I had a C30. You can get Volvo load bars out of the US for cheap. That's what I did. Or. I reccomended the King Joe Pro rear mount rack. But I'm not sure if it will work on the C30.

 

Why can't you fit the bike in the hatch?


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Why can't you fit the bike in the hatch?

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I tried that last week and I couldn't get the bike in. I was in a rush, so I didn't take off the front wheel. If I remove the front wheel, it would likely fit, but it's still a real PITA. Inevitably I wind up whacking or scraping the bumper w/ the pedals, or getting grease inside, etc. I have an OLD Giant Option hybrid. It's heavy (steel) and awkward to lift. That's the other reason I don't want to get a roof rack - I won't be able to lift it up there. If I had a bike made out of lighter materials, it'd be a breeze to lift up onto the roof. I'll probably get a new bike next year. But in the meantime, I'd like something simple and cheap that attaches to the hatch until I get a new bike and/or car. They have so many of those types available, but I dont' know which (if any) will work with the C30. The Thule guide on their site gives no hatch-mount items when you enter C30 2012. Not sure if that means the models they have really won't work - or they just don't recommend them.

I've been searching all day and night, and there are so few hits for C30 bike racks. Aside from the OEM system, I've found almost nothing. I came across the SeaSucker Hornet, but I think the rear area of the car isn't long enough vertically. Once mounted, it looks like the rear tire of the bike would be dangerously low to the ground.

I moved about 6 weeks ago to an area that has steep, long hills. I've been cycling for ten years, and have been fortunate to be able to start my rides right from my home. When riding in other locations, I go with friends and use their car/rack. But it's just too tough for me to get back up those hills after doing my typical 40K ride. I did it a few times after I moved here, and my knees have yet to recover. I've had to stop riding because I have no way to get back home at the end of the ride!

 

How about a trailer hitch mounted rack?


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How about a trailer hitch mounted rack?

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Nope. Too expensive. Between the hitch, the installation of the hitch, and the rack, it'll add up to quite a bit. Around $700 app. Way more than I want to spend.

 

well those are the only 2 solutions you have with that glass hatch. installation of the hitch should be a diy and is easy. at least with the hitch rack, you can use it on any other car.

 

I'm starting to see that, unfortunately. I looked carefully at the hatch tonight to see if any of the models from Thule or Yakima would work. Not only is it glass, but it's not straight on the sides (curved), you've got that "spoiler" at the top, and trim moulding on the bottom.

I tried to get the bike into the hatch w/o the front tire and it still won't fit. The hatch opening is very narrow even at it's widest point. So that's out too.

Your advice makes sense. Not only because I'll be able to use it on my next car, but because I can't lift my bike onto the roof! lol. Another problem w/ a roof rack is that I park in a small indoor garage, and there's no way a bike on the roof will clear the garage door.

So... hitch it is.

Any recommendations?
I found this one while searching yesterday: http://www.curtmfg.com/part/11337
$300. Seems expensive.

As for the bike rack that connects to the hitch - are there any that collapse/fold and fit into the back of the car? Again, any recommendations? Or is Thule/Yakima the way to go?

Thanks for your help. Much appreciated.

 

Oh, one other thing. Do I need a wiring kit?

 

Normally the hitch itself comes with the wiring. However since you're getting a bike hitch, it shouldn't obstruct the brake lights. Try hidden hitch. Go to a bike shop for advice on bike hitches. I have no recommendations for them. Sorry


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For what it's worth, I've got the roof rails and one fork-mount bike rack. I also have a U-Haul hitch on my C30. I was extremely surprised that the Volvo-branded bike rack was half the price of the equivalent Thule rack (Thule makes the Volvo-branded stuff). The hitch was installed for around $250 US. I don't remember what the roof rails cost, though. This setup lets me put a car-top carrier and a bike rack on the car for those long weekend trips.

 

If you only need a rack for occasional trips and don't want to have an ugly set of crossbars living on your car and eating up your fuel mileage I highly recommend the Talon Rack (and other options) from Seasucker. I have a couple of these and use them on my C30 to carry everything from mountain bikes to road tandems. Best part is they install in 2 minutes and can be used on any car so you're not buying a rack that you won't be able to use on other cars in the future. I can even put them on a friends car to bring my bike when their hitch rack gets full. When I fly with my bike I bring the rack with me to use on my rental car. They work even better than advertised.

 

(Was just wandering in from the V50 forums) I had the Thule volvo-branded roof rack on my V50. It always had some play and wiggle to it. When driving on the highway once, it randomly released my fork. The bike was still held down by the rear wheel, but it could have been a major disaster. If you get the factory cross bars and rails, get the Rocky Mounts Pitchfork Euro. It actually fits better than the Volvo branded Thule one. It comes in colors to match your car. It feels like it's welded on to the rack, where the Thule/Volvo one had lots of movement. The thing feels so solid it could stop a truck. The bike feels far more secured too. My Cervelo P3 appreciates being secure rather than being scattered on the road. The thing seems like it's made for our cars.

 

Link?

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Not sure if you were asking me for the RockyMounts link.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004949S8S

I'm thinking of getting rid of my barely used white one and getting an orange one for my orange C30. Let me know if you are interested.