Bicycles Aboard

[Talisman108]

Hello,

I'm a beginner to the sailboat world and am currently looking around for a 27' or similar vessel that I can live aboard and explore the waters around "home" (Vancouver, BC, Canada).

I have what might seem to be an obscure question, but I am into the sport of "Marathon Cycling" and as a result have three bicycles of which I am quite attached. I would like to combine sailing and cycling in my lifestyle, but am wondering how one keeps bicycle(s) aboard? Has anyone experience with this and how does one avoid the elements causing damage to the bikes?

Thank you.

 

[higgs]

Bike

A solo sailor friend of mine cruises aboard his 30 ft hunter with a bike in the main cabin. i think you will be hard pressed to store 3 bikes on a 27 footer

 

[Don12364]

Hi,
I made this detachable foldable rack for my two bikes. Okay so they are the folding type and smaller than a regular bicycle, but at least they don't take up locker space. Also when the bikes are at home they can live on the rack hung on the garage wall and it all travels in the trunk of my car.
The rack is made from 1" square aluminium tube and attached to the boat with only two 1/4" wing screws into two 2" round 1/4" thick aluminium disks permanently screwed to the transom. The bikes don't suffer much corrosion as they are out of any salt spray - but one still needs to keep an eye on them.

 

[petersea]

3 bikes and a live aboard

You might want to see if there is a storage unit near the marina you plan on staying at and or if the marina may be able to offer some storage space. It is going to be impossible to have three bikes on a boat that size and live aboard if you plan on keeping them in the cabin, the deck is another possibility but then you will find it difficult to sail with three bikes on deck unless you remove them when you go sailing. A tarp covering them will help avoid the weather but bottom line is there is no good answer here in my opinion....

 

[Ross]

I am of the opinion that sea air and bicycles don't mix well on a long term basis. Too much carbon steel on a bike. If you could get one made with brone chain and stainless steel sprokets you might have a bike that could be stowed on deck. The cabin on a 27 isn't much bigger than an average bathroom in a house.

 

[Bob V]

You need one of these

A real bicycle that just happens to fold also. The frame is special but everything else is regular bike hardware and it can be folded into a very compact package if you take off both wheels. Quick release hardware everywhere. I don't even use my regular bike since I got this one for the boat.

http://www.montagueco.com/

 

[LANCE ON CLOUD NINE]

Man I feel your pain-and if you really like to hammer...

you don't want no stinkin flex and fold bike. I would have just one bike onboard. To fight rust, I would make it a carbon fiber frame and as many fiber components as I could get. What wasn't fiber, I would just lube spray a couple times per week. I would mount it just like Donalex. At least that is my future plan. Wouldn't it be cool to have a trainer bolted to the back to double as a transport rack and have it hooked to a generator to charge house battery when you rode it at anchor?

 

[David in Sandusky]

We cruise with two full size foldable Dahon bikes aboard our '77 h27. When at anchor, I put them on deck, when in port, they are locked to something ashore. We have done this for over a month with two of us on the boat, so the space is there.

Do you really need three bikes with you all the time? Most of us coastal cruisers have a home port where I would leave two bikes while out cruising, taking the best match for intended ports of call with me on the boat.

If you don't like the folding bikes, then I recommend mounting your bikes on the stern of your boat, using the same hardware you would use on the back of a car. The key to easy moving and storage of our Dahon folders is a zip up bag that covers each one. They are made of heavy weight, waterproof fabric. I think a custom bag to cover your stern mounted bike(s) would protect them from being splashed or immersed in salt spray, although you will have to increase maintenance to keep all the working parts protected with a coat of oil, and clean off any corrosion. The stern is a pretty protected place, and the weight would be less than the dinghies many of us mount there.

The other location I have seen folks use is forward inside the shrouds. While workable (again, I would recommend bags) this will make it hard to get to the bow for the anchoring or mooring you will want to do in the San Juans, and will block your visibility forward - something I can't tolerate, but others clearly do.

My general point is that you can make this work, so go for it. And let us know what solution you come up with!

 

[Tom Spohn]

Many pro riders take a Bike Friday with them when travelling. We ride ours all over Puget Sound and have had them twice to Europe. They are the only foldable that doesn't break the top tube when folding--and they feel like real bikes!
http://www.bikefriday.com/famous

 

[Randyonr3]

I was in the same situation you are in right now and I chose to leave my pride and joys at home and buy a cheep folding unit to goof off on when we were out.
I say the same situation as I'm a veteran, of "RAAM", done a couple "PBP's" and also "BMB's" . and done a couple record rides with "UMCA" with an average of 30 to 40 - 100 milers through the season, throw in a couple doubles and top it off with "Hell Week" of 7 days of a century each day..
I had 4 different road bikes with pricing from 5 to 10k and what I found was that the "high dollar" equeptment will rust just like the cheep stuff.
If I was doing an event where I would use to boat to get there or if I knew I was sailing to one certin place to ride, thats a different story but I would never leave my bike hanging off the boat.
You sail in an area of salt water.... put a little salt in that shifting system and see how it works...NO?... didnt think so..

 

[Talisman108]

Thank you for all the advice. The replies make a lot of sense and I have a clearer idea of what to do with the bikes. Going to an event with a bike on board is one thing, but having my pride and joys on board too long might prove to be the death of them (I only ride steel frame bikes because "steel is real"). I guess it's hard to mix passions sometimes.

 

[Paul Cossman]

Montague folding dirt bikes

We have two pair of full-sized dirt bikes that fold up. appropriately only the down tub swiveled so there is little loss of stability. Very fun to ride; as good as a regular dedicated dirt bike. Had them for about 10 years. stored in the forepeak where we're under way Had them in the tropics in the S. Pacific for years. And they're still in great shape.

 

[Hermit Scott]

Storage

I was wondering where to put my horse on my catalina 30?
I ride at least 5 days a week on the best Schwinn you can buy (from Target). I have thought about the same question about the bikes, not the horse, just trying to poke fun that it's tough to mix some passions, but there is always a way for the inventive mind.
You better have a 1/4 berth to put that thing in. Salt water will kill it.

 

[Bad Obsession]

I have been keeping two folding dahnons in my lazzerette for 3 years now. They are in a case and out of the weather. They fit perfectly in the lazerette in my Catalina 30. The bags help me get them in and out of a dingy.

Living on a 27 foot boat might be cramped. If you can swing it, look for something slightly bigger.

 

[newly anonymous]

reality time

(1.) 3 bicycles on a 27 footer
(2.) living aboard
(3.) in Vancouver, where it rains, on average, 160 days per year.

Hello?