Traveling with LOTS of bikes

Roof Rack works great. Mine is a Weatherguard Safari series contractor rack, and I built bike-hoops out of Unistrut for super easy loading (just set the bike over the hook, like you would a pickup tailgate. I can fit 6 bikes across, or 12 bikes total and I have a front receiver for a few more if needed. I bought a ladder from Aluminess for roof access.

We converted our dinette to a bike rack. We can get 6 adult bikes in this space. You may be able to get more if they are children. Plus adding a bike rack on rear of the trailer you should be able to get to the 12 count.

I think two vehicles is a good option. It will cost much more in gas, but it might be safer than overloading the tow vehicle and cheaper than buying a toy hauler. Im guessing that with a 37 ft trailer and 10 kids, more of your trips are closer to home than not.

good luck and well done taking all those kids camping. You are definitely a rock star.

A school bus for a tow vehicle , the shorter version .

I don't have any suggestions but it must be fun to see your family riding on bike trails!

Toy hauler sounds like the perfect solution to that problem. Would help sleeping arrangements as well.

Well at least you have a clue about how heavy your trailer and van are. Some drive on clueless. And with 10 kids, I was suspecting that the 15 passenger van with a 1,000 pound hitch weight might be well overloaded.

Here is the bike rack system for the trailer hitch - over the propane tanks.

http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Cargo-Control/Stromberg-Carlson/CC-275.html

You can click on bike racks to see what they offer, as well as roof mounted bike racks. You might try putting 4 on the front of the van (front hitch) and 4 over the propane tanks. Then put the remaining inside the RV?

Good luck!

Fred.

Fred, are you referring to the weight with or without the bikes? We have, of course, checked it's weight on a scale without bikes and we are not over the GVWR...even fully loaded for a 2 week trip out West. I have considered the weight and since we wouldn't take the bikes for a major trip where the camper is loaded with supplies I think we would be okay.

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I had thought of some but not all of them.

I know that it might not work out. I'm just trying to consider all of my options.

Yes a toyhauler will work, and that would offer a couple of large sleeping areas too. Actually the minivan idea is ideal, in that you are putting about 750 pounds into the minivan in people and bikes, that will not need to be carried by the E-350. You only have so much cargo rating - even on a E-350. Have you checked it's weight on a scale? You might be way over the 9,600 GVWR of the van, and the rear axle especially might be overloaded right now.

My other suggestion is a couple of 4 bike carriers. You can get a front hitch for the E-350 and carry 4 there. You can get a A-Frame hitch for the trailer, and carry 4 more there, but I would put the smallest and lightest one's there because it is swinging a lot of weight high above the hitch, and in the air, and putting additional weight on the Van's already loaded hitch.

You can get a bumper mount hitch for the trailer, and carry 4 more back there, or put on two mounts, and somehow carry more bikes!

ETrailer.com sells a A-frame mount for a 2" receiver that can hold the 4 bikes way above the propane tanks.

They also sell the front receiver. And 4 bike carriers.

And perhaps a trailer mounted receiver that can carry another bike rack.

They also sell roof mounted racks, if you want to start taking along a 6' stepladder?

Or start putting them in the trailer? I put my bike into my camper before buying my motorhome.

On my motorhome, I tow a car, and removed the factory hitch, had my buddy weld on two each 2" receivers. One for the bikes and another for my SACCO dog cart.

Good luck,

Fred.

T-O-Y H-A-U-L-E-R