Bike racks on your trailers??

I figured i would ask this question here and hopefully get some answers from people who have figured out what works. I have 1 mountain bike that i would like to take with me when i start full timing.  I have a truck with a shell and will be pulling a 26' Thor Wave (bumper pull) trailer.  The shell doesnt have the options for a rack on top.  Ive seen some options of mounting a rack on the trailer bumper. Ive also seen a hitch adapter that "adds" another 2" hitch on top so i could use a hitch mounted rack. 

I would just like to hear some ideas from others.  What bike rack works for you?? Show some pics if youve got them or throw out some specific brands.

Thanks,
Craig

Thule makes a TB60 bike rack tray see link here that attaches to camper shells and fiberglass rooftops. It's kinda pricy, but an excellent rack. If going this route, I'd recommend the optional key lock mechanisms to keep your bike secure.
If your truck bed has clearance, you could get a fork mount attached to a 1x4, or simply slide the bike in rear first, lay it down and use a ratchet strap around the head tube.
Personally, if it's an upper end bike, I'd roll it right in the trailer and secure it from moving around. When at your destination, move it out and lock it up.

Some people just bungy and lock the bike to the ladder on the back.  My wife and I have two recumbents, mine is a trike and hers is a 2 wheel, both are Suns.  I ended up inventing my own and it came out much better and far cheaper than any pre made bike rack.  I did start out with a previously owned  pre made 2 bike mount and added extras to accommodate the trike.  I bolted two of these on the top of my bumper 

http://www.amazon.com/Swagman-RV-2-Bumper-Adaptor/dp/B00174ZHGU/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1448830346&sr=8-5&keywords=bolt+on+receiver

I had one of these already.

http://www.amazon.com/Swagman-Cross-Country-2-Bike-2-Inch-Receiver/dp/B0001VO1YY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1448830471&sr=8-1&keywords=swagman+bike+carrier

I mounted by wife's bike into the outside wheel loops and my front wheel  mounted into the farthest loop away from the center post and I removed the other loop.  I bolted in to the other receiver a 36" X 2" piece of tube steel and welded two wheel supports on it spaced appropriately and then added chain welded on close to the trailer and ran that through the rear wheels of my trike to a welded on chain link and with a good lock. I could lock it all down.  I drilled the center post of the swagman bike rack so I could run a pad lock through and it could not be forced open and hers was locked as well.

I use 1/4" chain and not cable.  Why?  We had a bike cut off our trailer while in a camp ground in Las Vegas.  Cable cutters are easy to carry,  bolt cutters not so much.

BinaryBob said:

Personally, if it's an upper end bike, I'd roll it right in the trailer and secure it from moving around. When at your destination, move it out and lock it up.

Click to expand...

I am with you on this Bob,
I load them in the trailer, 3 top end light weight bikes, secure them, and chain them to the TT when not in use. Never had a problem

I welded a 2 inch receiver to my tt bumper and use a thule 4 place revolver rack. I love the setup. When we are away frome camp I can move the rack to my truck and take the bikes with us. The revolver swings out from the back of the truck so I can open topper and the tailgate wth the bikes still on the rack.

On our previous motorhome, we had one of those bike racks that held two bikes, and which attached to the rear ladder. After several years of use, I began to notice that the ladder-mounts on the rear of the coach were pulling away from the fiberglass wall, which I'm sure was caused by years of bouncing down the road with all that weight. We now carry our bikes in a basement storage compartment on a Joey-bed for easy access, but if I couldn't do that, I doubt I'd get another ladder rack.

Kev

I put this, https://www.etrailer.com/Specialty-Trailer-Hitches/Ultra-Fab-Products/UF35-946401.html, on my 4 inch trailer bumper and attach a 4 bike thule. We carry four 26 inch bikes wherever we go and, like Chip stated, can move the rack to the TV if we need to.

I should say, however, that I do move some items forward in the trailer to offset the extra weight hanging off the rear so the trailer tongue doesn't end up too light. I haven't had any problems with sway as long as I'm careful about that.

Anyone who puts bike racks on the back of a trailer needs to make sure the racks are secure and the bikes are secured very, very well. Twice I have seen bikes on the back of a trailer come off, the one time in VA on I-77 was not pretty and the other time on I-80 in Va the bikes slid off to the side of the road. Please secure your bikes.

Thanks for the great suggestions everyone! I thought that putting the bike inside the trailer kind of sounded like a pain, but it is an expensive bike so maybe that is a good idea.  Lee and Chip, did you have a spare tire mounted on the back bumper too? Between my spare and ladder, it doesn't seem like I'll have room or maybe I'm not realizing how far out the bike will actually be sitting on the bike rack?

Yep, I have a spare on the bumper too. I just had to move it over a little more to the passenger side.

I did not mention my spare tire, I didn't want to complicate things.  I also have a spare tire mounted just to the right of my of my left side mounted ladder.  Then the double bike rack in the center and then the rear wheel support for my trike, on the far right.  The tire is fairly tight to the trailer body and both bike and trike mount outboard of the tire.  You can custom make these distances by going to a welding shop and buying lengths of 2" square tube and having it cut to your specs.  It can all be bolted on no welding needed unless you have your final lengths figured out and are satisfied.

Tom...

Sorry for the late response; I have a spare as well. I just loosened the bracket and slid it down the bumper making sure I didn't obscure the license plate.

My bike rack bolts into the receiver and I strap the bikes very securely to the rack. I'm always concerned about losing the bikes even on the back of the TV.