Where, how to store a folding tricycle?

..We like to bring bicycles with us when we camp. Really like riding where ever we go. It used to be that all of us would ride - me, DW, and both the kids. The kids especially, like to ride a lot.

Unfortunately now, DW has got to where she does not want to ride a 2 wheel bicycle anymore. She has been really pushing me to get her a 3 wheel tricycle, something like the folding adult tricycle that Camping World sells. She just has this total 'fear' of toppling over on a 2 wheeler and the damage that will do (that at our age, wouldn't heal quite as fast, haha).

While I really am not crazy about the idea, I'm willing to do it just so she will continue to ride with us (we need the exercise!). The huge dilemma we have that I just cannot find a way around, is where in the heck am I going to stow/carry that tricycle??

We tow a Ford Fusion behind a Motorhome. I use a 4 bike rack on the back of the Fusion (hitch receiver mounted) to carry the bikes. In an effort to avoid a bunch of wasted posts making susggestions that won't work, here's the things I've looked into, tried, that will not work:

1. Tricycle will not go on 4 bike rack we have now on back of the Fusion, as it would take up almost entire rack and other 3 bikes couldnt go on it, then.

2. Cannot mount 2nd bike rack to tow bar or MH hitch receiver on back of MH. The tow bar we use (ReadyBrake) has a brake actuator arm that will get in the way of a bike rack there. Looked at the Blue Ox tow bar mounted unit also, it will not work, either, due to the receiver drop bar we have to use.

3. Tricycle, even folded up, is too big to fit in back seat or trunk of Fusion. Nor will it fit in any storage compartment of the MH. Having 3 wheels just makes it too darn big, haha. Yes, I've measured several times to verify. Do not want to store it inside the MH, either, due to concerns about it scratching things up on its way in, out of the MH.

4. Impossible to mount a bike rack on front of the MH, so it can't go there. Just not a good way to mount anything up there.

5. Looked into, found that they make stability wheels that will mount on any 2 wheel bicycle (basically, 'training wheels' with suspension for adults). DW wants nothing to do with these.

Only other thing I can think of, that have not researched much: Mounting, installing some kind of rack or storage on top of car, that would carry the tricycle. Not sure how I'd go about that, though.

Any idea, suggesions I haven't thought of?

Seeking Advice

26 Replies

koda55
Explorer
Apr 10, 2014
Wife has a folding trike and I put it in the back of our HHR. The rest of the bikes go on the bike rake that mounts on the back of the car.
willald
Explorer II
Apr 09, 2014
jaycocamprs wrote:
Last night I wasn’t aware of what a ReadyBrake was, I googled it today. Nice simple setup. And I have 2 other options to think about. First I see ReadyBrake has extra long receiver drop bars. Would one of those give you room for a “towing model” rack between the ReadyBrake and the MH. Might not work for the trike as the wheels might hit the back of the MH. The other would be to have a 2” tube added to the top of your receiver drop bar. 1 tube low for the ReadyBrake and towbar, and 1 tube high for the bike rack. This would again keep the bikes away from the ReadyBrake arm and cable, and be farther from the MH.

Yes, I've looked at the extended/extra long receiver drop bars. Indeed, if I used one of them or used my current receiver drop bar in conjunction with a dual receiver attachment, a bike rack on the back of the Motorhome would work with the Readybrake tow bar.

However, doing either of the above would extend the towbar out several more inches. Given how much rear overhang the MH already has, extending out the tow bar even more from the receiver is one thing I do not want to do. Extending it out further does 3 things:

1. Makes tow bar that much more prone to scraping, grinding on the ground when going over bumps or inclines
2. Allows said scraping, grinding to create that much more 'torque' on the hitch receiver, increasing the potential to damage it.
3. Potentially reduces the amount of weight the hitch, towbar can safely handle.

Besides that, I like to be able to carry all the bikes on our towed vehicle, so that we can take them with us places that we don't want to bring the MH. That was one of the reasons we chose to use the bike rack on the back of the Fusion and not the MH to begin with.

