Taking a trip with your RV or travel trailer can be a great way to bond and explore with your family and friends. It is a chance to have an adventure and a perfect opportunity for bike enthusiasts to enjoy riding in the country trails and hills. But more often storage space in your RV or travel trailer may prove a challenge with all your luggage, appliances, and comforts of home all squeezed together, leaving no room for your bikes. This is where bike racks come in to save the day! With the best bike rack, you are able to easily carry your bikes with you on your adventure.
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Price | Name | Our Rating | |
---|---|---|---|
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Swagman RV Approved 4-Bike Bumper | 9.9 | |
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Pro Rack System Inc. Tent Trailer 4- Bike Carrier | 9.0 | |
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Quick Product QPRBM2R RV Bumper | 9.2 | |
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Swagman STRADDLER Trailer Hitch Mount Adapter | 9.9 | |
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KAC Hitch Receiver Mount Bike Carrier | 9.4 | |
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Futura GP RV Bike Rack for Trailer | 9.9 | |
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Swagman RV 2-Bike Delux Bike Rack | 9.3 | |
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Swagman RV Approved Hitch-Mount Bicycle carrier | 9.4 | |
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Camco RV Ladder Mount Bike Rack | 9.7 | |
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StromBerg Carlson Bike Bunk for Cargo | 9.3 | |
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Stromberg Carlson LA-102 1-Inch Bike Rack | 9.1 |
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In this article, you will get to know the guidelines that will help you find the best rack for your bike. Some of the best products you can find on the market, along with a quick buying guide.
Contents
- Factors to consider when buying an RV/travel trailer bike rack
- Benefits of having a bike rack on your RV
- Best Bike Racks for RVs and Travel Trailers 2024
- Swagman RV Approved 4-Bike Bumper Rack (Automotive)
- Pro Rac Systems Inc. Tent Trailer 4 – Bike Carrier (Automotive)
- Quick Products QPRBM2R RV Bumper-Mounted 2-Bike Rack with Adjustable Width and Stabilizer Post (Automotive)
- Swagman STRADDLER Trailer Hitch Mount Adapter (Automotive)
- KAC E2 1.25″ & 2″ Hitch Mounted Rack 2-Bike Platform Style Carrier for Standard and Fat Tire Bicycles – 2 Bikes X 30 lbs (60 lbs Total) Heavy Weight Capacity – Hitch Adapter Included (Unknown Binding)
- Futura GP RV Bike Rack for Travel Trailer Tongue A-Frame Bike Rack Bike Hitch Mount Rack (2-Inch Reicever)
- Swagman RV Approved Around the Spare Deluxe Bike Rack (Sports)
- Swagman Bicycle Carrier TRAVELER XC2 RV Approved Hitch Mount Bike Rack , Black (Sports)
- Camco RV Ladder Mount Bike Rack – Easily Holds 2 Bikes & Folds for Convenient RV Storage – Max Weight Capacity of 60 lbs – Designed w/Heavy Duty Steel (51492) (Automotive)
- Stromberg Carlson CC-275 Trailer Tongue Cargo Bike Bunk – Adjustable Trailer Tongue Rack for RVs, Supports Up to 100 lbs, Fits RV Approved 2″ Receiver Bike Racks, 14″ -55″ A-Frame Mounting Width Range (Automotive)
- Stromberg Carlson LA-102 1-Inch Bike Rack for Universal Ladder, black (Automotive)
- Conclusion
Factors to consider when buying an RV/travel trailer bike rack
When you are looking for an RV or travel trailer bike rack, there are going to be some factors that will shape your decision towards the best item that can work for your needs. These includes:
Weight and load capacity
It is particularly important to consider the average weight and load capacity of the rack coupled up with the bikes. The total weight should not be too heavy as to cause wind drag or a substantially increased effect on your gas mileage.
Quality
It is important that you evaluate a product’s performance before buying it. As a potential customer, you can do this by going through customer reviews or talking to someone you know who has used the product, to give you their experiences. Use these crucial pieces of information to your advantage before making a final purchase decision.
The number of bikes
Bike racks have specific loading capacity. Most of those in the market can handle two bikes. However, there are other models that offer more loading capacity capable of handling up to five bikes. Depending on your needs, consider going for a bike rack that fits your loading capacity. Avoid buying a bike rack that will have excess loading capacity as this will only increase your RV load unnecessarily and may eat into your gas mileage.
Size of the bike
Consider the size of your bike. Most bike racks come in specific sizes although there are some exceptions. However, it is advisable that you go for one that comes with an adjustable setting feature. Bike racks that do not come with the adjustable setting may make it difficult for you to properly secure your bike, especially where the bikes are not adult size.
