Any vehicle you can get your gear and two bikes on the inside. The Honda CRV is a good choice. Two bikes and large gear bags go in the back with room for a cooler. Dependable car too. Maybe the Subaru Forester. If you want something beefier the Nissan X-Terrais worth a look. Ford Escape is an odd little car without much real room in the back. The Honda may be the best option.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

agree on the CRV. that's what we have. 2 bikes fit even without removing the wheels (that is if you have bikes that are 48 and 51...)

I can't imagine how you guys get 2 bikes into those SUVs. They seem too small. I got a Ford Explorer and two bikes fit, but I hate the sound of the 2 frames rubbing against each other. Front wheels off, laying them on top each other. There must be an easier way. Trying to put them upright and I have to remove my seat/post.

If I didn't have kids then I would definitely buy a Honda Element. It uses the exact same engine and drivetrain as the CRV but the flat floor and flip up seats make it real easy for loading the bikes and gear. The brochure for the element shows two mountain bikes with bungee cords to hold them in place. In Canada, we only get the CRV with the 4-wheel drive system and the base model is $4000 more than the Element as a result (that is for the front wheel drive element) so the Element is priced more economically too.

With kids, nothing beats a minivan. I recently saw the new 2004 Toyota Sienna at the Toronto Auto show. It is huge inside with seats that fold into the floor and seating for 8. It is awesome but expensive. I have a 1995 Lumina APV now. It is ugly, handles like poo and is very underpowered but it sure allows me to transport my bike in a nice protected environment. When people ask me if I bought a minivan because I have kids and tell them that no, my kids would easily have fit in my old Mazda Protege, but not my bike too :)

bikes are up. no need to remove seatpost.
I am 5'7'' my wife is 5'6'' her bike is a 48 and mine a slopping 51. everything fits...just...

Get a minivan you fools. Great for the kids. Great for as many bikes as you want. Great for lots of junk. I have a Grand Caravan. Don't think I will ever sell that car.

.... that is why minivans are the best way to transport your bike. When I load my bike to go to a race the only thing that I have to do is pull it out, pump up the tires and fill my jetstream. No fiddling with wheels, seatposts, etc. Plus a van will typically use a lot less fuel than a thirsty SUV which is very important in the current environment we live in.

agree with the minivan (grand caravan). may not have the "image" associated with a sport-ute, but my wife and i went on a 1.5 week long road trip with 2 road bikes, 1 mountain bike and enough camping gear for 10 people - we don't really believe in "roughing it" in a true sense :) and we never once had to stare at the available space and try to plan out ahead of time how we were going to make everything fit. it just did.

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____________________________________________________________
"I'm happy when life's good,
and when it's bad I cry.
I've got values but I don't know how or why."
- The Who

Maybe it's the hick in me, but I think pickup trucks can't be beat. A fullsize truck with an extended cab and short box is the way to go. Something like a GMC Sierra or a Chevy Silverado. Bikes in the back and gear in the cab.

Owned other SUV's (except an H2) ... (IMHO) the Expedition has proven to be the best. Although, I believe a Chevy Tahoe or Surburban would also work.

Joe Moya

I agree that these monster SUVs are great vehicles for carting stuff around but with gas over 80 cents/litre and climbing they cost a fortune to drive anywhere. The same argument goes for pickup trucks. I was looking at a Ford F150 extened cab which is a nice vehicle but they suck fuel which is bad for my wallet and the environment.

I looked at and drove lots of SUVs and the Subaru Forester and Outback, the CRV and Toyota's offerings. I ended up with a 2 year old Ford Taurus Wagon with 10K miles on it for about $10K less than I would have paid for a used Subaru with triple the mileage.

It gets good gas mileage, rides like a car, not a truck. It's relatively quiet and has a good attachments for my Thule roof rack and enough room inside for one or two bikes without removing the front wheels. For me, it was truely a "best buy".

Richard

Sure, if you want to get into value and fuel efficiency, then SUVs and trucks are decidedly not the way to go. Anybody see the 60 minutes story on SUV sales in the US alst week? Interesting story.

