TT with easy bike access

JN_B wrote:
I know you probably don't want to hear this.. But I'd sell the F150 and buy a van. Something like a sprinter or one of the new ram promaster vans.

Lots of race teams are doing something similar, set up the van to hold all bikes/parts, and pull a (small) travel trailer. But the nice part about it, is all bikes will be secure, and dry, and you'll have more options for trailers, as small toyhaulers are very limited in there usable space when the "Garage" is full. Typically you'll have to move most of the bikes out to sleep in the trailer. Far from ideal.

Motorhome/cargo trailer, might work ok, but then you won't have a vehicle to drive to the trailhead every day. Setting up the RV, then taking it down everyday after a bike ride would get old fast.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/5-bikes-across-van-with-underfloor-storage

Actually, I don't have a pick-up right now. I have a Ford Escape towing a super light weight trailer. A new tow vehicle and TT will be needed.

I like the concept of a Sprinter type vehicle, I think it would be absolutely great and I've seen and used some of these vehicles first hand that set up for bike teams.

Not ruling it out, but the compromises with this would be a relatively small TT, seeing as max tow capacities are at best 7500lbs (not that that can't be done). No 4x4 is a detractor as well, plus these are pretty big vehicles. We drive by a Mercedes dealership regularly and I point out to my partner the sprinter is going to be our next vehicle, she laughs. We've always had pretty small vehicles, we are generally minimalistic so a Sprinter is mildly comical.

Though the idea of having it set up just like a team van is very appealing however.

That's the problem with this whole thing, there are compromises to be made, and it's hard to decide which ones to make.