bikes + pup???

[luvmyfam444]

How can we carry bikes too? THe racks I see go on the back of a car or into a trailer hitch - which obviously wont work.

Now what?

***this for general camping...NOT FW

 

[magicfanatic]

What kind of car do you have, how many bikes, and do you really need them?

 

[wdwrroad]

1. Front mounted hitch on the towing vehicle. I do this with my suburban. Works great using a standard bike rack.

2. Roof rack on the camper or towing vehicle.

3. Rack that mounts to a trailer drawbar and allows both the rack and the trailer at the same time.

4. Hitch on the rear of the popup. Be very careful with this one. Camper bumpers will NOT carry a bike rack. You'd need a welding shop to fabricate a hitch that ties into the frame. Also adding weight to the rear of the camper will lighten the tongue weight. This can cause sway of the trailer. You'd need to make sure that you did not remove too much weight from the tongue. Some trailers will tolerate this arrangement and some will not.

 

[luvmyfam444]

What kind of car do you have, how many bikes, and do you really need them?

we have a minivan

no I guess we don't really need them - but we'd love to be able to ride bikes while camping sometime.

5 bikes

 

[luvmyfam444]

we'd love to take our 3 kayaks too...but I'm thinking that's pushing it a bit! We'd have to choose bikes or kayaks I'm thinking...or take along another vehicle just for toys!

 

[magicfanatic]

we have a minivan

no I guess we don't really need them - but we'd love to be able to ride bikes while camping sometime.

5 bikes

My sister and I used to do all the bike trails when camping too, but I can't imagine having time at Disney with so much other stuff do. Have you considered Roller skates as another option. This was another one of our favorites because most campgrounds have great smooth pavement and 5 pairs of skates are much easier to pack than 5 bikes!!

 

[2goofycampers]

we'd love to take our 3 kayaks too...but I'm thinking that's pushing it a bit! We'd have to choose bikes or kayaks I'm thinking...or take along another vehicle just for toys!

You can't use your own kayaks at The Fort.

 

[tcu4me]

We found that packing a folding scooter is much easier than a bike. Most of the time it was not used as there were so many other things to do at FW. I much prefer carrying a couple of extras scooters that go unused to a load of bikes.

 

[fanowalt]

Though expensive 20 in. folding bikes might be an option.They rent bikes at the fort too I believe.
I get where your coming from the 4 of us use our bikes for just about everything at the fort and we love it.

 

[luvmyfam444]

Sorry didn't add it before I posted...for NON FW camping trips.....

 

[bama_ed]

luvmyfam,

After we had a popup and the kids wanted to take their bikes camping, we "invested" in this bike rack:

http://www.prorac.com/tenttrailerpro.php

Note that I used the word "invested" because it aint't cheap. But we are state park/Fort type campers so every time we go out is an opportunity to bring the bikes.

We have an arrangement like the top photo in the link where I take the front wheels off (quick release) and the back tire rests on the front storage box. We got the optional pads for the back tires so the tires don't leave any dark smudges on the storage lid.

Like you we are a fivesome family so we bought the 4-bike rack then got the additional skewer kits to carry up to six bikes. These are listed here:

http://www.prorac.com/tenttrailerapps.php

I didn't want a rack that put holes in the roof because that's where the leaks will be WHEN they start (not if). I didn't want to have to lift the bikes over my head to get them on top of the tow vehicle. I didn't like the hitch solutions either and bikes behind the axle on the pup could create sway (bad news). This rack bolts on pretty simply and will of course add some tongue weight to the hitch. At the time we bought the bike rack we were towing with a Chrysler Town & Country minivan.

I try to offset that tongue weight a little by packing some items inside the pup before we leave BEHIND THE AXLE to provide some counter-weight. Things like folding bag chairs are what I can get back there.

Having the bikes has been great for us and gives the kids some freedom. The rack is now around $400 for the 4-bike and the accessories will be a little more. So like I said it ain't cheap but it works dang good. I have no experience with the accessory that lets you keep the front tire on but if your kid's bike are NOT quick release front tires, this may save you the tire off-tire on work. The front wheels either go in the pup main side door closed up or in the back of the TV (Suburban).

Just another alternative to consider.

Bama ED

 

[luvmyfam444]

thanks bama ed for the info. You are right - it's a steep price! Gonna show it to dh & see what he thinks

 

[Brendonsmom]

This is our current dilemma. We bought the hitch extender so we could add the bike rack. We tried it and it makes the tongue of the trailer hang down too far, pulling the back of the Pilot down with it. No amount of weight in the back of the camper would offset because the TV is off balance in the back. I can't add a rack to the back of the camper over the spare tire because we have a C shape bumper, but it might be something you could check out.

 

[WeDisney4]

Great ?

I like the idea of a front mounted hitch; however, cannot picture us traveling down 95 with our 4 bikes on the front, trailer in back and cargo carrier on top. For this trip thinking of laying bikes on 19 ft. Hybrid tongue and attaching with ratchet straps?

 

[arthuruscg]

Do you actually use propane from the 20lb tanks?
We have yet to use the tanks, so I took them off to reduce my total weight and it gives me a nice area which could be used to strap 2 or 3 bikes to.

My pup does not have a fridge, furnace or hot water heater but it does have a stove.
Most places that we camp have electricity, so we use plug in heaters and I don't like cooking so close to the pop so I have been using the green portable Coleman stove with a 1 lb tank.

 

[wdwrroad]

I have a suburban and a popup. I have a front hitch and carry three or four bikes on it. I have at times had three bikes on front and double towed the camper and a 13' fishing boat. That gets some double takes.

 

[bama_ed]

Not to derail luvmyfam's thread but....

Wdwrroad, if I had had our Surburban when we bought our pup I would have used the front hitch idea. I may ever still if I trade my pup in in the future and go to the front hitch if the replacement does not have an easy bike solution. I think, though, it would take some planning to stop six feet further back at lights and stops with lots of bikes up front.

Okay, back to you, luvmyfam.....

Bama ed