Bike Rack

[fjr vfr]

Does anyone have experience with these racks? I want to carry 3 bikes. I had a welder come by and reinforce my bumper for the added weight and more.
I've only seen one of these up close early this year on a 5th wheel. It seems like a good design. Any thoughts or maybe a better option?



http://www.loloracks.com/#home

[FlyingAroundRV]

I think the general consensus here is that mounting stuff to the back bumpers doesn't work too well. There are some who have had success with it, but a lot more who haven't. The metal of the bumpers is very thin and even when the supports for the bumpers have been reinforced, the bumper itself becomes the weak point.

[rhagfo]

Have ever given thought to mounting the bike rack to your pin box??
Have done myself with two bikes, and in that post another reported doing four bikes with a short bed.

[KSH]

Why would you want that huge thing. Get a Tow hitch welded to the frame on the back of the trailer and use this
https://www.etrailer.com/RV-and-Camp...SAAEgJj7vD_BwE

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by rhagfo

Have ever given thought to mounting the bike rack to your pin box??
Have done myself with two bikes, and in that post another reported doing four bikes with a short bed.

Thought I would add some pictures.

This is the receiver under construction.



Bikes on rack.



Bikes on rack in hitched position, NO clearance issues.

[fjr vfr]

First let me start with the bumper. These bumpers are rated for 300 lbs from the factory. I personally think that's pushing it. But, when I see the bumper failures on youtube and such it's always due to rust, cracked welds or improper loading such as bikes dangling on flimsy racks and spare tires on loose holders where they bounce around.
All of these things are preventable through proper loading, (conservative) and regular inspections, (maintenance). I see one guy whose bumper was all rusted with cracked welds. For sure he never inspected his bumper. It's like never checking your tires...recipe for disaster.
Millions of rv's out there with either spare tires or bikes who never had an issue. It all comes down to maintenance and conservative proper loading.


As for my bumper I carried 2 bikes around on a platform rack for about 15,000 miles before just getting the bumper heavily reinforced. I always inspected the bumper before and during our trips.
I want to ad another bike and my spare tire. Altogether it will be less than 300 lbs on a heavily reinforced bump.

I feel very confident with regular inspections and proper loading I won't have an issue.

[fjr vfr]

Originally Posted by KSH

Why would you want that huge thing. Get a Tow hitch welded to the frame on the back of the trailer and use this
https://www.etrailer.com/RV-and-Camp...SAAEgJj7vD_BwE

I am looking at that same rack as well as this one

https://www.etrailer.com/RV-and-Camp...le/TH9057.html


I haven't made up my mind yet.

The lolo rack is twice as heavy but since the bikes are upright they don't stick out as far in the rear. This should also mean better clearance when entering gas stations and dips in the road.
Thanks

[fjr vfr]

Originally Posted by rhagfo

Have ever given thought to mounting the bike rack to your pin box??
Have done myself with two bikes, and in that post another reported doing four bikes with a short bed.

No I don't like that set up. I don't like them sticking out in the weather. Earlier this month we came back from the west coast. We traveled through the flood areas in the midwest and passed through enormous swarms of insects. The front of the camper was covered with layers of these things. It took a lot of work cleaning it up. I can just imagine what the bikes would have looked like. It must also disrupt the air flow.
So, thanks, but no thanks.

[itat]

The best option is to have a proper receiver welded to the frame of your trailer if that's feasible, but if you want to try to mount them on your bumper, its your trailer. You didn't post any pictures so we can't see what the welder did to reinforce your bumper-to-frame connection, but some folks have installed these and are happy with them.

https://www.amazon.com/Mount-n-Lock-.../dp/B071WK9CD3

[KSH]

Originally Posted by fjr vfr

I am looking at that same rack as well as this one

https://www.etrailer.com/RV-and-Camp...le/TH9057.html


I haven't made up my mind yet.

The lolo rack is twice as heavy but since the bikes are upright they don't stick out as far in the rear. This should also mean better clearance when entering gas stations and dips in the road.
Thanks

Looks like the same idea. I got a discount on mine through expert city.

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by fjr vfr

No I don't like that set up. I don't like them sticking out in the weather. Earlier this month we came back from the west coast. We traveled through the flood areas in the midwest and passed through enormous swarms of insects. The front of the camper was covered with layers of these things. It took a lot of work cleaning it up. I can just imagine what the bikes would have looked like. It must also disrupt the air flow.
So, thanks, but no thanks.

