Bikes on the back?

[skiman]

We are planning on taking bikes with us on our 21'. I plan on buying a Kuat or 1Up receiver rack. The rack will allow us to take bikes on the back of our Silverado or on the back of the 21'.

I know bikes take a beating on the back of the trailer. I have nice $500 bike shop bike. I need to get my wife a new bike. Our rides will be low key around the campground or asphalt bike paths. Wondering what kind of luck folks have with their bikes on the back of the trailer. The Kuat or 1Up should protect the frames but what about bearings and such in the rain and dust?

One alternative is to get the wife a better ride from a local bike shop. The other is to buy a couple of Walmart specials and not worry if they get beat up. I know you serious bikers are probably cringing at the thought. I guess if I went the Walmart way then a Swagman rack would be adequate and not worry about some frame scuffing. Flip side is I sure like how my current bike rides.

Thougts and experience?

[Loren & Cathy]

No room in the box of the Silverado? Plus expensive bikes like to ride off by themselves. Loren

[Rossue]

We have 6 year old Norcos that we don't worry too much about. Tried & didn't like the Swagman RV rack with the hoops. Heavy & hard to remove bikes. Bought a Highland SportWing and it has worked very well. Price is $110-145 depending if you want the 2 or 4 bike version. The 4 bike is modular so you can leave off the back end of it and have spare parts.

[cpaharley2008]

I have folding bikes in the truck bed.

[azjack]

We also use folding Giant brand bikes that we carry in the back of the Grand Cherokee. They stay clean and secure until we cable them to the hitch or we are on them.
Jack

[Donna D.]

I own five bikes, three are custom builds... kinda spendy.

Then I have my beach cruizer. It's a Huffy. Weighs a ton, bullet proof and takes me everywhere I want to go... when I'm camping with a group.

MOAB? Not a chance.

[Oregonian]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

I own five bikes, three are custom builds... kinda spendy.

Then I have my beach cruizer. It's a Huffy. Weighs a ton, bullet proof and takes me everywhere I want to go... when I'm camping with a group.

MOAB? Not a chance.

Ditto- 7 bikes between the 4 of us (MTB, Cross, commuting, etc.), but for camping it will be a $50 Craigslist special. That way I won't cry if it gets stolen...

[skiman]

Originally Posted by azjack

We also use folding Giant brand bikes that we carry in the back of the Grand Cherokee. They stay clean and secure until we cable them to the hitch or we are on them.
Jack

Would you take a folder on a ten mile paved bike path ride?

[Donna D.]

Hummmmm. Those of us that have had custom bike's built...probably wouldn't just take them out for "what ever." Honestly, I wouldn't consider taking my built mountain bike out for a run.... unless I KNEW what I was getting involved in.... hummm and that probably wouldn't involved all-molded-towables.

[Greggo]

Ann hated to ride until I bought a used Camping World folding bike to stow in the back of my plane. She has appropriated it and likes it for short rides. I take it along with my Spec. Hard Rock ($450 range good but expendable bike) with a Swagman rack and bought a cover which just takes a half minute to put over the bikes when we stop for more than a day or two or if its going to rain. A cable lock keeps them from "wandering". The better bikes stay home. So far, neither get too beat up. Not so sure I'd tempt fate by taking higher end bikes along!

Greg

[azjack]

We ride the folding bikes up to about 20 miles on paths and away from the cars, even on the Ca coastal areas. We also have full size bikes and find they are good for a longer ride with breaks but they take up too much room and get so filthy when mounted on the back of anything going down the road, especially when wet.
We tried a number of folding units and the Giant brand fit well and designed to carry 300# which covers me, tools and our dog in the saddle bag.
Jack

[kstock11]

I use a "fork bracket" mounted to a small board and then the bike sits upright (less the front wheel) inside my car. The bike stays clean and dry this way. You see these brackets used in the back of pick-up trucks all the time.

