Citroen C4 Grand Picasso - Bike Rack

[Grandc4]

Hello I have a 2011 grand Picasso and I'm going to centre parcs in a few months and I am looking to save money by spending money on either a roof bike holder or a boot bike holder.

A bike Carrier on the boot would be ideal but would settle for a roof one if I am told it's a better fit.

 

We have a roof bar either side on the roof so what suggestions have you got? I went to Halfords last year and got told they don't have certain ones, just universal ones

Appreciate your views thankyou. Links to products would be amazing thankyou.

 

Shaun

Edited August 22, 2017 by Grandc4

[paul.h]

Do you have a towbar and towbar electrics ? You will need the electrics to plug in a lighting board if you carry bikes on the back since the bikes will hide the rear lights. If you do not have the electrics then you will need to add on the cost - diy to fit a towbar and electrics can be about £150.

 

It is a long time since I carried bikes on a car and used a Halfords boot rack. The bikes make the car slightly wider. If you have the towbar you can get bike racks that fasten to it or bolt to a plate behind the towball. If you leave the car with the bikes still on they will need locking on somehow.

 

I have never tried a roof bike rack. If you go for one of these it may be dificult to lift the bikes up and on to the roof and you may need some steps, especially with your car being quite tall. Also the extra height needs to be considered if going under something low. A roof rack will increase fuel use a bit.

[Grandc4]

Okay thankyou Paul, maybe I will have to look into getting a tow bar fitted, I assume I have to pay for an extra number plate? Going to Citroen themselves would be too expensive for me I think so maybe a specialised company may be best.

[paul.h]

You would need a number plate for the lighting board, only about £10 from a dealer or elsewhere. You need to take your V5C document and some ID before you can get one.

 

I do not know how far the centre parcs is from you, but it could be cheaper to just make 2 trips in the car, one to take all the passengers and a second to take the bikes. You could also consider hiring bikes.

 

If paying to have a towbar and electrics, from Towsure it is about £313 for 7 pin electrics which is all you need. However, if you are thinking of towing a caravan you should go for 13 pin electrics which is about £50 more. http://www.towsure.com/citroen-c4-grand-picasso-2006-2013-removable-flange-towbar You should go for a flanged towball that will allow a bike rack plate to be put between the ball and towbar plate. http://www.towsure.com/cycling/cycle-carriers-and-cycle-carrier-accessories/towbar-cycle-carriers-bike-racks

 

Another possibility is a rear mounted high level bike carrier that does not hide the rear lights - just seen this on the Towsure site http://www.towsure.com/high-rise-strap-on-3-cycle-carrier and at £59.94 could be your best option.

[Grandc4]

Thanks once again, centre parcs is about 1.25 hours away from us. I wouldn't want to do two trips. We have three children and was hoping to find a rack which could take five bikes. I saw one the other day and thought I really could do with one of those.

 

I'm wondering if there is anywhere to go to see if any of these will fit, as I think a Halfords bloke said there aren't many that do fit a Citroen c4 grand Picasso. I don't mind paying for the electrics and a towbar if it allows me to get a bike rack that can take five bikes. Will save me money over the long run. It's like £25 a bike at Centre parcs to hire out.

[Grandc4]

You would need a number plate for the lighting board, only about £10 from a dealer or elsewhere. You need to take your V5C document and some ID before you can get one.

 

I do not know how far the centre parcs is from you, but it could be cheaper to just make 2 trips in the car, one to take all the passengers and a second to take the bikes. You could also consider hiring bikes.

 

If paying to have a towbar and electrics, from Towsure it is about £313 for 7 pin electrics which is all you need. However, if you are thinking of towing a caravan you should go for 13 pin electrics which is about £50 more. http://www.towsure.com/citroen-c4-grand-picasso-2006-2013-removable-flange-towbar You should go for a flanged towball that will allow a bike rack plate to be put between the ball and towbar plate. http://www.towsure.com/cycling/cycle-carriers-and-cycle-carrier-accessories/towbar-cycle-carriers-bike-racks

 

Another possibility is a rear mounted high level bike carrier that does not hide the rear lights - just seen this on the Towsure site http://www.towsure.com/high-rise-strap-on-3-cycle-carrier and at £59.94 could be your best option.

