How are you transporting bicycles?

[donthompson]

When I ordered my Elite II in the fall of 2015, Oliver had just added the bike rack mount option. I ordered it and discovered later that most bike racks, mine included, are not intended to be used on the back of a travel trailer. In fact, such use voids the warranty. I discovered this after transporting my bike about 90 miles on my Saris bike rack on the back of the Ollie. I was a bit alarmed as I watched the movement of the rack and bike through my rear camera. I understand now why bike rack manufacturers say this is a "no-no".

 

I usually take my Bike Friday folding bike on camping trips so I can fold it and put the bike in a bag that travels in the back of my tow vehicle. However, I'd still like to use a rack if I can find something that works. I would also like to consider taking my Felt Bruhaul, an electric cargo bike on some camping trips. It has a long wheelbase and weighs 52 lbs. It obviously won't fit in the tow vehicle and I don't think I could maneuver it through the door of the Ollie even if I would want to try to transport it inside (and I don't).

 

I found this rack: https://store.lci1.com/jack-it-bike-carrier-retail-boxed. It looks intriguing. I could easily lift my Bike Friday and my wife's to use this rack, but not the Bruhaul.

 

Any ideas?

[donthompson]

Well, I think I found the solution myself. http://www.swagman.net/product/escapee/ This rack is approved for use on the back of an RV and it is E-bike friendly--will transport a bike that weighs up to 60 lbs.

 

[Laps]

Will your vehicle accommodate a front receiver?

[GrayGhost]

Would something like this work for you?  It might be preferable to keep the weight off the back of the trailer for sway prevention.

 

https://www.etrailer.com/ball-mounts/curt/d210.html

 

 

[John E Davies]

I found this rack: It looks intriguing. I could easily lift my Bike Friday and my wife’s to use this rack, but not the Bruhaul. Any ideas?

 

I have to say that this is one of the more extravagant designs I have ever seen. It defies logic and basic engineering principles to have that much mass swinging around so far above the single mounting point. If it fails, you will wreck both bikes and the front of your Ollie..... I would not risk using this Rube Goldburg device.

 

Can't you use a roof rack on your tow vehicle?

 

Is the problem with mounting a rack on the back of the trailer due to sloppy fit in the receiver? That is super easy to fix. This works great and totally eliminates all movement due to clearance between the two parts. It might make sense to try this first, before getting too concerned about other mounting locations...

 

https://www.amazon.com/Hitch-Clamp-Anti-Rattle-coupling-Tightener/dp/B013J6O5H0/ref=sr_1_cc_9?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1491877791&sr=1-9-catcorr&keywords=Trailer+hitch+stabilizer

 

John Davies

 

Spokane WA

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Try2Relax]

The biggest problem with any single point bike system is that there is just too much mass to balance on the single point, I've found that by simply tying off the tires, to the ends of the bumper, creating a three point brace, spreads out the support enough to control it.

 

With the Oliver's storage area you can also strap from a high point, on the bikes, to somewhere towards the front of the structure, to control front to back high point sway also.

[GaryJona]

 

 

 

I am going to try this with a front mount bike rack have not gone on a trip with it yet I did try it around town and seem to work well. I will have it on my trip to the Rallies next month so that will be my first long drive test. I did get the one that the bike tires are what is supporting the weight on the rack and it had a 45 lbs capacity per bike vs the Swagman like this one was 35 lbs. We will see but I

 

 

put on my own front hitch which was easy took less than two hours and can even use to pull my Trailer around to park if needed. At least another option I'll try a few photos. Thanks Gary

[GaryJona]

I just put on a front mount hitch for a Bike rack I'm going to try. I have only tried it around town and next month I will take it on the road to the rallies to see

 

 

how she goes. I put on my own hitch took around an hour or two pretty easy. Looks like it will work quite well we'll see. The rack will support two bikes up to 45 lbs each. Thanks Gary

[donthompson]

This is a reply to Grey Ghost's post. I investigated this option last fall. It looked promising, but there isn't enough clearance to avoid issues when making tight turns.

