Transporting a Mountain Bike

[huskyhusky]

Does anyone have any suggestions for transporting a mountain bike in the husky? The frame and wheels are too large to fit in the tail, cargo area, or belly pod of the dog. I'm in to "bike-packing" and using the husky as the vehicle to start and end the trip is a dream!

Thanks!

 

[bumper]

Tough combo. If you were in Alaska, it'd get tied to the struts. I have a an early Bike Friday road bike that will fold/come apart to fit, even goes into the Mooney.

But off road tough, at least in full size wheels, combined with fit-in-a-Husky, is sadly a conundrum I think. If you search small wheel folding mountain bike, there are some offerings, don't know if they'll "fly".

 

[tbienz]

I have a Brompton 6 speed utility bike that folds up and fits in the cargo area behind the rear seat of the Husky, but I wouldn't want to take on a tough mountain bike trail with it.
Thomas D. has a good solution with custom under-plane bike storage and what I believe to be full size bikes.
I've seen people tie things to the struts in the lower 48...in fact, it may have been my plane. Up in Alaska, skis (for example) aren't even considered an "external load"...a bike, probably yes.

 

[huskyhusky]

Thank you both for your suggestions. Strapping it to the frame reminds me of those beavers on floats with ATV's strapped to them, I don't mind the idea of looking like that.

 

[Snowbirdxx]

2 Schauff folding frame MTbs 10.2 Kg each
Carbon belly pod rear loader woth a carbon drawer 4.2 Kg
Speed penalty 2-3 Kts

 

[daryl.west]

Unfortunately if you are are taking someone with you it might not work. But by myself and I am a big guy an xl niner or cannondale will fit in the back with stick removed and seat folded. Easy to throw the wheels back on and your ready to go.

 

[Larson]

Thomas B

I’m looking at getting two Brompton folgong bikes, do you think they would both fit in the back of the Husky, behind the rear seat?
I am thinking one flat on the bottom and one vertical on top of it, any thoughts here?

Anyone else have folding bike successes?

 

[tbienz]

It would be tight and the upper bike would probably be the one that has to be sideways. The upper one might stress the side windows if it fits at all. It would also be a risky “missle” in the event of a crash unless you figured out a way to secure it to the upper rear bulkhead. I only have one Brompton so I can’t test the theory.
Mine just barely fits all the way down to the floorboard vertically, I think it would hang up sideways.

 

[Snowbirdxx]

Two Bromtons do not fit, I tried.

These Schauff high end mountain bikes stored for flying in the belly pod pictured. Here seen in Sant Illuminato,Tuskany The bikes weight 22 lbs ea

 

[Larson]

Will the Bromptons fit in the Air Glas cargo pod?

Or would one fit in the pod/ one behind the seat?

Or does TD sell his pods and maybe we get mountain bikes?

 

[tbienz]

The Brompton will not fit through the door of the Airglas cargo pod.

 

[Snowbirdxx]

Lars,

my cargo Bike pod is not for sale. Its custom made for the two Schauffs we have . But the two Dahons 20" will go in there too. Less hassle to set up, but less comfort to ride. We do not fold the dahons, just fold the steering column and take the saddlepost off. The front wheels has to be taken off. But putting them on does not even dirty your hands, while putting the chain up on the Schauffs will.

Before making the pod we went through the process deciding how to transport the bikes. The cabin was no option cause of the dog being on top of the luggage. Hanging two shells under the wingswas drag and weight wise outruled. A one piece belly pod designed as a rear loader with no doors on the side was the winner. To make loading easy the rear loader needs a drawer where the bikes get attached to.

once you decided which bike you want get measurements,
Then look for a car roof box that fits the dimensions by width and length.

The lid of the box will be used as your mold to laminate the bottom of the new box. Make a styfofoam mold for the top that fits the fuselage and the bottom.

