full size bikes on and off the bike rack, which we used to do but found a bit of a pain.

Good luck with the hunt.

Ca


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## BillCreer (Jan 23, 2010)

Did you buy one?


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## MrsW (Feb 8, 2009)

I have an "ElectroBike Plus" from AS Bikes with 26" alloy wheels and a 250 watt motor. I used to have the 20" bike from them but bought the bigger more powerful bike as we are retiring shortly and plan to go further and more often on the bikes. AS Bikes are based near Coventry and go to all the major shows. You can find their website at http://folding-bikes.net/asbikes/electrobike-plus-p-44.html

Sorry I don't know anywhere to get a bike rack fitted to a motorhome by a bike seller or a bike sold by a bike rack fitter.


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## aivlys (May 1, 2005)

We have town and trail bikes, brilliant for most cycling but struggles on the beach! Only recommendation I would offer is to go to a shop and try for size and comfort, then consider the weight and where you would store them whilst in transit if not on the back of a cycle rack. Last but not least, check if any impact on your payload, a carrier and two cycles or two cycles and batteries can eat a whole chunk away. Happy pedalling!


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## rolla (Aug 14, 2010)

We use a bike rack that fits onto the tow bar in one simple click, so it does not matter how big our bikes are, and no holes drilled in the van!
just my 2 pennies worth.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

We have just bought 2 electric folding bikes, they are great- Powacycle
20 kl, 20inch wheels
Hope to store them in the garage and have ordered bags for them,so if necessary 1 can go inside the van for travelling

Don't want to fit bike rack if possible but may decide to after our trip
Always travelled in our other with 2 town and trail bikes on bike rack 

but feel now a little help would be much appreciated : :lol: :lol: hence electric.
We don't want long distance cycling any more, just to potter around once on site. At the moment training the dog to run with the bike, well Albert is!
The dog loves it and Albert finds it much easier and can use the throttle without pedalling to go very slow where necessary
Aldra


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## DSL2 (Mar 6, 2008)

Just purchased two of the B-twin folding bikes from Decthalon for a very reasonable £199 each. 

Thus far they seem very well designed & sturdy, includes lights / bell & bungee for holding items on the rack.


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

I feel that you are mixing two specialist fields, which may not be wise.
Motorhome retailers will have a fast track to fitting Bike Racks, they know the structure of the vehicles and where to fit the rack. One tip our supplier made before fitting a free bike rack; if you have two bikes, fit a three bike rack which gives enough space between the two bikes to make them easier to put on.
The bikes are not only a personal choice but also will benefit from the kind of advice already offered; type, size, usage and weight. So why go to a do it all company when you can get the best advice from specialists.
Alan


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

Don't get folding bikes unless you have stacks of spare storage, they take up far to much space , and, unless you pay mega bucks, they will be heavy and a lousy ride.

Best hang them on a bike rack thus taking up no storage space. 

Don't buy expensive unless you are prepared to mount a 24 hour guard over them.

Go to Halfords or other bike retailer sit on a few bikes, heft a few, then set a budget that won't attract bike thieves.


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## GRUMPYOB (Feb 20, 2011)

As regards the rack, do you have a tow ball. If so why not consider a ball mounted bike rack rather than have your van drilled. You can take the rack when you change vans then. Tesco Direct still have 25% off thule cycle carriers making them cheaper than halfords or ebay. I bought one and it's well built and solid on the towball. I always buy the best I can afford. That way it lasts me longer and is still good if I need to sell it when I no longer need it.
Just my opinion though.


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## BillCreer (Jan 23, 2010)

Did you buy one?


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## jhelm (Feb 9, 2008)

We go around with 4 mountain bikes on a rack on the back. It is a bit of work taking them off and putting them on again. But these are the same bikes we use here in the mountains. The only really bothersome aspect of the rack is that it extends the length of the camper about a meter and it's hard to know where it is when backing up. 

For all around use and comfort I would buy city bikes with all the gears 21 is common and have them fitted with gel seats and multipurpose tyres - that is tyres that are smooth in the center and have mountain bike edges. This bike will be comfortable to ride, useful for roads and trails on a slope and good for the occasional ride down a gravelly lane. They typically have baskets in the front, a rack in the back, fenders and lights. My wife has one and it is much more comfortable to ride when you don't have to bend your neck up to see where you are going.

Stay away from those battery types, they are heavy and you need the exercise, unless physically unable!!


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## GRUMPYOB (Feb 20, 2011)

I bought one and delivery was a day sooner than they aimed for. Had to bolt a couple of bits on but it locks onto the tow ball and the outside arm locks to the bike. The number plate mount has clips to lock the plate into place. A lot of nice little touches. The mounting onto the towball is very strong. I was surprised as this was my concern. I think I paid 225 for it but halfords wanted 330 and even ebay was dearer but I wanted the locking function. It can also use the Thule multi key lock system or whatever they call it where you can buy loads of lock with the same key and change them all over.
All this and clubcard point towards your Eurotunnel costs.


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## tony50 (Oct 16, 2007)

tony50 said:


> We have just ordered 2 x Claud Butler " Glide " fold up electric bikes as my wife has arthritus in her knees , quite expensive though , but they weigh 22kgs. or 18.1 kgs without battery , they have 20 inch wheels probaly not good for hitting pot holes though , the makers do a non- electric which are quite light , go to www.claudbutler.co.uk
> 
> Tony A.


Hi above on 5/4 , we gave you an idea what we bought , we now have tried them around Kielder lake /on gritty road , go well but, as they are different from large bikes they take a little bit of getting used too , and on hills they really do assist ,but, as they are front wheel drive and the terrain was gritty when going up hills unless you lean forward they do try to skid a bit.

Tony A.


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