Oh, and good times, I actually spend $2.39 for regular unleaded gas today. Cha-Ching! Suddenly I'm not so excited I opted for the 6 cylinder engine in my Jetta.

I wonder how much of people buying huge 4x4 trucks and SUVs is just a testestosterone infused macho guy image thing. Here in Michigan the road is crammed with them. Although they might feed the driver's "Walter Mitty" fantasies of doing the Baja Run, I'm betting most of them never even see a dirt road.

Richard

My last car was a CR-V, I currently drive an Xterra, but my choice at the moment would have to be the Element. Cheap, Honda quality, and can haul the most stuff for a small and relatively fuel efficient vehicle. I love my Xterra, and it's certainly far better for any serious offroading you may desire, but it actually holds less than an Element, gets worse mileage, and I'm rather attached to Honda quality. I'm close to getting rid of the X to get an Element. It's going to be a tough decision, but I think it's gonna happen. As for the CR-V, I can't imagine why anyone would get one over an Element. Unless you just can't stand the looks.

Mini-van. Carries two bikes, scuba gear and lab retriever all at the same time with lots of room left over.

I agree with the minivan. You can carry the bikes inside without having to disassemble them. We have an Odyssey and carry four people with bikes inside the van. That way we can stop at a restaurant for lunch and not worry about the bikes getting stolen off the rack. For longer trips with luggage we throw the bikes on an outside rack. The van is big enough to protect the bikes from rock chips, etc.



When coming back from holidays in Penticton last year I had my Tri bike hit by a SUV that couldn’t stop in time. Luckily the only damage was a broken wheel.

A frend of mine that sells BMW's borrowed the van and was surprised by how well it handles. Honda intentionally kept the weight very low for handling and with 240 HP it has lots of power. The third seat folding into the floor is really convinient too.

If you can get over the family image of the minivan you get more room, more power and better handling than an SUV.

testestosterone? hmmm... I'm not sure... but, where I live... there are more Women that drive Suburbans than Men... and what seems to be just as many women drive the Tahoe and Expedition (4x4 included). I doesn't seem to be a gender thing... but, rather an issue of practicality (and for some safety).

Joe Moya

http://www.wstc.org.au/...p?from=ph&id=744 Can't beat this thing.....just add BIG ASS BUMBER on the front an no-one'll come near ya

Last sping I went on a 1000 mile road trip into to copper canyon, deep within mexico. With me were two others with bikes and gear. We drove a blistering pace through 5 hours of mountain switchbacks, then proceded down the 7000 ft deep canyon on a 4WD road. The car: a silver 1994 Saturn SL2 with 178,000 miles. The moral of the story is that it is amazing what front wheel drive and a yakima can accomplish.

We get caught up on what can go in the car and we forget about the driving experience. SUVs are SLOW and taking corners is no fun when you have a realistic risk of rolling over. On the other hand fast cars are fun to drive, throw a yakima on the top and violla instant utility.

Test drive a sampling of the quick sport wagons like a Subaru WRX or Volvo XC. Compare them to a pig like an Element or the X-Terra and you will never go back.

Well im using the KIA CARNIVAL (i believ that carnival exists in USA) to go to races here in Portugal, 4 guys and 4 bikes on the inside, still lots of space for bags and all other tri stuff, a very confortable "ride". Its a shame that this Carnival isn´t mine :-(

Sérgio From Portugal

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S�rgio Marques
When it hurts is when it feels good ;-)
Sergio-Marques.com

Here's a picture of a triathlete vehicle...

http://www.angelfire.com/...355_rider/recent.htm

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I was, now I will tri again!
...
Any time is a good time.
God Bless you my friend.

   Honda Element, hands down. Its a CRV for a couple thousand less (Mine was $20k, EX, the works, fwd only. A comparable CRV is $22k). Easy cleanup. Bikes fit with no takedown whatsoever. Seats are completely removeable. Completely jammin sound system. Honda motor. Honda reliability. Privacy tint lets you change in the back of the vehicle. Best gas mileage of any vehicle remotely calling itself UTILITY (I've got two trips now where I averaged 29-30mpg highway. Commuting is about 23-24 in stop/go 25 mile trips). Lower scenter of gravity makes it drive more like a car, making it somewhat fun to drive also. Quirky looks say "I'm not your average guppy in the crowded fishbowl of life."

