Bike rack on front of truck

Option # 2

Contributor: ependydad


Bike Rack

Major con: The bugs. If my bike looked like the front of my rig usually does, I'm not sure I would ride it.

We have carried our two adult bikes on the front of our Suburban for years. Two negatives: 1. the bikes bounce around when going over uneven pavement such as bridges where the road and bridge deck are not even, and 2. there is a glare off the bike frames from the headlights at night.
The answer to 1. is to attach about six bunge cords from the bikes to the grill work of the vehicle to minimize the bounce, and 2. never drive at night.
There is minimal obstruction from the handlebars but we are both tall persons. Rumor has it that this arrangement is not allowed in California but I don't know for sure.

Bugs is the only problem I have ever had.

I have a Curt front mount hitch and a Swagman XC bike rack. The swagman holds the bikes with zero movement and very little obstruction of the road. The only negative I've found is remebering the hitch is on the truck without them bike rack reminding me. I've scraped a couple of roads exiting businesses. No decrease in engine cooling either.

Dakota98 - I don't think that will work well with short box.

I have been trying to get hold of someone at "Bodiak" all day as they have a mount that attaches to tow hooks, but so far no luck. I like the ability to not have the receiver on all of the time.

I have seen a lot of good reviews of the swagman rack. Thank you all for the input...I too wonder about bugs, I will just put DW's bike in front.

I have used the Bodiak for 2 years now. Both of our bikes are light weight and I really don't notice much bounce. I don't drive at night so they don't catch many bugs either.

One huge benefit of transporting them with the Bodiak is that if we are camped just for one night and not using the bikes I can pull the pin on the receiver and slip them off in about 5 seconds. Another advantage is if you are in one place for awhile and want to transport your bikes someplace away from the campground it is pretty easy to just slide the bike carrier into your trucks rear receiver and go.

For 12 years our bikes have been carried on the front of our Dodge dually. I put a Hidden Hitch receiver on the front. Easy install. Then I use a Reese bike carrier that fits the receiver and can be used front or rear. A couple of bungee cords around the frames to the Reese carrier and good to go. They did want to rock side to side somewhat, so I simply drilled a hole in the side of the receiver, welded a 5/8th inch nut and run a bolt into it and snug the carrier stinger. Swagman also makes a part to take the rocking out of a stinger. They don't get any more dirtier there than carrying them anywhere else.

I can haul my bikes both ways, front hitch or pin box. I have a short bed f-250. Sometimes we carry a generator on the pin box, in that case bikes go on front rack. Bought a low hanging bike rack at Wally World.

houstonstroker wrote:
I can haul my bikes both ways, front hitch or pin box. I have a short bed f-250. Sometimes we carry a generator on the pin box, in that case bikes go on front rack. Bought a low hanging bike rack at Wally World.

How do you get a generator on the pin box? Do you have a pic