[donthompson]

Responding to John's post: I agree with your comments on the Y-shaped rack that attaches near the front jack. I have used roof racks in the past but want to avoid this for two reasons. First, they kill gas mileage. Second, I can't lift a 52 lb. E-Cargo bike up that high. Regarding the movement of the rack in the receiver, my Saris rack has a bolt that you tighten and that removes any hint of sloppiness. I don't know if the Swagman has this feature. I plan to investigate.

 

Responding to the posts about a front receiver, I don't think my Touareg will work for this.

 

I'll post after I've visited my local bike shop to talk about the Swagman.

 

Don

[John E Davies]

    

 

Wow, that is remarkably low to the ground. Do you not see this as a problem? There is at least one other option that won't destroy your ground clearance and approach angle.

 

At least it will tell you when you get too close to a concrete curb.....

 

Please post an update on how this has worked for you.

 

JohnDavies

 

Spokane WA

[Hikegsm]

When I ordered my Elite II in the fall of 2015, Oliver had just added the bike rack mount option. I ordered it and discovered later that most bike racks, mine included, are not intended to be used on the back of a travel trailer. In fact, such use voids the warranty. I discovered this after transporting my bike about 90 miles on my Saris bike rack on the back of the Ollie. I was a bit alarmed as I watched the movement of the rack and bike through my rear camera. I understand now why bike rack manufacturers say this is a “no-no”. I usually take my Bike Friday folding bike on camping trips so I can fold it and put the bike in a bag that travels in the back of my tow vehicle. However, I’d still like to use a rack if I can find something that works. I would also like to consider taking my Felt Bruhaul, an electric cargo bike on some camping trips. It has a long wheelbase and weighs 52 lbs. It obviously won’t fit in the tow vehicle and I don’t think I could maneuver it through the door of the Ollie even if I would want to try to transport it inside (and I don’t). I found this rack: https://store.lci1.com/jack-it-bike-carrier-retail-boxed. It looks intriguing. I could easily lift my Bike Friday and my wife’s to use this rack, but not the Bruhaul. Any ideas?

 

Not sure if you are aware but Oliver has redesigned their bike rack. It is a bar type  not a hitch mount anymore and comes ready to go rack and all. We are getting one. We may be the first to get it. We have a pickup date of April 27. I will be sure to post pictures and tell you how it works.

 

Yvonne

[donthompson]

Yvonne, I wasn't aware of the redesign of the Oliver bike rack. I'll look for your photos. You're getting very close to your delivery date!

 

Don

[KarenLukens]

Not sure if you are aware but Oliver has redesigned their bike rack. It is a bar type not a hitch mount anymore and comes ready to go rack and all. We are getting one. We may be the first to get it. We have a pickup date of April 27. I will be sure to post pictures and tell you how it works. Yvonne

 

When we were there they hadn't finished it yet, they still had the double bar set up that needed to be screwed down into both sides of the bumper. I didn't like the looks of that one... So please post the pics of the new one when you can, we would love to see it in action :)

[geO]

My wife and I really enjoy cycling. We have this bike rack set up in our pick up truck. The bikes fit snugly without needing to remove any wheels.

[bugeyedriver]

This is how my Breezer Downtown bike will ride to Newfoundland this summer.  I took it out for a test ride today and it is absolutely steady with no dipping or wobbling.   I have a Curt front hitch for the Taco and use  Swagman X/C carrier and an anti-wobble clamp.  No ground clearance is lost for the vehicle (the skid plate is lower by several inches)  Contrary to how it appears, there is no problem with visibility from the handle bars.  The wheels do not extend beyond the sides of the truck, so there is no loss in maneuvering.  Parking between vehicles at the grocery store was not a problem.

 

The bike is secured to the hitch with a locking cable.  After putting a topper on the back of the Taco, the previous setup interfered with opening the hatch.  This was a good solution for me.  I'm not too worried about bug splatter on the bike.  As long as the seat is clean I'm good to ride.  The chain is fully enclosed in a shroud, so there should be minimal issues with rust.

 

 

My Taco has 218,000 miles on it and still runs like brand new.