I may sound biased because I own one, but I've also owned a CRV, Passport, old-school full sized blazer, old-school suburban, and various sedans/coupes with full rack systems. IMHO, its better than those options if you are two people, no kids doing the tri thing. The only thing that could possible compete is a minivan, but they are more expensive.

The only negative I've found in a month of ownership is that I have to be super vigilant when driving because people are constantly swerving toward me on the road as they get "target fixation" staring at it.

any convertible.

I have to put my vote in for the Land Rover Discovery... Easily fits two bikes in the bike, plenty of space for other gear as well... Now if the gas mileage were only a little better...

I have a 99 CRV, the size is great, holds my 59cm bike inside with the wheels on, and if I need to carry two bikes I take the wheels off and they both fit fine sitting upright behind the second row of seats. Major down side is the utter and complete lack of guts. It runs with a Civic engine, but is a hell of a lot heavier than the Civic and pretty poor aerodynamics. Mileage is not spectacular either since you pretty much have to floor it to get up to 75-80 Mph - which is the flow of traffic in California. Forget about climbing, too.

My next car is either going to be a Pilot which has over 100HP more than my CRV and gets pretty much the same (if not better) mileage, or a Ford F-150 super crew - if only it did better than 16 Mpg.

I second the vote for Land Rover Discovery. Tons of space in the back and a lot of height too. Not to mention a large back window for the USA Triathlon sticker. These are great for off road triathlons too. Fun to get dirty.

I installed 3 quick release skewers under the collapsable second row seats in my '03 Z71 Tahoe. I can carry 3 bikes, side by side, all racked (no rubbing, scratching) inside my LOCKED car (you could also buy the locking skewers, if you wanted). What's really cool is that when the bikes are out, the skewers are COMPLETELY hidden (under the second row seats, when they are being used, or under the panel that flips down when the second row seats are collapsed). But there is practical flaw: when carrying 3 bikes, there is only seating for 2 in the cabin....

With my tinted windows, I keep my bike racked in the back all the time. That way, when the sun's out and I have a break, I can be riding in 15 minutes...

Also, if you're going to try to install the skewers yourself, BE CAREFUL. I nearly drilled through the gas tank :( on mine.

The Tahoe is an expensive option (both in terms of the cost and in terms of gas), but I love it.

I second that. The skewers on the floor of any vehicle large enough are great. I think the minivan is probably a better bet, but my wife decided to replace her Olds Silhouette (a great van, IMO) with a Suburban and it works in there as well. She gave up about 6 mpg in the switch, though. One added advantage of the Suburban or the longer minvans over the Tahoe is that you can keep seating for 5 with the same setup.

I'm not very familliar with the Honda Element, but I've been very impressed with the Toyota Matrix (upon which I believe the Element is loosely based). To me it seems like a good blend of a "sporty-ish" car and a cube van. The XRS (top line) is still relatively inexpensive (~25k CAD), and it's plastic in the back so you needn't worry about the mess.

If this is to be a secondary "race specific" vehicle, then your best bet is a cube van. You could carry a 1/2 dozen bikes plus gear if you needed to, or just have the luxury of laying out every coceivable item you may ever need for you and your partner. If you ever make it down to Wildflower, you'll appreciate the extra cargo hauling space, too.

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<If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough>
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Porsche 911 Turbo, you can fit a bike, 4 wheels, wet suit and all your gear - get there quickly, and in style.

Second - 3000GT VR4, still has the turbos and AWD, but you can fit even more stuff in it! (Bike, six wheels and all your gear.



Just say no to roof racks.

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

We have found the issan Xterra an excellent choice - We are able to get two bikes inside with the optional interior bike rack.

We also added the Yakima bars to the rack and are able to put a cargo pod on top for the longer trips that require extra gear.



Kat

A bike surely? :-)

For two triatheletes you of course have a choice of two bikes or a tandem...

