Where do you carry your bicycles?

Photomom

ScottG said:

The UpNFront sounds like a slick idea. I wondered if people used receiver racks once they were unhitched--this device would negate the need to carry an additional rack. My only concern with the TAB would be enough turning clearance.

@Photomom, I suspect many here will look forward to your final report when you revisit the issue.

The first thing I need to do is check my tongue weight. We have a lot of stuff on the front of the trailer already. I got a junky scale from a Buy Nothing group and this will be my first task when we bring the trailer home. 

Photomom

Oh look, now they have a designated mount for T@Bs. I’ll report back. 

https://www.upnfront.com/product-page/little-guy-t-b-unit

gooselady

https://www.upnfront.com
Features a T@B on home page.

Homebodyatheart

@Photomom I really like this set up, including attaching the spare to the post. My biggest concern is lifting the bike up and down without hurting myself. @ScottG if you look at the gallery pics on their website, look at the Tab with green tub and trim. It appears that using the Swagman (or similar) over the tub there should be no turning clearance issues unless you're jack-knifing. 

Ratkity

Verna said:

I’ll huff and I’ll puff and send some warm air that way

Alas, my derail (pun) didn't last long, and all I got to show for it was a bunch of rain and a very bored teething puppy!

Those UpNFront racks look very interesting.

Luckyj

Photomom said:

Oh look, now they have a designated mount for T@Bs. I’ll report back. 

https://www.upnfront.com/product-page/little-guy-t-b-unit

Wow, that thing is hight, way above the TV, and the bike are sideways to the wind at the end of a lever.  That will increase the movement and swing like crazy in every direction.  I would be really scared to use this.  And fuel millage will be not get better.

plus, with all the issues about the T@B frame coming up, I would no be confortable adding more weight and boucing force to this place. 

And forget about lifting a full tailgate.

nope, that would not be for me.

Photomom

Luckyj said:

Photomom said:

Oh look, now they have a designated mount for T@Bs. I’ll report back. 

https://www.upnfront.com/product-page/little-guy-t-b-unit

Wow, that thing is hight, way above the TV, and the bike are sideways to the wind at the end of a lever.  That will increase the movement and swing like crazy in every direction.  I would be really scared to use this.  And fuel millage will be not get better.

plus, with all the issues about the T@B frame coming up, I would no be confortable adding more weight and boucing force to this place. 

And forget about lifting a full tailgate.

nope, that would not be for me.

Do you think that’s higher than other similar mounts? Hard to tell.

ScottG

I don't know if it's higher, but it does appear to put the weight a little more forward on the tongue than some of the other front-mount bike racks out there. Exactly how much that would influence tongue weight--and whether it would be deal breaker--would depend on your individual set up.

It does look pretty spindly, but I'm going on the assumption that it was engineered with a sufficient safety margin. I do suspect Luckyj is correct about the amount of potential movement (twisting and bouncing) of the bikes, but again, not sure to what extent that would influence drivability and mileage

Dereco

I used to carry my bikes in the trailer, but it was not ideal, and I was worried about nicks and things in the course of moving them. I also had a hitch carrier, but that only worked when the trailer was not in tow. :( 

Then I found a clamp carrier, it clamps on the receiver portion of the hitch. Works for 3 bikes, and we can take the bikes on the carrier when we move in the TV without the trailer. 

db_cooper

ScottG said:

For those of you who carry your bikes on your trailer, do you always ride from your campsite, or do you have another means of transporting them once you are unhitched?

For this trip we rode from our campsites, but we also throw a hitch mount rack in the back of the TV for those trips we need to carry the bikes.

Haven't had any issues carrying the bikes this way. I've kept an eye on the rack attachment points and nothing is moving.  Not the easiest place to put a bike, but as long as they are light bikes,  I don't think it's a problem carrying them here.

dinzzy

rcuomo

Stromberg Carlson CC-275 frame (47#) with Allen modified rack (~35#).  Tongue weight with 2 bikes, spare mounted on jack and full propane is 288.8#, approximately 15% of loaded trailer weight.

ColleenD2

rcuomo said:

Stromberg Carlson CC-275 frame (47#) with Allen modified rack (~35#).  Tongue weight with 2 bikes, spare mounted on jack and full propane is 288.8#, approximately 15% of loaded trailer weight.

I like this set up and found the first part but what exactly is the second part? I am not handy. Do I have to modify something?

rcuomo

Colleen, if you are referring to the Allen 4 bike rack, I got that at Sports Authority a few years back. I had to drill an additional bolt hole in the CC-275 to mount it. I’ll probably replace it with a platform rack to get the bikes a bit lower. Probably the Swagman XTC-2. 

Freshaire

Well. . . . .I haven't actually done it yet, but I have set up my Honda Ridgeline so that I can take my bike along in the bed of my truck.  It does take up quite a bit of space but I have a backpackers mentality and am a minimalist when it comes to packing.  Not sure how that is going to work for me as my first extended trip is just days away.  : )

ScottG

@Freshaire, we carry two bicycles the same way, under a cap. Boats go on top. The Weber Q grill, extra cooler, and a few other odds and ends fit in around them. Everything else rides and lives in its own place in the T@B so it's always ready to go.

And we're not even backpackers! Bottom line--you've got plenty of room if you organize and keep it reasonably simple.  :-)

Freshaire

@ScottG, that is good affirmation.  I don't have a cap on my truck bed, so not much else is going back there.  My truck has four doors though, so my "back seat" gives me some extra room for a cooler, etc.  I'm at the beginning of a long learning curve. 

rkj__

Freshaire said:

@ScottG, that is good affirmation.  I don't have a cap on my truck bed, so not much else is going back there.  My truck has four doors though, so my "back seat" gives me some extra room for a cooler, etc.  I'm at the beginning of a long learning curve. 

I fill the 6' bed of my Canyon with stuff.  Right now I've got:

Canoe on roof / rack

2 bicycles

2 Canoe paddles

Bin of fire wood

2 Water jugs, 7gal, 5 gal

2 totes with life jackets, bicycle helmets, extra shoes / clothes

Leveling blocks

Garbage can

Screen Room

Ball Lock

The key is the totes can keep any soft goods dry in and uncovered bed. 

Edited to add picture:

Freshaire

Totes!!! Sometimes we miss the obvious.  Thanks @rkj__ !  I do wonder about theft though.  I'm guessing this has not been an issue for you.  No way to lock up an open truck bed.

rkj__

Freshaire said:

Totes!!! Sometimes we miss the obvious.  Thanks @rkj__ !  I do wonder about theft though.  I'm guessing this has not been an issue for you.  No way to lock up an open truck bed.

I have a lock on the bikes, but if somebody really feels the need to steal my life jackets, there is nothing stopping them.  That's a risk I'm willing to take. 

T@Balong

We carry our bikes and our kayaks on the roof of our TV, a Jeep Cherokee.  Though it requires a bowl of Wheaties in the morning on days we bike or paddle (in order to unload and reload the equipment) we like them up there because it gives us the flexibility of driving somewhere to paddle or bike.   Those "amenities" are not always available at every campground.