Price
Make a budget that reflects the amount you are able to spend. Once you do this, your options become fewer, making the whole buying experience a simpler process. Settle on a bike rack that fits your budget while meeting your needs at the same time. You should take note that the most expensive RV bike rack does not always mean that it is the best. Therefore do not be swayed by the manufacturer to extend your budget.
Benefits of having a bike rack on your RV
RV bike racks can provide you with a number of advantages. More so if you are a fan of cycling while going on camping adventures. These benefits include:
Portability
RV bike racks make carrying around your bikes during travel much hassle-free. All you need to do is secure your bike on the rack and you are good to go. With a good bike rack, you can carry up to five bikes. Since the racks are usually mounted outside your vehicle, carrying your bikes safely becomes easy.
Storage
Space can prove a challenge for you when you are a biking lover who carries their bike along every trip inside your RV. The space inside an RV is often limited, with home items and other accessories already occupying all the available space. Thus a bike rack comes in handy ensuring you travel together with your bike safely secured. Racks make storing and removing bikes way easier as compared to them being cramped up with other items inside your RV.
Maintains the quality of your bike
Bikes stored improperly inside your RV are prone to damage and scratches especially during bumpy rides. An RV bike rack offers you the benefit to properly secure your bikes safeguarding their quality. Bikes remain stable throughout your ride regardless of the road condition.
Convenience
RV bike racks allow you to store and remove your bikes with ease. They come in different sizes giving you a variety of options to settle on one that best fits the size of your bike. In addition, some have an adjustable feature, offering more convenience.
Can support more than one bike
One of the benefits of an RV bike rack is the fact that some can secure several bikes at once. You can combine adult bikes and kid’s bikes thereby accommodating your whole family. So long as you ensure not to exceed the weight limit that the manufacturer has specified.
Best Bike Racks for RVs and Travel Trailers 2024
1. Swagman RV Approved 4-Bike Bumper
If you have been looking for a simple but strong way to carry your bikes, here is an RV bike rack that has it all. It gives a quick reliable solution for carrying bikes for a whole family. Built by a renowned bike company, Swagman, it is a perfect combination of elegance and functionality. The Swagman RV Bumper is capable of carrying up to 4 bikes. It is built for 4 to 4.5 inch RV bumpers, with bolts around the RV bumper that are 6.5 to 8 inches long. To make it corrosion resistant, it is made from strong steel, coated with powder and black paint finishing.
This rack has an erect bar in the middle that is meant to support your bikes when pulling. The rack carries your bikes at the rear of your RV, camper trailer or 5th wheel. It allows a weight capacity of about 30 pounds for each bike and offers a firm platform where you can place your bikes.
Pros
- Easy to assemble and carry
- Supports different bike sizes, wheels, and frames
- Rust-resistant.
- Durable and heavy-duty
- Affordable
Cons
- Not suitable for spot welded or aluminum bumpers.
2. Pro Rack System Inc. Tent Trailer 4- Bike Carrier
The Pro Rack Bike Rack provides a convenient way to transport your bikes to their destination in style, whether to a trailhead, race, or adventure biking. It is among the most versatile tent trailer racks for your bike that’s readily available in the market. This rack is capable of mounting directly to the frame of the tent trailer, without the need to pierce the roof. This makes the whole installation process less difficult and quick.
It is constructed from hardy aluminum alloy plus a sturdy powder coating finish to prevent it from rusting. Another of its great benefits is that it has specially made skewers to offer a secure way of carrying your valuable bikes. The rank remains attached to the trailer when the frontage bed of the tent trailer is extended, thanks to its telescoping standings. The standings are adjustable to help you attain the appropriate height of the tent trailer. Its load bars have an incorporated T-SLOT that provides a neat and safe method of mounting wheel holders and bicycle skewers.
Pros
- Does not require roof drilling
- Front-loading design is convenient and easy.
- Connects straight to the frame of the trailer
- Solid construction
Cons
- May take a while to reach the positioning of the standings.
3. Quick Product QPRBM2R RV Bumper
Having this rank from Quick Product Company means more fun for your trips. The bumper-mounted 2-bike rack features two slots that mount to your bumper, giving you complete control to customize the width such that your bike fits rightly at all times. Its slotted tire holes gasp your bike steadily while a stabilizer post gives an anchor to support as well as fasten your bicycles. The slotted tire well holds each bike securely while a convenient stabilizer post provides an anchor to both support and fasten your bikes to.
The QPRM2R rack transports up to 2 bicycles from 4 to 4.5-inch square bumpers. It has the power to carry a weight capacity of up to 30 pounds per bike. The materials that make it are of high quality, resistant to corrosion, and can last for many years.
