Got a mates stag do Fri - Mon. Near Ambleside camping and MTB'ing.

Anyone transported a bike on their seven? Gonna give it a trial tonight, have a bike rack - thought maybe the top bar of the rack strapped to the top of the roll bar, bottom bar resting on the rear panel (high up so as to put the load on the top chassis 'hoop' around the boot).

Alternatively I had thought about strapping it straight to the roll bar (obviously frame and wheels seperated), will sit quite high up though?

The 'boot' lid is made from 1.2mm alu, so will take some weight but not loads.

I wont have a passenger but I suspect the seat and footwell will be taken up entirely with camping stuff. Wheels might strap nicely behind where the passengers head would normally be?

The bike is a small'ish hardtail 'jump' type bike (orange subzero), not a big monster full susser.

I think its a golden opportunity to drive up to the lakes at 11pm on friday Assuming the forecast is good.

Anyone else out in the lakes this weekend?

are you biking in whinlatter? brilliant there and not far from ambleside!

Not sure as I've not done the organising (questionable as to if ANYONE has lol) but if its nearby then yes I suspect so on saturday

not to sure which way you'll be coming but if in the indy go down a591 from j36 on m6 (which is where the a59/a65 comes to if you go skipton way. the first few miles are a bypass around kendal but then its the lake road all the way up to the a66. its stunning and loads of pubs to stop at for lunch etc.
if you carry on past ambleside towards grassmere and keswick the lake road is stunning. they dont call it the lake district for nothing.
also the whinlatter cycle trail is a designated bike trail by the forrestry commission and again its stunning at the top. there are 3 routes i think. a blue,which is short family route. and 2 reds which are difficult. there is a north and south red route and each climb up one side of a valley so make sure you take plenty of water as its a tough climb which ever one you do. but take a camera as the views are amazing from the top and the down hill sections are well worth the tough climb!

stuck somw photos in my archive from last year. in whinlatter section

If you go to Whinlatter dont feel you have to 'pay and display' at the vistors centre , there are loads of laybys on the surround roads that then allow you to get on the MTB routes from there.

Also rememeber to top up with fuel before you hit the Lakes, petrol stations can be few and far between when you've only got a small tank!

I've strapped the bike to the roll bar of the Indy before. Not a problem IMHO. Drop the seat down, but you'll still be significantly lower than anything else on the road!

Tent will fit in the passenger footwell and a ruck sack / bag strapped into the passenger seat worked for me.

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Originally posted by Colnago_Man
If you go to Whinlatter dont feel you have to 'pay and display' at the vistors centre , there are loads of laybys on the surround roads that then allow you to get on the MTB routes from there.

Also rememeber to top up with fuel before you hit the Lakes, petrol stations can be few and far between when you've only got a small tank!

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