I own a Chevy Avalanche, which up until recently with the gas prices skyrocketing, was in my mind, a perfect vehicle to transport my bike and to travel to races in. It’s comfortable, spacious, and does an excellent job of protecting my bike in the rear bed. It holds 3 bikes comfortably and 5 people comfortably. But now with rising gas prices, I am beginning to wonder. I have to travel 3 times a week, 30 miles away, to go to the nearest Olympic size pool. At around 15 miles to the gallon and 60 miles each trip at $2.00 a gallon for gas, that’s $24/week just to swim. That doesn’t include my monthly dues. I spend over $140 per month just to swim. Seems like alot of money to me. What vehicle would be the ideal “Tri-Mobile?” I am looking for one that is roomy and comfortable, one that I can transport my bike in without having to use a rack or hitch mount, and one that gets decent gas mileage. It would also be nice if it had a little aesthetic appeal too. Does anybody out there in Slowtwitch Land have the ideal “Tri-Mobile?”
Station wagon time! I’d have a look at something like a VW Passat wagon or one of the bigger Subarus. We’ve got a Passat sedan I’m very happy with. Around 28mpg highway, very fun to drive, and the back seat folds down so you can fit my (admittedly wee) tri bike in back without having to take any wheels off. A larger bike, you’d probably have to take a wheel off, but it would still fit fine. Two bikes in back should work with the wagon.
You might consider what a friend of mine called my car when he saw it–the Mini Avalanche. I love my Subaru Baja. It has the best bike mount system I have ever seen in the rear bed. There is a bar that runs along behind the rear window that has fork mounts on it. This came from Subaru but they are all Yakama parts, very secure. So the bikes ride safe, nothing on the roof reducing gas mileage, and still seats 4. All with 25-27mpg with a 5 speed. CST
Honda Element. Bikes go in upright without removing anything. Gets good mileage (average mid-20’s, as high as 28 once), easy to change clothes in because of the height, easy to clean. Front-wheel drive, available all-wheel drive if you “need” it. (Need is in parentheses, because “need” is a very strong word…so many of our “needs” are simply “wants”.) No maintainence issues. 270 watt stereo with subwoofer, good air conditioning, and they’re fairly cheap.
I know there are people that say they just “need” their giant gas-hogs, but, like I said last year: I wouldn’t mind seeing gas prices go through the roof, if that’s what it takes to get the pollution levels down and to get the obviously excessively-sized vehicles off the road. It might even get this spoiled, fat-ass nation’s population out on bikes more…nah, forget that…the fat-asses that don’t exercise now, and that can afford the higher gas prices, aren’t going to start exercising because of a higher expense to drive…they’ll just stay parked in front of the TV.
Subaru Forrester XT
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Jeep Wrangler Sport!
It depends on how many people you intend to transport along with it. Almost any small hatchback or wagon will easily accomodate your bike if there are 2 or fewer people going. I used to have a minivan, which I believe is the best and easiest way to transport bicycles. I now have a Taurus wagon which works fine (I have 2 children). I have recently been looking at at pretty neat looking alternative. I saw an ad for a trailer hitch mounted bike case at www.komo-creation.com which looks interesting. It would allow you to drive almost any type of vehicle and transport your bike inside. I emailed them about a price and they sent me a brochure back … without a price.
My full sized Yukon XL with its 30+ gallon gas tank is perfect for me. I wouldn’t give it up for the world. I removed the 3rd row seat, installed a bike rack that allows me to store my bikes upright in the back and I still have room in the rear storage space for my dogs WITH the 2nd row seats still up.
$50/week for gas. Who cares, its not like triathletes are in a lower income demographic.
Think about what you’d pay in sales tax, title, and insurance for a new vehicle, all because you’re worried about gas. 5% sales tax on $30K is $1500 - thats more than 6 months worth of gas at today’s prices.
"Think about what you’d pay in sales tax, title, and insurance for a new vehicle, all because you’re worried about gas. 5% sales tax on $30K is $1500 - thats more than 6 months worth of gas at today’s prices. "
VERY GOOD POINTS!
