more newbie questions - bikes on back?
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Topic: more newbie questions - bikes on back?
Posted By: Jeremy Skinner
Subject: more newbie questions - bikes on back?
Date Posted: 11 Jan 2021 at 8:54pm
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Hi Everyone- Trying to get set up for our first trip. Going to Florida and we want to have bikes with us. Kayaks will be on top of the tow vehicle. The spare tire hitch receiver fits our bike rack perfectly, but I've seen some cautioning that hitch receiver not be up to the task. Have any of you used the rear hitch receiver that way? And if so, what did you do with the spare tire? The alternative we're looking at is buying a "jack-it" which puts the bikes basically over the battery. Thanks in advance, Jeremy Skinner
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Replies:
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 11 Jan 2021 at 10:07pm
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The rear receiver might handle a couple of light-weight bikes but it's really not meant for them. Bikes hang out further than the spare so they bounce around which is bad in several ways. Plus you can't see the bikes back there, and, of course you have to solve the spare tire problem. The front of the trailer is a better idea for the bikes. Just be sure they way the mount won't interfere with turning, especially when backing up. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: Jeremy Skinner
Date Posted: 12 Jan 2021 at 12:08am
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Hi TT, I saw your earlier posts o this topic. Thanks. As a result we are now looking at a rack that sits on the tongue over the battery.
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Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 12 Jan 2021 at 10:55am
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+1 to TT. I am not a fan of putting bikes on a rack in the back. Structure is not robust enough for my taste, you can't see them, and they bounce too much. ------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: Pod_Geek
Date Posted: 12 Jan 2021 at 11:39am
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Does anyone ever consider simply putting bikes inside the TT for transport? Just curious. ------------- 2020.5 R-Pod 195 Hood River 2018 RAM 2500 6.4L |
Posted By: podwerkz
Date Posted: 12 Jan 2021 at 1:39pm
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A couple of days ago I was having lunch at the local Sonic Drive-in and a blue r-pod passed by the place, being pulled by a pickup as I recall...and sure enough there were a couple of bikes on a rack on the back...bouncing noticeably as the rig made a turn and hit a few bumps. I wonder just how many more miles that will work...until it doesn't... ------------- r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten! |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 12 Jan 2021 at 6:00pm
The open highway is a well known source of used bicycles and parts 
------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: ruthalaska
Date Posted: 12 Jan 2021 at 8:54pm
That's what I do. I use tie-downs and secure the bikes to the table (which is secured to the wall for transport) in our 179. Once you develop a system it's not too much extra work, and the bikes are very secure.
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Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 13 Jan 2021 at 5:36am
We put them inside our 177 or in the back of the pickup with tonneau cover in place. It is advantageous as I don't have to be concerned with cleaning bikes once I hit my destination. We have lightweight road bikes (18 lbs) and really dislike cleaning off road grime or worse yet the chain as it will be full of dirt/sand/grease after traveling down dirt roads or going through rain or wet roads.
------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: CUGrad90
Date Posted: 13 Jan 2021 at 11:25am
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I'm a newbie too. Haven't used it yet but I got a dual receiver hitch from harbor freight. Since I already had a receiver-mounted bike rack, it was a cheaper option (29.99) than the Jack-it. https://www.harborfreight.com/dual-hitch-extender-69881.html?cid=paid_google|||69881&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&gclid=Cj0KCQiA0fr_BRDaARIsAABw4Eu3ukI0ryOWLh9hSo8DuPPMQYxDTDVVBdjACI-oTwD9JAUkKo0fdhcaAlR7EALw_wcB
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Posted By: ronahue
Date Posted: 24 Jan 2021 at 1:56pm
After 6 seasons camping with 2 bikes on the FR recommended rear bike rack we have not had a problem. Spare tire goes in the back of the pickup with all the other junk I take with me but never need. We bring the bikes on about half of our trips. Caution your results may be different ------------- Ron & Sharon 2015 R-Pod 179 2022 Nissan Frontier No trees were harmed in the sending of this message but a billion electrons were really agitated |
Posted By: MelissaJoy
Date Posted: 24 Jan 2021 at 2:41pm
| I put a bike rack on the back of the TT and driving through Indianapolis I had someone pull up next to me on the highway and inform me that I was about to lose a bike off the back. Had to pull over and secure it on a pretty busy highway. I am new to trailering and didn't realize how much the trailer will bounce during travel...Including how secure things inside need to be or they will get tossed around. |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 24 Jan 2021 at 3:32pm
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We've been carrying our bikes on the back of our trailer since we got the new one and they've fared just fine. As long as you make sure your weight is properly balanced, the bike rack and receiver are adequate for the forces imposed on them, and the bikes very well secured, it shouldn't be a problem. On the other hand, if the receiver and rack aren't up to handle the forces or you don't secure the bikes well, it can get pretty awful. As for trailer weight balance, that's a must regardless of bikes on the back.
------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: Bounder
Date Posted: 26 Jan 2021 at 6:24pm
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We looked at the bike rack for the back of our 196, and the limit on weight made the answer a hard "NO". If you have one or two light road bikes, the FR supported rack may work for you. If you have heavier mountain bikes, it will be touch and go even with the strap that reduces the pendulum effect of the rack arm. If, like us, you have electric bikes, the rear bumper is no place to mount them. It isn't just the effect on balance of the weight front to rear, it's the limited strength of that bumper and the even more limited strength of the rack and mount set-up. I'd say anything over 50 lbs worth of bikes is questionable when added to the rack's own weight. Anything over 75-80 lbs of bikes is no man's land. ------------- Bounder 2021 196 Hood River |
Posted By: Andy
Date Posted: 30 Jan 2021 at 7:59am
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I've agonized over this very same issue for a couple of years and even put a rack on the back of our 179 a couple of times. I was not comfortable with that at all; too much bounce and wear/tear on rack. I looked at doing the platform/rack over the LP tank but decided that I'm not up to man handling a couple of bikes that far off the ground. I recently bought two folding 26" bikes that fit in the back of our silverado with the 2/3 seat folded up. They come with a carry bag so no dirt/grime on the seats. They are 2KSilver Columbra 26" steel bikes and cost ~ $335 each with shipping and the storage bag. Just the cost of the platform is about the same as one bike. And if you have to buy a new rack (we would have) then you break about even. We will be taking them with us in about 2 weeks to the Texas Gulf Coast so with have a chance to see how they work. It will be great not to worry about them hanging off the end of the Pod where I can't see them. ------------- 2017 179 2016 Silverado Z71 |