Fifth wheel approved bike rack

[jasin1]

Found this on Amazon the other day…they had 5 in stock and now it says unavailable….don’t know when they will restock.
I’m pretty impressed with it…$540 but rated for ebikes and fifth wheel …been looking to get the Hollywood rv bike rack but it’s been sold out for almost a year.
Took 20 min to assemble and seems heavy duty…need to rotate the handlebars on inside bike as it touches the rv,I don’t want to use an extension on the hitch

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by jasin1

Found this on Amazon the other day…they had 5 in stock and now it says unavailable….don’t know when they will restock.
I’m pretty impressed with it…$540 but rated for bikes and fifth wheel …been looking to get the Hollywood rv bike rack but it’s been sold out for almost a year.
Took 20 min to assemble and seems heavy duty…need to rotate the handlebars on inside bike as it touches the rv,I don’t want to use an extension on the hitch

Ouch! $540 amazon is not always your friend.
When faced with this problem I decided that carrying the bikes on a Pin Box mounted rack would be the solution, no wild bouncing, always in view, I know they are riding with us and smoothly. I had the pin box receiver fabricated for about $80 total cost.

This is the rack I use, it isn't RV approved, but on the pin box, it doesn't see the wild bouncing that it would see at the back of the 5er.

https://www.amazon.com/Swagman-Cross...7667798&sr=8-3

[jasin1]

That looks nice … I was afraid of modifications to the pin box while it’s still in warranty..but looks well built

[dutchmensport]

I "STRONGLY" suggest you attach the bike rack with the bikes and go for a drive. Have someone follow you from behind and take a video of what is happening back there when you hit bumps, dips, and turns.

I have a receiver hitch on my Montana, but there is so much slop in the hitch, the shaft moves, causing the bike rack to rock back and forth, sometimes, violently. That's not good for the bikes, the hitch, or the trailer.

Yours might be fine. But still, test the waters before hitting the road. You may find you'll need to bungie cord the bikes to prevent the rocking or secure in a different way.

Just a word of caution. Better you find out if it does not work now, before hitting the road and getting caught in a bad situation. On the other hand, if everything is OK, you know you can travel with confidence everything is secured.

A video by someone following you will speak volumes to you, if the amount of rocking is acceptable to you or not. Everyone's "acceptance level" is different you know.

Good luck.

On Edit: Just watch this very short video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbk5sLpgqiA

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by dutchmensport

I "STRONGLY" suggest you attach the bike rack with the bikes and go for a drive. Have someone follow you from behind and take a video of what is happening back there when you hit bumps, dips, and turns.

I have a receiver hitch on my Montana, but there is so much slop in the hitch, the shaft moves, causing the bike rack to rock back and forth, sometimes, violently. That's not good for the bikes, the hitch, or the trailer.

Yours might be fine. But still, test the waters before hitting the road. You may find you'll need to bungie cord the bikes to prevent the rocking or secure in a different way.

Just a word of caution. Better you find out if it does not work now, before hitting the road and getting caught in a bad situation. On the other hand, if everything is OK, you know you can travel with confidence everything is secured.

A video by someone following you will speak volumes to you, if the amount of rocking is acceptable to you or not. Everyone's "acceptance level" is different you know.

Good luck.

I hear ya..I had another bike rack ..a Thule non rv approved up until now and it’s been pretty good ..I have a rear observation camera I monitor it with.
I bought a swagman rv approved 2 arm rack and it bent the first trip
So I returned it.
This one is really sturdy and well built..it also has tie down straps that I’m supposed to use separate from the wheel tie downs.
The anti rattle bolt is sturdy also and it’s a solid 2” reciever piece not the 1.5 to 2 “ adaptor that some come with.
But yes I will keep an eye on it

[Northofu1]

I bought a swagman that is the same style as yours. Cost $168 can on amazon. Used 3 times no issues.

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by dutchmensport

I "STRONGLY" suggest you attach the bike rack with the bikes and go for a drive. Have someone follow you from behind and take a video of what is happening back there when you hit bumps, dips, and turns.

I have a receiver hitch on my Montana, but there is so much slop in the hitch, the shaft moves, causing the bike rack to rock back and forth, sometimes, violently. That's not good for the bikes, the hitch, or the trailer.

Yours might be fine. But still, test the waters before hitting the road. You may find you'll need to bungie cord the bikes to prevent the rocking or secure in a different way.

Just a word of caution. Better you find out if it does not work now, before hitting the road and getting caught in a bad situation. On the other hand, if everything is OK, you know you can travel with confidence everything is secured.

A video by someone following you will speak volumes to you, if the amount of rocking is acceptable to you or not. Everyone's "acceptance level" is different you know.

Good luck.

On Edit: Just watch this very short video:

Well that appears to be a real bad road, and setup. While the TV looks to be a DRW, it needs a better set of shocks, and the 5er needs more pin weight and a set of shocks.

[flybouy]

Wow, thats a lot of assumptions ftom watching a 15 second video.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by jasin1

I hear ya..I had another bike rack ..a Thule non rv approved up until now and it’s been pretty good ..I have a rear observation camera I monitor it with.
I bought a swagman rv approved 2 arm rack and it bent the first trip
So I returned it.
This one is really sturdy and well built..it also has tie down straps that I’m supposed to use separate from the wheel tie downs.
The anti rattle bolt is sturdy also and it’s a solid 2” reciever piece not the 1.5 to 2 “ adaptor that some come with.
But yes I will keep an eye on it

Originally Posted by Northofu1

I bought a swagman that is the same style as yours. Cost $168 can on amazon. Used 3 times no issues.