[trumpetguy]

I have used a front receiver by Drawtite.  A Swagman rack works perfectly.  I had to use an extension bar and anti rattle device but was happy with the setup.  I have changed tow vehicles and will add the same setup to my Ram.  I heard a story of an Oliver owner whose GPS took him down a narrow road into a dead end.  He was able to unhitch the trailer, turn the truck around, and using his front receiver push the Ollie back to a place wide enough to turn around.  So Many uses for a front receiver.

[trumpetguy]

 

I have used a front receiver by Drawtite.  A Swagman rack works perfectly.  I had to use an extension bar and anti rattle device but was happy with the setup.  I have changed tow vehicles and will add the same setup to my Ram.  I heard a story of an Oliver owner whose GPS took him down a narrow road into a dead end.  He was able to unhitch the trailer, turn the truck around, and using his front receiver push the Ollie back to a place wide enough to turn around.  So Many uses for a front receiver.

[Laps]

I have used a front receiver by Drawtite. A Swagman rack works perfectly. I had to use an extension bar and anti rattle device but was happy with the setup. I have changed tow vehicles and will add the same setup to my Ram. I heard a story of an Oliver owner whose GPS took him down a narrow road into a dead end. He was able to unhitch the trailer, turn the truck around, and using his front receiver push the Ollie back to a place wide enough to turn around. So Many uses for a front receiver.

 

I plan on purchasing the Drawtite receiver also.  Will be using on a Dodge Ram 3500.  Currently I have the 1UP bicycle rack (https://www.1upusa.com/bicycleracks.html) mounted to the back receiver.

[Laps]

I plan on purchasing the Drawtite for the front receiver on my Dodge Ram 3500, currently using a 1UP bicycle rack on the back receiver.  https://www.1upusa.com/bicycleracks.html

[Overland]

Cool. I just bought a 1up myself - all the reviews talk about how well made they are and even though I was expecting it to be nice, I was totally blown away.

[John E Davies]

I am glad that those of you with low hanging front receivers like them, but it amuses me to look at your locations. For travel east of the Rockies these will work great. But as soon as you venture onto an undeveloped forest road you would likely bury the receiver or rack into the ground or a rock. There just aren't that many situations like this in Alabama or Florida or Texas ...  at least, not where you could get a full sized tow vehicle.

 

I am not trying to being negative. I am glad they work for your intended purpose. For the western mountain states, these simply do not work, unless you stay on paved roads all the time. The Bodiak version that I posted on page 1 is an exception that might work, depending on the height of your truck. For a stock height (i.e., low riding) GM, even that can be too low. It is not about the ground clearance so much as the greatly reduced approach angle.

 

Are there any problems seeing past your bike(s) when parking or maneuvering? Blocking the lights for night driving? Distracting reflections?

 

How hard is it to get the insect debris out of all the moving parts, after going through say a swarm of fat junebugs or grasshoppers?

 

I have always understood carrying a gear basket with a low covered load on the front, but I never could get carrying a bike or motorcycle there... I have transported motorcycles and bicycles many tens of thousands of miles, but never in that location.

 

Comments?

 

John Davies

 

Spokane WA

[Overland]

Personally, I would find it distracting while driving; and yes, you wouldn't want to do that in the southeast in the summer because you'd have to scrape a half inch of bugs off your bike every time you wanted to go for a ride. Plus I think you underestimate the terrain down here.

 

I think most people who put bikes up there aren't going off road. Or they leave the bikes and rack at camp when they do.

 

Generally we don't travel with bikes, but if we did, the best solution to me seems to be the bike rack over the truck bed with a sliding bedcover.

[rideandfly]

My wife and I really enjoy cycling. We have this bike rack set up in our pick up truck. The bikes fit snugly without needing to remove any wheels.

 

geO,

 

What rack is that one?

 

We use another bike rack in the pickup bed, but like the looks of your rack.

 

Thanks for posting a photo,

[Laps]

John, the drawtite receiver attaches behind the tow hooks on our Dodge Ram trucks, and since mine is a 4x4 I already have some height advantage when using a bike rack.  Overland, yes I was very impressed when I received the 1UP rack, in my opinion nothing else comes close to quality of build.