How to secure bikes inside the camper...

[VaTechMan]

I know that there are a lot of options for where people put bikes, but I am currently looking just at people that keep their bikes inside their travel trailer.

I have a 23IKSS and I am looking at keeping some kids bikes inside the trailer while traveling down the road. I am just not sure the best way to secure the bikes so that they are not bumping around and banging things up while I am going down the road.

For anyone that currently keeps their bikes inside the trailer, what do you do to help prevent damage to the bikes and the trailer.

Thank you very much for your help and suggestions. If you have pictures, even better...

[phillyg]

Whilst thinking about how to best reinforce the bumper for a bike rack, one bike just fits against the bed after the slide out is in, and I carefully bungee the second bike between the cabinets in the kitchen area. It all depends on your available floorplan. One bike could actually ride on the bed if placed on top of a moving blanket.

[Semperfi24]

I am not familiar with your layout, so this may not apply, but I have seen pictures of people who store the DR table somewhere else, and when traveling, they put a 3/4" sheet of plywood (using 2x4 "frame underneath for support) in place of the DR table. And attached to that plywood is "cleats" for bikes. Just place the bikes on the "table" upside down, and secure the handle bars to the "table". You can determine what is the best way to secure them to the "table", but that is an idea if you have that type of set up in your trailer. If you don't have that kind of set up, sorry for wasting your time, but maybe it will help another member of the forum. Good luck

[kdot]

VaTechman, I don't know it this would be of any help to you, but I saw it in the back of some guy's pickup truck. Could it be adapted to the inside of a trailer?

Kdot

[KMP44]

Check out this thread:


http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...els-44515.html


Probably the best idea I've seen so far. You could do something similar to hold the forks or just the front tires if you didn't want to remove the wheels each time. Just have to put the bikes in before closing the slide.


Or you might find a small bike rack like the one pictured below to just hold them upright inside.

[ependydad]

I legit just made a big bike pile. I used waterproof sheets between each layer to protect the dinette and bikes from each other. It worked well for 2 years with no damage to anything.

[jcrayford]

Originally Posted by ependydad

I legit just made a big bike pile. I used waterproof sheets between each layer to protect the dinette and bikes from each other. It worked well for 2 years with no damage to anything.

^Wow! That looks so much like my trailer.... Same U-dinette.

I do a similar thing. Carry 3 mountain bikes all propped up with back wheel down against the short wall of the dinette, front wheels up on the opposite dinette seat. 6 foot tie down looped around all 3 bikes and leg of dinette table to keep bikes from tipping over in transit.

The key is to make sure all 3 rear wheels ride on the slide floor and not the carpet tongue or non-movable floor. With only the weight of the bikes on the dinette, the slide still pulls in/out without issues. But I may look into building something like kdot suggested....

J.

[Belleville Bob]

Always been successful with old blankets wrapped around them, just make sure the tires are not rubbing against anything, and the grease from the chains also don't touch anything of value.

[Loraura]

In lieu of the "bike pile" i mounted fork mounts on the under side of the dinette. I just remove the cushions and flip the dinette seat over and have a stable, safe, free from theif-eyes bike rack.

[cookiebush]

I can stand two full size bikes between the dinette and the jacknife sofa. Works fine for me

[Archicamper]

Originally Posted by cookiebush

I can stand two full size bikes between the dinette and the jacknife sofa. Works fine for me

I do the same thing. I got some packing blankets from Harbor Freight to put over the bikes. They have never moved from their assigned location although they may fall against each other.

[Lisamarie]

We have an 1809s Rockwood Mini Lite. To travel with our bikes inside we wrap a Thule strap around our coach and attach it to the bikes to anchor them to the couch. We use old towels to protect the bikes from rubbing against each other and to protect the couch.

[DocRob]

We would strap them together and pack quilts or spare pillows around them. Never had an issue but does make it hard to use things inside until you unpack.

[Shanks12]

We just went on our first trip with bikes. I ended up purchasing this: Racor PBS-2R Two-Bike Floor Bike Stand on Amazon.

Put that in the isle way, Used a bungee strap on the front tire to the rack and it stayed in place.

Seemed to work pretty well. Just takes a few minutes to un-do and take bikes out to get to whatever you need.

Or if you are nimble you can jump over the bikes with ninja like skills to get to whatever you need in the front of the camper. -- Like I had to do twice. In the same day. Within the same hour.

[HikerBob]

Our little Rockwood MiniLite etc being pulled by a SUV provided few options for bikes. I collapse the table and put it up against the murphy bed to make more room. I mounted fork mounts to a 2x6 that fits between the bench seats snuggly, then put an eye bolt onto the bench seat frames at floor level to keep the 2x6 from moving backward (these are also used to anchor the bed when it's down). The front tires rest nicely against the table frame and bench seats and the bikes are to one side so we can still get to the galley and bathroom while in route to our destination.

[VaTechMan]

I ended up going with the floor bike stand and blankets around it. I just always worry about just doing a pile of things like that on the dinette, worried about how much things really bounce around in there while I am driving down the road. I might put a camera in there one day just to see what it does look like, and hopefully make me feel better about that, but that will have to wait for next spring, looks like my camping season is at an end of the year, too many full weekends before it gets too cold for the wife to feel happy going out.

Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions.

[dave961]

I love having a toy hauler. Toss 'em in the garage and strap 'em to the D bolts. Along with a full size BBQ grill, Harley, and anything else I want to take. :-)