How do you guys carry bicycles inside?

[twodownzero]

I'd like to fashion a bike rack to carry my bikes. I have four different bikes with tires from 23mm wide to 4.8 inches, which is a challenge. What do you all use? I'm hoping for something that will be long lasting and secure; bikes are the reason I bought my toy hauler.

[Campfire_Time]

twodownzero wrote:

Campfire Time wrote:
Have you thought about posting this question on MTB forum? A lot of RVers are avid riders but in my case we ride state trails that are relatively flat and gravel. We have no need for expensive racing bikes. I've only ran across a couple of people with your passion in the past 10 years or so on 2 RV boards. In other words I think you are asking in the wrong place. I get it though it's important to you. I'm that way with camera equipment. What I take with me in a camera backpack on a bike ride or hike costs about the same as one of your bikes. Because that's not a common scenario for many RVers, I wouldn't get the same answer on an RV forum about how to carry or secure my camera equipment as I would on a dedicated photographer's board.

I hope you find a solution.

I did actually post it on there, but there aren't a lot of people pulling large RVs in that sphere either. Many of them prefer vans and other small vehicles so they can use them as a daily. I already had a truck and I wanted to take my friends, so I have a toyhauler. And they're set up better for boondocking anyway.

I don't have any expensive racing bikes. I generally ride "state trails" as well. When I ride gravel, I do so on a touring bike with wide tires (a mountain bike is not needed for gravel roads, although I do ride mine on them sometimes to get to the real trail). From what I can tell from reading your posts, it sounds like you have never experienced a bike shop bicycle. If you enjoy riding, you'll enjoy it a lot more on a bike that fits you and the terrain you're riding. A $2,500 trail hardtail mountain bike is really not "expensive." On any given Saturday, you could spend an entire morning or afternoon at a trailhead and never see a bicycle that inexpensive; most mountain bikers are on full suspension machines that cost $3-7,000 and if they don't own one, they rent it. Part of the reason I made this post is because while I don't have an expensive bike, I can't afford another one, so I have to try to keep mine going as long as possible.

If you've only run across a few mountain bikers in your time riding, I suggest you branch out! Out east, bike shops may cater to 50/50 mountain and road biking, but here in the west, mountain biking is extremely popular, especially in the same kinds of destinations we all go for other outdoors stuff (places like Sedona, Moab, many places in Colorado, etc.). I have been riding bicycles for about 9 years but only been riding mountain bikes for the last year or so. Even a modest, real mountain bike (that is, one with at least an air fork, hydraulic disc brakes, 1x drivetrain, modern geometry, and a dropper seatpost) is a blast to ride. Rent one and try a beginner level trail somewhere and you will be hooked.

Honestly, I'm getting too old for "real" mountain biking. $2500 is a lot of money to me to pay for a bike, for the type of biking we do. Ours were bought 5 years ago for $400 each and purchased from a bike shop. They are called mountain bikes, but I view that as a marketing term. They are far too light duty to be ridden on a real MTB trail. Touring bike with wide tires is a better description. Lots of the gravel state trails in WI have ruts that you'd get killed on with a road bike. Even the better maintained ones. We can ride the better part of the day and they are pretty comfortable. The bikes I see on the trails we ride range from $70 Walmart bikes to $10,000 custom bikes. Most bikes I see on the trails are in the $300 - $1000 range. I may decide to upgrade at some point, but my upper limit would be $1000. I just don't have a need for a $2500 mountain bike.

[dedmiston]

This looks good too:

https://www.boltiton.com

[twodownzero]

1L243 wrote:
I made my own fork bracket. Used plumbing T, nipples and mounting flange, threaded rod and wing nut. Bolted it to the ramp

I like this idea in that it's secure, but I'd still have to figure out what to do with the wheel. And of course I couldn't put it on the ramp as my bikes don't have rim brakes.

[1L243]

I made my own fork bracket. Used plumbing T, nipples and mounting flange, threaded rod and wing nut. Bolted it to the ramp

[dedmiston]

nayther wrote:

RickSo wrote:
We have a folding stand like the one in link below that we have used for 8 years. We put the bikes in and strap them down in the TH to the factory tie downs. Then when we get to the RV park move it outside and lock bikes to RV when not in use.

