[number9dream]

I’m planning a family holiday to mallorca with bike in tow. This will involve a hire car at the airport but i will need one that can fit the bike box Alan in. Does anyone have any experience of hire cars which can fit the box – plus wife and 2 kids….(obvs the bike has priority if we need to leave anything at the roadside but this may not help the long term relationship much…) 

thanks in advance

Topic

[Team EPO]

I went to the US landing late

I went to the US landing late at night and the bike box wouldn’t fit in any of the Taxis so I asked one of the free hotel coutresy min bus like things and he did it for a tip

[Anonymous]

Focus Estate will do the job,

Focus Estate will do the job, it’ll be snug but with the 2/1 split on the rear seats you should be able to get the box longitudanally amd upright so there will be space for the rest of the luggage in the  boot. Soft bags/carry on in the footwell are also an easy way to release up suitcase space in the boot

If you’re worried then Mondeo estate or equiv Insignia etc will be more than ample.

We took two bikes and though just two adults we had a weeks self catering stuff plus we brought back 12 cases of wine, fitted in a 2001 Passat wagon no problem at all.

[wildoo]

You need to carefully do the

You need to carefully do the maths.  I ride my bike every year on family hols.  I get up early and ride before they all get up!  Last year for instance we hired a car for me, wifey and kid + luggage and could get a small Seat for £200 for 2 weeks.  Had i taken the Bike i would have had to have a Galaxy or equivalent to get us, luggage plus bike in and it would have been £600 for two weeks.  When i added the extra hire cost Plus also the cost of taking the bike on the plane it was a lot cheaper to hire a bike out there.  I mailed the bike hire company my set up and they delivered to me all ready to go!  It also saved me the hassle of UK side transfers as my bike bag does not fit in my car without the seats down and then i would have to my son behind..

This year i am taking my own bike but going with extended family so will arrange minbus airport transfer for all of us and then no probs getting bike in.  Then when we do need a car we can hire at resort as we need! 

 

[MoutonDeMontagne]

Who are you flying with? Some

Who are you flying with? Some airlines offer a baggage ‘drop off/pick up’ service? Might help you out. 

[number9dream]

Really helpful thanks 

Really helpful thanks 

[Jack Osbourne snr]

I use a bag rather than a box

I use a bag rather than a box nowadays after having had a couple of nightmares.

A bag can be rolled and stuffed under kids’ feet if it all goes pear-shaped (the bike will then usually fit on top of everything else) when, for example, the hire company substitute the car you thought you were hiring for something “similar”.

A Berlingo will take a bike box and a family of 4 including 2 buggies. We got one a few years ago for half the price of a family saloon. Seriously uncool, but very practical.

Up the scale, most 7 seaters will probably be fine with a box if you pack light as a family, but depending on where/when you are going could easily cost you a grand for two weeks.

As an absolute minimum, even with a bike bag rather than box, we have squeezed into a Mégane estate.

The other advice above is good – if you’re not far from the airport, a taxi for the bike box could be worthwhile. Hiring a bike is also a good option on Mallorca.

Good luck!

 

 

[DeeJayJay]

I have used DoYouSpain for my

I have used DoYouSpain for my hire car on every visit to Mallorca, specifically Record Go through Do YouSpain.

 

I have requested a 7 seater, listed as Ford Galaxy or the like, and received a Nissan NV200 on 3 occaisons. It is a 7 seater van/car combi. I have found that with the rear (boot) seats folded, there is space for my BB Alan and luggage, leaving 5 seats for other passengers. I find the hire is generally quite cheap compared to others.

 

I hope this helps.

[PRSboy]

I’m with Maviczap on this…

I’m with Maviczap on this… you will probably pay more for a bigger car than you would pay for bike hire or taxi.

I needed to fold the rear seats down in my (dare I say it on here!) BMW X5 to get a BBAlan in.

I would say you’d need something Van sized.   I know I got one in a ford Galaxy, but I can’t remember if I put it in standing up, or folded the seats down.  Either way that wouldn’t work if you had luggage too.

This is a useful site for boot dimensions.

https://www.ridc.org.uk/2734

[fenix]

Hire a van if available ?
Hire a van if available ? Often cheaper than cars !

[maviczap]

I’m sure there’s a rule that

I’m sure there’s a rule that says thou shall not go on a cycling holiday with the wife and kids 

I can’t offer much advice, apart from the last two occasions I’ve traveled alone and my bike box takes up the whole of the rear seat capacity on a Polo or Fiesta, so you’ll need an estate or something with a high roof such as a Citroen Belingo, or a van

Couple of other options would be to take your bike box in a taxi to your hotel, as you’ll be paying for a bigger hire car, when really its only being used for 2 trips, to and from the airport.

Or hire a bike

Or pack the kids in the bike box

[Author]

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