Motoring Discussion > Ford C-MAX - Rear Bike Carrier Miscellaneous
Thread Author: BobbyG Replies: 10
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 Thu 11 Mar 10 12:13 
 Ford C-MAX - Rear Bike Carrier - BobbyG
Friend has a C-Max and looking at rear bike carriers. Most of these seem to clip onto the top of the boot but in the C Max there is a plastic spoiler type arrangement which I would doubt would take the weight and stress from a bike carrier.

Anyone out there got a C-Max and has managed to get round this?

My friend wouldn't be using it too much, maybe a couple of times a year and has very little storage space, so no point in going down the towbar or roof mounted arrangements.
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 Thu 11 Mar 10 17:08 
 Ford C-MAX - Rear Bike Carrier - Boxsterboy
My way round the plastic rear spoiler syndrome has been to put a roof bar as far back as possible/allowable (I think the C-Max has fixed roof bar points in the door opening area concealed by the doors rubber seal?), and then tie the bike carrier to the roof bar with longer straps than would otherwis be the case when fixing to the top of the hatch (if you see what I mean!).
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 Thu 11 Mar 10 19:24 
 Ford C-MAX - Rear Bike Carrier - BobbyG
I see what you mean but surely the straps will then still be straining at the angle they meet the plastic spoiler?
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 Thu 11 Mar 10 19:30 
 Ford C-MAX - Rear Bike Carrier - Runfer D'Hills
I'm not a fan of rear carriers unless they are the towbar type. I reluctantly use a clamp on one on the Qashqai for short runs but much prefer the roof mounted ones on the Mondeo estate. Friends of ours lost a bike overboard and damaged their car with a strap on carrier last year. Fortunately the fallen bike didn't hit anything.

If their needs are so limited/occasional they might be better hiring bikes at their destinations ?
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 Thu 11 Mar 10 19:37 
 Ford C-MAX - Rear Bike Carrier - R.P.
I bought a Thule towbar jobby - not been brave enough to try it yet..
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 Thu 11 Mar 10 19:50 
 Ford C-MAX - Rear Bike Carrier - BobbyG
Pug, used to have one of them myself - it was great.

Never had any reason to doubt its structural strength but seeing it suspended from the towball with 4 bikes on it always looked like defying gravity to me!
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 Thu 11 Mar 10 19:52 
 Ford C-MAX - Rear Bike Carrier - R.P.
Hence my caution !
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 Thu 11 Mar 10 19:49 
 Ford C-MAX - Rear Bike Carrier - BobbyG
Humph, you are probably right - next time they are looking to use it is in summer over in Arran, probably loads of bike hire there.
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 Thu 11 Mar 10 20:02 
 Ford C-MAX - Rear Bike Carrier - Runfer D'Hills
I remember a family holiday on Arran when I was a kid. We hired bikes and rode round the island. They were ancient things with rod operated brakes. Unfortunately the ones on my mum's bike didn't work and somewhere near the bottom of a steep hill she went through a hedge, emerging on the other side still upright but looking, well, like someone who has ridden through a hedge....... My dad, of course at first concerned was unable to stop bursting out laughing for days afterwards. We knew why but didn't dare say.......
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 Thu 11 Mar 10 21:04 
 Ford C-MAX - Rear Bike Carrier - Aaron C. Rescue
Bike hire on Arran?

Arran Adventure Centre 01770 302244
Brodick Boat & Cycle Hire 01770 302868
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 Fri 12 Mar 10 09:25 
 Ford C-MAX - Rear Bike Carrier - Boxsterboy
>> but surely the straps will then still be straining at
>> the angle they meet the plastic spoiler?
>>

It worked OK for me.

When you fixt the ties directly onto the spoiler the weight of the rack and bikes is actively pulling the spoiler away from the car - when the spoiler is at its weakest. Fixing the straps as I suggest to a roof bar means that the straps tend to push down on the spoiler sligtly but not excessively, and the spoiler will be stronger in compression. The weight is mostly borne by the straps on the roof bar. More of a concern to me was to place some cloth under the straps where they rest on the spoiler to prevent the (lovely) metallic paint from being scratched finely as the rack moves ever so slightly over bumps, etc.

I suppose if the spoiler sticks out excessively it might change the physics a bit.
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