TT with easy bike access

[CptSydor]

My first post here. I'm hoping to maybe post some current thoughts and see what people have to say, maybe some alternatives.

Just over a year ago, my partner and I bought our first TT. A small Dutchman T@da that we pull with our 2013 Escape 2.0 Ecoboost with tow package. We spend lots of time traveling to bike races and most of the time camping is available at the event. So after staying in a friends motorhome during a race and realizing how much better it was than tenting or getting hotels, sometimes relatively far away, I spent a lot of time searching and got lucky to find the t@da just down the street, which was exactly what we were looking for (small, light, fully enclosed, full bed and wet bath).

We ended up spending 10+ weekends in the trailer, plus a 2 week trip around the easy coast of Canada/US visiting family and biking. We absolutely loved our time away and being on the road.

Over the past 4-5 months, we've both realized we are looking to mix up life and simplify. We really would love to be on the road full-time. The idea of being able to winter down Arizona/California where we can bike in warm weather, then during the spring/fall/summer months target other prime biking destinations more north for a few weeks at a time is pretty much a dream. Plus spending more significant time in the vicinity aging parents who are 2500 km from each other would be great.

We are mid 30's and have the ability to be mobile with work, including taking 4 months off per year. (Dec/Jan/Feb/March). The other months we'd need to be back in Canada for work, but anywhere, and would likely target Vancouver island for Oct/Nov, April would likely be the tough month as we'd probably want to be around Eastern Canada. Still not sure how logistically easy that would be, any experience would be appreciated. We also have an easy ability to give this a shot for 1 year with minimal repercussions if we want to step back into our current life.

Here comes what I'm really trying to work out. And while compromise will absolutely need to happen, any ideas people have would be great.

We are cyclists. We currently have a basement full of bikes. Between the two of us, there are 10+ that we ride regularly. At best we could get down to a total of 4, but would love to have 6. This is really our only indulgence/excessiveness in life as it's our passion (and the outdoors in general).

I'm currently trying to figure out the best RV/Vehicle for us. Here are some considerations.

- Price. Not a huge investment upfront for a variety of reasons. We generally want to be frugal to ensure we can continue to cut down on things like work hours, responsibility as we get older. $50,000 would ideally be the cost of TV + RV.

- We have to be able to carry bikes with easy access. Preference is in their own unique space. We don't want to be living onto, or even see them. Security is important, they are not $500 bikes.

Here are some options that are crossing my mind:

1) Toyhauler. Problem with most toyhaulers is they are designed for quads/motorcycles and are pretty large. For an RV we'd like to live full-time in, we'd be looking at 28ft+, which generally have 10ft-12 garages and take up lots of prime living space. I definitely would want an enclosed garage area, preferably with separate entrance, not the ramp, as we really don't want to be pulling that up and down each time we go out. I'd really want an RV with at minimum a couch and a dinette (a chair would be a nice bonus) so that we have some space to spread out and work comfortably. Again, most large toyhauler 28-32 ft seem to have only a combo dining/couch, which would be tough if we are both working within the trailer and it's nice to vary where you are sitting.

2) Get a TT and keep the bikes in the back of the truck with a secure cap. This opens lots of living space in the RV if we went 28-32 ft and I could easily get everything I wanted (even down to 26-27 ft). Unfortunately access to bikes in the back of a truck is not great at all, plus if I need to work on them, it has to be done outside. In theory, something like Sprinter type vehicle would be cool, standing height to set up a 'bike shop', however they have relatively low tow capacities (5000-7500 lbs). The other issue with a Sprinter type van, or even a cargo van is that they don't come factory as 4x4 (or AWD). This is something that is pretty important to me as I do like to get off the beaten path. It seems like every time I have a vehicle that isn't at least AWD, I get myself in trouble. Yes I could be better, but that's no fun.

3) Not super interested in a 5th wheel as I'd like to have an enclosed TV for transporting bikes from campgrounds securely.

4) Obviously we a could just go bigger in an RV. We are however pretty minimalistic in nature (except the bikes) and would like to keep it as 'small' as possible. It seems once you get start getting 31+ft, the trailers jump up in price a fair amount, plus at that point you are automatically looking at HD truck, which add costs.

Ideally I'd like to stick with a 1/2 tonne truck, but I'm pretty convinced that's not going to happen.

In saying all that. I think the best option I've seen right now would be a Keystone Outback 310TB (or the 28RS a couple model years old). I think that is beyond the limit of most average 1/2 tonnes, especially given we would be full timing?

Shipping Weight 7427
Carrying Capacity 1573
Hitch 785

If you managed to read through all this. And have any cool idea's, or advice, experience, errors to correct, please contribute.

Really trying to figure out where to compromise. Financially, living space, ease of access to bikes, 4x4 vehicle.

[kgarrett9999]

Take a look at the Passport 2920BH. It has an option for a cargo door on the street side where the bunks are. The bunk flips up out of the way and there is room for at least two bikes and probably 3-4.

[packpe89]

A camper that size, I would not think about a 1/2 ton for anything but short flat trips. It will catch a lot of side wind. You will feel much more comfortable driving a 3/4 ton. Personally, I always carry my bikes on a rear hitch rack, but for your situation and number of bikes, the Outback seems like a good match. I've seen a couple of those and really liked the layout.

So now you need to decide diesel or gas.

[CptSydor]

BubbaChris wrote:
I'd suggest looking at Bunkhouse style TT's. Some even have exterior access doors to the bunks. It would be easy to curtain off the re-purposed bunks so you wouldn't be tripping over them.

