Hitch bicycle rack suggestions

[yovik]

We use a step extender for the 2" hitch. Keeps the bikes away from the camper and works as a step into the camper. Actually I am having it modified right now to make it a carrier. Bolted together a prototype we used for a couple of years and having the local welder fabricate it now.

This sounds sweet. Can you share some pics?

 

[bryanmichaelmeyer]

+ 1 for the 1 up rack. best rack on the market.

 

[btbaker22]

Check out RockyMounts new swing away bike rack. It’s the only tray bike carrier with an integrated swing out design. I am testing it out now, and really liking it so far.

 

[BrianG]

I have a Yakima two bike rack on my front hitch, driven all over the West, Mid-West and Canada. I’ve never had a problem and the bikes are never in my way, plus I can tow my UTV trailer.

It does effect gas mileage however.

 

[PackRat]

I don't have bikes but a friend was recently rather bummed out about losing one of his. I guess he had a lock on the mount itself but did not have a locking pin on the 2" receiver adapter so a thief merely pulled the pin and took the bracket and the bike.

I think the best suggestion is to bite the bullet and put a 2" receiver on the FRONT of your truck. Then I think that whatever design of a bike rack you choose or if you make one yourself should have the two wheels sitting in a U channel that runs across the front of the bracket so that the bike is only held to the bracket to keep it from falling off and to lock it, so it can let the tires carry the load of the bike and absorb the bounces of the road.

From there, it is up to the owner to use the best available LOCKING bike mount to stop thieves but remember, you don't really STOP them, you just slow they determined ones down.

However security wasn't mentioned, just how to safely transport them and I agree that using the bike FRAME puts all the stress on the frame where it was not designed to carry the load stresses and vibrations of driving down less than table top road surfaces.

 

[SD_Beaker]

Fellow Wanders,

As this forum confirms, there appears to be the challenge of finding that ‘perfect’ tool for the job, in this case a bike rack that works with our campers.

Firstly, let me preface this by saying, I’ve done 15,000+ of miles traveling with bikes on the back of my vehicles, many of them off-road and I’ve tried a few versions of bike carriers. I currently have and used: Thule T2 (hitch), Thule Parkway (hitch), Thule Big Mouths (roof), Thule Pelotons (roof), Thule Low Rider (fork mount), Yakima Holdup (Hitch) and various others.

Each has its advantages, uses and applications. For example, if you have a carbon frame (or a metal you don’t want to scratch), then the T2 or Holdup are superior as they don’t touch the fame. However, what I discovered is that sometimes the best answer is a combination of several top products.

I have an ‘08 Tundra with Hawk and soon to have an Aluminess rear bumper system. With the swing arms of the Aluminess, I needed something to clear those swing arms and I don’t want to struggle with the bikes and yet be able get in and out easily with them being secure for off-roading and against theft.

I will send some picts, but here’s what I have assembled:

1. I used a “Wilco Hitch Swing” to provide the swing out component.

1. I took my Yakima Hold up and cut the brackets off the factory hitch mount and ‘swing-up’ arm and welded them onto a Thule T2 Extension (This has an non-standard inner sleeve size, so I got it from e-trailer). This now serves two purposes: 1) it works for adding two more bikes when I use my Thule T2, AND 2) I now have a 2 bike holder on a straight bar.

1. Note, the T2 extension has welded in captive nuts (metric) so there is no shaking or unnecessary movement.

1. To attach the T2 Extension to the Wilco Swing Hitch, I cut a standard 2” square steel tube to the length needed to clear my Aluminess boxes. The T2 Extension now works with standard 2” square tube which works perfect with the hitch (actually I have two, one short one ~6” for when I’m just using the swing hitch and the long one to clear the bumper boxes).

1. Building upon, Yakima’s and Thule’s experience, I have welded in captive nuts so that it bolts into the hitch. The bolts are long and I have drilled them so that when they ‘poke out’ the other side, so that a safety pin can be installed.

1. With the Hitch swing locked onto the truck and bikes bolted onto the swing, I then add a lock cable from the bike to the swing arm (there’s a lock point built in, see pict).

The result is a rock solid offroad bike rack that can be custom fit to your camper / bumper config that protects your bike from scratches, keeps it in the slipstream of your truck, keeps it secure, and swings out for easy access to your entry portal.

