Carrying bikes - advice please!

We had an S-Max when we caravaned, carrying them on the tailgate is out as it is a composite door. We fitted a Witter ZX99 bike carrier to the towball, this allows you to tow the caravan at the same time. If you can carry your adult bikes on this and put the kids bikes in the boot that might work, or put the bikes in the caravan wrapped up in an old blanket/duvet to protect your fittings, wedge them in place using cushions. The overall problem you might have though is weight. Carrying 2 adults 3 kids + towing a caravan might put you on your limit, adding bikes to that could well put you over.

My first thought is that all that extra weight in the caravan is not a good idea.

Better to carry them on the car.

I think that you are right in considering the extra weight, as that may be your main enemy! Bikes aren't light (generally), so with 5 bikes you will be having at least 50Kg, maybe more like 65Kg.

We took all our bikes this summer (2x26" wheel and 3x20" wheel bikes). I put the kids bikes in the back of the car (actually a double cab pickup), having taken the peddals off and twisted the handle bars in line with the bike.... packs much easier like that! And then got a roof carrier to put the two adult bikes on. Fortunately having a pickup I don't need to worry too much about the weight. Putting in the caravan wasn't an option, as we run about 10Kg below the MTPLM, so can't really add much more in there, and certainly not a bike!

I think you will need to check your weights before making any decisions... do you actually have the capacity? Might we worth a trip to a weighbridge with the caravan and car loaded in your normal manner and see what capacity you have left, then you can make a decision...

Only downside of putting bikes on the roof is that I have to take a step ladder to get them on there!!

I believe you can get a bike rack that swings down for putting the bikes on, then you swing it back up into place.

You are correct KjellNN. I have such a rack, (in fact, two for two bikes), which a hydraulic 'hook' picks the bikes up and lowers them down. This hook then becomes the upright which holds the bikes in place. One still needs to guide the bike up and down, but it saves a lot of huffing and puffing. The hook elements are detachable so the roof rack itself doesn't need taking off Every time. 

This kit is expensive but I bought mine (the two separately) off eBay second hand.

if regularly carrying bikes, it is a boon, but I cannot see how one could put more than a pair of bikes on roof.

Always a dillema carrying bikes. Many foreign vans have the ability to either carry twoon the A frame or on the back on a rack in a similar fashion to Motorhomes. However most British vans have shorter A frames and there is a danger of catching the bike on the car when manouvering. As for the rear I asked the manufacturer of our van, a Bailey and the said thet the rear is not strong enough for a rack. Back to putting them on the car. 

We have two electric bikes and always had them on the back of our motorhomes, now we have a caravan  so we went for a Ford Galaxy tow car so that we could get bikes dogs etc, in the back......that's the plan anyway.  Actually saying that, it's about time we tried the bikes in the car before our winter escape.

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My OH made two racks which fitted inside the caravan wedged between the forward seats. The bikes were over the wheels to ensure that the weight was evenly distributed. The racks were the type you buy to put on roof bars.  They were attached to wooden struts that fitted neatly in the caravan. We took the pedals off and turned the handlebars round to make them easier to fit in.

If you decide to take them inside the caravan then for goodness sake make 100% sure they are firmly wedged in place.

The nasty damage that can occur iif you happen to hit a speed hump or big pothole at speed I dread to think about.

If you use a bike rack then use plenty of Bungee's to ensure the bikes can't bounce off. I've seen that happen on a dual carriage way - it caused havoc & the bikes got trashed.