Introduce Yourself: Bicycle carrier

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Bicycle carrier

Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Introduce Yourself
Forum Discription: New Members - tell us about yourself and your r-pod
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=10083
Printed Date: 22 May 2025 at 7:26pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Bicycle carrier

Posted By: rmcdiarmid1
Subject: Bicycle carrier
Date Posted: 01 Jun 2017 at 4:52pm

Just got my r-pod ! Anyone have experience with a back rack for the back hitch. I've removed the spare and would like to buy a 2 bike carrier. So far I'm leaning towards one that has the tire trays for the wheels, which seems like it would secure the bikes best. Thanks in advance for any input! [

Replies:

Posted By: fwunder
Date Posted: 01 Jun 2017 at 6:30pm

Congrats and welcome! Suggest you search the forum for bike racks. It's an often discussed topic.

That said, it's bouncy, bouncy on the back of the pod and the receiver hitch isn't rated for much more than the spare. I wouldn't want my bikes back there. My solution was a hitch rack - click the link in my sig.

Your search will find many opinions and options. Good luck!

fred

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2014 RPod 178 => https://goo.gl/CV446f - MyMods and Buying Habits
2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6
Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks!

Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 01 Jun 2017 at 6:51pm

Welcome to the group!

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Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150
2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk
Previously owned
2015 Rpod 179
2010 Rpod 171

Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 01 Jun 2017 at 7:28pm

I checked with e trailer about the use of a converter from a 1 1/2" receiver hole and a 2" receiver hole to mount a 2" receiver sized bike rack. The person I talked to said that use of the converter that adds about 5" to the receiver cuts capacity by 50%, from 200 lbs. to 100 lbs on a class I receiver. I don't know what the capacity is of the spare tire holder is, but anything you do to modify it's length increases the fulcrum effect and reduces the capacity by a lot. By the the time you add a bike rack and a couple of Walmart bikes at 36 pounds each you have a heck of a lot of weight with a lot of leverage. I wonder if the welds on the spare tire mount would hold? I wouldn't want to be following close behind.

Or, looking at it from the point of view of the profession from which I recently retired, if your spare tire breaks off and kills someone, FR will be a major player in the court proceedings. If you re-purpose the spare tire holder, it's your nickel all alone, so be sure to buy a very large umbrella policy.

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Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 01 Jun 2017 at 11:44pm

I would put the bikes in the back of your Dakota. That's what we do with our F-150.

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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost

Posted By: ToolmanJohn
Date Posted: 02 Jun 2017 at 5:08am

The Pod 1-1/4" receiver isn't rated very high. Any hitch mounted accessory would need to be light. I think less than 70 pounds total.

The receiver framework should be beefed up with welding another cross member to add structural support.

Another alternative is adding some stainless tie down points onto the rear of the Pod through the wood framework. Then tie from those points to the bike rack to add support and prevent cyclic bouncing.

This thread has some ideas as well.

http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9351&KW=bike&PID=88484&title=bolt-on-2-receiver#88484 - http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9351&KW=bike&PID=88484&title=bolt-on-2-receiver#88484

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2017 ATC 7X20 Custom Toy Hauler
2013 R-Pod 177 (SOLD)
2013 VW Touareg TDI

Posted By: Wepod
Date Posted: 02 Jun 2017 at 7:57am

Well I did 3000mi with a Swagman tray bike rack and two mountain bikes in the back hitch. it worked with no visible damage to the hitch on the pod. That being said i am planning on doing a different bike setup before my next long trip out west. Right now i am looking on at putting the bikes in the bed of my truck with a slide out tray to make it easier to get them in and out over the tailgate. The pods rear hitch is kind of light for a bike rack so it is bouncy with two bikes on there and I do think there is some effect on hitch weight at the tong of the trailer making it lighter.

Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 02 Jun 2017 at 8:25am

Since our pod is not occupied while we travel, it's just as easy to throw the bikes inside. They're safe and secure at stops, easy to get out if necessary, and at the destination, it's easy enough to lock them up to the tongue of the pod. Best of all, there is no additional cost, no windage, and no weight or structural issues. It would be the same for putting them in the back of our truck, except that sometimes we have a raised sleeping platform there for extra grandkids when we travel that takes up the space inside the bed/camper shell.

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Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

Posted By: ToolmanJohn
Date Posted: 02 Jun 2017 at 5:56pm

Sometimes putting the bikes inside is NOT a good option (muddy, wet). This was my case, with mountain biking, it could be beautiful outside, but there will be water crossings , dirt, and eventually and unavoidable mud, eventually. Leaving the bike outside on a tray style rack was ideal. I used a 8 foot cable lock to secure it to the receiver, carrier, and through the frame and rear bike wheel.

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2017 ATC 7X20 Custom Toy Hauler
2013 R-Pod 177 (SOLD)
2013 VW Touareg TDI

Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 02 Jun 2017 at 6:27pm

Yes, I have stopped riding through mud and such and had forgotten that it can get pretty messy. But, I still would be real careful about putting a bike rack and a couple of bikes on the receiver for the spare without having it strengthened enough so there is no danger of hitch receiver breaking loose.

I have a real nice bike rack that fits a 2" receiver that holds 4 bikes, and always secured the rack and the bikes with cable locks to the holes in the hitch where the safety chains normally go. At the cost of wheels for bikes these days, I think I'd also want to secure the front wheel and take off the seat. But with our pod, such an arrangement isn't practical since the receiver is 1 1/2" and it would just be too heavy to safely use. We'll just hose the bikes off and dry them before putting them inside to travel.

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Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

Posted By: mjlrpod
Date Posted: 03 Jun 2017 at 5:21pm

My bike rack is mounted on the tongue. It works great.

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2017.5 Rp-172
2020 R-pod 195
2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl
I'll be rpodding

Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 03 Jun 2017 at 5:49pm

No issues with bikes and hard turns? I had a short ladder on my tongue and caused concerns with hard turns. Thanks.

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Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."