TN22.....Brady 22 Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Haul your Bicycles? In the camper, in the truck bed, or on a hitch mounted rack? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dblr....Rennie 224 Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 We have a 5th wheel and carry our 2 bikes in the front cargo bin, front wheels off with the bikes each facing opposite each other with the forks mounted in holders, safe and sound and weather proof. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799 Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Mounted hitch rack Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DaveInTN 3,247 Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Hitch rack. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cyclonic 55 Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Hauling the bicycles is a little bit different on our camper because they shape is such that you cannot mount a bike rack on the bumper or a hitch on the back of the trailer. So I found a hitch rack that will attached to an extended draw bar and the bikes sit between the TV and the trailer. I actually like this a lot because I know the bikes are safe and secure there as well. The trailer has not problem turning with this setup, but I cannot add a larger tongue box or the spare tire mount there and have this work. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 We took 3 in my pickup bed along with a ton of other stuff while hauling our pop up.Looked like the Beverly Hillbillies, but we made it with a cargo net over everything.Take the pedals off, it's amazing how much less space they will take up.Don't forget to take the wrench to put them back on! It only takes a few minutes to be ready to ride.And don't forget to take a bike lock with you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 We took 3 in my pickup bed along with a ton of other stuff while hauling our pop up.Looked like the Beverly Hillbillies, but we made it with a cargo net over everything.Take the pedals off, it's amazing how much less space they will take up.Don't forget to take the wrench to put them back on! It only takes a few minutes to be ready to ride.And don't forget to take a bike lock with you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TN22.....Brady 22 Posted March 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 That is a really neat setup. I haven't seen that option. So, does the bike rack attach around the drawbar and tighten down, or is it a passthrough style with a keeper bolt? Who makes this? The safe and secure part is what has my DW worried. We were on a return trip a few years back and a vehicle up ahead crossed a rough bridge and bounced their bikes off the hitch rack. Needless to say several accidents due to avoidance and the carnage of bicycle parts seemed to go on for miles. After seeing the aftermath of that, she wants no part of bikes hanging off the back of our camper. Ironically, our new TT has the 2" receiver mount on the back, sans bumper, for just this purpose. I am looking at the platform style hitch mounted bike racks that support the wheels and have a cross bar support. If anyone has any feedback on that style of carrier, good or bad, please reply. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Most of the hitch haul type of platforms have bike carrier accessories that bolt on the platform. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
weekender 5 Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Luckily we have a TT and an F250 truck so we put our 3 bikes in the bed of the truck with a storage rack (bought on Amazon) to hold them up. This works great as we still have room to put other items around them if needed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twiceblessed....nacole 433 Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Funny... we were just talking about this today. We're purchasing a new TT and the order goes in tomorrow; I was going to call Jayco to see if they can add a receiver to the back bumper, but your comment about bikes coming off makes me nervous. I think we may just go with our first thought and wrap the bikes in blankets and put them in the TT. In a few years, we'll change TT from our Armada to a truck and we'll just put the bikes in the bed at that point. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ependydad...Doug 176 Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 I have friends who drug their bikes behind their camper when their bolt-on hitch bent the bumper down and broke its welds holding it to the frame. It's good that you have a factory-hitch. Even so, I dislike how out of sight they are. On top of the truck is one option. Get a quality (but frightfully expensive) setup from Thule or Yakima. In the truck bed is another. I think you're pulling a TT so your truck bed is empty. For TTs, there is a couple of companies that make mounts for above the propane/battery/coupler. You just need to be able to support the extra tongue weight that it'll cause. Inside the camper is another option. We did a stack-o-bikes on top of our U-shaped dinette. In between each layer of bikes, I put waterproof sheets. It protected the bikes from each other and the cushions and table top. This worked well for 2 seasons for us. A really neat solution that I saw on a forum was that someone took their dinette seat bases and flipped them over. On the bottom, they attached the parts of a rooftop bike rack so that the bikes road upright and securely. For my fifth wheel, we built a pin box hitch and attached a bike rack to it. They rode there nicely and I could see them in my rear view mirror. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rcarpe06 4 Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 We use a hitch mounted bike rack with our MH now but when we had a travel trailer, we used a bike rack mount that bolted to the A-frame of the TT. It has a 2 inch receiver that easily accepts any style hitch mounted bike rack. It hung over the propane tanks and batteries. Since we had no truck bed (3/4 Suburban), this was a great solution for us then. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cyclonic 55 Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 That is a really neat setup. I haven't seen that option. So, does the bike rack attach around the drawbar and tighten down, or is it a passthrough style with a keeper bolt? Who makes this? It has a pass through with tighteners that hold it in place. I took it across country last year with no issues. It is made by Swagman, and I got it on Overstock.com for $90 with free shipping. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twiceblessed....nacole 433 Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 I have friends who drug their bikes behind their camper when their bolt-on hitch bent the bumper down and broke its welds holding it to the frame. It's good that you have a factory-hitch. Even so, I dislike how out of sight they are. On top of the truck is one option. Get a quality (but frightfully expensive) setup from Thule or Yakima. In the truck bed is another. I think you're pulling a TT so your truck bed is empty. For TTs, there is a couple of companies that make mounts for above the propane/battery/coupler. You just need to be able to support the extra tongue weight that it'll cause. Inside the camper is another option. We did a stack-o-bikes on top of our U-shaped dinette. In between each layer of bikes, I put waterproof sheets. It protected the bikes from each other and the cushions and table top. This worked well for 2 seasons for us. A really neat solution that I saw on a forum was that someone took their dinette seat bases and flipped them over. On the bottom, they attached the parts of a rooftop bike rack so that the bikes road upright and securely. For my fifth wheel, we built a pin box hitch and attached a bike rack to it. They rode there nicely and I could see them in my rear view mirror. This is our problem. We would probably do that, if we could afford the tongue weight. That's a great idea... we may try that! :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ependydad...Doug 176 Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 This is our problem. We would probably do that, if we could afford the tongue weight. That's a great idea... we may try that! :) This worked for us. I found it easiest to stand the bikes up on their back wheel for moving them around the camper. It was only a hassle on our multi-day drives when using the dinette for overnight stops would have been convenient. Here's a picture of the other method I mentioned (using roof rack mounts on the dinette bases): Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 This worked for us. I found it easiest to stand the bikes up on their back wheel for moving them around the camper. It was only a hassle on our multi-day drives when using the dinette for overnight stops would have been convenient. Here's a picture of the other method I mentioned (using roof rack mounts on the dinette bases): The roof rack idea is impressive!! Wonder if the bikes would squish down enough when I lowered my pop up roof?? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DaveInTN 3,247 Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 The roof rack idea is impressive!! Wonder if the bikes would squish down enough when I lowered my pop up roof?? If you jump up and down on the roof it would probably work. :jumpforjoy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Helmsey......Todd 134 Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 I have a Yakima rack on the roof of the truck and I'm very happy with it. This is what it looked like on my old truck Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.