Folding bike stand

PERFECT! Looks like the one Dedmiston made out of PVC.

That looks really sharp. I'm sure it stores better than mine.

[nayther]

RickSo wrote:
We have a folding stand like the one in link below that we have used for 8 years. We put the bikes in and strap them down in the TH to the factory tie downs. Then when we get to the RV park move it outside and lock bikes to RV when not in use.

Folding bike stand

PERFECT! Looks like the one Dedmiston made out of PVC.

[RickSo]

We have a folding stand like the one in link below that we have used for 8 years. We put the bikes in and strap them down in the TH to the factory tie downs. Then when we get to the RV park move it outside and lock bikes to RV when not in use.

Folding bike stand

[tchil]

Just an idea but I built a bike rack that uses the crank arm to hold the bikes upright. It has a square tube with a slot cut for the peddle. This is what all the shuttle vans typically use. I made mine to hold 3 bikes and it works really well. I just set it on the floor in the trailer on a mat or piece of carpet and with the three bikes it does not move at all.

Here is a pic of one https://forums.mtbr.com/cars-bike-racks/shuttle-van-type-rack-holds-crank-arm-890794.html

Typically the shuttle companies drop a rag over the top of the tube and push the crank arm down through the rag to protect the crank arm.

[twodownzero]

Campfire Time wrote:
Have you thought about posting this question on MTB forum? A lot of RVers are avid riders but in my case we ride state trails that are relatively flat and gravel. We have no need for expensive racing bikes. I've only ran across a couple of people with your passion in the past 10 years or so on 2 RV boards. In other words I think you are asking in the wrong place. I get it though it's important to you. I'm that way with camera equipment. What I take with me in a camera backpack on a bike ride or hike costs about the same as one of your bikes. Because that's not a common scenario for many RVers, I wouldn't get the same answer on an RV forum about how to carry or secure my camera equipment as I would on a dedicated photographer's board.

I hope you find a solution.

I did actually post it on there, but there aren't a lot of people pulling large RVs in that sphere either. Many of them prefer vans and other small vehicles so they can use them as a daily. I already had a truck and I wanted to take my friends, so I have a toyhauler. And they're set up better for boondocking anyway.

I don't have any expensive racing bikes. I generally ride "state trails" as well. When I ride gravel, I do so on a touring bike with wide tires (a mountain bike is not needed for gravel roads, although I do ride mine on them sometimes to get to the real trail). From what I can tell from reading your posts, it sounds like you have never experienced a bike shop bicycle. If you enjoy riding, you'll enjoy it a lot more on a bike that fits you and the terrain you're riding. A $2,500 trail hardtail mountain bike is really not "expensive." On any given Saturday, you could spend an entire morning or afternoon at a trailhead and never see a bicycle that inexpensive; most mountain bikers are on full suspension machines that cost $3-7,000 and if they don't own one, they rent it. Part of the reason I made this post is because while I don't have an expensive bike, I can't afford another one, so I have to try to keep mine going as long as possible.

If you've only run across a few mountain bikers in your time riding, I suggest you branch out! Out east, bike shops may cater to 50/50 mountain and road biking, but here in the west, mountain biking is extremely popular, especially in the same kinds of destinations we all go for other outdoors stuff (places like Sedona, Moab, many places in Colorado, etc.). I have been riding bicycles for about 9 years but only been riding mountain bikes for the last year or so. Even a modest, real mountain bike (that is, one with at least an air fork, hydraulic disc brakes, 1x drivetrain, modern geometry, and a dropper seatpost) is a blast to ride. Rent one and try a beginner level trail somewhere and you will be hooked.

[msmith1_wa]

I just put a dog bed against the wall to protect the wall and then put a moving blanket over the bike. Then keep adding bikes with blanket over each bike. Alterating bikes front to back. I don't even tie them down and they don't move.

