Transporting Bicycles

[A W Warn]

I've been using a simple garage type bike parking rack inside the trailer for about 10 years. I've hauled them in both of the trailers I own now. I have had the bikes and rack move when I failed to stabilize them properly, but no damage to trailer or bike. I place them side to side right against the sofa so that the bikes can't slide forward if I have to brake hard. I place a towel or quilt on the floor, a quilt over the bikes to protect the trailer, and use bungees to stabilize.

This rack can be used while towing, to park bikes at the campsite and at home. My bikes are in the rack right now.
https://www.amazon.com/2006-RAD-Cycl...-goods&sr=1-21

[JohnandDonna]

We have an International Serenity 30 RB Twin on order. We are planning on getting electric bikes. These are to heavy for most bike carriers. Seems to me all we have to do is put them in the bedroom, lean one against one bed and the other against the other bed. Secure with a bungee or something. Cushioned and secure. Or what am I missing?

[GOUSC]

We use Dahon folding bikes. we flip up the back seat and store them in them inside our truck. Bought a cover they slide into so no dirt gets inside the truck. Works well for us. Easy to put in and out.

[ktmkirby]

Mine ride inside.

[bbandeddie]

This worked well for us. I used the 3M super duty interlocking tape to connect the board to the floor. Doing again, I’d probably screw some t nuts into the floor and bolt the fork mounts directly.
In the end, we found it a PITA having the bikes inside as we spend 5-6mon at a time in the rig and on single night stops it was too much hassle unloading the bikes but then living around the bikes got really old. We fab-ed a mounting system to put the fork mounts on the truck tonneau cover. This works way better now for us.

[LU86Guppy]

I bought a Montague Paratrooper
It folds in half and fits virtually anywhere in my rig, or under the tonneau in my pickup bed.
Out of the weather and dirt, away from thieves.
Full size bike, and takes about 2 minutes to unfold and be ready to ride. I use moving pads (blankets would be fine) to keep anything from getting dinged or scratched.

https://www.montaguebikes.com/product/paratrooper/

I love it.

[A.S. Beauty]

I had a hitch welded to the back of the AS so I could install a THULE bike rack (2 fat tire bikes which were heavy). Worked perfectly.

[LiamG]

I put ours on the folded down dinette table while driving and cover them with a tarp, locked to a tree, while we’re camped. I like to keep them out of sight of thieves as much as possible which is why we don’t keep them on the TV roof. The bugs while driving is also a big deterrent.

[ShadyBill47]

The rack that came with my 25' Classic is an Arvika that mounts above the propane tanks. It is a Canadian company. I have to stand on my TV tailgate to mount or remove them, but it works very well. There are 3 posts that mount to the frame and lift the rack above the tank cover. I am going to a folding electric bike, so if you are interested in my setup, I could probably part with it.
PM me if interested.

[gypsydad]

3rd AS with the Fiama...works well. Andy's at CanAm looks interesting also...or, perhaps, re-invent the wheel??

[Denny Arnold]

We have 2 bikes I carry in the back of a shortbed crew cab

I fasten them to a 10' aluminum ladder section...I put 2 skate wheels on one end of the ladder, and..slide them into the truck.

They go in & out easily, without me climbing up in the truck. And, when we travel, with or without the trailer, they are always there. PS..the tailgate locks & they are secure

[rdsyl]

30 Classic, F350. The only thing we didn't like about the Fiamma was the price, and it does make accessing the under bed storage from the outside more difficult. That said, it worked great for our 6 month maiden voyage. We have plenty of stuff in the truck box and we didn't want bikes inside the AS. On the rack the bikes are secure and out of the way.

[RRwayne]

Originally Posted by Andrew T

If you have a truck inside the back is really the best place for bikes but if you want them on the back we have a nice tidy carrier that we have been building for 20 years now.

- It only weighs 12 pounds.
- Carries the bikes very close to the back of the Airstream so no leverage on
the chassis and no bounce.
- For lightweight bikes it can carry 3.
- It spreads the loads to both the chassis and body.
- Swings down with or without the bikes for access to the rear storage or
rear hatch.
- Easily removable when not needed at all.
- Works on a Sport with no bumper
- Can easily be adapted to carry a tandem.