[bryan]

the 1up is a pretty nice rack. A friend had one for a few years and was very impressed. Easy to load and holds bike pretty secure.


If you want to buy a nice bike rack maybe look at the used market too as there is not a lot that can go wrong and the savings can make it worth it.


Buying cheap bikes vs not so cheap. While a Walmart bike will likely serve its purpose, if you do plan on keeping the bike for any length of time, the bike will likely start to show its lack of quality. Most of the cheaper bikes at bike shops will at least have part specs that are serviceable and at the very least replaceable.

[rbryan4]

I'm amazed at what people nowadays spend on a bicycle. A neighbor up the street has one that cost almost $16,000.

For a motorcycle, maybe. For a bicycle? Um...no. There are plenty of well built bicycles for 90% less than that. Its not like he's an Olympic athlete who needs it. To each his own, I guess. 16k would sure pay a lot of camping fees, gas, propane and groceries.

[kstock11]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

I'm amazed at what people nowadays spend on a bicycle. A neighbor up the street has one that cost almost $16,000.

For a motorcycle, maybe. For a bicycle? Um...no. There are plenty of well built bicycles for 90% less than that. Its not like he's an Olympic athlete who needs it. To each his own, I guess. 16k would sure pay a lot of camping fees, gas, propane and groceries.

Wow! When I was riding, there was a saying that you're third adult bike was the "keeper" and would cost about the same as your first new car. My first new car - a Pinto for $2000. My third bike - a Litespeed for $2000. But $16,000

[C&G in FL]

We don't always take bikes with us; it depends where we are going. When we do, we take Giant "comfort" bikes (straight handlebars so you sit upright). They are in the $500-$600 price range. When traveling, they are cabled to the bike rack. At the campsite, if not in use, they are cabled to something. Never had a problem with theft, though I suppose I could sometime. I don.t worry about bearings because the bikes are behind the camper. If it rains, they are going to be exposed to swirling winds and as I see it, exposed to the same elements if I go riding and get caught in a storm.

[escape artist]

Hi: C&G in FL... Last year we had a pair of cheap Camping World folders delivered to our friends place in Florida. Sort of a self to self Christmas Gift. I was unaware that my wife didn't know how to ride!!! At least she's healed up without scars. We almost lost one bike off the Swagman rack onto I95 but the cable lock saved it. This year they are folded and will be cargo in either the trailer or truck box. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[LeonW]

Originally Posted by skiman

Would you take a folder on a ten mile paved bike path ride?

I have a folding bike that I have taken on 75 mile rides & several multi-day rides. The one I have is called an "Airnimal" Lots folks take Bike Fridays on bike tours around the world. A couple of years ago I was riding Cycle Zydeco, near Lafayette, LA. A pace line went by me doing about 35km/hr. In the middle was a Brompton, with its 16 inch wheels, ridden by a lady from Chicago. We are considering getting Bromptons for the trailer, just because the Highlander is such a poor bicycle transporting vehicle.

[techfan]

We have had great success with our 8 speed folding Dahons. They are great on paved to packed gravel. We first got them to go inside our Honda CRV with our Chalet a-frame. They were about $600 each so much less than Bike Friday's and Bromptons but still very comfortable. There are pictures of us riding on our website.

[GerriJ]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: C&G in FL... Last year we had a pair of cheap Camping World folders delivered to our friends place in Florida. Sort of a self to self Christmas Gift. I was unaware that my wife didn't know how to ride!!! At least she's healed up without scars. We almost lost one bike off the Swagman rack onto I95 but the cable lock saved it. This year they are folded and will be cargo in either the trailer or truck box. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

I have seen bikes lying on the road that came off the back of a vehicle. For that reason I fabricated a rack that allows me to carry the bikes right behind the back window of the pick-up. The down side is that I have to clamor around the fifth wheel hitch to get the bikes out. The up side is I can keep an eye on them and they are already in the truck if we want to take off from the campground to a bike trail somewhere else.

Alf I sent you a PM.