Bike Rack

njoysrvin · 09-26-2006, 01:36 PM

Has anyone added a bike rack to the back of their airstream ? Any suggestions on what type and how it was attached would be appreciated.

ALANSD · 09-26-2006, 01:49 PM

not recommended to use bumper racks, although some have. The wieght although not a lot, is not a good thing for the rear end.

Frank S · 09-26-2006, 01:59 PM

Hi njoysrvin--Mount a light duty 2" hitch receiver under the front bumper of your TV, and mount a regular bike carrier on the front. Bikes on the back of your A/S will pull the frame away from the shell.--Frank S

BillTex · 09-26-2006, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank S

Hi njoysrvin--Mount a light duty 2" hitch receiver under the front bumper of your TV, and mount a regular bike carrier on the front. Bikes on the back of your A/S will pull the frame away from the shell.--Frank S

I'll second this suggestion. We had a front hitch on the Suburban for the bikes-worked great.

As a matter of fact-I still have it in the garage. PM me if you are interested.

Don't know what you have for a TV...

peegreen · 09-26-2006, 02:56 PM

I installed a front mounted 2" receiver to use a bike rack. I also have a Swagman towing bike rack that allows you to mount 3 bikes between the trailer and TV. You can view it at Camping World online. It mounts on your 2" draw bar and works well.

Over59 · 09-26-2006, 03:01 PM

I have a three bike rake that slips over the hitch bar on the TV. Works fine for two bikes, may be a little close for three in tight turns.

audiobox · 09-26-2006, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillTex

I'll second this suggestion. We had a front hitch on the Suburban for the bikes-worked great.

As a matter of fact-I still have it in the garage. PM me if you are interested.

Don't know what you have for a TV...

I've been thinking about this for our 'burb. Did you collect a lot of bugs on the bikes?

BillTex · 09-26-2006, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by audiobox

I've been thinking about this for our 'burb. Did you collect a lot of bugs on the bikes?

Kinda tough to see any bugs through all the mud...

As stated, I still have that hitch if anyone is interested. Don't use it now that we tow with the D/A...

McLogger · 09-26-2006, 04:08 PM

I am glad you asked this I have been wondering this for a while. We already have a good rack we just need to figure out how to mount it I will look at camper world. Another suggestion might be a roof rack??

bhayden · 09-26-2006, 04:20 PM

The Swagman looks like it uses an extension to fit the rack between the hitch and the receiver. That's going to increase the effective overhang from the rear axle. Maybe not a big deal for some but I'm pretty marginal as it is towing a 24' trailer with a GMC Safari van. I also noticed in the picture on the Camping World website that they have a simple ball hitch. I wonder if the extension is rated for a WD hitch?

I'm wondering if anyone has noticed a decrease in cooling when hauling bikes on a front mounted hitch? Again, my TV situation is marginal in some situations. I've thought about this route as the front hitch can be handy in some parking situations as well.

The other option is roof mount. Hard to hoist the bikes up there with our van and I wonder what it does to the gas milage and handling in cross winds. If you''ve got a pick-um-up and already have the bed spoken for then the obvious solution is a fork mount arrangement in the bed. My current solution is to load the bikes in the trailer. That's far from ideal when you want acces to the trailer enroute but it does have the advantage of keeping the bikes locked and out of sight of would be thiefs.

-Bernie

ALANSD · 09-26-2006, 05:47 PM

maybe this is not for you.....but I used to put our bikes inside the AS and lay em down.

ArtStream · 09-26-2006, 06:17 PM

Inflatable canoes, beds, insignificant others, what we need is an inflatable bicycle!

Happycampers · 09-26-2006, 06:37 PM

We would not recommend a front mount hitch for the bikes.. Did that and the bikes imped your vision thru the windshield... we had a very near miss last spring coming home from Fla..our TV is a F250 ...

GlenCoombe · 09-26-2006, 06:50 PM

Funny this thread pops up now....I'm leaving tomorrow to head up the Cycle North Carolina ride.
Cleaned out the back of the bus Sunday and put in our board with 'bike tight' front fork mounts on them. I can get the long wheelbase recumbent and the upright Canondale in sideways and still have my normal workaround space in the rear hanging area.
I don't recommend sideways to travel mounting for long term fork mounting but rather longitudinal mounting.
Inside for my bike.... bugs and road trash are not my idea of fun on a bike unless I'm in the slip stream with them.