Andy

would you give a direct link, we have tried inside doesn't work always get something damage I have a 72 Sovereign?

[Steven62]

I used to use one of these to carry the bikes above the propane tanks. I caved and purchased the Fiamma.

Wanted to use a device that converts the hitch receiver from 1 to 2 and hold the bikes above the hitch. They don’t make one strong enough for the tongue weight.

[mmelancon]

We are full-time since May of this year. I have studied and compared all options for our three bicycles. This forum has been outstanding and the information extensive. Our bikes are high performance carbon set ups. After seeing what the truck and Airstream(2019 25 FBTwin) look like over a couple of weeks of being on the road the two off road bikes go inside AS. Road bike goes inside capped bed on our truck. The twin beds and floor get a layer of old beach towels and I've attached a long bungee to the cabinet between the beds so bikes do not vibrate to rear of AS. I lay one on the left bed and one on the right. This takes me less than 5 minutes to bring in the bikes and run bungee through front of frames. After 6 months/8K miles we have no damage to trailer and the bikes are always clean and secure. We do take them out every stop, but it's not much of an effort considering all we do. My road bike attaches to wheel mounts in the capped bed like many others have done. Hope this helps!

[Docbutch]

My wife and I went through numerous iterations of just how to transport our bikes. We finally found that our old bike carrier worked just fine. We put the bikes on the carrier, hitch up, travel, and reverse the process.

[1957Custom22]

If we carried our bikes inside, we would do as some others suggest — wrap them in furniture blankets and lay them on some kind of pad or cushion. Our trailer has the spare tire mounted on the back bumper, so we can’t mount a bike rack there.

We carry our bikes behind the tow vehicle on a standard receiver-mounted bike rack. I fabricated a second receiver tube that fits over the top part of the vertical member of the adjustable ball mount, secured by a big bolt — a hitch pin would also work.

I made the second receiver by cutting and welding two aftermarket receiver tubes together at a 90 degree angle. When mounted, it looks like an upside-down L. The vertical tube fits down over the vertical member of the ball mount. The bike rack fits inside the horizontal tube.

Our bike rack has a vertical post that folds down horizontal when no bikes are mounted, leaving room to open the tailgate. There are factory versions of extended receiver tubes with second receivers for sale, but they lengthen the gap between tow vehicle and trailer.

[dwhiatt]

I agree with everyone that recommends the Fiamma rack for AS. We are on our 2nd AS and had the Fiamma from our 1st transferred over.....no problems, love how easy to use. Regarding fire escape for the bedroom.....easy enough to take the bikes off when using the bedroom.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by Docbutch

My wife and I went through numerous iterations of just how to transport our bikes. We finally found that our old bike carrier worked just fine. We put the bikes on the carrier, hitch up, travel, and reverse the process.

That set up looks interesting, but are you way over your max payload with that set up? Hitch weight for the 27' TB in the brochure is 920lbs; actual weight likely a lot more...ours spec. weight is 976 but actual scale weight is 1100lbs. If you know, curious as to what is your overall tongue weight loaded like that and what is your Max Payload off the door jam of that SUV says on the sticker? Please share if you have the data. Remember, payload includes your tongue weight, all passengers, and gear in the back.

[Downhill502]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

That set up looks interesting, but are you way over your max payload with that set up? Hitch weight for the 27' TB in the brochure is 920lbs; actual weight likely a lot more...ours spec. weight is 976 but actual scale weight is 1100lbs. If you know, curious as to what is your overall tongue weight loaded like that and what is your Max Payload off the door jam of that SUV says on the sticker? Please share if you have the data. Remember, payload includes your tongue weight, all passengers, and gear in the back.

Remember, a weight distribution hitch will disperse the tongue weight to the tow vehicle axles as well as the trailer axles. Cat scale will verify this as well, onward with the bicycle transporting [emoji16]