Bike rack on bumper?

[crazyro]

I have a feeling I already know the answer to my question, but... Adding a bike rack to my bumper would be a bad idea, wouldn't it? I think it's the typical "store your hose in here" and have the spare mounted on it type. Would adding brackets help? What would help to ensure a bike rack won't rip it off? TIA.

[IAMICHABOD]

Son in law used the Safety Struts on his rear bumper and hauls 4 bikes and a spare for a long time with no problems.

[parcany]

Google Mount-N-Lock. Did this to our travel trailer and Worked like it was made to be there. We bought the hitch and the frame supports. About $100.00

[crazyro]

I'd like to have 3 bikes back there if possible. That may change things a bit. 🙂 I may talk to a welder friend and see if we can add some reinforcement just in case.

[Lwiddis]

Jim, apparently your RV manufacturer said “yes.” How does that apply to OP’s RV bumper?

[Jim]

I wouldn't have any qualms about adding something to hold a bicycle to that rectangular sewer hose bumper. Mine was really strong on my last RV. I backed up into cement barriers a couple times with no damage. One time I backed into a post and bent the bumper around 2" towards the back of the RV. A few months later, had a friend strap it with a nylon strap, attach the strap to his car and pulled the ripple right out of it. And all that time, I used it to stand on to reach the ladder, or work on the back of the RV.

Here's what I use now, I like the style where the bike hangs from the arms. I'm pretty sure any welding shop would be able to come up with a way to mount it to your bumper: Curt Bike Rack

[Lwiddis]

Why are you checking with us first? Validation for what you want to do? Why not determine what your RV manufacturer says first? Winnebago says NO additional weight on the rear bumper on my 2101DS TT. So if you do mount a bike rack and your manufacturer said NO you’ll be standing there all alone with your lawyer...deserted by the RV manufacturer, and I’ll have a judgment exceeding your insurance coverage...you’ll be crying not even having your bicycle.

[DutchmenSport]

There are those who adamantly say not to add a bicycle carrier to the bumper without some form of reinforcement from the frame of the camper.

I may have just been lucky, but I carried a Schwinn Bicycle for 2 on the bumper of 2 different trailers for 11 years and never experienced bumper failure. The below photo of is from our first travel trailer. Our second trailer was a Keystone Springdale. I don't have any good photos of the carrier on it.

We only carried the one bicycle, and the carrier itself weighs about 50 pounds. It's not light at all. So all together, we had a good 100 pounds hanging on the bumper. But we never experience any failure at all.

Do I recommend it to you? No! Only so I won't be sued for giving you bad advise if I said "Yes" and your's ended up being the one in a million that failed.

My current camper (Keystone Outback) came with a factory installed hitch, from the frame which included the bumper too. I removed the spare tire holder and use it to carry my 3 wheeled tricycle now!





Current trailer (but it has the factory hitch, but I still use the actual bumper as support for part of this contraption.

[jfkmk]

There are bracket you can add to beef up the bumped strength, but I'm not sure how well they work. You'd be better off with a tongue mounted rack or a front hitch on your tv.