With the quality of the roads around here in SE Michigan, a large SUV is good choice. I saw a number of pot holes in the past few days that would swallow up one of those little CRVs. I drive a 3/4 ton Suburban and love it, not only for going to the races, but for hauling construction equipment, and taking the wife, two daughters (under 3yrs), two dogs and a bike or two up north for the weekend. The down side certainly is the milage issue for 1 - 2 people travelling. The convenience of being able to get 6 people with bikes and gear to a race is better than taking 2 vehicles to do the same make it worth it.

If you don't want to go with an SUV, take a look at the VW Passat. Both the sedan and the wagon have impressively huge trunk/cargo space, though you're talking one bike + gear, with the other bike on an external rack. You've also got good gas mileage, it crashes extremely well, (allegedly one of the safest cars on the road) and handles very nimbly. Also an AWD option if you're wanting to take it on rougher roads.

VW Golf TDI turbo-diesel; two TT bikes inside with the seats down or four on the hitch-mount rack; great driving car; 50 MPG on the highway.

I've driven in comfort and safety from Detroit to XTERRA Richmond (Virginia) with two passengers, three bikes, tons of gear and one tank of fuel (14 gallons.)

The Jetta/Golf/Beetle's are among the safest subcompacts and according to a recent study they have a lower driver fatality rate than most SUV's. (They also pose a much lower fatality risk for other drivers as well.)

http://www.lbl.gov/...EETD-SUV-Safety.html

I will say I've had one main reliability issue due to a faulty relay -- a known problem from the 99 model year.

Thank you so much for all of your comments. Lots of food for thought. You guys are the greatest. Please feel to continue to add more input. I appreciate it a lot.

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Pain is temporary. Pride is forever.

Samok, you have made no mention of price or country which makes the whole exercise a little difficult. A lot of cars with 4 seats can fit 2 bikes in once you take off both wheels. One on the floor behind the front seats, one on the back seats and all the wheels and gear in the boot. Or any combination thereof.
Take your bikes to the car showroom and see if they fit in.

Big 4 by 4s (I use my wife's Pajero) are great for piling everything in. Comfortable, easy to drive and come with a fridge option.

If you have the cash then it has to be the Porsche Cayenne Turbo. I've yet to see 2 bikes in a 911.

Thanks. I am from Vancouver, BC, Canada. Basically the same availability of vehicles as in the US. However our gas prices are much higher, so fuel economy is a consideration (not the main one though). Price range up to $30,000 US ($50,000 Cdn). I am not quite ready emotionally for the mini van life cycle... maybe when the rug rats join the picture in a few years. But then again a minivan has lots of practical uses..

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Pain is temporary. Pride is forever.

Lucky guy being in Vancouver.

Have a look at http://www.edmunds.com/new/

As I'm a Brit most of the car names are different but it's a good site.

Decide if you want to go off road or not. If you don't then have a look at the Nissans. Until just now I'd never seen a Nissan Infiniti G35 coupe but it looks nice. I used to go to tris in a Nissan 240zx 2+2 hatchback when I was in the UK. The back seat went down for lots of room and it got me from A to B quickly, comfortably with lots of fun. It now has 100,000 miles on the clock and still goes fine. See if you can get both your bikes in the back of a 350Z! Might as well enjoy the 2 seats whilst you can. You can buy a fast Volvo estate later on in life.

I'm now in the Gulf where 25,000 USD would get you a 325HP Chevy Lumina SS. 4 door sedan with lots of space and power. Not available in the USA unfortunately.

Paul...you are on the right track with the Cayenne...(I can't wait to test ride one...March 15th!!)but the BMW X5 4.4 is my choice now....0-60 in 6.4 (you'll be the first to each race in order to to get a good transition spot)...aldeit with less money in your pocket do to 13 MPH. The BMW nav. system will get you there without thinking...(so you can concentrate on pre race strategies)...bike rack on the hitch mount w/4 bikes...three buddies inside and all of our gear...seat heaters in front and back so as to get the bows moving b4 the race...great cup holders for pre-race fluids....DVD in the back for old IM movies for longer trips...and all this for only $64k...(wait a minute...did I really spend that much on a freaking car?) Yup, and I love more and more every time I drive it.

