Bike Rack

[Catchlight]

Good photos, Ross. It looks bomb-proof. I like the way the supports touch the tires, not the paint.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Rossue

Lovin' the 1UP Note the paint rubbed off from our previous Swagman.

And a good illustration of why you absolutely need the extra LED Taillights if you plan to carry bikes.

[Chapitre]

What model 1up did you guys buy? Have any of the bolts come loose at all?

[Rossue]

Only the 2 bike version is rated for RV's. I bought the silver or anodized finish. Some get black, but it mars up fairly quickly. Call them- they're the source.

Regarding bolts, I web-searched reviews for it and one guy said he had a lever bolt come loose and they sent him a replacement. Most of the reviews are at mtbr.com. Our last trip was over 3,000 miles and it is flawless thus far.

[Rossue]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

And a good illustration of why you absolutely need the extra LED Taillights if you plan to carry bikes.

They are standard on the 21 & 5.0TA it seems; are they an option for the 17 & 19? You're right though- with bikes it could be hazardous(maybe illegal) to have bikes on the back without the upper tail lights.

[yardsale]

We blew it--didn't get the extra high mount brake lights this mount requires

[skiman]

We just got back from West Virginia Greenbriar River area. The trip was 360 miles one way. The bikes road great on the 1Up. The only issue was operator error of not properly securing the pedals with bungee cords to keep pedals from rotating and bumping the adjacent bike. I forgot to take a good picture of bikes on the trailer. So far so good!

[tractors1]

Yardsale:

Easy to add upper lights - tuck wires behind the corner paddings with a not sharp stick (I used a paint stirrer) from the lower lights to the upper cabinets. That's where ETI runs the vertical wires.

[yardsale]

Humm, I'll look into it if we decide we want the racks. Bikes get really dirty back there. I wonder if those corner paddings would come off entirely without too much effort.
Thanks.

[currinh]

Originally Posted by yardsale

I wonder if those corner paddings would come off entirely without too much effort.
Thanks.

They do. They tuck in/slide behind the cabinet on top and dinette/bed on the bottom plus one screw in the middle. I ran wires behind these for installation of a SeeLevel tank monitor and Trimetric battery monitor.

[bouterse]

Installed an Arvika bike rack on the front of our '19'.

[BCnomad]

Looking forward to a long term report on the Arvika.

Is the long black strap on the second pic over the tank cover your add on or the factory's? Needed?

[gbaglo]

And, can you open the rock cover?

[bouterse]

The support that goes from the front of the rack to the trailer jack was an option. It helps steady the bikes quite a bit. We had this bike rack on our previous 'sticky' trailer for the last 3 years. It worked out great, and with the bikes on the front of the trailer, you can always see they're still there! There are also straps that go on bottom of the wheels to hold them in the trough. Our previous trailer had 30 lb tanks, so I cut the base down 6 inches so it would sit lower over these 20 lb tanks. The only down side to this setup, is the rack must be removed to open the window rock guard. This is easily done though, by pulling out the 2 pin clips.


Jack Bouterse

[Scuba55]

Just returned from a 1200 mile trip with the 1UP single. What a great rack, it survived I-5 south of Sacramento to Bakersfield (both directions) one of the most beat up freeways in the US. I checked the allen bolt twice on the trip, it didn't loosen at all. Thanks to all that recommended this rack, the best on the market for RVing in my opinion!

[dbailey]

I was looking at those Arvika racks... I'd like to get a bit more weight on the hitch, and that looks like a good way to do it.

But with the front storage box on our 19, it's not clear to me that it's possible. The rack would have to mount between the propane and the storage box. There's enough trailer frame exposed there to attach the rack mounts, I think. But the mounts might not have enough space to clear the tanks.

I don't suppose anybody has any experience with an Arvika on a 19 with front storage box?

I may give them a call when we're back after August and see what they can do for me...

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by dbailey

I was looking at those Arvika racks...

Interesting concept for a bumper tow trailer. I have seen lots of home made solutions that go over the propane tanks, but not one manufactured. The biggest negative I see with it, is that it clamps to the bike frame, and if it is carbon fibre you risk damaging it. I much prefer a rack that clamps onto the tires.

I have actually contemplated building something for the front of my 19, but so far it is just dreaming. I had considered getting a horizontal mount propane bottle, either a forklift one, or an RV one. I would have an aluminum box built to house the tank, and maybe give a bit more storage, with side doors, leaving the top a flat platform. I would then use something like the 1UP cartop racks on it.
https://www.1upusa.com/product-rooftray.html

[t-twnbob]

My wife and I leave on our 1 month trip very soon and we decided to take our bikes with us. I have read all 16 pages of this thread and and I honestly didn't learn much. Probably just me! The 1UP seems to be a popular brand but I just can't justify dropping $529 right now. Someone posted a link to a Casita site that recommended the Thule T2. It's expensive as well and does not seem to approved for RV use. Does that matter? Any other suggestions for use on our 5.0TA that will not break the bank? Thanks.

[jxoco]

Originally Posted by t-twnbob

Any other suggestions for use on our 5.0TA that will not break the bank? Thanks.

Does the 5.0TA have a receiver hitch thing on the rear bumper?

[Jim Bennett]

I know the 1UP is not cheap, but going with a stop gap rack, then replacing it in a couple years will end up being just as costly. I see the 1UP as something built to last for many, many years. Granted, I do sometimes carry a couple of quite expensive bikes on it, worth many times more than the rack. When trailering, I usually use cheaper bikes, but the ease of use still makes it worth it for me.