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Loading bikes in the 10

togaflyer

Well Known Member
I’m looking for the best way to load two mountain bikes inside my 10. The bikes are 29r with XL frames. Want to make sure the interior doesn’t take a hit. I figure front and rear wheels need to come off. Wondering how others load their bikes. Do you use bike and rim bags, Harbor Freight shipping blankets or ?. Thanks….
 
We have Jupiter X7 folding e-bikes that we bought at Osh this year. I loaded them naked (the bikes not me) but wasn’t super happy with doing that way. We’re gonna invest in some kind of bag for future flights.
 
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I load 2 Dahon 20” in the bags that came with them, lift them over the baggage brace but wouldn’t do it without the bags. It can be tight but need to be careful about the parts under the bag bumping the overhead or side panels or paint. Definitely worth taking them, a favorite trip is Mackinaw Island.
 
I've hauled two mountain bikes in our -10 a few times. I have taken the wheels off and slid the front forks under the rear seat support (with the seats removed) resting on the seats/handlebars. It was a pain to get the second bike in. Next time I plan to place the bikes on their sides and stack with with blankets between the bikes.
 
Two road bikes

I have loaded 2 full sized (56 cm and 62 (?) cm) road bikes in my -10 with wheels off and we stacked them. It’s doable but I wasn’t excited that the chains messed up anything they touch instantly. I assume a waxed chain versus an oiled chain would minimize this problem. It was certainly a jigsaw puzzle and I am not certain that 2 XL MTB frames would fit given the road bikes were tight. Worth a try but moving blankets would be a minimum to reduce scuffing the interior/carpets/upholstery as well as the bikes themselves (especially if carbon frames). Although the interior is spacious without the rear seats, the rear brace significantly limits the possibilities with large, awkward items like bikes.

Let us know if it works.
 
I have done it many times with my XL frame 29er's.

I purchased moving blankets on Amazon and use them. Both wheels come off and then stack the bikes with blankets between and wheels on top. I use 3-4 blankets. Works really great.

Your biggest risk is putting the bikes in and out of the door. If you wrap the pedals before putting them in that will be the best hope for not scratching or ripping any interior. I run flats now and those spikes are pretty deadly.

Still hoping for a 6 place turbo prop from Van's in the future! 4 seats, 4 bikes and 200 mph would be just right. Maybe the -15 will be 4 seat with a huge storage area...and back country......and land at 25mph.....and cruise at 200 mph.....:)
 
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Well that’s the only thing I miss about my Saratoga. You could put two full size bikes through the rear baggage door. But the other 99 percent its all about the -10. So looking at folding peddles for the bikes. Thought about a bike carry bag, but to load into the plane I think it would be definitely easier to load the frame then the wheels. Less chance of messing up the interior.
 
We just took our first trip with two bikes last week (we flew up to Mackinac Island). We have a 27" road and a 27" hybrid bike. Front wheels off, carefully padded, and stacked.

While it was straight forward getting them in and out, you do need to be careful. Scott is spot on regarding the interior.
 
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