Biking with an Airstream

[BillTex]

There may be other reasons NOT to use a front rack but security (versus a roof rack) is not one of them. We have both roof top and a swing away (different vehicles) FWIW; the rack we use on the front hitch is way more secure than roof racks I have seen (Thule/YAK/RG…and a few others). The clamp/lock mechanism is very sturdy. Having said that, I have no doubt, that if a thief were determined…the bikes would be gone from any rack.
We like the front hitch as it is very easy to lift the bikes on/off the rack. Suspension Mt bikes are not light…and I am not getting any younger!
Bikes get dirty when we ride, and I have cleaner and lube with us if needed (mud). To be honest, I have never seen all that much road debris/bugs on the bikes anyway…so I don’t understand all the fuss. Bikes get de-mudded back home.


Our bike carrying strategy has encompassed, at one time or another;

• Roof top rack. Height issues (drive thru’s etc), difficult to lift up top, not easy to access. Maybe I am paranoid, but I consider roof top the least sturdy method. Bikes tend to rock side/side a bit…a little unnerving.
• In bed of pick up. This worked well. I mounted the roof top rack on 2 x 4’s. Placed the whole thing in the bed. Bikes stayed up right. This would be my second choice. But it does take up your bed space, and lifting bikes into a 4x4 pick me up is not real easy either. This does make for a stream lined, sturdy, secure system though…if travelling light (no other crap in the bed) I still use this method.
• Front hitch. I have racks that I could use for any of the above. The front hitch is so easy; this is our method of choice now. Very low lift height. Bikes are ready to roll in maybe 1 minute.

Good thing about a pick-me-up is you have all these options. One should work for you.

If we had some high end road bikes I might feel differently about the front hitch or any outside hitch…but then I would get a 1 ton van and put them inside…

Good luck.

Bill

p.s. Disregarding the frame strength debate; I would not like our bikes 30+ feet behind us swaying on the back of the AS.
Ever see SOB's with that setup?
I kind of like to see what my cargo is up to...you could lose your bikes and never know it!?

[Dave Park]

Originally Posted by BillTex

p.s. Disregarding the frame strength debate; I would not like our bikes 30+ feet behind us swaying on the back of the AS.
Ever see SOB's with that setup?
I kind of like to see what my cargo is up to...you could lose your bikes and never know it!?

I'd rather lose the bike and not know it than lose the bike, run over the bike, have the bike damage the underside of my TV, damage my WD hitch, tear up the belly pan of an airstream, then as shrapnel fly out the back.

A bike falling off a good quality rack is very unlikely if secured properly - wherever it is located.

To me, the advantage of bikes on the rear of the AS is that it adds depth and keeps following drivers even further away from the back of your precious Airstream.

[Bluto]

Originally Posted by rluhr

I've received notice that a commercially-built bike rack will be introduced by a major manufacturer, specifically designed to mount on the rear of late-model Airstreams. It was developed with the assistance of Airstream. When it is ready for market (sometime next year) I expect that it will be advertised in Airstream Life.

As Howie and Andy T have pointed out, it's a myth that a modern Airstream can't carry a bike on the rear.

This is some good news! Can't hardly wait to see it.

[2airishuman]

dig into the past, there are 100s of posts here dispelling the bike rack myth...

these threads go back many many years and with a variety of diy setups n pix.

the issues related to doing this WELL are...

1. keeping access to the rear storage compartment, without need to REmove bikes/rack...

2. for folks with rear door/pano windows/dinettes, there precious view will be sullied...

3. backing into stuff really does happen, now it will happen 2 feet sooner.

4. theft of crap at the back, either the bike or parts or rack, so effective locking will be required.

5. CLEAR views of the brake lights, turn signals and LICENSE plate.

6. rear racks are simply a lousy way to treat good bikes.

dirt, sand, salt, water, diesel and every other imaginable road scum gets sucked into that void/space.

so unless the rack includes a clam shell/gasket'd/hard side CASE or hermitically sealed bag...

good bikes should still ride in better places.

cheers
2air'

[Wayne&Sam]

Originally Posted by zimchu

I put our bikes in the 25 ft AS while on the road. Ibought "chain condoms", they slip over your drivetrain and keep stuff from getting greasy in the AS, see chaincondom.com

chu

This may be OT, but a properly maintained chain won't be all that greasy. OK this may be idealistic, but it is true in theory.

Take a rag moistened with cleaner and run your chain through it until it's clean. Do this regularly. The only parts of the chain that need lube are the pins that connect each link. When you lube the chain, put a drop on each pin, then wipe the chain until it's clean. Your drive train will thank you.

[Wayne&Sam]

Originally Posted by 2airishuman

good bikes should still ride in better places.

Agreed.

[gsmithii]

We chose to put the bikes on a Thule rack mounted on a spotting hitch in the front the the TV. As others have observed above there are lots of pro's and con's for any choice.