Once the bottom is laminated, cover it with plastic foil and laminate another 2 layers in to make a fitting drawer that can be pulled out. Its hepfful to have the sidewalls of the drawer filled with 5mm styrofoam.

Onve the bottom and top piece are laminated together, cut the rear open and hinge it on the bottom.

The bikes will be loaded on the drawer, while its under the wing in the shadow. fixed with belts, then the drawer goes into the box. Use lockpins to attach drawer to the box, so it will not slide backwards.

My box is made of carbon fibre an weight with the dawer is less than 12 lbs

I keep it loaded on a dolly which has a scissors car jack and I can lift the loaded box up, so the attach fittings match the Husky. Insert 4 bolts and nuts and ready to go. Putting the pod on is less than 3 minutes.

If you kike I can make some detailed pics. It slows down by 3 -4 KTS, when flying 21/2000 only 2 KTS CHT is 30 °F higher with cooling lip.

 

[Larson]

Ta Tom

I will look at options.... I have some more ideas....

 

[Awellslo]

Looking at a Brompton. If I am reading things correctly, it sounds like 1 will fit in the rear baggage compartment. And, if I am alone, and have the read seat folded forward, it sounds like it should be no problem at all. But, will it fit through the baggage door? Or, must it go through the main cabin door?

Looked at one today. They seem like great bikes. The folding and unfolding worked really slick. I guess I was expecting it to be more cumbersome.

Alex

 

[tbienz]

My Husky has no side door access to the baggage area behind the seat. I load my Brompton from inside and I think that's how you would have to do it even if you have a baggage door. The Brompton will not work well for off-road riding on difficult terrain. It will work pretty well on gravel paths, and exceptionally well on city streets and even for morning road rides. I brought mine on a commercial flight to Boston and arrived at 01:00 in the morning and it was raining. It handled it great...fenders, generator run headlight and tail light, all the bags that come with it are ultra waterproof because they're made for riding in England...it's wet. When I took a personal flight to Palm Desert to escape winter for a few days, I rode it up and over the pass toward LA for several hours and a few thousand feet of climbing...it rides very well despite the appearance it just gets a bit nervous over 30mph on the downhills because of the small tires, but still corners quite well.

 

[Snowbirdxx]

My MTBs live in the belly pod which rests on a jackable dolly.
Push the pod under the Husky, wind it up with a jacksrew car lift, attach 4 bolts, go Flying.
Loose 2-3 KTS of airspeed
Land.
Open the rear of the belly pod,
pull the carbon drawer out,
take the Bikes off the drawer and insert Frontwheels and saddles
Go Biking.

Had small Bikes before, but with two on board and the dog , space is tight plus as ThomasB noted the small wheels are kinda scary depending on the surface.

And the threads name should be " How to transport 2 MTBs"

 

[Awellslo]

My Husky has no side door access to the baggage area behind the seat. I load my Brompton from inside and I think that's how you would have to do it even if you have a baggage door. The Brompton will not work well for off-road riding on difficult terrain. It will work pretty well on gravel paths, and exceptionally well on city streets and even for morning road rides. I brought mine on a commercial flight to Boston and arrived at 01:00 in the morning and it was raining. It handled it great...fenders, generator run headlight and tail light, all the bags that come with it are ultra waterproof because they're made for riding in England...it's wet. When I took a personal flight to Palm Desert to escape winter for a few days, I rode it up and over the pass toward LA for several hours and a few thousand feet of climbing...it rides very well despite the appearance it just gets a bit nervous over 30mph on the downhills because of the small tires, but still corners quite well.

Thank you for the testimonial. I'll keep investigating. I like the way it can be used in the Husky as well as commercial flights.

 

[Proteus]

I borrowed an electric brompton to try out when I flew down for annual this year. I sat it on the back seat wrapped in a towel and strapped in using the harness. With the rear stick out it worked surprisingly well. It's a bit of a fiddle to load but made the motel to hangar trip twice daily vastly more convenient