Pros
- The adjustable mounting helps fit almost any bike length
- Made of strong steel
- Coated with powder to make it resistant to corrosion
- Carries your bikes safely
- Durable
- Assembling is less problematic
Cons
- Not ideal for fat-tire bikes or those whose wheel is over 29 inches
- Does not exceed a load weight of 30 lb
4. Swagman STRADDLER Trailer Hitch Mount Adapter
The STRADDLER Trailer Hitch Mount is a travel trailer bike rack that comes with two receivers that fit different types of travel trailer frames. It is easy to pull the trailer while transporting your bike rack on the tongue extension. With the A-frame rack, you safely transport up to two bicycles. The rack works along so perfectly with the existing hitch-mounted rack. The construction is made from sturdy steel with a capacity of 100 pounds. It fastens onto the frame rack and you can adjust it for your propane tank’s optimum clearance.
One more good thing about this rack is that you get it together with essential hardware for your bike’s frame adapter. This makes it versatile as it becomes easy to support different frame sizes.
Pros
- Adjustable to fit bikes of different sizes
- Easy to carry around
- Comes with all the installation essentials
Cons
- Installation requires a ¼ inch bit drill
5. KAC Hitch Receiver Mount Bike Carrier
KAC ranks are made of solid and high-quality construction. Despite the eminence of this item, you don’t have to dig so deep into your pockets to acquire it. The fact is it’s hard to get quality at an affordable price; so if your budget is a little tight, this will be the best deal for you. This rack has a fat tire mount hitch platform, hence accommodates fat-tire bicycles. It also has an exclusive compact folding design that allows it to be folded when not in use. This ends up reducing the amount of space they occupy. The tray-style platform is cushioned with spongy foam to protect your bikes on the rack from scratching against each other.
You can easily tilt or adjust them. This feature is helpful especially for easy access to your rear cargo. The KAC ranks come with installation hardware, a hitch adapter, and a hitch pin, making the whole set up process trouble-free. It has a 2-bikes capacity with a maximum capacity of 30 pounds each.
Pros
- UV and rust-resistant
- Fits fat-tire bikes and nearly all bikes
- Allows double folding hence saving on space
- Compatible with the hitch adapter
- Lifetime warranty (limited)
- Easy to assemble
- Affordable
Cons
- Does not last long compared to some other bike racks
- A bit bulky
6. Futura GP RV Bike Rack for Trailer
It’s not a good feeling taking on your trailer while being scared of losing your valued bikes, more so when you go out on a road full of imperfections. You can say goodbye to all those troubles by having the Futura GP Bike Rack, a standard RV and Travel Trailer bike rack that’s strategically placed in front of your trailer. In addition to having peace of mind by seeing your bikes throughout the journey, a bike rack installed in front and close to the trailers keeps it more stable and increases safety.
When it comes to its construction, it is made from Canadian steel that makes it heavy-duty, sturdy, and long-lasting. The steel is zinc plated to guard it against rust. Installation is easy and quick, takes less than 10 minutes. This rack is suitable for almost all kinds of bikes with wheels ranging from 20 to 30 inches. For maximum security, it is equipped with a padlock (anti-theft system.). It also comes with an anti raffle to reduce shock effects.
Pros
- Placed in front of your trailer for easy monitoring
- Heavy-duty and long-lasting
- Rust-proof
- Has an anti-theft system for added security
- Comes with a warranty
Cons
- No hitch pin and safety cable
7. Swagman RV 2-Bike Delux Bike Rack
If you are an enthusiastic rider, there is no doubt that you love your bike or bikes. You’d not want anything awful happening to your bike as you transport it from one destination to another. That’s where the Swagman RV Bumper Bike Rack comes in to offer a safe means to get your bike to wherever you wish, without worrying that it might get damaged on the way or worse, get stolen.
This bike rack transports up to two bikes weighing 30 pounds each. It has a solid construction from high quality and durable materials. The rack comes with long-lasting rubber straps to secure your bike to the rack. To prevent bike-to-bike rubbing, this rack has cradles that are anti-sway. It attaches to 4 to 4.5 inches steel bumpers that are continuously welded. The simple but robust design is supreme in keeping your bike in place, even on your longest journeys. When it comes to assembling, it won’t give you much headache, all you need to know is where every item fits, and its purpose of course. The hardware needed to attach to the bumper and transport your bike is included.
Pros
- Reasonably priced
- Has mounts around spare tires
- Comes with long-lasting straps to secure your bike
Cons
- Installation can be difficult if your spare tire is high above the bumper
- Posts attached to the camper sometimes hold water
8. Swagman RV Approved Hitch-Mount Bicycle carrier
The Swagman TRAVELLER XC2 RV bike rack is rated as one of the excellent RV racks for the bike. It carries up to two bikes with a capacity of 35 pounds per bike and a maximum wheelbase of 52 inches. It’s guaranteed to provide ultimate reliability in transporting your bikes safely, whether you’re traveling over long or short distances. This is a perfect rack to haul your bikes at the back of your 5th wheel of the RV or trailer. Like other Swagman products, this item is put through thorough testing to make sure it can handle the excess pressure of being dragged behind the RV.
