Bike rack for RV trailers

[Greg Paul]

Can two ebikes weighing in at 110 lbs combined be loaded on a Thule bike rack attached to a 25ft pull behind RV trailer be legally towed in California?

 

[creativepart]

A great many bike racks explicitly state that they are not for use on an RV or a car/trailer being towed by an RV. It seems the movement is different than when behind a driven car and most car racks are not strong enough to handle it.

The trailer/rv online seller eTrailer.com lists a number of bike racks for sale and they add a rating to each one showing if it's RV approved, Trailer approved, Flat-Tow Car approved.

I bought one to use behind my Toad (flat towed car behind my motorhome) it was NOT approved for that. I figured how could it be a problem? Well, I found out - it didn't crash and burn but it also didn't work well. The bike's hold down hooks got loose as I drove. I made it work by tightening everything back up at every gas or lunch stop. When I use the rack on my car when not on an RV trip I don't have any issues with things not holding. So, I guess it really is different back there.

Here's the rating for the

Thule EasyFold XT Bike Rack for 2 Electric Bikes​

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[Greg Paul]

A great many bike racks explicitly state that they are not for use on an RV or a car/trailer being towed by an RV. It seems the movement is different than when behind a driven car and most car racks are not strong enough to handle it.

The trailer/rv online seller eTrailer.com lists a number of bike racks for sale and they add a rating to each one showing if it's RV approved, Trailer approved, Flat-Tow Car approved.

I bought one to use behind my Toad (flat towed car behind my motorhome) it was NOT approved for that. I figured how could it be a problem? Well, I found out - it didn't crash and burn but it also didn't work well. The bike's hold down hooks got loose as I drove. I made it work by tightening everything back up at every gas or lunch stop. When I use the rack on my car when not on an RV trip I don't have any issues with things not holding. So, I guess it really is different back there.

Here's the rating for the

Thule EasyFold XT Bike Rack for 2 Electric Bikes​

View attachment 91027

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Thank you. It is as I thought

 

[Art Deco]

Recent thread on rv use

Need help finding an RV Approved fat tire e-bike rack

We have 2 Lectric XP bikes on the way. I had my eye on the Hollywood Racks HR1700 RV Rider Hitch Rack as it is approved for use with 5th wheel trailers like ours but it has been sold out for months. Does anyone have a line on a comparable rack that would accommodate 2 each 65 lb bikes with 20x3"...

electricbikereview.com

 

[Elkman]

The e-bike racks are rated to support 120 lbs or more in total bike weight or roughly 180 lbs including the weight of the rack. If one buys lighter e-bikes then there is less of a problem with weight on the trailer bumper and a lot more bike racks can be used and at a much lower cost.

Best to place orders with several rack manufacturers so you get on the list when they do have inventory to ship. I did that with Hollywood and 1UP and the 1UP was what I was able to buy in May. The Hollywood RV rated racks are still not shipping although their excellent rack cart (Rack Valet $70) is available and I bought one directly from Hollywood.

Rack Valet | Bike Rack Storage Rack

The Rack Valet is the first mobile bike rack storage rack and transportation system. Easily attach your bike rack into either the 1-1/4" or 2" slot on the rack valet

hollywoodracks.com

 

[cyrus799]

Swagman is a product that I usually recommend to rig owners who also enjoy cycling. This package offers outstanding versatility thanks to a bike rack and other useful features.

 

[AHicks]

Can two ebikes weighing in at 110 lbs combined be loaded on a Thule bike rack attached to a 25ft pull behind RV trailer be legally towed in California?

I'm pretty sure you would be legal (assuming good visibility of your plate, brake and running lights), but I'm wondering if you have considered what kind of a ride those bikes would be in for? Ever watch the back of a travel trailer going down the road (pretty choppy)? Consider most have no shock absorbers to dampen that movement. The other thing I would be concerned about is the structure you are bolting the bike rack to. How sound is that? Many (most?) have enough structure to support the bumper and that's it. There is no 5 mph damage resistance assurance.....