Message Forums

Hi,

I know this is a long shot but I'll give it a try anyway. We're off on holiday for possibly the last time in our conway classic (2000) tt from the 17th July for up to 2 weeks. I would love to take our (4) bikes this year along with a roof box. I've been keeping my eyes open for a cheapish rack without success, so would there be anyone out there that would be willing to lend said rack for two weeks. I can say without question that it would be well looked after because that's just the way I am. If any one can help I would be extremely grateful.

Or if anyone can tell me how I can take 4 bikes and a roof box without a carrier I would also be grateful.Any ideas welcome.

Mark (Leicester)

Two bikes on a back rack, two strapped on top of the trailer? Be aware btw that not every Conway bike rack fits every Conway trailer tent. Also the weight of the bikes and rack must be added into the payload of the trailer tent. The average adult bike weighs approximately 15Kg.

We did our sums for all of this and decided that losing 60+Kg of payload inside the trailer wasn't worth it just to gain a similar weight of  payload in a roof box. Also there's the added hassle of having to unload all the bikes and dismantle the bike rack before we could even start putting up the TT. We left the bikes up on the roof and packed the trailer to its capacity instead. We're off for four weeks btw, family of four, Mondeo estate and our old Camargue and I know from past experience that the car won't be full...just the fridge and the four holdalls for clothes. All the rest fits in the trailer. How much stuff are you taking??????

Thanks for the reply Val.

Probably too much. The loo, fridge or cool box / water container go in the boot which means we have to use a large roof box for the rest. The tt has step, bedding, pegs, gas bottle, folding table and folding chairs etc and is therefore full. Maybe I could strap the roof box on to the tt and put the 4 bikes on the roof of the car. Is the max pay load on a plate on the tt?

Mark

Here's a link to the Conway 2000 brochure. (Big file, takes a wee while to load.) According to the specs the payload of a Classic is 100Kg...that's not including all the TT canvas and poles etc of course which are counted into the  ex-works weight.

So four bikes would take up half of that easily even if two were kids bikes. The rack must weigh something. I don't think btw that you can strap a roof box directly onto the trailer cover. For a start it wouldn't be that secure, secondly it would probably chafe straight through the cover and the weight might bend the cabin poles. You can mount it onto a roof rack of course but that brings you straight back to square one, yup?

You say you've got " step, bedding, pegs, gas bottle, folding table and folding chairs etc " in the trailer. What else? You don't need to carry the poles and canvas inside the trailer you know. They can go on top of the folded bed boards as long as your transit cover is good and tight and still overlaps round the edges. I've been known to tuck the pillows under the transit cover as well if the canvas packed down dry. That leaves the lockers free for all the miscellaneous kit like toys, books, sports equipment, the EHU, tent repair kit, torches, batteries, lights etc etc. Kitchen equipment in the kitchen, of course. I've got room in the trailer well for what you take plus two 907 gas bottles, a small gas BBQ and some food and booze. Thus all that's left to put in the car is our big Combicool and the clothes. I don't take a portapotti though and just use a folding water container which takes up no space at all. Oh, and I put the pegs in the sink where they'll be handy.

That's how I carry our kit anyway. Might give you some ideas as to how to redistribute stuff so you don't need the roof box?

Thanks once again Val.

I will have to try and maximise the space differently.