Anyone care to help with a domestic disagreement?

[gashuffy63]

I just finished getting the bikes tied down into the back of the truck when my wife walked out of the house and asked if the Beverly Hillbillies had loaded it. She wants me to buy a fancy Yakima bike carrier, but after seeing how the bikes bounce around on those and after witnessing a ball of mountain bikes sliding and rolling down the highway after falling off the back of a fifth wheel camper I'll stick with the old school method of ropes, duct tape and bailing wire.

 

[Wildcat]

I came across this carrier in the back of a thrift store. It's heavy, but can carry the weight of a motorcycle on it. It wouldn't be that hard to make one up if you had a welder or knew someone. I run tiedown straps from the bed through the bikes to keep them from moving around. I've had 5 bikes on it.

 

[gashuffy63]

Now that looks like one that would work for me, I have a friend that is a pretty good welder, I'll have him take a look at your pic. Just think of all of the extra room for coolers of tasty Summertime beverages.

 

[Wildcat]

I'll post up a better shot of it. I think it's mostly 2 inch square stock, or it could be made smaller to fit the receiver on your truck, whichever size it is.

It also keeps people from riding my bumper in traffic.

 

[bikesntrikes]

Why don't you build yourself a removable bike stand for the back of the pick up bed. You can use PVC pipe. There's an article about it in the "How To" section. The bikes will then neatly stack inside the bed.

As for you coolers and such, I'd get a hitch from a pick-n-pull yard and buy a cargo carrier to insert into the hitch. This will give you plenty of room to haul your coolers and stuff.

 

[Wildcat]

A cargo carrier is a good idea, you could add bikes you acquire as you go along. I had my truck set to carry at least a dozen bikes at the annual church bazaar.

here's a couple more of my carrier:

 

[sensor]

get a bike rack and bolt it into the bed(works great you just need some tiedown straps though)

 

[ratina]

I built a bike rack out of an old skid for the back of my bed, just cut it in half and moved a couple boards around. 2 tie down straps and it works great

 

[roadmaster]

personally, i like what you have going on with loading them up in the back of the pickup like that. its more secure to me and like you said, they don't go all bouncing around. only if you needed the room in the bed, for like, lets say, tastey summertime beverages, then i can see mounting them outboard. even, if and then, you still can wedge stuff around back there. im just saying.

 

[pjbaz]

I appreciate the idea of ghetto engineering a rack but it's a bit easier (not more satisfying I do understand) to buy a Thule or similar with fold down arms and swing out rack. If you spend the money you get one with internal locks, and with Thule anyway, swing cages to prevent your bikes from swinging back and forth and scratching the piss out of each other.

I do like the Hillbilly approach though...just something cool about them hanging out like that.

 

[user 135]

The only problems with the Thule and probably the Yakima racks are there is not enough room for cruisers. They are made for roadbikes and MTB. I put my wifes cruiser, Felt cruiser, Kona Humuhumu and a kids 20"mtb and it was a tight fit.