The key thing to look at is realistic towing capacity for a 1/2 ton truck. Take the max trailer weight and multiply by 15% to get your max tongue weight. Then subtract that amount from the yellow sticker on the B pillar specifying max cargo. The number that remains is what you can put into the truck itself in the form of people, food, and everything under the bed cover.

I had thought about the bunkhouse style TT's. I wonder how hard it would be to re-purpose them (AKA remove at least one side of the bunks), without making it look horrible? I could probably hang 4 bikes on one side, storage on the other. Working on them would be challenging.

But when it comes down to it, I'm just re-purposing a TT to be like the Outback 310TB I mentioned. Not sure that would be worth the time/effort. Just finding an Outback 310TB at an okay price might tough.

As I search more and more, I really think Toyhauler is the best out there. I was hoping maybe people know of other similar models. There does seem to be some older ones, as was mentioned with the side ramp, but it's all a******shoot.

I think trying to find an Outback 310TB, then getting a 3/4 tonne pick-up is likely what will happen. It might have to increase my budget, where the compromise is most likely to happen.

[CptSydor]

PAThwacker wrote:
thule rack up a real suv or full size van. Do you really bike that often?

Over the past 25 years, dedicated riders have used thule racks, yakima, swagman, and the like. carried in a mini utility car.
Never!

Over the past 25 years, dedicated riders have used those racks for day transportation. Any self respecting cyclist will not leave their bikes exposed to the element like that. And yes I have both yakima roof mounts and a swagman hitch rack.

Any yes, we really do bike that often. Most weeks, 6 days, up to 15-18 hours per week.

[CptSydor]

Campfire Time wrote:
Another thought, what about a Class C towing a nice utility trailer?

I would expect will be fairly mobile (or desire to be) once parked, heading to trail heads for biking/hiking.

[PAThwacker]

thule rack up a real suv or full size van. Do you really bike that often?

Over the past 25 years, dedicated riders have used thule racks, yakima, swagman, and the like. carried in a mini utility car.
Never!

[Campfire_Time]

Another thought, what about a Class C towing a nice utility trailer?

[AirForceAngler]

kgarrett9999 wrote:
I love the layout of the Outback 310TB


Depending on how you load it and the payload of the tow vehicle, a half ton could do it.

A guy that lives down the road from has something similar to this in a Springdale.

[kgarrett9999]

I love the layout of the Outback 310TB


Depending on how you load it and the payload of the tow vehicle, a half ton could do it.

[MeandMyLabs]

Just because you use the garage for hauling the bikes does not mean it is wasted space. After removing our toys, the garage becomes our second living room, dining room and second bedroom. The bed retracts to the ceiling leaving open floor space. I mounted the table brackets in the middle of the floor (flat style) and we set up the table for eating. When finished, the table is taken down and the room can be used for sitting. (We carry two office chairs) And, when bedtime, we lay down the chairs and lower the bed just above them for the bed.

We like having two separate spaces because after 34 years of marriage, sometimes separate spaces and television channels are nice.

[Campfire_Time]

While we don't have near the high end bikes you have, we had a similar situation. When we bought our PU it had a cap on it. Its only a short bed. In the past we hauled our bikes in our trailer but our new trailer has a couch and we didn't want to chance damaging that. So the PU bed seemed an ideal way to haul the bikes.

Anyway I played with the idea of a fork mount system like you did with your Escape. I really found it clunky to put the bikes in and out with height limit of the cap. And honestly, we only have 3 bikes but that takes up more of the bed than you might think. I can't imagine trying to do this with 6 bikes under a cap.

Ultimately we sold the cap and got a solid panel folding tonneau cover. We remove it and put the bikes in using a home made rack. I know that won't work for you, but I don't think you'll like the truck cap either.

Given your need to be able to work on the bikes in a dry location I think a toy hauler is your best bet.

[BubbaChris]

I'd suggest looking at Bunkhouse style TT's. Some even have exterior access doors to the bunks. It would be easy to curtain off the re-purposed bunks so you wouldn't be tripping over them.

The key thing to look at is realistic towing capacity for a 1/2 ton truck. Take the max trailer weight and multiply by 15% to get your max tongue weight. Then subtract that amount from the yellow sticker on the B pillar specifying max cargo. The number that remains is what you can put into the truck itself in the form of people, food, and everything under the bed cover.

[mich800]

I am kind of in the same situation. For me, the ideal rv would be a toy hauler with a small garage and side loading door/ramp. The ones I have seen that would work are in the 30-35' range. I really do not have an interest in being much more over 35'.

Something like this Keystone 310TB. There used to be more options like this but I have not been looking in a while.

[CptSydor]

Yes a Toy hauler is front runner, I'm just a little bummed with how much practical space they take up. It really seems you need to go 35+ ft to get a toyhauler that has really good living space.

I've done 4 bikes in the back of the Escape, a full size pick-up with a raised cap would certainly make it seem a lot easier.

[AirForceAngler]

From reading all of this, I think a toy hauler would be your best bet. In addition to secure storage of several bikes you could also build a small workshop in the back for maintaining bikes. Include the basic tools and a maintenance stand and you would be able to work on your bikes out of the weather. Even with a full size truck, you'd be hard pressed to get 4-6 bikes under a cap and easily accessible. If you had them on some rack system in the truck, you still need to find a way to get to the front of the bed to release whatever mechanism is up there to secure them. Not easy with 6 bikes side-to-side and under a cap. If they were just placed in the back with no rack, you can count on them being a mess with pedals/pegs intertwining with spokes and etc. Just a mess. With a toy hauler, you could probably set up the back to hang a few bikes from the ceiling and secure more to the floor.