i'm wondering if anyone has experience with fitting bikes (road and/or mountain) into a forester. i'm considering purchasing one but would like to fit the bikes inside the car, preferably standing upright with front wheel removed...

No way, no how. You're going to need a minivan for that. A bike will probably fit on it's side, with one or both wheels removed.

Just buy a rack. Its a good investment and can be suited to carry a variety of things. Additionally, just putting your bike in the back is kinda dangerous as well, because if you're in an accident, that things gonna be flying around inside your rig. RackAttack has good prices on Yakima rack systems, and has free shipping if your interested.

oh come on now, with a lil pursuasion i bet you could fit 2 in there with the seats down. i used to be able to fit 2 bikes into my hyundai excel, 3 in my gl wagon, but thats layin em down. with the front tire off and saddle removed or lowered you should easily be able to make verticle clearance.

I agree with Danbob i used to put 2 bikes into a GL wagon and a Forester is bigger than that. I had to lay them on their side but it worked.

Depends on the bike

I had a 15 inch frame on my KHS Summit mtn bike and i took the front wheel off and stood it upright in the back of my legacy.. FIT LIKE A CHARM! Seat in rear was folded down of course. I had a yakima system but having it inside cut down on noise.

I've tried to fit the same bike into my 03 forester. Since the body length is a little shorter, I have to turn the bike slightly diagonal but the seat clears the ceiling with NO PROB.. just have to turn it sideways...

I don't know what size of bike you're trying to fit where... but I know in my Legacy it fit perfect... the forester you may have to search positions but it 'Should' fit if you take the front wheel off.

(Mine did but no promises) all hope is not lost.

We fit my gf's Trek and my BikeE recumbent into her Forester. (Along with enough gear for the 5 day DALMAC ride.) We had to take off the front wheel of her bike and fold down the backrest of mine, but they fit in there together just fine, and there was still room for the two of us!

 

However, I intend getting a Sport Rack (with recumbent tray) when we start hauling my son's bike too, cuz I really doubt three bikes will fit in the Forester or the Legacy and we'll need the backseat up.

Get an exterior rack. If you're a real mountainbiker you will get your bike very muddy and you will not want to put into a carpeted and cloth interior. Besides foresters aren't that tall and a roof rack would be fine. My other car is a Trooper and I can't reach the roof rack without a step ladder! I have a spare mounted rack which also works fine. A standard Roadgear rear rack works fine on my wife's legacy but you can't get in the back hatch.