Downside: This is / was not cheap and you need to do some welding, drilling & fabrication.

https://www.4wd.com/p/wilco-offroad-hitch-swing-worhs32220/_/R-BKKP-HS32220?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping&emlprox=out&ppcfon=1&gp=1&tf=1&tf=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw68zZBRAnEiwACw0eYVdSYjOVEWF2RbdyaFNUlgvZCeMaa4PsSoD2dx-iSIRsZgkA6VtUXxoCdjwQAvD_BwE

https://www.rei.com/product/854828/yakima-holdup-2-bike-hitch-rack?CAWELAID=120217890000881163&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=16032976240&CATCI=aud-129902659960la-462207618892&cm_mmc=PLA_Google|404_189822|8548280001|none|5a75bbb1-74b4-4c1f-8d3a-cdf1cc8698f5|aud-129902659960la-462207618892&lsft=cm_mmcLA_Google_LIA|404_189822|8548280001|none|5a75bbb1-74b4-4c1f-8d3a-cdf1cc8698f5&kclid=5a75bbb1-74b4-4c1f-8d3a-cdf1cc8698f5&gclid=CjwKCAjw68zZBRAnEiwACw0eYdifQASDH1PqlTl8QXpm-6sHUrT1aTFtOKHhhcbUtwdCdVFbs120NBoCyj0QAvD_BwE

 

[yovik]

Fellow Wanders,

As this forum confirms, there appears to be the challenge of finding that ‘perfect’ tool for the job, in this case a bike rack that works with our campers.

Firstly, let me preface this by saying, I’ve done 15,000+ of miles traveling with bikes on the back of my vehicles, many of them off-road and I’ve tried a few versions of bike carriers. I currently have and used: Thule T2 (hitch), Thule Parkway (hitch), Thule Big Mouths (roof), Thule Pelotons (roof), Thule Low Rider (fork mount), Yakima Holdup (Hitch) and various others.

Each has its advantages, uses and applications. For example, if you have a carbon frame (or a metal you don’t want to scratch), then the T2 or Holdup are superior as they don’t touch the fame. However, what I discovered is that sometimes the best answer is a combination of several top products.

I have an ‘08 Tundra with Hawk and soon to have an Aluminess rear bumper system. With the swing arms of the Aluminess, I needed something to clear those swing arms and I don’t want to struggle with the bikes and yet be able get in and out easily with them being secure for off-roading and against theft.

I will send some picts, but here’s what I have assembled:

• I used a “Wilco Hitch Swing” to provide the swing out component.

• I took my Yakima Hold up and cut the brackets off the factory hitch mount and ‘swing-up’ arm and welded them onto a Thule T2 Extension (This has an non-standard inner sleeve size, so I got it from e-trailer). This now serves two purposes: 1) it works for adding two more bikes when I use my Thule T2, AND 2) I now have a 2 bike holder on a straight bar.

• Note, the T2 extension has welded in captive nuts (metric) so there is no shaking or unnecessary movement.

• To attach the T2 Extension to the Wilco Swing Hitch, I cut a standard 2” square steel tube to the length needed to clear my Aluminess boxes. The T2 Extension now works with standard 2” square tube which works perfect with the hitch (actually I have two, one short one ~6” for when I’m just using the swing hitch and the long one to clear the bumper boxes).

• Building upon, Yakima’s and Thule’s experience, I have welded in captive nuts so that it bolts into the hitch. The bolts are long and I have drilled them so that when they ‘poke out’ the other side, so that a safety pin can be installed.

• With the Hitch swing locked onto the truck and bikes bolted onto the swing, I then add a lock cable from the bike to the swing arm (there’s a lock point built in, see pict).

The result is a rock solid offroad bike rack that can be custom fit to your camper / bumper config that protects your bike from scratches, keeps it in the slipstream of your truck, keeps it secure, and swings out for easy access to your entry portal.