I definitely keep an eye on it…that is why this is my third bike rack…I have no desire to have my expensive bikes go sliding down the road and take out a Tesla..I appreciate the heads up that’s why I went with a fifth wheel approved heavy duty bike rack that is rated for 70 lb ebikes…I figure a insurance claim can be denied if they saw that I was using something NOT approved for fifth wheel use.
Most of the cheaper swagman were not rated for fifth wheels but were rated for TT.
The higher priced e spec swagman was approved but back ordered til oct.
The cheaper 2 arm fifth wheel rated rack bent considerably with my beach cruisers

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by flybouy

Wow, thats a lot of assumptions ftom watching a 15 second video.

I prefer observations, I tow a 5er, and I had the opportunity to follow it on about a 100 mile tow. I knew where all the bumps and bad bridge transitions were and rough sections of road. I had installed shocks and LT tires, it never bounced like the 5er in the video.

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by rhagfo

Ouch! $540 amazon is not always your friend.
When faced with this problem I decided that carrying the bikes on a Pin Box mounted rack would be the solution, no wild bouncing, always in view, I know they are riding with us and smoothly. I had the pin box receiver fabricated for about $80 total cost.

This is the rack I use, it isn't RV approved, but on the pin box, it doesn't see the wild bouncing that it would see at the back of the 5er.

I don't have a bicycle but was curious about when you are cutting the wheel hard, wouldn't those bikes hit your cab? I do like that better otherwise than hanging them on the back of a camper.

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

I don't have a bicycle but was curious about when you are cutting the wheel hard, wouldn't those bikes hit your cab? I do like that better otherwise than hanging them on the back of a camper.

No, and have one guy state they carry four bikes with a short bed without issue.

[jasin1]

Looking back on the video, I think the problem is they have some sort of cargo carrier under the bike rack that is loaded up with stuff…..that looks like what is contributing to all the bouncing..that also seems to be where the stuff is falling out..maybe a small kids bike or grill on a carrier with a hitch extender/ doubler.

I know the rear of the fifth wheel isn’t the best place to mount bike racks as far as dynamic forces, but if you get a proper bike rack and secure them properly and don’t just throw the bikes on and walk away…. I think it could be a safe way to transport them

I also wonder if the guy making the video tried to alert the driver of the rv ?

In this day and age people get more satisfaction from witnessing and recording a tragedy rather then trying to prevent it…gotta have something to post to youtube or Facebook

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by jasin1

Looking back on the video, I think the problem is they have some sort of cargo carrier under the bike rack that is loaded up with stuff…..that looks like what is contributing to all the bouncing..that also seems to be where the stuff is falling out..maybe a small kids bike or grill on a carrier with a hitch extender/ doubler.

I know the rear of the fifth wheel isn’t the best place to mount bike racks as far as dynamic forces, but if you get a proper bike rack and secure them properly and don’t just throw the bikes on and walk away…. I think it could be a safe way to transport them

I also wonder if the guy making the video tried to alert the driver of the rv ?

In this day and age people get more satisfaction from witnessing and recording a tragedy rather then trying to prevent it…gotta have something to post to youtube or Facebook

Honestly I think a lot of folks are just inhibited by the violence rather than being sadistic. I know my first though if witnessing someone "driving it like they stole it" at night would be maybe they did. With folks shooting folks for blowing their horn it just becomes an act "self preservation" to just "pass on by".

I guess I'm getting old but I just can't take a 15 second night time video and analyze it with such certainty. Seems like everyone that doesn't recommend mounting bikes on the back use it as a prime example and everyone that does or desires to mount them on the back want to find reasons why the video is "an exception". What I see is a camper that bounced violently and things jumped like a bomb went off and something fell off the back. I'm not about to postulate as to how's, why's, and what ifs because I can't see the evidence to support a concise conclusion. JMHO

[jasin1]

You have a good point about the violence and road rage.
Here’s a picture of the cargo carrier ..if you blow up the video you can see it bouncing up and down under the bikes..probably overloaded carrier

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by jasin1

You have a good point about the violence and road rage.
Here’s a picture of the cargo carrier ..if you blow up the video you can see it bouncing up and down under the bikes..probably overloaded carrier

Thanks for taking the time to do that but I not that interested in the video. Without knowing how or if the load was secured, what actually fell off, what speed the rig was traveling, what the road was like at that time (pot hole, road gator, run over a dog, blow out?), trailer set up, hitch set up, etc., in other words without knowing facts I'm not going to play CSI and guess.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by flybouy

Thanks for taking the time to do that but I not that interested in the video. Without knowing how or if the load was secured, what actually fell off, what speed the rig was traveling, what the road was like at that time (pot hole, road gator, run over a dog, blow out?), trailer set up, hitch set up, etc., in other words without knowing facts I'm not going to play CSI and guess.

..we already established I have too much time on my hands.. I guess I will turn my attention elsewhere

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by jasin1

..we already established I have too much time on my hands.. I guess I will turn my attention elsewhere

No, not at all, that's just how I think. We're all different, we all like different things and that's what makes the world go round! Carry on!

[Ccrew]

Originally Posted by flybouy

Wow, thats a lot of assumptions ftom watching a 15 second video.

Truck is about 14lbs over payload and the tires 1 psi under inflated too!

[tomd]

I had the rack in the photo on my 5th wheel, it was ok but not adequate for E-bikes.


The "E-spec swagman" is much stronger. It has two bars and cups that hold the wheels. The hitch can fold but this MUST be hard bolted for an RV (bolts in kit, makes stiffer connection) for a trailer. I've traveled few thousand miles and it work fine. It also has nice locks built in. Less than $500 last year.