Here is how you attach a bike rack to an rv.
Wherever you go on vacation or a road trip, there’s a good chance that you’ll want to take your bike with you.
The best thing about a recreational vehicle adventure is that they allow you to carry your bikes on the outside, rather than take up space on the inside.
Allowing you to explore the great outdoors, anything from the woodland, the seaside, or mountainous terrain, your RV can handle it.
So, whether you are going on a lone-biking trip, with your family, or with a friend, you won’t have to worry about space as, typically, bike racks can hold up to 1 to 5 different bikes.
Now that you’ve determined you’re going to take your bikes on your RV trip, the next question is: how do you attach a bike rack to an RV.
Luckily for you, there are many options for attaching a bike rack to your RV, and this article will outline the best methods for doing so.
Below you will find all the ways of fitting a bike rack to an RV – so you don’t have to worry about the hard part, we’ll take care of that!
Table of Contents
3 Options To Attach A Bike Rack
There are 3 different options you can use to attach a bike rack to an RV. These are ladder-mounted racks, hitch-mounted racks, and bumper-mounted racks.
Whichever one you choose, it’s critical to know the differences between these rack mounts, to find the best one which suits your needs. Below is a detailed account of each bicycle rack.
Ladder-Mounted Rack
The first, and most popular, option among RV-goes is a ladder-mounted rack, also referred to as ladder racks. Essentially, the ladder rack hooks onto the ladder rungs of your RV.
Likewise, they can even be used with ladders already found on the back of your RV, they are easily removable and can be rotated to allow full access and use of your ladder.
When setting up your ladder-mounted rack, your bikes are positioned straight down on the rack, with the front tires of your bicycles pointed close to the ground.
This position allows you to continue to hitch a trailer or tow a vehicle, without having to worry about your bikes getting in the way. This is another reason why a ladder-mounted rack is so popular.
Likewise, this bike rack is also more cost efficient than other bike racks and is a great choice for RVs that don’t have a hitch or bumper to install various types of bike racks.
Although, the only downside to this bike rack is that it typically requires a lower weight capacity than other racks, with only enough space for two bikes, or children’s bikes.
Therefore, this bike rack may not be the best option for families going on a biking adventure. On the other hand, it would be perfect for those who are bringing 1 or 2 light-weight, or children’s, bikes.
Bumper-Mounted Rack
As its name suggests, the bumper-mounted rack is fitted onto the bumper of your RV.
It’s a great option for those who would rather have their bikes fitted closer to the ground.
This makes it easier to see out of the rear windows or if you are using a backup camera for parking. They are available in hanging and platform styles.
As this rack is attached to the bumper of your recreational vehicle, you need to make sure you have an extremely sturdy steel-welded bumper on the back of your RV’s rig to attach the rack.
Otherwise, you run the risk of potentially damaging your bikes and vehicle if they were to fall off.
A downside to the bumper-mounted rack is that they only hold up to 1 or 2 bikes. With most of the weight concentrated on the bumper, it wouldn’t be safe to carry more bikes.
On the other hand, a popular benefit to the bumper rack is that after installed, it still allows you full access to your ladder for roof and cargo use.
Additionally, depending on certain models and the design of your RV, you are still able to attach the rack while maintaining full access to the hitch.
Hitch-Mounted Rack
The last method you can use to attach a bike rack is a hitch-mounted rack. For those who are planning on traveling with the whole family, the hitch-mounted rack is the best option for you!
With a capacity of up to 4 or 5 bikes, this bike rack is perfect for family vacations.
This kind of rack mounts straight onto the trailer hitch of your vehicle. They are available in both hanging and platform styles and work great for standard bikes or specialized bikes such as tandems or trikes.
However, this is not always a possible option for those who plan on using their hitch to tow a trailer or vehicle.
Likewise, you should make sure your hitch includes a hitch receiver, or you won’t be able to use this rack properly.
They come in a 2’ standard size, however, there are different sizes available out there if you need them.
Once fitted, you’ll be on your way in no time! The main benefit of the hitch-mounted rack, as opposed to the ladder or bumper-mounted racks.
Is that you can fit more bikes onto this rack, so you don’t need to worry about if everyone’s bikes are going to fit!
Final Thoughts
Having a recreational vehicle is great for all kinds of vacations or day trips. Whether you are going camping or visiting a forest, there’s a good chance that you would want to take your bikes with you.
We hope this article helped you get a better idea how one can attach a bike rack to an rv.
Depending on the amount and size of bikes you’re taking, there’s a bike rack option that would be perfect for you and your vehicle.
Whether this is a ladder-mounted rack, bumper-mounted rack, or a hitch-mounted rack, based on your personal preferences and vehicle requirements, one of these bike racks is sure to be suitable for you.
