Here is the way we carry our bicycles. .
The rack is a stock item from GMC.
Need to mount a receiver hitch on the front same as on the back.
I found this thread because La Gringa and I were talking about our AS plans for the summer, and I brought up the subject of how to take bikes along. I had already planned to put a front receiver on a TV when we get one of our own, but this year we will be leasing a truck.
Anyhow, when I showed her your photo and said 'this is how we'll be carrying them eventually. but it's in the back of the rental truck for now..."
her only answer was 'Ooohh....where was that photo taken?'
My wifes PINK (from the 70's Schwinn rides upside down on the handle bars and rear luggage rack,inside the AS, against the front goucho with lots of blankets. We block it in with a cooler and tables. IT has never moved. NO WAY that puppy will be outside.
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Roger & MaryLou
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F350 CREWCAB SW LONG BED
7.3 liter Power Stroke Diesel
1977 27ft OVERLANDER
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AIR # 22336 TAC- OH-7
May your roads be straight and smooth and may you always have a tailwind!
I secure this to the mattress using Yakima heavy duty load straps, which I wrap thru each fork block and around and under the plywood base of the bed, the bikes are loaded on with the rear wheel towards the head of the bed, I then run another set of straps thru the rear wheels and again under the plywood base. Done properly this is very secure and has worked well for me. I then place the front wheels in wheel bags and place those on either side of the bed. A local bicycle shop could supply you with all of these items.
I like the idea of the front mount hitch. With kids and all we don't have room to put the bikes inside our vehicle so the front mount hitch seems the best for us. This season we'll simply load them inside the trailer since we've blown a lot of cash replacing axles, water heater and tires, Maybe next season! Thanks for all the great suggestions!
I like the idea of the front mount hitch. With kids and all we don't have room to put the bikes inside our vehicle so the front mount hitch seems the best for us. This season we'll simply load them inside the trailer since we've blown a lot of cash replacing axles, water heater and tires, Maybe next season! Thanks for all the great suggestions!
I have been doing this for over 12 years with never a problem. The only thing I would caution is that "technically" I suppose it could break some aspects of the highway code and it some law enforcement officer was feeling especially miserable, they might give you a hard time.
The bikes do - very marginally - obstruct field of vision, not in my view to any extent that could cause a problem.
Also, the bikes do slightly reduce the effectiveness of your headlights - again, not very much, and in our case, we are seldom on the road with the trailer after dark anyway. I find as I grow older, I like drivng at night on unfamiliar roads less and less - especially with the trailer in tow!
As mentioned, we have never been stopped in over 12 years of carrying the bikes this way, but just something to be aware of!
After looking at many options for packing our bikes while towing our Airstream, I decided on putting the bikes on top of our tonneau cover. The pluses and minuses of different systems have been already stated in this Forum. Every system has its tradeoffs.
Tonneau cover rack has the following pluses for us:
1. We like the visibility of tonneau cover over a shell, the bikes themselves do not significantly reduce visibility.
2. Loading and unloading of bike is easy because the lift is at shoulder height,
3. If rack is on the trailer, it would be difficult to bring bikes without trailer.
3. We expected that we would have to remove bikes before lifting cover or unloading but we serendipitously discovered, as you can see in photo, that the lid can be lifted and truck bed unloaded without removing the bikes. (due to added weight of bikes I use 2x4 to give additional support to shock absorbers on lid when lifting tonneau cover with bikes on)
One question I have for you guys putting the bikes in front of the tow vehicle....has your truck ever overheated as a result?
You are blocking the airflow into the radiator. I understand the auto makers build in a safety factor, but I would think that having three or four bicycles bolted to the front of the truck would inhibit the airflow enough to make the vehicle run hotter.
Have you all noticed this? If not, then great. I am very seriously looking at welding on a receiver to the back bumper of my Avion 34 footer so that we can use the same bike rack we use on my wife's Trailblazer to carry our bikes. I'm tired of fighting them in the back of my pickup under the normal height cap, and how much room they eat up. The Avion's frame is heavy enough to not worry about sag or separation. And I front load it enough that the CG is always way forward.
Just the same, I like the idea of the front mount on the truck. I'm just worried about restricting airflow and overheating the engine.
Folding bikes are what we use. Airstream is still up on cement blocks, but they fit in the PUP. Not great for everyday use (only 3 speeds, and tiny wheels) but great for camping trips.
One question I have for you guys putting the bikes in front of the tow vehicle....has your truck ever overheated as a result?
Nope...28 years towing four different Airstreams with everything from a Toyota pick up to a Dodge diesel, all with a bikes on the front of the truck/suv and never had an overheat problem and it gets pretty darn hot in the California valleys in the summer.
They aren't really that much surface area and the air flows thru and around them.
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'05 30' Classic rear queen with an '11 Dodge Cummins Turbo Diesel tow vehicle
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Um, now I have no bikes, and I'm not really into them so please pardon what may seem to be an "ignert" question:
Why not just put them inside the trailer? Wouldn't take much to secure them, would it?
Grease, dirt, space, damage the interior. With the bike rack on the front of the truck I hang the bikes on the rack, put the hold down bracket on and padlock lock it, one bungee cord on the front wheels of the bikes and I'm on the road.
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'05 30' Classic rear queen with an '11 Dodge Cummins Turbo Diesel tow vehicle
Avatar is inflight refueling of an F-15 over Nevada...best job ever!
Has anyone used one of these? I've seen two designs-one rated for 10K/500lb. tongue weight and one rated at 5K? Are they unsafe, pose clearance issues, not rated for weight of AS? Just thought I'd ask-just saw one for the first time and thought it was a great idea for the right application.
haven't used one of those specifically, but used a receiver mounted bike rack for years without any problems. I don't see why you couldn't put one in the top receiver and tow with the bottom one. That's the idea, right?
Yes, they are designed to tow with the bottom and bike rack on the upper. I have not checked clearances between the rack/bikes and the propane tanks. I do still like the idea of a front mounted reciever on my Sequioa-our issue is we have 4 adult sized bikes since our boys are older. I would prefer to only have two bikes in front and either put the other two inside the trailer or consider one of these dual hitches if it were to work properly and not create a safety issue. One (additional) hesitation I have about the dual hitch is that, currently, when we are towing the AS we can open our back hatch to get to cargo (duct tape and wiskey-just kidding!) and the door just clears the propane tanks so this would eliminate that which isn't the end of the world but I do like being able to have access to cargo(duct tape, wiskey and hammer-just kidding!)
We haven't bought our airstream yet... So please forgive my ignorance....but in this whole thread no one said anything about roof mounted bike racks on the TV. Is there something I don't know about? Like not putting bikes on the roof of a TV when pulling a trailer?
And while some SUVs are tall and make lifting a problem, this could be helped with a small step stool/ladder brought along for just that reason.
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Bill and Janice, We're lovin' it! (Airstreaming) 
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