The first and foremost thing to understand is that the types of racks that are available for an RV are many, and that most of them will not fit yours perfectly. Very specific racks can be mounted to your motorhome.

To that end, there are a lot of considerations that you have to make, mostly revolving around the build of your RV or motorhome as well as the style of bike rack that you prefer.

It is a delicate balance between preference and ability.

On top of that, a good fit is imperative, especially if you are looking at long and arduous journeys. Anything short of that will see your rack potentially doing irreparable damage to your RV, bikes and your experience as a whole.

Important Considerations

With so many options out there, it is best to filter out the undesirable factors and focus on the beneficial ones to get that perfect fit.

You can do this by asking yourself a few important questions to establish a base:

• What is the Year and Build of your RV/motorhome?
• How many bikes do you plan on carrying?
• Do you have difficulties lifting your bikes?
• Do you have a rear/front bumper?
• Do you have a hitch installed?
• Do you have a ladder on the rear of your rig?

Depending on the answers to these questions there is a perfect Bike Rack out there just for you and your RV.

Types of Bike Racks

Now onto the meat of our article: all the different types of Bike Racks out there for your RV.

The one for yourself depends heavily on your answers to the questions we have just presented. We will be elaborating on each type with their requirements, pros and cons respectively.

For simplicity’s sake, let’s start our discussion from the front of the vehicle and all the way to the back of the rig.

The Front

Front racks are a bit rare on the scene, mostly due to their very specific requirement of having a Class C motorhome and a front bumper or hitch already installed. But it does come with a few advantages.

+ Full access to all the sections of your motorhome.
+ Does not take up extra carriage space on the back.
+ Bikes are always visible to the driver, in case something goes wrong.
+ Puts less pressure on the back of your motorhome.

On the flipside however:

– You have to be aware of the front clearance of your vehicle
– The bikes might obscure your vision.
– The bikes might catch a lot of dirt or bugs.

As you can see, these are more of an awareness issue. With time and experience, it is highly likely that you will get used to this setup.

The Top

Top bike racks are very advantageous if you have to carry many bikes. They can be installed on almost any RV, as long you have the crossbars on which the racks go on to. Few pros of having a rooftop bike rack.

+ Has the largest capacity, up to 6 bikes with proper extensions and enough space.
+ Very secure, especially for the frame clamp style
+ Full access to all other sections of your motorhome
+ Can go on both the towing vehicle and the trailer itself.

The come with a few noticeable disadvantages as well:

– Loading and unloading your bikes can prove to be difficult.
– Takes up a lot of vertical space, even with the front wheels removed.

As we can see, one of the major issues with the rooftop bike rack is the clearance. It adds a lot to an already large vehicle system like the motorhome. If you are planning on a trip which has a lot of low hanging branches or low bridges along the road, it is better to opt out of this type of bike rack if you want to avoid severe damages.

The Back

The bike racks that go on the rear of the rig have the most versatile options, and is the most preferred way to go, according to most users.

Now, which one to go for depends on the existing setup of the rig, or what you are willing to add to it to get your preferred style of rack.

Ladder Mounted

+ Easy to install.
+ Low requirements.
+ Very budget friendly.

These are the simplest and easy to use racks for your RV, given that you have a ladder on the rear of your rig. That is literally it’s only requirement.

They simply hook onto the ladder and the bikes are mounted vertically, with the front tire sitting at the bottom. Some can be rotated to give access to the ladder.

However:

– They can only carry 2 bikes at most.
– Most models block access to the ladder.

These are good if you are looking for quick trips and are perfect for new and casual users.

Bumper Mounted

+ Doesn’t require an additional trailer hitch.
+ Can carry 2 or more bikes (max 4).
+ Low requirements.
+ The ladder is completely free for use.
+ Easy to load and unload your bikes.

A classic. These bike racks also have very low setup requirements, however the setup itself can prove to be difficult and very specific.

These require a bumper, preferably a square one, with dimensions of 4×4 inch or 4.5×4.5 inch steel bumper with a continuous-weld.

– Very specific requirements.
– You might need specialist assistance to get it set up.

Note: Bumper mounts can also go on the front of the vehicle.

Hitch Mounted

Perhaps the most versatile of all the bike racks we have discussed today. These take advantage of the tow ball or the receiver tube on the rear of the RV and come chock full of features. For a price of course.

They only require a hitch. If you don’t have a hitch already installed, you might have to. They can come in either hanging or platform styles, with their own respective advantages.

+ Can carry 2, 3 or 4 bikes, depending on design.
+ You can easily load and unload your bikes.
+ Some can be folded to give access to the RV.
+ Most come with great safety features, like locks and straps.
+ It can also work with your towing vehicle or other cars, as long as you have a hitch installed.
+ You can use a bumper-mounted hitch receiver to install a hitch bike rack as well.

Some negative features of the hitch mounted bike racks are:

– They are not very budget friendly.
– They add more length to your motorhome than any other rear mounted bike rack.

F.A.Qs

Q1) Does having a bike rack pose any security concerns?

Ans.: Most modern bikes racks come with their own security measures, like locks and straps. But the more budget options may not have much in the way of having extra security locks over straps that just hold the bikes in place.

Either way, it is best to personally invest on your own lock for minimum security. Also be sure to install your rack and locks correctly. More often than not, these are the most common ways to compromise your bikes security.

Q2) Can bike racks damage my RV?

Ans.: There are always threats of scratches when it comes to any installation that involves being in contact with the vehicle, and bike racks are no different.

You can always add extra padding, rubber or foam, on the places that are likely to be scratched. The cheapest, and the friendliest option is opting for a clear vinyl paint tape for those spots.

Final Words

Transporting your bikes with your motorhome brings about its own set of challenges, as well as great opportunities to learn more about it.

Always keep in mind the considerations you have to make before getting a new bike rack, as well as keep an eye out for certain features.

Features like build material, if you are considering long rides. Or anti-wobble features for added longevity.

That said, we hope that we have covered all the burning questions you might have had before reading this article. Feel free to contact us if you have further queries or require some handy tips before you set yourself out on the road.

The post How to Choose a Bike Rack for a Motorhome or RV? appeared first on ApexBikes.