I've used a ladder mount bike rack (the "J" hook kind) that I modified to carry 3 bikes for a while. It had plenty of strength to carry them but it was a pain in the backside to strap the bikes onto it then strap the front tires to the ladder to keep them from swinging.
So after seeing niknas reply to the Hauling Bicycles post I decided that I would try and do the same thing.
This mod is just an extension of his idea.
I used 1 1/4" x 1/2" aluminum bar, stainless steel u bolts the same ID as my ladder tubes (home depot), and Yakima "Blockhead" fork mount brackets:
I lowered and spaced out the middle bike mount so the handlebars would clear the outside bike frames. At this point her bike is smaller and fits in between our frames. I also inverted the outside Yakima brackets so those bike handles wouldn't interfer with each other.
Of course a picture is worth a 1000 words. So here they are:
Close ups of the upper mounting bars:
Close ups of the lower tire mounting angles:
Close ups of the forks mounted:
And of course with all three bikes mounted:
Now I can take down any bike without having to take the others down also (as opposed to the dreaded "J" hook!). This past summer I hauled our bikes thousands of miles (literally) and it works great.
Looks like a very nice mod.
Looks like you covered the brake light AND the now the awning bracket is behind the bike rack.
Can you remove the bike rack to lower the awning?
HAPPY CAMPING!!
Daryl and Sandy D.
2007 Jayco Jayflight 25RKS
Jayco Jafari member 29199
2006 Ford F150 4 x 4 XLT Lariat Crew Cab with Triton 5.4L 3 Valve (139" Wheel Base)
Equal-i-zer Hitch - Prodigy Brake Controller
US Navy 1982 - 1990
two-rock wrote: Looks good, and I need to carry 3 mikes as well....BUT you covered your brake light?
Actually that's not the flaw I was talking about. That one, I knew about going in. There is plenty of blinker and brake light that gets through so I wasn't going to worry about that.
DarylD wrote: Looks like a very nice mod.
Looks like you covered the brake light AND the now the awning bracket is behind the bike rack.
Can you remove the bike rack to lower the awning?
Bingo. That's the one I missed. I'll have to drill a few more holes (I’ll call them “engineered lightening holes” if asked) and move the whole assemly to the left about 2 inches.
It's not like I use that little "Truckin' Awn" that much anyway. It hardly does any good unless the rain is coming straight down without any breeze.
Herb36 wrote: Is it difficult steering the bikes with no front tire??
That looks Great!! A vey professional looking job! Can you still open the awning by unclipping the bottom from the lower bracket and pulling it to the right? (Probably a 2 person job?). I'm looking at doing something similar so I can mount a removable satellite dish at the top of my ladder. I am planning to use plastic tubing on the "U" brackets to provide some friction at the connections and so that I don't mark up the ladder tubing. Where did you get the 1-1/4" X 1/2" aluminum bar material??
1960's: Tents.. 1970's: Soft top & Hard top P/U.. 1980's: 17' RV.. 1990's: 24' RV.. 2000's: 2002 Cougar 276EFS; 2005 Laredo 29GS; 2002 GMC 2500HD Ext Cab 4x4;(Nfld/Labrador-Yukon/NWT/Alaska-Gaspe', Que./Florida!!)
I've been contemplating how to carry the bikes on my set-up also. Looks like time for some more fabrication!
-= Scott
1991 Fleetwood Caribou 11', Atwood Remote Electric Jacks, Maxxair, Fast Guns, Alarm by Smith and Wesson!
2001 F-350, 7.3 PowerStroke, 4x4 SRW, Air Lift & Rancho 9000's
2007 North River Seahawk, 18.5', 115/T8 Yammies, Minnkota Terrova & fish slime
Hi: That is the best one I have seen for a bike to ladder set up. If anyone is looking and does not want to use the ladder I have done two like that set up on different campers, as seen here, more pictures on my web site.
Mike
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