We have a cover over the bikes when traveling, also never wonder if they are still with us. I have seen bike racks with bikes sitting on the side of the road in the past. I have also watch bike on a rack on the back of a trailer in front of us beating themselves to death bouncing around.

[fjr vfr]

I also cover the bikes on the back. I don't see a perfect solution that works for everyone.
We were happy with the platform rack we had. Adding more bikes makes it less practical though. The platform racks that hold 4 bikes stick way out in the rear and that kind of negates their advantage of having less movement.


BTW, when I walk around in rv parks I'm astounded at some of the things people load on bumpers. Nearly every bumper has something on it. I see unreinforced bumpers holding big cargo boxes, generators and more. It's amazing.



I'm very confident my bumper will hold what I plan for it.
The issue for me now is deciding which bike rack to get?

[Ken / Claudia]

What ever you make and use back there, either have someone follow you on the freeway awhile or place a camera there to see what your equipment is doing. Regarding rust, you will likely see it inside the bumper tube rotting away the metal before the paint rusts through. Mine had rust inside when new. I suppose you have though about this point. The bumper is ok with 300 lbs, let's say you have 200 lbs on it. Every bumper where the load is pushed down and back up during travel, how much more weight did the downward pressure make during every bump?

[travelin texans]

Rv bumpers were designed for 1 thing, to haul your sewer hose & in most cases can handle the weight of that hose, NOTHING MORE! Once the inside gets rusty it just chews up that hose so then it's only use may be to step up to clean a window, if your not too heavy.

[cavediver]

If it's properly reinforced. Why wouldn't it hold it? The reinforcement should be tied to the frame and the bumper. As a retired Boilermaker I know a little about stresses and vibration. To me if your welder knows what he's doing it should hold your bikes. If he knows what he's doing. Stresses will always find a weak point.

[fjr vfr]

Originally Posted by cavediver

If it's properly reinforced. Why wouldn't it hold it? The reinforcement should be tied to the frame and the bumper. As a retired Boilermaker I know a little about stresses and vibration. To me if your welder knows what he's doing it should hold your bikes. If he knows what he's doing. Stresses will always find a weak point.

I completely agree with this. As I stated earlier, I am very confident it will be good. After all there are millions of non reinforced bumpers out there holding bikes and spare tires with no issues.
I asked my welder if he thinks it would hold 400 lbs. He said, "I wouldn't tow another trailer with it, but 400 lbs shouldn't be a problem." I won't have more than 200 lbs on it.

All the issues I've seen with bumpers are due to neglected maintenance and/or improper loading.


Anyway, the thread has gone in a tangent. I was never looking for opinions to validate my bumper. I was asking about bike racks?

I merely stated I'd reinforced the bumper before people tell me I needed too. I was hoping to keep the subject on track. I guess that didn't work.
It's all good though. I'm pretty close to deciding which bike rack. And now that the bumper is reinforced I'm ready once I choose.


Thanks for all the comments.
John

[Ken / Claudia]

After the bumper brackets are strengthen than the weak link is the nearly paper thin bumper. In the old days my TTs had real steel and much thicker than nowadays. I would replace the whole thing with a thicker bumper if using it for carry. I have seen the bumpers on the roadway with bikes attached.

[FlyingAroundRV]

Originally Posted by Ken / Claudia

After the bumper brackets are strengthen than the weak link is the nearly paper thin bumper. In the old days my TTs had real steel and much thicker than nowadays. I would replace the whole thing with a thicker bumper if using it for carry. I have seen the bumpers on the roadway with bikes attached.

Agree! The "Ultralight" has to come from somewhere. I've looked through our trailer a bit and seen some of the weight saving measures. That said, I bought it with my eyes wide open and I expect some lightweight component failres.

[BadmanRick]

I have a Curt bolt on receiver and an Allan 4 bike rack. I only use it for carrying out Three wheeled bike. Have had no problems.

[tech740]

Not that everyone needs to do as I have but this is working well and did not cost a lot. It was $137 on amazon. Weld in and it sticks out just past the sewer bumper. Ultra Fab 35-946403.