I can get all my gear into a Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4…get there with no less than 400+ HP!!! That and a new Mercedes “C” class that we got. I an thinking HARD about getting that E55 if they actually start delivering the wagon version to this country.
Honda Element. Period. Hauls 3 bikes INSIDE, without removing wheels or lowering saddles and still has plenty of room for gear and riders as well. I get 27-28mpg on the highway going to races. 22-24mpg in town driving. Its no Civic in the mpg race, but its damn better than the V8 monstrosities land-barging over the road.
"Think about what you’d pay in sales tax, title, and insurance for a new vehicle, all because you’re worried about gas. 5% sales tax on $30K is $1500 - thats more than 6 months worth of gas at today’s prices. "
VERY GOOD POINTS!
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There are a lot of reasons that conserving fuel is a good idea. You can put the money into tax, title, etc. or buy gas with it which causes more pollution. Whether you are interested in making a statement (or an actual impact) about the direction vehicle manufacturers go in, or the degree to which we should rely on oil-rich countries and our own natural resources is your choice. But I drive a Subaru, so you can guess where I am coming from.
I love my Subaru Outback. Bikes can go on the roof or 2 bikes with wheels off on the back laying down (one bike can get in with only the front wheel off). Totally reliable car - this is my second one. The Baja is an Outback with the avalanche type bed. 25 MPG and all-wheel drive and very good handling.
Honda Element. Period.
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Yeah, but he said aesthetic appeal. 
I know - people either love it or hate it. I have to admit, it looks better than that ridiculous new Toyota Scion B.
Without getting into the whole SUV thing, I think the question many people need to ask themselves is how much interior space do they REALLY need? Most car trips are made with one person - the driver, despite the fact that a vehicle can seat 4+ people and other gear.
I know that you stated you did not want to go with a rack, but if you are really serious about getting a car, that get’s great milege, it’s the only way to go. Yes the bikes and the rack cut into the mileage a bit due to wind drag - a fairing helps. I just back off on the gas a bit when I have bikes on the roof - drive at 100 km/h instead of 110-115 km/h on the highway.
For big trips I use a roof box and I can still get two bikes, wheels and other gear on the roof and seat 3 people and the dog! comfortably in my Toyota Corolla.
My next car will likly be one of the sporty wagons( Toyota Matrix, Mazda 3 or 6 Sport Wagon, Subaru Outback etc . .) that are out now. However, that’s a few years away. The Corolla’s run forever and are great on the gas.
Any guesses on how long it will take for this thread to degenerate into “I have the right to drive whatever the f**k I want” and “I hug trees between workouts and GWB is the Devil” flame-a-thon?
Anybody? Anybody?
Oh yeah–POWERCRANKS!!!
Brett
Or, maybe you just don’t give a crap about “the environment” but love driving big toys with lots of power.
Maybe you’re an independant person who enjoys ensuring he doesn’t need to ask for anyone’s help to do anything, and drives a vehicle that allows him an unbelievable amount of freedom.
For me, a big vehicle IS freedom. I’d pay $10/gallon if required to drive that big thing.
I’ve got an Element as well, and it’s the perfect tri rig, as others have stated. It is, however, ugly. I’ve had mine about 15 months. I thought its looks would grow on me. It hasn’t. It was ugly when I bought it, and it’s still ugly today. But it gets great gas mileage, has plenty of room, and is incredibly practical. Much more so than my wife’s uber-thirsty Yukon.
RP
Whoa, whoa, whoa! The Scion BBx kicks!!! The Element looks like an explosion at the Rubbermiad factory in comparison! What’s with all that body cladding anyway? For the same reason, you gotta go with the striaght-up Legacy over the Outback.
Looks like it was fewer than 60 seconds by the time on your and Schwingding’s posts.
Good call.
Trust me, the looks grow on you. Take one for a spin. Move the seats around. Play with the interior. You’ll be hooked. It took me a year of ownership before I really got settled with the exterior. But I loved the damn thing long before that.
You want aesthetic appeal? Get a Ferrari. Every SUV and minivan on the road are basically boxes on wheels. They’re all butt-ugly if you ask me. So are most common sedans and coupes as well. Bubbles moving like fenced in cattle.