Fiamma Bike Carrier

[KJRitchie]

With a bike mounted in the inboard channel, do you have to loosen the handle bars of the bike to turn them away from the Airstream to make the bike fit without scrapping the skin?

Kelvin

[Bruce B]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

With a bike mounted in the inboard channel, do you have to loosen the handle bars of the bike to turn them away from the Airstream to make the bike fit without scrapping the skin?

Kelvin

I can't answer for anyone else but my mountain bike fits in the inner channel without hitting anything at all. Bar end is about 2" from the rear window. Our bikes have traveled about 10000 miles in the past year this way with no trouble at all...
Bruce

[Jim Clark]

Mine don't come close.

[Sbb]

Bruce B, do you have a bumper on your 16'. I want to get one, but my bumper opens up and I have a rear door on right for storage. Once rack is on does it stay on forever or can it slide on and off? Any issuebwithnyour back lights being hidden?

[bigmikeeb]

I got one and am so glad I did. I don't know why people say they look out of place. I like the looks, and think it looks like it came that way....

[jdalrymple]

Our trailer has the rear storage.

Over 10K miles with bikes and no issues.

Easy on, easy off.


Took about 1.5 hours to install in my back yard.

It is a great way to handle bikes.


Regards,

JD

[Sbb]

I scheduled an installation in NJ. Next questions, is there a lock on rack or do u use ur own? What kind of bike do you travel with? I ride a Merlin roadbike, but have no plans to put that on rack, so I am shopping for a commuter type bike, uprighe, small seat . Any suggestions?

[eleighj]

Originally Posted by Sbb

I scheduled an installation in NJ. Next questions, is there a lock on rack or do u use ur own? What kind of bike do you travel with? I ride a Merlin roadbike, but have no plans to put that on rack, so I am shopping for a commuter type bike, uprighe, small seat . Any suggestions?

We load two Trek Hybrids on the rack over a thousand miles, no problems. As for locking your bike(s) to the rack, we use a Kryptonite cable about 6 feet long with a padlock. Just feed it through and around the rack a couple of times. You should be good.

Ed

[dasams]

Originally Posted by Sbb

Next questions, is there a lock on rack or do u use ur own?

I use two cable locks. One for each wheel that threads through the frame and around the Fiamma.

Originally Posted by Sbb

What kind of bike do you travel with?

I'm a 30 yr cyclists and travel with a single speed gravel bike. Not everyone's cup of tea but works for me.

Originally Posted by Sbb

I ride a Merlin roadbike, but have no plans to put that on rack,

Why not?

Originally Posted by Sbb

so I am shopping for a commuter type bike, uprighe, small seat . Any suggestions?

Sorry, no. Yuck.

[brainwash]

I've found these posts very helpful, but am still in a bit of a pickle until I do some measurements (TT is in storage at the moment). Trying to do due diligence before ordering and mounting (this time ).

Due to having RAMBOX compartments on my RAM 2500, I don't have the option of a cap or truck rack such as Thule's Trac Rac and would rather not increase the payload on the truck with the weight of 4 bikes and a rack (have plenty of spare towing capacity). So it's bikes on the trailer form my rig.

Comparing the Arvika to the Fiamma...

• Bike Capacity
  • Arvika can mount up to 4 bikes whereas I've only see Fiammas with 2 (but may be more?)
• Dirt and grime
  • From what I've read here, less dirt in the front due to low pressure in back increasing dirt grime current
• Compatibility
  • Not sure there's room (or possibility of proper placement) on the trailer's A-frame for mounts for both the Equal-i-zer sway control brackets and the mounts for the Arvika bracket
    • Sway Control Brackets must be set between 27-32 inches from the center of the trailer coupler to the center of the trailer bracket
    • Not sure on the specificity of the mounting of the Arvika bracket
  • Not an issue for Fiamma
• Accessibility
  • Using the Arvika, the propane tanks cannot be accessed until all bikes are off and either the rack is removed from the bracket or folded back
  • Same goes for the front window opening, though I'm not sure if the bracket needs to come off as well
  • Not an issue for Fiamma
• Tongue weight
  • With the bikes and Arvika rack mounted on the A-frame, I presume it would increase the tongue weight, though I'm not an engineer and don't know if the WDH would take care of that. May need to take into consideration.
• Bike safety
  • Bikes are vulnerable to be hit from behind using Fiamma
    • Not an issue for Arvika
  • Bikes are more flagrantly advertised to thieves using Fiamma on the rear vs being sandwiched between Airstream and TV

Let me know if I'm off on any of this.