What should I do for the first option? I don't really understand it, and have I selected the right second option? Seems it would be about £300ishnfor towbar and electrics and about £233 for the bike rack.

[Grandc4]

Pictures

[Grandc4]

The first option I'm not sure what to put, I haven't chosen the 50mm etc

[paul.h]

Unless you are going to tow a caravan with an Alko stabiliser hitch, you only need a standard 50 mm towball (all towballs are 50 mm diameter EC approved). Some towbar bike racks clamp on to the towball, others have a plate fastened between the towball and towbar but by having a towbar with a bolt on towball you have the choice of either type of bike rack.

 

On your car you need to look in the handbook for the towing information to see what towbar recommended nose weight it can take since a bike typically weighs about 15 kg so 5 of them will be 75 kg and then you need to add the bike rack weight. A look in a handbook for the C4 Picasso 2010 to 2011 models (approx page 212) gives 60 kg for most engines so I would weigh the bikes to see what weight is left for the bike rack. A lighting board does not weigh much so can be ignored.

[Grandc4]

Thankyou for that Paul, I'll take a look and see what the nose weight is etc. I did have a little look before you mentioned it but couldn't decided where my car falls under. Pretty sure it's a 1.8 hdi

[paul.h]

It will be a 1.6 or a 2.0 hdi since a 1.8 hdi was not made. If you look at your car VIN the engine code is part of it and can be looked up in the handbook on about page 210 for the engine data to see what size it is and power output. 9HZ and 9HR are 1.6 hdi 110 bhp engines and RHJ, RHR, RHE and RHH are 2.0 hdi engines with 138 to 163 bhp. The nose weight also depends on whether it is a 7 seater (UA in the tables) or a 5 seater (UE 5 seat grand picasso or UD 5 seat picasso) and whether automatic. If I have read this right, if you have a 5 seat grand picasso the nose weight is 60 kg or if the 2.0 hdi 150 bhp then 70 kg. If a 7 seat then it is 50 kg for the 1.6 hdi and 60 or 70 kg for the 2.0 hdi depending on bhp and if automatic.

[Routemaster1]

It will be a 1.6 or a 2.0 hdi since a 1.8 hdi was not made. If you look at your car VIN the engine code is part of it and can be looked up in the handbook on about page 210 for the engine data to see what size it is and power output. 9HZ and 9HR are 1.6 hdi 110 bhp engines and RHJ, RHR, RHE and RHH are 2.0 hdi engines with 138 to 163 bhp. The nose weight also depends on whether it is a 7 seater (UA in the tables) or a 5 seater (UE 5 seat grand picasso or UD 5 seat picasso) and whether automatic. If I have read this right, if you have a 5 seat grand picasso the nose weight is 60 kg or if the 2.0 hdi 150 bhp then 70 kg. If a 7 seat then it is 50 kg for the 1.6 hdi and 60 or 70 kg for the 2.0 hdi depending on bhp and if automatic.

 

It wouldn't be a 5 seat Grand, because, as far as I know' they were never sold in the UK.

 

[paul.h]

Interesting, Grand4c has been on the forum since 2014 so presumably has owned the car since then. I would have thought he would know which engine his car had but maybe as long as it goes from A to B is not too bothered.

[Grandc4]

Hi sorry, yes it's a 1.6 but tbh like you said Paul I just go from a to b and haven't really thought about the size, I bought the car in 2014 and have forgotten, not sure why I said 1.8. Yes it's a 7 seater.

 

So it would seem I wouldn't be able to take two adults and two children bikes on the back :(

[paul.h]

I would weigh the bikes before deciding. Also you might be able to put 3 on the back and 1 inside. The handbook does give the nose weight as a recommendation which might allow for a bit above 50 kg without the car steering and traction suffering.

[Grandc4]

Okay I'll have a look. Cheers for your help, you helped me last time I had problem. Appreciate it. I'll get back on here and let you know how I get on.