I can very much relate to not being ready for a minivan in my life. That was a big factor in getting the Element. It hauls pretty much anything me and one other person would need. If it can't I probably don't need it with me anyway. If I had kids, then it might be a different story.

Living in Vancouver you would appreciate the interior, it can be wiped out with a damp rag. The whole thing, seats too! I live in Seattle and have been hugely happy with mine. Although, as one earlier poster mentioned, the "target fixation" syndrome has been a little strange. Also, I am not used to having a vehicle where people stop me in parking lots to ask me about it.

 

Has anyone looked at the Saturn Vue? It can be customized to include fork mounts on the inside and, form the picture on the website, there is room for 2 bikes and a bunch of other stuff. A fairly basic Vue would cost around $20,000 with ABS, standard trans, stereo and bike rack. The EPA is 23/28 stand. and 22/28 automatic. I saw one on the road the other day and I think I am going to check it out at the dealership.

Bob Sigerson

My vote is a toyota land cruiser. My Wife has a Honda van, the biggest of all mini vans, and there is no question my land cruiser carries much more and much more easily and in more comfort.

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David
* Ironman for Life! (Blog) * IM Everyday Hero Video * Daggett Shuler Law *
Disclaimer: I have personal and professional relationships with many athletes, vendors, and organizations in the triathlon world.

I vote for the Jeep Wrangler. It might be called something different in the States. Nothing better than being able to cruise to the triathlon with the top down getting used to the wind in your hair while everyone else is looking board in their standard sedans.

Get some excitement. Get a Jeep.

My vote goes to an old beat up VW Camper Van. Built in ice chest and you can probably pick one up from a Dead Head in mourning pretty cheap now that they don't have to caravan from Greatful Dead Concert to Greatful Dead Concert anymore.

The Saturn Vue is an excellent auto. I haven't tried to fit my bike in one yet but I think that it would easily. Plus the rear seat is 70-30 vs 60-40 like most so there is just enough room for 1 skinny bike (I think they were thinking skis) and my 2 rugrats will sit more comfortably. The gas mileage with the front wheel drive 4 cylinder is pretty good too! Also, the thing won't rust or dent and is relatively inexpensive.

I like the 4.4i. I saw my first Cayenne Turbo (light tan colour) the other day. Lots of handles to hold onto but didn't spot the cup holders. Very nice inside. I'd be interested to know what you think. On a slightly cheaper scale I think the new Volvo V70R wagon (4wd 300 HP) has some rapid bike transporting potential.

If Maserati build the Kubang they'll be another nice looking SUV on the market.

The other way to go Samok is to get a second hand SUV/big 4by4 which hasn't gone off-road. ML320, Landcruiser, X5 etc.

No kids? Definietly a BMW M5 with roof racks. The most screaming bad-ass 4 -door sedan on the road will get you to and from races pronto, with a huge grin on your face.

Paul...so they have the Cayenne turbo already out in BC, huh? Nice....I plan to test "drive" one on the 15th...I find it hard to believe that it could knock my socks off as the X5 did and still does EVERYDAY...but I am willing to give it a fair shot....who knows I may be driving one home that day....(Seriously)...I am a sucker for nice cars/suv's and bikes.
As far as the Volvo...is that the new suv that was just voted suv on the year by MT mag.? I have seen it, but have not taken it for a test drive yet...it is nice looking though. I think that that Volvo and the Acura MDX are very 'smart' choices...but, in a completely different category than the X5 and Cayenne. The X5 is like having a truck and sports car in one...it's a near perfect mix.
If I were limited on my budget...the MDX would win, with the Nissan Murano or Xterra in second. If you have children, you need to go with a vehicle with much more room and leave your ego at home and go with an Element or a minivan..(boy, that's going to be a hard day for me, but hopefully it will happen :-)

GM...I agree 100%.
If I were to buy a 'car'....w/out question the M5 would be the car. It's a rocket.
Just try to drive it w/out a smile on your face....bet you can't!