It's time to buy our girls new bikes, which means they won't fit in the back of the Suburban anymore. With our bikes on the roof and costly tongue based racks out of the budget, we're really left with two options. Either we put the bikes inside the trailer or we put the two kids bikes (20" youth bikes) on the back ladder. It's hard for me to imagine two 20lb bikes are going to be a problem on my 300lb capacity ladder, but I've read a lot of comments about potential damage, so I'm looking for some first-hand experiences. For those we have actually had experience with ladder-based racks, what has your experience been?

Did you try searching this Forum for this information which has been discussed at length.

The only way two 20lb bikes on a 300lb capacity ladder aren't going to do anything unless your hitting hard bumps constantly. I used a ladder bike rack when my parent had a C class. Didn't do any damage except for marks on the ladder from where the rack clamps where.

Some dear friends of ours carry 3 adult bikes on the ladder of their class c and have for two years now. We camp together practically every other weekend from May to November. We were just on his Motorhome checking things out and looked over the ladder mounts just because of the posts here about potential problems. We found nothing, no loose screws, no cracked mounts, no pelling caulk. He does use the rack AND then also a ratchet strap to keep things from bouncing around. I say go for it.

Dick_B wrote:Did you try searching this Forum for this information which has been discussed at length.I always love these responses - yes I have searched. I've read many of the threads, and have even asked a related question in the past. The issue is that many of the responses are conjecture and hearsay. I'm hoping to get first-hand experiences instead of people talking about what 'could' happen.

I hauled bikes on the ladder of my 5er for years all around the good old US of A without any problems.And as far as searches go on these forums... One can get overwhelmed easily trying to read them. I myself, like to see if any new info is available on a subject. :)

Ladder bike racks - actual experiences. | Good Sam Community

resmas
Explorer
Aug 02, 2013
We carried 2 adult bikes and a kids bike on a ladder rack on the back of our fiver. Carried them all over Alaska for 3 summers, and then down the Alcan to Oklahoma. Never an issue, and my DH doesn't always slow down for the frost heaves, so that bike rack got a MAJOR workout...
Snowman9000
Explorer
Aug 02, 2013
Jeez, I guess I should quit worrying about the 10 pound dog ramp I just made, which hangs solidly and securely on the ladder.
2001_Ford_E450
Explorer
Aug 02, 2013
I,ve strapped one childs bike to the ladder, no problem. Just bought those Camco clamps for bikes or chairs to aide holding bike. Look a litle cheap, but said to handle 50 lbs. Also use a 4 bike Swagman hitch mounted rack. Just check ladder every stop to be safe.An edit - each clamp holds 50lbs.
ddndoug
Explorer
Aug 02, 2013
I guess I'm the odd-ball. I started to carry out bikes on our ladder because the previous owner had thrown it in on the deal. After a long trip (approx 1000 round trip) I noticed that some of the screws that hold the ladder to the MH had worked loose, some to the point of being more than half way out.

Doug
BurbMan
Explorer II
Aug 02, 2013
Mickeyfan0805 wrote:
It's hard for me to imagine two 20lb bikes are going to be a problem on my 300lb capacity ladder, but I've read a lot of comments about potential damage, so I'm looking for some first-hand experiences.

It's not the weight, it's the bouncing...same problem with the bumper-mounted bike racks.
mfinnerty
Explorer
Aug 02, 2013
My son had a hitch reciever mounted on the back of his travel trailer between the frame rails so he could haul 4 bikes on a bike rack that goes in the receiver.
noe-place
Explorer
Aug 03, 2013
OP said tongue based racks were outside his budget.
Mickeyfan0805
Explorer
Aug 03, 2013
noe-place wrote:
OP said tongue based racks were outside his budget.

Unfortunately, they are. Between some sort of receiver, plus the rack itself, these carry a $500+ price tag for us. I think we're going to settle on the ladder rack for now (while still using youth bikes) and then invest in a hitch-based system (mounted on the tongue) when we start carrying adult bikes for the kids.

Thanks for all the input!

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Ladder bike racks - actual experiences.

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