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lolab15's avatar
lolab15
Explorer
Jul 13, 2016

Hauling bikes with camper or rv....

Hi Everyone, I am new to this forum and hope that I am posting this in the right section. I have noticed that with my camper I don't have much for options with a system in which I can bring upto 5 bikes behind the Van or SUV and have the camper or RV hitched onto a ball mount. Is there such a system, a complete unit. Basically one complete system that hauls your bikes behind the vehicle, can fold down / pivot to gain access to the back of the vehicle with the bikes still on but also hauls the camper or trailer at the same time.

Thanks,
Lolab15

14 Replies

  • If you go with a bike carrier on the back of your RV be sure to get one rated for RV use. They are designed to handle the additional lateral forces.

    I just went through this, spend several weeks trying to find the best way to haul two bikes along with the fifth wheel. I finally settled on adding a 2" receiver to the front of the truck and a RV rated platform bike rack. Now I have the option of carrying the bike on the front of the truck, rear of the truck, or on the back of the fiver.
  • There's the option of installing a receiver hitch on the front of the SUV for bikes.
  • Depending on the design of the frame of your trailer, you could have a receiver welded to the frame of your trailer. This may involve welding additional material for the receiver to be welded to. Then you could use a bike carrier designed for use with receivers. But you also have to pay attention to the fact that the weight of bikes carried at the rear of the trailer will reduce hitch weight.

    A partial solution may be to use some folded bikes which can be very easy to carry. We have a pair of folding Dahon bikes which have been excellent. Greenzonebikes.com and 2ksilver.com carry some decent low priced folding bikes.

    It may help in getting suggestions if you tell us what kind of rig you have.
    Welcome to the forum!!
  • 5 bikes and a trailer will be nearly impossible the way you would like to do it. I am going to suggest with that many bikes, you will want to utilize both the roof and the tongue of the trailer. Although I have a truck, this is how I carry 4 bikes.
    http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/28939990.cfm
    I do not have the longest bars with the 65 inch bars that I have. They also make a 78" bar, and I could probably squeeze 5, or possibly 6, with the 78" bars.

    If you can do only 3 or 4 bikes on your roof, I would also suggest a tongue mounted bike rack. They can get expensive, but are a very safe alternative.

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