Will a Bicycle fit in the trunk?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Heino
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Heino

Heino

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Not having a trailer hitch on the Clarity is certainly limiting for us bicycle owners... has anyone here tried transporting a bicycle in the trunk?

I haven't measured my bicycle... but wanted to see if I could make it work. Even if it means temporarily removing the front tire.
 
Standard men’s 26“ roadbike.

Once spring gets here... I definitely want to go biking again. I’m not fond of the trunk mounted bicycle carriers.
 
I have been thinking about a folding bike for keeping in the trunk for times when I want to charge but not be stuck in the vicinity of the charger.
 
Heino said:
Not having a trailer hitch on the Clarity is certainly limiting for us bicycle owners... has anyone here tried transporting a bicycle in the trunk?

I haven't measured my bicycle... but wanted to see if I could make it work. Even if it means temporarily removing the front tire.
Click to expand...
I and a friend have been using the car to transport our bikes 3 times a week for the last 2 months. My bike is a fully loaded road bike with head light, two water bottles, and a saddle bag. To get mine in the trunk, I remove the front tire, rotate the handle bars, and work the left handle bar and the end of the forks through the narrow opening in the back. The friend removes her front wheel, rotates the handle bars, and puts her bike over my fork ends onto the rear seats. Both front wheels easily stowe into the trunk.
The maneuver does takes a bit of practice, but with two people, cautious against contact with parts of the car, it is quite do-able.
I do recommend a bag over the gears to protect the Clarity against any grease. White Lightening makes a gear sleeve that works well.
 
Ray B said:
I have been thinking about a folding bike for keeping in the trunk for times when I want to charge but not be stuck in the vicinity of the charger.
Click to expand...

My wife and I have folding bikes (Giant Expressway) for camping. I'm not sure a folding bike would help for for putting bikes in the trunk. Folding bikes are shorter, but wider, when folded. That helps them fit better into the cargo area of our towing SUV, but might make them too wide for putting in the trunk of the Clarity. Mine are stored for the winter, so I can't test that for you, but consider that shorter and wider may not help?
 
Thomas Mitchell said:
Why not buy a hitch?
https://www.etrailer.com/hitch-2018_Honda_Clarity.htm




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That's an interesting find! I've used a Torqlift EcoHitch on a Subaru Outback and they make a good product. Any issue with warranty on the Clarity, since it's not rated for towing? Removing the bumper may (or may not) be easy, but lowering the exhaust out of the way for installation may not be for the faint of heart without proper tools. Exhaust pipes are TIGHT and could require disassembly!
 
Sandroad said:
My wife and I have folding bikes (Giant Expressway) for camping. I'm not sure a folding bike would help for for putting bikes in the trunk. Folding bikes are shorter, but wider, when folded. That helps them fit better into the cargo area of our towing SUV, but might make them too wide for putting in the trunk of the Clarity. Mine are stored for the winter, so I can't test that for you, but consider that shorter and wider may not help?
Click to expand...

For a single folding bike it should have no problem based on published folded dimensions of the two that I looked at 31x29x15" and 31x29x12.5".
 
Sandroad said:
That's an interesting find! I've used a Torqlift EcoHitch on a Subaru Outback and they make a good product. Any issue with warranty on the Clarity, since it's not rated for towing? Removing the bumper may (or may not) be easy, but lowering the exhaust out of the way for installation may not be for the faint of heart without proper tools. Exhaust pipes are TIGHT and could require disassembly!
Click to expand...
It does rate the difficulty as 10 out of 10, so probably a PITA to install. Your warranty is protected by the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. Honda can't void a claim just because you have a hitch installed. They would have to prove the hitch caused the claimed issue. If you used the hitch to tow something, they could conceivably void a related claim because you towed, not because you installed a hitch.
 
For those interested in mounting a light trailer hitch on their Clarity to mount a bike rack, be advised that TorkLift does now make one specifically for the Clarity.

Much discussion on our forum here; I linked to a later post in this long thread, where people are actually discussing installation of the TorkLift hitch.

Be warned that for installation, "they removed some plastic where the hitch protrudes, just forward of the bumper." So not quite a non-destructive install, but from what's reported there it's a lot less complicated than having to lower the exhaust system out of the way!

Nobody in that thread has reported trying to use the hitch to haul a trailer, not even a light trailer, but one of those reporting says TorkLift offers two sizes, so perhaps at least light hauling may be possible with the heavier hitch.

Carrying a bicycle on a roof rack is of course possible, but be warned that's going to cut significantly into your EV range at highway speed. Carrying the bike on a rack on the rear of the car should not impact range nearly as much.
​
 
Will a 26" folding bike fit in the trunk? I'd like to think it will but just want some confirmation from someone that owns a folding bike.
Currently thinking of buying a Clarity and a 26 folding bike :)
 
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