Bike Rack

RM

RMHarville

Member
RV LIFE Pro
Joined
Apr 10, 2024
Posts
14
Location
Medina TN
Howdy,

I have tried to haul my bicycle in the bed of the Ford F250 with my new to me fifth wheel - not pleasant. My rig has a hitch where I could attach a bike rack. Just wanted to get some input on which one everyone likes best. I see lots of options. Before we had a travel trailer and I could just put the bike in my truck bed so this is new to me.
Thanks in advance.
RMH
 
Most hitch receiver bike racks are not rated or warranted for use on the back of travel trailers or 5th wheels, not even Hollywood Racks.

Our F250 is a short bed with a fixed Curt A16 hitch. We always carry 2-3 adult mountain bikes without any clearance issues (and my bike is an extended frame to accommodate my 6’4” height). We take the front wheels off, turn the handle bars and alternate direction. We have done this for about 10,000 miles and 7 months without any problems. No issues with tight corners or anything. Even if your 5th wheel isn’t one of the newer Max Turn types, with the front wheels off, bikes can still be laid down in front or behind the hitch (we have done that as well).
IMG_3544.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Roof rack on your truck would work. You'll need a ladder to get them on or do it before hooking the trailer.
 
sierraman68 said:
I use a Yakima StageTwo Bike Rack for 2 Bikes for 2" Hitches. This hitch works for my 5er, truck and 4Runner. Love it.

Click to expand...
Yakima makes some good bike racks...but;
The rack may support the bikes on the receivers of a vehicle, but, the receivers on an RV are nothing similar in their construction or sturdiness to a truck. I have a Yakima bike rack (not the one linked) but the bottom line is that I would never put it on the receiver of the RV....just wouldn't. The RV receiver is minimal at best. When they limit them to 300lbs. that tells you up front that they are "questionable" for any kind of weight over 100lbs. (being generous) taking into consideration the bouncing and flopping that takes place at the back of the RV. I also have a Hollywood bike rack (for e bikes) that is RV rated and fits within the specs of my receiver - it travels empty and folded up without anything on it and I still worry. I use it at the destination to place on my truck then transport the e bikes (or did).
 
workinonit said:
I bet that Montana has a much sturdier hitch on it than you give it credit for.
Click to expand...
It might be but I've seen too many racks, bike racks and "things" falling off, wobbling, dragging and tilting on the back of a trailer to ever give it a try.
 
Hollywood racks goes into a bit of an explanation on their site as to why their racks are not approved for use on trailers. It has to do with the side to side stresses (wobble), not so much the up and down stresses. But I too have seen stuff falling off the back of trailers enough that I don’t trust anything hanging off of it
 
Yea, I fixed the side to side and wobble issue. I built mine with 3 receivers. My hitch goes across from frame rail to frame rail and has a 10" weld on both sides. It's not going anywhere. My generator, 2 30LB LP tanks and dog fence don't move around at all with 3 receivers. I have a buddy that built a rack on his Montana that he could drive his golf cart on and haul it around. He did that for years.
 
Your rear hitch is probably one of the few exceptions that I have heard of. I know you have talked about before and I believe you when you say how solid it is!
 
Yea, I was just reading the thread about the Bullet Crossfire. Never realized a company would mount a cheesy hitch like that on something. Especially something that doesn't need it because of safety reasons.
 
NH_Bulldog said:
Hollywood racks goes into a bit of an explanation on their site as to why their racks are not approved for use on trailers. It has to do with the side to side stresses (wobble), not so much the up and down stresses. But I too have seen stuff falling off the back of trailers enough that I don’t trust anything hanging off of it
Click to expand...
Ours is approved for RVs but just don't trust them nor the receiver.
 
Kuat has multiple bike racks rated for RV and e-bike use. They are not cheap, but they are also not the most expensive you can get. I have had very good results with mine. It has a adjustment to tighten the slop out of the hitch. Definitely be careful though. There are a lot of forces at work hanging way out the back like that. Do not get some cheap rack not rated for RV use. I would also only use one in a real hitch, not a bolt to the bumper hitch. Good luck!
 
sourdough said:
Ours is approved for RVs but just don't trust them nor the receiver.
Click to expand...

