Ideas to carry spare and bikes

[speediq99]

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on the best way to carry 2 bikes and the spare.

I have a bumper mounted spare
I also have a Hollywood Rack for two electric bikes on its own 300lbs hitch in the back.

The problem is I can't move the spare to the side far enough to get the bikes and spare to ride together in the back (bikes handlebars hit spare)

I have looked several options but I am not sure which is best or what issues could arise. I am not for overloading bumper either therefore I bought a trailer with a 300lb hitch.

1. 4-6 inch Extender for hitch to clear bike. Concerned with torque that extension will put on hitch welded to frame.

2. Under the frame mount towards front of trailer. Concerned with ground clearance and tongue weight.

3. A tire carrier for the bumper that will raise the spare clear of bikes handlebars. Concerned with too much weight on bumper.

4. Throw spare in back of truck. Pita to take in and out after trips and consumes space in bed.

Any other suggestions or gotchas with the ideas listed above would be appreciated. I prefer a solution that does not put more weight on the tongue of the trailer but I am open to that if it won't impact truck.

Mike

[RedRollingRoadb]

Thermoguy wrote:
Removed - didn't realize this was from 2021...

Glad you caught that so I didn't make a fool of myself.

[Thermoguy]

Removed - didn't realize this was from 2021...

[vidotchis]

I wanna buy a foldable bike and do research on it, I read here that it is difficult to make a comparison with a Brompton (other than the Chinese clones) as it's pretty much unique in its fold and compactness. My friend is a Brompton owner but an infrequent user of it, the downside is just the 16" wheels - 20" wheels are much better!

From what I see in the market the remainder of the decent folders are all much of a muchness based on the core Dahon design that is sold in many re-badged forms (the Dawes folders for example come with - or did - a Dahon manual)

[campigloo]

I used a bracket that spans the width of and bolts to the trailer frame. Maybe it won’t eat up too much ground clearance. That would free up your bumper.

[IAMICHABOD]

If you have a Swagman or one like it you can put These on,that is what I did on my RV approved bike Rack

[speediq99]

I am just wondering if anyone knows of a good rack to hold the rear FAT tire in the back of a pickup truck. I used to have a small rack for 4 bikes where the tires went in but it does not work with the fat 6 inch tires in our electric bikes.

Thank you

[Matt_Colie]

We have very effectively carried a pair of folding (I call them inflatable - given my history this makes sense) under the dinette table. That does make the dinette a little less comfortable, but they stay safe, clean and dry there.

Matt

[speediq99]

I heard from the bike manufacturer. It is actually not the hitch that is a concern but the rack itself. As explained, all trailers have a small sway. This sway over time puts a lot of torque on the rack and causes small cracks to develop in the rqcknitself.Eventually, the whole thing breaks and all hell breaks loose. I am assuming that it applies to all things carried in the back of travel trailers or trailers that sway.

Plan B.

Bike on the front of the truck (any gotchas there??) or bikes on the back of the truck.

[speediq99]

There are some foldable bikes that seem much easier to handle than the ones we bought. I bet you can easily fit a folding electric bike inside. The full frame ones are pretty heavy and my guess is that they will eventually end up destroying something.

[Boomerweps]

With bikes that have a removable front wheel, some have rigged a bike holder in/on across built in dinette benches.
There are a bunch of folding frame bikes available, even electric ones. I’m considering one for my wife. It would easily travel in the TT or truck bed.

[speediq99]

I am researching this but I agree with you. I am leaning towards tossing them in the back of the truck and skipping the hitch except for perhaps lighter bikes in the future. There are only two of us and we don't carry any weight on the truck at all.

I am looking forward to driving the trailer w/o the bikes. It is a new trailer and I don't think that I have ever driven it w/o them. It certainly could be the culprit of the uncomfortable floaty feeling I still get from time to time. I will post the response from Hollywood Racks when I get it.

Thank you

[BarneyS]

There is no way I would put 300lbs on the rear of a travel trailer no matter what hitch was on there! :E (or 120lbs of expensive electric bikes. I have one also.)

As far as learning more about about sway with a bike rack (think weight) mounted on the back, just search the forum with the word "sway".
Barney

[speediq99]

Thank you.

Let me look at their website regarding the rack and send them an email. I hope they are referring to bumper mounted receivers given the weight of the racks and not a 300/3000 hitch welded to the frame.

I would love to hear more thoughts on the issue of sway with a bike rack mounted in the back.

This trailer came equipped with a 300/3000 lbs hitch receiver from the factory. I would think they have given the sway issue some thought.

It is definitely worth checking into as I have been struggling a bit to get a comfortable ride towing and otherwise manageable trailer and Equilizer helped me set the wdh up. hmm!!!

Good points that I never considered.
Btw, it is a Traver trailer. I just send Hollywood racks a message.
Thanks again.

[Flapper]

The original poster didn't say, except to refer to his RV as a "trailer".
Hollywoods web site says (emphasis mine):

"This bike rack is not compatible with bumper pull, travel trailers or bumper mounted hitch receivers."

Hope he has a fifth wheel......

Besides the tongue weight concern noted above, there is the increased moment arm inherent in a trailer, made worse by using an extender. Might get by, but it would be a shame to be dragging expensive bikes down the road....