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docsouce's avatar
docsouce
Explorer II
Dec 17, 2020

Receiver Bike Racks

I'm looking for advise on which receiver bicycle rack to buy. I have a 2020 Jayco 26XD Class C. It will be for 2 bikes. I searched and found a "CURT 18085 Tray style" which looked good but had some not so good reviews. So I figured the best info I can get is here with people that use them as I would. I would rather not use a ladder mounted type.
  • I use the RV ApprovedSwagman Traveler XC2 Bike Rack mounted in my 2 inch receiver on the rear of my Class C.

    Very happy with it,easy to load.

    As for the bouncing that others have talked about to make it less pronounced You need a good anti rattle device so you don't get so much play in the receiver,thus magnifying the movement and doing any damage to the bike rack.

    I have tried almost every Anti Rattle device on the market, most have been no good or so complicated and cumbersome that they are useless. Including the Roadmaster type, or blue ox totally useless.

    Until I found the one at Hitch Rider.

    Their Hitch Vice is the best and easiest one I have come across and it really works.
  • We've happily used various Yakima racks for years, tho not in a RV hitch.
  • None of them will be good unless they are secured tight in the receiver so they can't sway and bounce around. Slack in the receiver is what causes most problems. Best solution I have found to this is to drill a hole in the bottom of the receiver and weld a large nut over it. Then thread a bolt through it that you can tighten against the racks draw bar when installed. The bigger the nut and bolt the better. Takes all the slop out of the hitch and makes for a solid rack. Helps to prevent theft too. Hope the explanation makes sense, I don't have any pics to show.
  • Hollywood makes an excellent rack which can be refigured for different bikes
  • Swagman makes the Dispatch, Escapee and E-Spec that are good racks that are RV approved.

    I have a Dispatch and carry two bikes on the back of our 5th wheel. I can see the handlebar of one bike in the camera, and it never even quivers. The drawbar is threaded and it bolts to the receiver so there is no movement.

    I added lights to my rack. I felt like two bikes made it difficult to see the trailer lights from some angles. Just powered them with a trailer plug.
  • Whichever one you get, read up on it carefully before you buy. Make sure it is one that is supported/recommended to be used on the back of an RV.

    For a lot of the hitch mounted bike racks out there, the manufacturers do not recommend it to be used on the back of an RV for various reasons. Last time I looked into this, there was only like 2 or 3 units made that would allow it to be used on the back of an RV.

    Agree 100% with you about ladder mounted bike racks. Not a fan of those at all.
  • I love Swagman racks. Easy to mount the bikes, modular for various types of bikes and overall well built and easy to use. I am an avid cyclist and my bikes can run thousands of dollars. Been trusting Swagman racks for years and zero issues. No I am not affiliated with them at all, but I have worked in bike shops and know what's out there. Dollar for dollar swagman racks are my top pick.

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