[Campfire_Time]

Have you thought about posting this question on MTB forum? A lot of RVers are avid riders but in my case we ride state trails that are relatively flat and gravel. We have no need for expensive racing bikes. I've only ran across a couple of people with your passion in the past 10 years or so on 2 RV boards. In other words I think you are asking in the wrong place. I get it though it's important to you. I'm that way with camera equipment. What I take with me in a camera backpack on a bike ride or hike costs about the same as one of your bikes. Because that's not a common scenario for many RVers, I wouldn't get the same answer on an RV forum about how to carry or secure my camera equipment as I would on a dedicated photographer's board.

I hope you find a solution.

[SteveAE]

twodownzero wrote:

SteveAE wrote:
I welded up a steel frame and screwed some track it so that the bikes stand vertically, alternating between front tire up and rear tire up. The track (and frame) extends horizontally at the bottom to better support the weight of each bike. There is a bar between the bikes to keep them secure and a large hook up high to hold them in place while I strap the wheels to the trays. Darn thing weighs more than my two bikes....but it is rock solid.

Do these bikes have hydraulic brakes? I hang my drop bar bikes upside down in my shop at home because they have mechanical brakes, but I have yet to consider that for the hydraulic brake bikes as my friends who flip their bikes over even to install the wheels have introduced air into the system and I've ended up having to bleed their brakes for them.

Mechanical brakes.

Since you have such variety of bikes, with different frames and wheels, and can't hang them, maybe you can strap them to appropriately sized tracks that are screwed to the floor and run two more straps (one on each side) from the frame/seat post down to eye bolts in the floor to keep them stable. It will take a lot of space, but it's a simple solution that allows for some flexibility if you get a different bike.

Good luck and happy riding.

[twodownzero]

dedmiston wrote:
Honestly though, I think it would be a lot easier to remove the front wheels and attach a front quick release axle to a board like the other photo above. Those racks are a lot more stable and don't let the bike rock from side to side.

I actually have those already, but it presents two problems. The first is that no new bikes (and no mountain bikes made anytime recently) have quick disconnect wheels. Current bikes have through axles, which means tools to remove the tires (which I do carry) and either an adapter or a totally different mount on the 2x4. I also have bikes with 100, 110, and 150mm front axle lengths, necessitating different mounts for each bike.

We're in a time of transition with bicycles, and so my older, drop bar bikes do have 100x9mm quick releases that were common for decades. Hardly any new bike--and no mountain bike I or my friends own--use those standards, though.

The pro road racers are avoiding going to disc brakes and through axles for this very reason--all of their hubs and bike racks would have to be replaced to accommodate the through axles that come with them.

The second problem this creates is now my front wheel will be bouncing around and I'd have to find a means to store that as well.

I'm so surprised there is no easy solution to this problem with the prevalence of toyhaulers, but perhaps I'm the only one crazy enough to buy a toyhauler with the primary interest being carrying bicycles (but also interested in the boondocking features it has built in and of course the space).

[dedmiston]

twodownzero wrote:

dedmiston wrote:
I built a PVC rack for ours.

https://www.instructables.com/id/Truckbed-Bike-Rack/

I may buy some PVC and see what I can come up with. I'm finding it hard to figure out how to make a setup that'd deal with the four different tire widths, but maybe I can have 2-3 vertical bars per bike "location" that'd work.

You can find all sorts of plans online for PVC bike racks. They are very customizable. Since you cut the pieces yourself to fit the width of the tires, it wouldn't be hard at all to design each of the gaps to fit different wheel widths.

Honestly though, I think it would be a lot easier to remove the front wheels and attach a front quick release axle to a board like the other photo above. Those racks are a lot more stable and don't let the bike rock from side to side.

[Campfire_Time]

dedmiston wrote:
I built a PVC rack for ours.

https://www.instructables.com/id/Truckbed-Bike-Rack/

I did this for a while. I now do this (see below). I needed to better use the space in my truck bed. Also to use the PVC rack I would have to take off my hard tri-fold Tonneau cover, which is kind of a pain. That said, to the OP, maybe you can come up with something like I do in my bed, but make it for your garage. That way tire size is not an issue. Also the fork mounts are very sturdy. The bikes don't move around.