Downside: This is / was not cheap and you need to do some welding, drilling & fabrication.

https://www.4wd.com/p/wilco-offroad-hitch-swing-worhs32220/_/R-BKKP-HS32220?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping&emlprox=out&ppcfon=1&gp=1&tf=1&tf=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw68zZBRAnEiwACw0eYVdSYjOVEWF2RbdyaFNUlgvZCeMaa4PsSoD2dx-iSIRsZgkA6VtUXxoCdjwQAvD_BwE

https://www.rei.com/product/854828/yakima-holdup-2-bike-hitch-rack?CAWELAID=120217890000881163&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=16032976240&CATCI=aud-129902659960la-462207618892&cm_mmc=PLA_Google|404_189822|8548280001|none|5a75bbb1-74b4-4c1f-8d3a-cdf1cc8698f5|aud-129902659960la-462207618892&lsft=cm_mmcLA_Google_LIA|404_189822|8548280001|none|5a75bbb1-74b4-4c1f-8d3a-cdf1cc8698f5&kclid=5a75bbb1-74b4-4c1f-8d3a-cdf1cc8698f5&gclid=CjwKCAjw68zZBRAnEiwACw0eYdifQASDH1PqlTl8QXpm-6sHUrT1aTFtOKHhhcbUtwdCdVFbs120NBoCyj0QAvD_BwE

Pictures of this set-up would be sweet

 

[FoxenTec]

Hello,

It doesn't look like anyone has responded to the question that BilltheHiker had earlier in the posts. Like bill, we are looking at all the available bike racks that swing away and our biggest concern is with the bikes swung off to the side, can we get our Little Giant Steps close enough to the rear of the truck to enter and exit the camper. If I was 25 it wouldn't be an issue.

My favorite was the Wilco Hitch Swing that is mentioned here in the posts. I contacted Wilco by phone and email and no response ever. Left a post on their FBook page and nothing. I tried distributors and they laughed and said they have been on backorder forever. Guess maybe they are going out of business or ???

Looks like the Yakima Swingdaddy may be our best bet as it looks like it extends the least rearward when the bikes are moved off to the side.

One problem I see with commercial racks I looked at, including swing away designs, is there does not appear to be room for a step or stool for getting into the camper door. Do you know of one that would allow that?

 

[yovik]

Hello,

It doesn't look like anyone has responded to the question that BilltheHiker had earlier in the posts. Like bill, we are looking at all the available bike racks that swing away and our biggest concern is with the bikes swung off to the side, can we get our Little Giant Steps close enough to the rear of the truck to enter and exit the camper. If I was 25 it wouldn't be an issue.

My favorite was the Wilco Hitch Swing that is mentioned here in the posts. I contacted Wilco by phone and email and no response ever. Left a post on their FBook page and nothing. I tried distributors and they laughed and said they have been on backorder forever. Guess maybe they are going out of business or ???

Looks like the Yakima Swingdaddy may be our best bet as it looks like it extends the least rearward when the bikes are moved off to the side.

You might try http://rakattach.com for another option. Not that it matters, but I think they may have been the first swing away adapter, before Wilco, and we'll before Yakima, Rocky Mountain and the others joined the party. What does matter is the response the RakAttach gave me when I had a query for them. They were prompt and courteous. In addition, they have several different "sizes" of adapter and they offer pivots to either side of your vehicle. I think they're cheaper than Wilco, and they build in Utah! On the downside, the attachment height might not be as good as Wilco.

Good luck!

Sent from my SM-G920V using Wander The West mobile app

 

[FoxenTec]

Thank you for the great info yovik! It is nice to hear that rakattach has good customer service too. I will look closer at one of their hitch swings and decide.

Thanks!

 

[SD_Beaker]

Pictures of this set-up would be sweet

I can't figure out how to post a picture to an existing tread. I'll post some when I get it figured out.

 

[yovik]

I can't figure out how to post a picture to an existing tread. I'll post some when I get it figured out.

I just started using the Wander The West app, and for what it's worth, it's super easy to attach an image to a post.

 

[SD_Beaker]

Ah Ha.

I was not hitting the "More Reply Options". If you just start typing a response, then the picture attachment window does not show up!

Thank you yovik!

So here are some picts (not of my rig) but you should get the idea. When I get a chance, I will put mine on and take some picts.

 

[buckland]

I put a front hitch on so I could move equipment around the barn etc ... my bike rack fits on it and it is nice to have it not blocking the camper door. It is also nice if one has a winch on a hitch plate so it could be used front or back. But for the 2 bikes its is great to have the weight forward and away from the rear door.