Still, thanks for the ideas, and especially your pictures showing how you made the trike fit. I'm probably going to use that idea. :)

Will
jaycocamprs
Explorer
Apr 08, 2014
Last night I wasn’t aware of what a ReadyBrake was, I googled it today. Nice simple setup. And I have 2 other options to think about. First I see ReadyBrake has extra long receiver drop bars. Would one of those give you room for a “towing model” rack between the ReadyBrake and the MH. Might not work for the trike as the wheels might hit the back of the MH. The other would be to have a 2” tube added to the top of your receiver drop bar. 1 tube low for the ReadyBrake and towbar, and 1 tube high for the bike rack. This would again keep the bikes away from the ReadyBrake arm and cable, and be farther from the MH.
willald
Explorer II
Apr 08, 2014
jaycocamprs: Thank you so much, for posting those pictures! You've given me an idea. :)

I honestly had not thought about putting the trike on the bike rack that way, with the seat post on the bike rack cradle and rear wheels pointing upward. I've got to start thinking outside the box more, haha. :)

Using that approach, I just might be able to put a trike and 2 of our other bikes on the 4 bike rack we have on the back of the Fusion now. Then, the other bike, my daughter's smaller kid's bike (20" wheels), could probably go either in the trunk or the back seat of the Fusion since its a bit smaller.

We're going to be at a large Camping World store here in a few weeks. When we go I think I'll bring 2 bikes on the bike rack, and see if Camping World has one of those trikes assembled, a floor model. If so, Will see if maybe they will let me 'borrow' it long enough to take it out to their parking lot and see if it will fit on our bike rack using this approach. If it will, I believe we will buy it and take this approach.

Tyrone & Gladys: Thanks for your suggestions as well. Angie (DW) will have nothing to do with recumbent bikes like that Terra Trike you mentioned, so thats not an option.

However, the 'Atoc' racks you provided a link to, are very interesting. That may be something we look into as well, although those racks aren't cheap, either.
TyroneandGladys
Explorer
Apr 08, 2014
Gladys purchased a Terra Trike Rover last month and LOVES IT!!!!!! In fact we did a ten mile fun run with her riding it last weekend.
Terra Trike has a roof mount system for it. But we opted to go with a Draft Master Rack from Atoc that carries it and my bike. Atoc also has a roof system.
Terra Trike
Atoc
If you wish for more info from either of us private message me
jaycocamprs
Explorer
Apr 08, 2014
We I can't help you with the where to put the rack, but here's how I hauled the trike.

The seatpost of the trike is in the back saddle, bike in the front. Take the seat of my bike and turn the handlebars on the trike. The Rack we use is a old Swagman 3-bike towing model. One question, does your towbar go in the receiver, or hook to a ball? You can get extra long drawbars, we had one when we were using the rack and towing the popup. I'm still using that drawbar, but the ball mount pad has been removed
MeandMyLabs
Explorer
Apr 08, 2014
What about trading the Fusion for a pickup truck with a reciever hitch? Tow the pickup, put the 2 wheel bikes on the rack and the 3 wheeler in the bed.
Mich_F
Explorer
Apr 08, 2014
I don't know if anyone has mentioned this one yet, but would it work for the three wheeler ? http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/bike-carriers/ladder-mount-bike-carrier.htm?utm_source=google&utm_medium=partsshopping&utm_campaign=partsfeed&gclid=CNyphoHLz70CFWxp7AodilQA-A?
CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Apr 07, 2014
willald wrote:
CA Traveler wrote:
Have you considered the Swagman? They have a foot that will fit on the MH hitch and if you don't have room add a short extension. They also have a extra high model. You might be able to mount the trike face down by the rear axle, folded or not and a modified cross support brace might be needed. The rack folds down and that could help with mounting. Check http://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Bike-Racks/Swagman/S64955.html

Yes, I've considered racks like that. Problem is, like I said, there's not enough room for the 'foot' for racks like that to fit on our towbar. Yes, an extension would solve that, but I don't want to extend our tow bar out any more. Its already extended out some by the drop receiver bar we need. Extending it more would put that much more stress/torque on the receiver as well as make the tow bar even more prone to scrape when we go over bumps or inclines.

Right now, I'm going to do like Don (Burbman) suggested, and start looking around for a used DiBlasi folding trike. :)

Will
How about a dual drop down hitch extender using the upper one for the trike rack? Or you could add a second hitch to the MH for just the trike.
Peg_Leg
Explorer
Apr 07, 2014
I have a recumbent tadpole that I built. It would be easily ride on top of the toad with proper cushioning to protect the toad and straps to hold it in place. Weight is about 30 lbs spread over three wheels. You'll put more pressure down leaning on the car when washing it.

I remove the seat, haul it another bike and a ladder on a narrow rack on the back of my 5er.