bike rack options for a TT / TV

Swedish_Steel wrote:
This article provided lots of option ideas with supplier references and photos.

This topic comes up every so often and the same discussions happen over and over, which is understandable.

However the link you provided is probably the one most useful bit of information to date - thank you for that.

I do have the ladder bike rack and am yet to use it but have 'test fitted' two hybrid bikes on it and it looks and works fine. My problem is slightly different. I store the RV at a storage lot and my present problem is what to do with the truck's hitch-mounted carrier after bringing the bikes to the RV and mounting them on the ladder. I prefer not to bring the hitch on the trip but may well have to do just that. It is bulky, not light and would be of little use while on the trip.

To the OP - good luck on your quest. Mounting on the spare tire bracket is probably a terrible idea since the pry-out load on the back wall of the trailer is much higher due to the increased standoff distance and likely much greater dynamic load. If you have the clearance then the Arvika type mount is probably the best bet for you. l personally view front mounts on the track as a last resort because of impacts on air flow, visibility and the fact that the bikes in this location are excellent bug catchers. On top of that you many have to extend the draw-bar to clear the bumper and that again causes increased load and springing at the hitch. But that just my opinion - others seem to be content with that arrangement.

As an aside, and in response to the (perhaps flippant?) comment that the only real use for the rear ladder is to hold a bike rack - l was very glad to have mine when I wanted to go up on the roof to install my Fantastic Vent vent cover while on a recent camping trip. No need to have a separate ladder.