Bike rack front vs rear

[GMH]

I want to carry two e-bikes with us. I have no trailer hitch on the rear of my Cougar or on the front of my F-250 yet. I do have a bike rack that plugs into a receiver hitch. To put a hitch on the rear would be a custom fab job which I would be capable of, but also could farm out. The front hitch is a bolt on available from Curt and others. I don’t like the idea of not being able to see the bikes at the rear and the spare tire may have to be relocated? Any real problems with the front option other than bugs? I will normally only be travelling in daylight hours.
Thanks, Greg.

[GMH]

rhagfo wrote:
Bikes are not as long as your trailer is wide, there was one member that had a four bike rack on a short bed.

Thanks, but I don’t care to be lifting these e-bikes up there although I think they would stay pretty clean there. (I don’t see the 5vr covered in bugs!)
I ordered the Curt hitch this morning and should have it early next week. I printed out the very detailed installation instructions for it and it looks like a super simple job...only six bolts. The most time consuming part is cutting the hole through the front valence for the receiver.

[rhagfo]

GMH wrote:
Thanks All. If I went with a rear mount, then I WOULD want a camera.
The bikes are not super heavy, but I don’t have a long box or slider, so I don’t want a pin box mount.
I think I will go with the Curt front hitch as it is made in the USA, and it is the simplest solution.

Bikes are not as long as your trailer is wide, there was one member that had a four bike rack on a short bed.

[GMH]

Thanks All. If I went with a rear mount, then I WOULD want a camera.
The bikes are not super heavy, but I don’t have a long box or slider, so I don’t want a pin box mount.
I think I will go with the Curt front hitch as it is made in the USA, and it is the simplest solution.

[MFL]

Since you don't have a hitch on the rear, I would go with the bolt-on front of truck mount. It would easier to do, and no need for camera, or moving spare.

Jerry

[Lwiddis]

Quality bicycles shouldn’t be carried in the front or rear. Dirt, water, bugs, sun damage etc.

[rhagfo]

How heavy are the bikes?
We have two aluminum framed trail bikes and carry them on a pin box mounted bike rack. I can easily lift the bikes into the rack from the ground.
The bikes ride smooth and are safe from being hit in a parking lot.

[Second_Chance]

Would a rear camera be an option for keeping an eye on the bikes in the back? Our bikes have ridden on an RV-approved bike rack in a chassis mounted receiver for over 36K miles without any issues. (Full disclosure: my wive follows in our car on travel days and we do have a camera on the back of the fiver.) On the other hand, I can't think of any disadvantages other than bugs for a front mount rack, either.

Rob

[GMH]

Any preference Curt vs Drawtite?