Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks: Bike Rack

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Bike Rack

Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4059
Printed Date: 18 Aug 2025 at 3:27pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Bike Rack

Posted By: retiredtraveler
Subject: Bike Rack
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2013 at 9:31am

    What is the experience of those who have a bike rack on their pod? I'm looking at purchasing a pod and I would much prefer a bike rack on the pack of the pod, rather than on my hitch that I have now.
     I understand issues about weight distribution. I'm concerned only with how well made the bike rack is and if anyone has had any problems with them.

   Thanks.

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Looking hard at a pod
2006 Jayco 1206 (pup) with slideout, shower,solar
2005 Nissan Xterra (probably going to new Nissan Frontier)
Into hard-core hiking and biking

Replies:

Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2013 at 10:26am

I have carried two adult "comfort" bikes on the back of my R-172 for several thousand miles with no problem. I use the Cequent/Highland light weight carrier sold by Forest River, but also available on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Highland-1375100-SportWing-Mounted-Carrier/dp/B004002CS4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380982688&sr=8-1&keywords=highland+sportwing

Using it requires moving the spare tire to the tongue or elsewhere. Recently I moved the bikes to the hitch between the tow vehicle and trailer, using a Swagman carrier, for convenience and better weight balance. This requires a longer hitch shank for the E2 WDH, but allows us to take the bikes with us when we disconnect the trailer. The spare tire moved back to the rear of the Pod.

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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: HuronSailor
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2013 at 10:29am

We have a Thule 4-bike rack that we've been using on the pod for years with no problems. FR recommends that you use the 2 bike rack available from them, but have no experience with it. I know you can buy that same bike rack from other sources as I remember looking at it on Amazon several years ago.

The weight limit on the accessory hitch on the back of the pod is 250#, but some of the folks at FR feel that number is misleading and should be smaller because of the torque that's applied to the hitch when the load bounces up and down during road travel. The weight of my rack and 2 bikes is around 100#.

I only remember one incident on one of the forums where the rear hitch failed, but believe that was on a brand new pod and was eventually determined to be due to some faulty welding by the frame manufacturer.

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.: Mark & Beth :: Silverado 5.3L :: 2018 rPod 180 :.

Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2013 at 10:42am

I have a pretty basic ALLEN 2-bike rack that I bought at Walmart. Works great on the rear hitch. I have had several people follow me at times and they stated it doesn't move, sway, bounce, etc. Just another option. The one that forest river recommends is expensive, and I have seen them. They look clumsy to me. hogone

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Jon & Pam
2013 RP177
2023 F150
2017 HD Streetglide
CHEESEHEAD

Posted By: RPodWeGo
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2013 at 11:10am

My recommendation is to take pod to a welder and add some gusto to the hitch receiver. Search this forum for "bumpers" as several have added a rear bumper and modified the hitch receiver all at the same time

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RPodWeGo
RPod 177
04 v8 Toyota 4Runner

Posted By: retiredtraveler
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2013 at 5:18pm

Yeah, I know about the welding. My popup broke the weld where the spare tire is carried after only 4 years. The welding shop where the pup got repaired told me they had done this type of repair many times. If I get this unit, I'll keep that in mind.

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Looking hard at a pod
2006 Jayco 1206 (pup) with slideout, shower,solar
2005 Nissan Xterra (probably going to new Nissan Frontier)
Into hard-core hiking and biking

Posted By: Pod People
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2013 at 8:42pm

we have a 2009 173-I assume most of the frames are similar. I wanted a rear bike rack but read many objections in the various forums. I had a welder move the spare tire to the tongue. we used the spare tire 1 1/4 " receiver for our bike rack and 2 bikes. I felt it was ok, but was not satisfied. I went back and had the welder add a 1 1/2" x 1 1/2 " steel channel across the underside of the frame. It was 10" back from the original cross channel and welded to both the left and right frame members. We added a standard 2" receiver and used 2 triangular metal gussets welded to the new cross channel ,. It was also welded to the existing receiver and the original cross member supplied from FR.
So now I have 2 cross channels, 2 triangular gussets, 1 1/4" receiver and a 2" receiver all welded together.

It is probably overkill, but I wanted it to be stable(it is VERY stable) and I wanted to be able to use a standard 2" shank for the bike rack so it would be transferrable to our tow vehicle.

we love our pod and love to take our bikes with us.
Vann

Posted By: EmptyNesters
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2013 at 5:00pm

We went with the Forest River bike rack option when we purchased our pod, but I am not a fan as it sits to close to the back of the pod and my bike handle rubs against the pod. Even using foam between bike and pod created a worn spot on pod finish. Thank goodness for decals. I stuck a frog on the spot.