In addition to the above, as much as we find the bikes in front to be convenient we certainly do look like a Traveling Circus going down the road.

Of course it does leave room to put a kayak on top of the TV later.

Now That will be a bit o' the traveling circus.

[SteSpot]

Uwe made a bike rack for us to carry a bike inside the Airstream. I will try to take a photo of it this weekend and post it. We also have the Yakima "Locking Blockhead" that is attached to the bed of the truck and then we run a cable through the bikes but they are safer inside the trailer. I am not always happy with the bike inside the trailer but it beats having a grumpy husband if his bike gets stolen. paula

[Andrew T]

We have installed a couple of hundred bike racks on Airstreams without it causing a problem. However I wouldn't want to give the impression that any bike rack system is fine to put on an Airstream. The common system of welding a receiver underneath and sliding in a "S" shape rack will cause structural problems on many models of Airstreams.

The rack we install for two bikes works because the rack only weighs 12 pounds, it is supported by the body and the frame, and the bikes are carried very close to the back of the Airstream.

I hope this helps.

Andrew T

[HowieE]

Nice rack Andrew.

Did we have the same dream?

[BillTex]

Originally Posted by gsmithii

We chose to put the bikes on a Thule rack mounted on a spotting hitch in the front the the TV. As others have observed above there are lots of pro's and con's for any choice.

In addition to the above, as much as we find the bikes in front to be convenient we certainly do look like a Traveling Circus going down the road.

Of course it does leave room to put a kayak on top of the TV later.

Now That will be a bit o' the traveling circus.

Travelling circus for sure...but at least we have all of our toys when we get to the lake! 3 Bikes, 2 tandem kayaks, porta-bote w/Motor...yikes! Locked and loaded.

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by BillTex

Travelling circus for sure...but at least we have all of our toys when we get to the lake! 3 Bikes, 2 tandem kayaks, porta-bote w/Motor...yikes! Locked and loaded.

Is there a truck in there....somewhere?

[Sky]

Originally Posted by BillTex

Travelling circus for sure...but at least we have all of our toys when we get to the lake! 3 Bikes, 2 tandem kayaks, porta-bote w/Motor...yikes! Locked and loaded.

ROFLOL, lord thats funny

[noreen&sal]

Where is the periscope?----------------------------------------------------Sal.

[BillTex]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

Is there a truck in there....somewhere?

Yeah, I know...but that's how it goes when you want to be active outdoors. (Some Folks don't take anything more than a blender!) We don't always travel that loaded up...but for a week up in the mountains..we are loaded.
And yes, there is a truck...and an AS under all that! Paddled up to a Moose on this trip!
No bikes on this trip...this was hiking and paddling...

Any way...we are off topic now...later.

B

[Bird's Nest]

Our bike rack needs have changed. We love our Yakima Bed heads in our TV but now we use a Westfalia instead of a 28'CCD and GMC 2500 TV.

The Bed Heads work great with all kinds of bikes, even our carbon road bikes. But now we have to switch to a hitch rack. We have one from the early 90's that was considered high-tech when we bought it but it is now reduced to a dinosaur. It worked okay through the cross-bike season since my husbands CX bike is metallic.

We have a short bike-trip break but in February we will start traveling to centuries and the old rack will not cut it with the carbon road frames. We have our eyes on a Kuat NV. Kuat Racks

Plus, my husband has designed a swing away bracket that will allow the bikes to rotate to the side of the Westy for unencumbered rear door access. His plans are at a fabrication shop right now. I will post photos once it is fabricated, powder coated and installed on the Westy.

We loved our CCD but the Westy is just perfect for the quick get-a-ways our current lifestyle demands. We discovered all we need is a little room for our bikes, our Jack Russell and each other.

[jjuneau98]

I'm in the process of choosing a TV for my 59 Streamline. One of my criteria is an extended cab for the truck that will fit my bikes. If your bikes are as expensive and beloved as mine, only inside storage will do.

[Bk Yd Safari]

We tow with a Chevy 1500 crew cab. Using a 2x4 stud and clips purchased from a bike shop we made a rack that mounts on the front rail of the truck bed. We remove the front tires and clip the bikes to the rack and using tie downs straps anchor the rear tires. The longest trip so far is over 800 miles round trip with no problems.

[MaxAB]

Here's another school of thought for Airstreaming with bikes... We use a Thule rack with a box for extra items in the middle and a mountain bike on either side. If you want to drive to a trail head and keep the AS parked, no worries - they're with the truck. Been working real well for us, just watch out for low hanging branches...

[BillTex]

Originally Posted by jjuneau98

I'm in the process of choosing a TV for my 59 Streamline. One of my criteria is an extended cab for the truck that will fit my bikes. If your bikes are as expensive and beloved as mine, only inside storage will do.

If I really had to have my bikes inside, and I can understand why some Folks do...I would serioulsy consider a 3/4 ton van.
They make great TV's...and a fairly safe/sheltered place for stuff!..
B