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njoysrvin · 09-26-2006, 12:36 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, 12:49 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, 12:59 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, 01:25 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, 01:56 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, 02:01 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, 02:04 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, 02:35 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, 03:08 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, 03:20 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, 04:47 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, 05:17 PM

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

Happycampers · 09-26-2006, 05:37 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, 05:50 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.

bhayden · 09-26-2006, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlenCoombe

I don't recommend sideways to travel mounting for long term fork mounting but rather longitudinal mounting.

Maybe you're able to stop faster with the MH than a trailer but I doubt there's a lot of difference between the stop/go force and cornering. Eye hooks and a few bunge cords would take care of it and keep things from going "bump in the night". Come to think of it, wasn't your coach designed for the "cargo" to be laid out flat

The real dog is our next trip is likely up to the Methow in October and they plan to run a cyclocross race on Saturday and mtn bike XC on Sunday. Four bikes in the trailer is starting to get cramped

-Bernie

Silvertwinkie · 09-26-2006, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by njoysrvin

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.

I agree, don't put anything on the bumper of the Airstream. I too thought of placing bikes inside the new RV, but then thought, why, sure it'll cost a bit more, but there is no question of zero damage to the inside due to shifting, etc, if you find an alternate solution.

Not sure what your tow vehicle is, but I went this route:

www.yakima.com

njoysrvin · 09-26-2006, 06:38 PM

Thanks for all the help ...We have a Chevy truck as tv ....Where did you place the yakima bike rack ?

BillTex · 09-26-2006, 07:36 PM

I'll reply to some of the concerns voiced previously;

Never had a problem with cooling while the bikes were on the front hitch.

Don't really care if they get "bugs" on them. We MT bike and they get filthy any way. I clean them when the trip is done.

We have a p-up now, bikes and other stuff in the bed ( I have snaked a cable through the stake pocket so I can lock em up pretty good...) and kayaks on the roof with a Thule rack.

Never really had a problem with line of sight with the bikes up front. I took the seats off and threw them in back. This leaves only a small diameter tube in your line of sight. Didn't really bother me (or effect headlights at night).

For us, the front hitch worked great; easy access, had the rack with me if we wanted to go explore outside the campground, didn't have to lift bikes on to a rather high roof, freed up the roof for kayaks. Never had any ground clearance problem either, although we don't really "four wheel".

Antique Pedaler · 09-26-2006, 08:39 PM

Seeing that our bikes are more valuable more than our car, we carry them in the back or our tv pickup which has a hard cover.

peegreen · 09-26-2006, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happycampers

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 ...

My front hitch protrudes from the center of the bumper, so with a bike rack, the bikes would be in the line of sight through the windshield. I use a 10" hitch drop so the top of the bikes are even with the truck hood.I also use the Swagman three bike towing bike rack. It has a 2" square tube that mounts over your 2" hitch draw bar - works great.I also purchased a 2 bike rack stand for neatly storing the bikes outside and have used it to stand the bikes up inside the trailer while traveling. This has also worked out very well since the bikes are standing very secure and not lying on the floor.