Bicycle Carrier

[Montana_4342]

We're trying to find the most efficient way to carry our bikes. Would the bikes clear the front of the 5th wheel if they were mounted on a 2" receiver on the back of the truck? Any ideas would be welcome. Thanks everyone!

[Bill Hill]

We use the carrier that hangs on the ladder. Works great for either our single bikes or our tandem. I think bikes might be a bit high when mounted behind the truck. There have been other threads on this topic, do a search using bike rack.

[CountryGuy]

Rudi

Bill is right, this has been discussed a couple of times, at length. Do a search (see top of page) or go to main page, look at the little yellow things on the right side of page that say archives and search there.

We contemplated your idea VERY hard, long time, short end: went to a front hidden hitch on GMC instead.

Good luck!

[OntMont]

quote:Originally posted by Rudi

We're trying to find the most efficient way to carry our bikes.

There are bike racks that mount on the pin box.

For ourselves, we found enough room in our front lockers to store two full size bikes. We take the wheels off and lay the bikes on their sides with the wheels (in protective bags) on top. That still leaves a surprising amount of room for other stuff, and the bikes are out of sight and the weather. I know full timers (and certain people with four dogs) have lots of other things to carry, and it won't work in those cases, but take a hard look at what you have in your front locker, you might be surprised.

As for bike racks on the rear of the trailer, "RC and Samantha" have one of the best implementaitions of that method that I have seen.

[CountryGuy]

OntMont

WHOOOOO, certain people with four dogs?? HA HA. Yep, lots of other things to carry, DOG FOOD, DOG GEAR, DOG GROOMING! DOGS!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Amps]

Hello Bill.
I like the word "Tandem" as we also have one. Unfortunately we have not been able to find a front or ladder rack for it. Would you please provide us with a name, website, photo of your bicycle rack.
Thank you.

quote:Originally posted by Bill Hill

We use the carrier that hangs on the ladder. Works great for either our single bikes or our tandem. I think bikes might be a bit high when mounted behind the truck. There have been other threads on this topic, do a search using bike rack.

[faeb and genb]

I mounted a 2 in reciever on front of truck & pin a tray in it. Works for bikes or honda scooter either.
Gene

[OntMont]

quote:Originally posted by CountryGuy

OntMont

WHOOOOO, certain people with four dogs?? HA HA. Yep, lots of other things to carry, DOG FOOD, DOG GEAR, DOG GROOMING! DOGS!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Hi Carol and Al, That was supposed to have very happy smilee
to go with it, hope you read it that way.

[Dave e Victoria]

Between the pickup bed and trailer -- it depends. On most montanas, there is room to tow with the tailgaite down. Not so with the Cambridge and may not b so with all Montanas so you must be careful. So, if you can tow with gate down, and your bikes are not too high or too long, then it would work. At the very least, measurements are in order. When we had our 3295 Big Sky, I had a reiever mounted cargo carrier on the back of teh pickup and carried everything from a ceramic cooker to charcoal an dog food. When we got the Cambridge, all this stuff became giveaways including the carrier. It just didn't fit.

In the meantime, we carry our bikes on a carrier mounted to a two inch trailer hitch reciever we had mounted on the trailer.
Dave

[Trailer Trash 2]

Rudi get a front of the truck mount it work real good.

[Searchers]

We've used the same ladder mount rack from Camping World to pack two bikes for over 10 years without a problem.

[jpbcny]

I use a front end mounted "Hidden Hitch" class 3 receiver. I got it from J.C. Whitney (about $90.00), took about 1/2 hour to install. Its very useful for hauling bikes, or moving boats, or small trailers in tight spots (or Wave Runners, or something else that is hard to see behind the truck).

[CountryGuy]

OntMont

VERY funny, lots of happy faces (bout the dogs), no insult taken.

[Montana_4342]

Thanks everyone! Once again you came through to help a novice 5th wheeler.

[Chaser]

We recently had a receiver installed on the front of the truck - holds both bikes on the bike rack, we were discouraged from trying to mount additional weight of receiver (plus to $ and tool work) and are glad we went the other route - we can see the bikes, don't have to worry about backing them into something when parking either. Just another thought.

Mike & Evy Orlob
Central Oregon
SYIM

[drhowell]

We have two folding bikes. Weigh about 27#s and fold to about 3'x 3'. I built a small rack that fits in one corner of the pickup bed. Lay one bike flat on floor, put rack over it and the other bike on the rack. Total height is less than the top of the bed of the truck. The front wheels remove easily and I stow then in the forward basement. These are full size 21 speed cross country bikes made by Montague. They also fit in our airplane in the rear seat.

If I had standard (non-folding) bikes I would prefer the front of the engine type mount. Sorry Don. I just don't like the idea of hanging them off the rear ladder, even though many people do it with no problems. Kinda like to keep an eye on things. Had an empty ice chest (not the Styrofoam type) fly out of the bed of the truck once with the fifth wheel attached and ended up under the trailer axles going down the freeway at 60 MPH. Still have the chest but it has some interesting road rash. I like to secure anything and everything so I can concentrate on the driving and scenery not the load. Just hate those emergency stops in traffic.

[Garin1]

I mounted a reciever hitch to the back of the 5vr and one to the rear of the truck. When pulling the 5vr I mount the bikes on the back. After unhitching I move the bike rack back to the truck.

[Garin1]

Oh,,,I bought the bike carrier at Wally World