The rack has a vertical arm with ratchet hooks and a push-button for quick loading and unloading of your bicycle. To make it resistant to rust and corrosion, the finishing is coated with black powder. For easy access to the RV’s rear, you can fold down the vertical bar, especially when not in use. It is quite a good solution for indoor limited storage space. You can store it in your tool rooms, corridors, warehouses, garage, or any other available space. It is fit for various dimensions of campers and trailers.
Pros
- Comes with a shock absorber mount adapter
- RV approved
- Has fat bike trays
- Anti-rust
- Easy to assemble
- Versatile
- Easy to load your bikes
Cons
- Highly-priced in comparison to other same capacity racks
- A bit bulkier that others
9. Camco RV Ladder Mount Bike Rack
With a perfect installation and the right capacity load, this rack is reliable to transport your equipment to the desired destination without any hitches along the way. It is fit for a broad range of styles and well known to provide maximum stability in the course of your journey. The Camco bike rack for RV ladder installs onto the standard RV without much trouble. It is made from aluminum, for your RV ladder’s anti-rust finish. It hauls up to two bikes with a maximum weight of 60 pounds in combination. The form fit frames firmly hold your bikes in a secure way. To keep it safer, the rack has rock pins and malleable grip handles It is also fitted with straps for additional security. All this works together to ensure the safe transportation of your bikes to your desired place.
This item gives you an easy time when it comes to storing it when it’s out of use. You can fold it neatly for convenient storage. The folding makes it occupy less space, hence you don’t have to stress so much if you have limited space. After installing, you can place pins that can be easily pulled to give access to the ladder. This also improves the safety of your bike.
Pros
- Easy to install
- Strapped for added security
- Lightweight
- Versatile
- Reliable
Cons
- Can bend on heavy loads
- Unfits for bikes build on the rear suspension
- Clamps have no padding
10. StromBerg Carlson Bike Bunk for Cargo
Are you looking for a bike rack that you can use for many years? Here is a good choice for you. Just as the name suggests, the Strong Berg Carlson bike bunk is not only strong but also firm and compact. It is made of sturdy and good quality material, making it capable of withstanding heavy loads. This item is also corrosion-free, which adds on to its lifespan.
The Strong Berg Carlson is a rack that can be trusted to carry your bike to your desired site. It is adjustable to suit a good number of A-frame trailers. This rack accommodates any bike rack that’s made to fit a 2-inch receiver. Your application depends on the positioning of the rack and the turning radius. The elevated receiver on the A-frames makes an incredible spot to place your bike. Loading and offloading of the bike is easy as the platform is well designed to suit the purpose. The bent design and the straight tubes allow post brackets to be mounted on the A-frame at widths ranging from 14 to 55 inches. The safety of your bicycle is guaranteed throughout transportation.
Pros
- Safe rack for your bike
- Simple design and straightforward installation
- Durable construction
- Rust- free
- Ability to withstand heavy loads
- Suitable for most A-frame trailers
Cons
- Can be aggravating to install, more if you are not used
- Need to drill holes for bolts
11. Stromberg Carlson LA-102 1-Inch Bike Rack
This is among the most reliable bike racks that does exactly what it’s supposed to do. It has the capability of carrying two bikes and getting them to your desired destination secure and safe. It’s constructed with lightweight but compact material that can last you for many years, so you won’t have to think about shopping for a new bike rack every now and then.
The Stromberg Carlson bike rack is anti-rattle to protect your RV ladder from sudden shocks. After setting it up, you can pull the pins to get easy access up or down the ladder. Its aluminum construction is a good match to the RV Ladder rust-free finish. The weight capacity of this bike rack carrier is 50 lbs. it has a length of 13” from the bend to extended bike arm. To top up its benefits, it’s portable, lightweight and installation process is such a breeze.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Durable
- Rattle-free
- Rust-proof
- Installation is uncomplicated
- Efficient
Cons
- Screws are often shorter
- Rubber straps may be difficult to connect
- Not suitable for bikes with a rear suspension
- Clamps have no padding hence may scratch the ladder as you install
Conclusion
Rather than removing the wheels of your bike and stuffing it inside your RV, more and more Rvers have found the convenience that comes with mounting bike racks on their vehicles. The racks have been specifically manufactured to hold bikes during travel. Transporting your bikes securely, without getting in the way of your other travel necessities. By investing in an RV bike rack and ensuring it is properly installed, traveling on your RV together with your bikes becomes a fun and enjoyable experience for you and your loved ones.