Danny, there is fine print when a rack says it is approved for an RV. They define an RV as a motorhome and exclude travel trailers and 5th wheels from the definition. I have looked for one that is rated for use on a trailer and have yet to find one, so we just put stuff in the bed of the truck.

Why do you say Hollywood Racks are not to be used on trailers or trailered vehicles?

Any trailer or trailered vehicle (including 5th wheel type) has a slight side to side motion that's very low frequency (1 to 1-1/2 times per second) that fatigues the steel from which the racks are manufactured. The fatigue first happens at a molecular level, but eventually (several thousands of cycles later) a visible crack will appear. Once the crack has formed, it will enlarge, finally to the point where the rack drops off the vehicle and the rack (and bikes) impact the roadway.This is also a dangerous situation for whoever may be following the trailer on the highway. We have seen 100+ incidents where the consumers/end user has not taken this advice and suffered disastrous results. We've even had phone calls from consumers who said they read that advice (do not use on a trailer) and ignored it, only to discover a tragic end result. So . . . don't do it. If you insist on doing it regardless of the above, please use some other companies’ rack.
 
hollywoodracks.com

RV Rider Hitch Bike Rack for Motorhomes & RV's | Buy Electric Bike Hitch Racks | E-Bike Rack

The RV Rider is a premium bike rack designed to transport 2 E-bikes (up to 80 lbs each) on the hitch of your RV motorhome, 5th wheel, or flat-towed vehicle. This heavy-duty bike rack features wheel holders that can accommodate tires up to 5 inches wide and secure them. Locking frame grabbers...
hollywoodracks.com hollywoodracks.com

Above is a link to one similar to the one I own (don't have the ordering info in front of me). Note it is for use on RVs. I actually talked to a VP of Hollywood Racks and he confirmed as well. In the comment you posted above about the side to side movement starting degradation at the molecular level - it's exactly what he told me and why he said not all of their racks were RV rated.
 
I just put them where I could see them! Pin box mount, had a wielder wield it up, but I cut the sides out of 1/4" X4" X6" angle iron.

4tQRvX0.jpg



2Mtwjzs.jpg


XK7R3DO.jpg
 
Clegg said:
Kuat has multiple bike racks rated for RV and e-bike use. They are not cheap, but they are also not the most expensive you can get. I have had very good results with mine. It has a adjustment to tighten the slop out of the hitch. Definitely be careful though. There are a lot of forces at work hanging way out the back like that. Do not get some cheap rack not rated for RV use. I would also only use one in a real hitch, not a bolt to the bumper hitch. Good luck!
Click to expand...
From Manufacturers fine print:

In addition, (i) the 2 inch receiver Transfer™ v2, (ii) the 2-inch receiver Piston Pro X and Piston Pro, and (iii) the Piston SR with 2” Hitch Adapter may be used on RVs (both motorhomes and trailers) satisfying all of the following requirements:

  1. The receiver hitch is directly attached to the RV chassis, not just to the bumper; and
  2. The bicycle rack is in a 2-bike (or fewer) configuration with no add-on unit attached.
Please check the User Guide for load weight limits applicable to your rack when used on an RV. Lower weight limits apply

I have had great luck with mine on the back of my 35ft fiver. Solid as a rock.
 
"When" we take bicycles, they are transported inside the fifth wheel. We have a front living room and the bicycles fit nice between the two opposing living room slide out couches when retracted. We lay a blanket over the bicycles so they won't scar up the furniture.
 
That reminds me……we have a side cargo door into the rear bedroom on ours. They say you can load bikes and such in there but I haven’t done it yet. Always seemed easier and cleaner to just have them in the bed of the truck.
 
Great information!
I am going to try taking the front wheel off and putting my bike in truck bed. It’s only one bike. I think that will work the easiest!
Appreciate you all!
RMH
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

kfp673
E-Bike Mount
2
P&DZ
P&
DD
Adding Bike Rack to Rear of 268BH
2
Rad210urs
Rad210urs

New posts

Try RV LIFE Pro Free for 7 Days

  • New Ad-Free experience on this RV LIFE Community.
  • Plan the best RV Safe travel with RV LIFE Trip Wizard.
  • Navigate with our RV Safe GPS mobile app.
  • and much more...
Try RV LIFE Pro Today
Back
Top