The summer season is coming

The summer season is coming, which means that now you can finally get your hands on bicycles that have already become dusty over the winter and enjoy trips with family and friends through beautiful forests, fields and national parks. We will tell you about where you can travel around Latvia in one of the following posts, but for now let’s see how you can transport your bike in a car.
There are several ways to transport your bike in a car. However, they all differ in terms of convenience. Of course, the most suitable transportation method will differ for each car model. But we will try to consider all the options.
Option 1: in the trunk.
So, the first way is to transport your bicycle in the trunk of your car. For that you should lower the rear seats of the car if the space in your car allows to do so, then remove the front wheel from the bike, turn the handlebars and put everything into the trunk.
If you don’t have an opportunity to lower the back seats, then also remove the rear wheel and the saddle from the bike; in that case everything will fit just in trunk. With this method of transportation, it is worth noting that the bike should be put with the transmission upwards so as not to damage the switch.
Option 2: in the salon.
You can also put your bike inside the car. Although the interior will most likely have to be cleaned after such a transportation. For this method, you will also need to remove the front wheel and bike saddle. In order not to damage it, it will be better to either cover the back seat of the car with some cloth or use a bike cover (velosock.com), which is easier and more practical.
In case if the rear seats of your car are occupied, you can also remove the rear wheel of your bicycle and put the bike on the front seat of the car.
Option 3: on the roof.
It is much more convenient to transport bicycles using special mounts on the roof of the car. With this method, you will be able to transport up to 3 bicycles at the same time. However, for this type of transportation, you need roof rack cross bars and the roof bike racks. You can buy the roof bike racks in many places, but the roof rack cross bars are selected individually for each particular car model.
Despite the fact that this method of transporting bicycles is the most convenient among the above mentioned ones, unfortunately, it has its drawbacks as well. Firstly, lifting a bike onto the roof of a car might be quite a challenge, especially if you have a high car. Secondly, the aerodynamic properties of the car and speed limits change: in general, it is not recommended to drive with higher speed than 120 km/h, but it depends on the specific roof rack cross bars, which is prescribed in the instructions. And thirdly, you should be careful and keep in mind quite a big change in the dimensions of the car.
Option 4: on a tow bar.
The most convenient bike transportation is probably by using bicycle car racks fastened to a tow bar. In this case, you won’t have to get used to the greatly changed dimensions of the car, and you can move around without speed limits, plus you won’t need to lift heavy bicycles high up to the roof of the car. Bicycle car racks versions come in from 2 to 4 bicycles. In case you have a hatchback, crossover or station wagon, for access to the trunk of the car, there is an inclined position of the bicycle car racks, so that the trunk lid of the car can be easily opened. The only downside is that bicycles can get pretty dirty if dirt is coming from under the wheels.
Have pleasant and comfortable trips!