Electric Bikes for RVs, Tips on Accessories and Replacing a Towed Vehicle

[Admin]

Hi guys! my father recently retired and bought his first RV. For a long time, he was researching the best way to travel and see the national parks with his wife. They considered using a tow vehicle to navigate jeep trails and other off-road environments that would lead to the coolest remote areas, but decided against it. The idea of making the RV physically longer, and having to deal with the added costs of a second vehicle, additional weight and gas and time to deal with a towed vehicle just wasn't that appealing. Eventually, they decided to buy a couple of ebikes and mounted them to a 2" hitch mounted rack on a riser to keep from bottoming out. To keep the ebikes clean, they use a cover and bungee net so it doesn't whip around while they drive. They also found some neat cup holder adapters, bags, light and comfort upgrades, as well as bike armor to protect the frame and tires on the really aggressive trails. Since making the purchase, my Dad has traveled extensively in the United States and explored many special places that would have otherwise been inaccessible. Those locations are listed further down after the video and timestamps. I have also listed each of the upgrades and accessories he chose. Feel free to share your thoughts, any ideas for improving this build, or your own unique RV ebike solutions

Timestamp list to navigate the video:

0:00 Introduction, why ebikes vs. a tow vehicle
1:57 Why he chose fat tire electric bikes
3:29 RV upgrades (solar, cellular wifi, hitch riser)
4:57 Bike rack setup and loading demo
5:28 Why they chose Rad Power Bikes RadRovers
6:58 Tip: lock suspension fork when transporting
7:54 Tip: cover bikes and use a bungee net
9:24 Hub motor and throttle benefits, bike armor
12:07 Rear rack and bag contents (first aid, locks)
12:52 Thule T2 Pro XTR rack, folding bike options
15:17 Tip: additional bottle cages for more water
16:45 Tip: stem riser for taller riders
17:16 Taking the bikes off and on the hitch rack
19:26 Upgraded handlebar and grips for ergonomics
21:43 Additional lights for safety, motion sensor!
22:40 Tip: light positioning and rescue tape mounting
26:51 Inspecting the bottom bracket for damage
28:17 Rear rack, trunk bag, and pannier bag details
30:12 Charging options, range of the bikes
31:15 Steep climbs, deep sand, friends in jeeps
34:12 Tip: staying cool when riding in the heat
36:28 Handlebar mirrors for safety in traffic
37:32 Tip: puncture protection for desert riding
40:55 Using a smartphone, USB power, GPS
41:45 Additional reflective stickers
42:16 Suspension upgrades and adjustments
44:24 Closing thoughts, site resources and forums
45:54 Arizona desert ride begins, hill climb
49:10 Continued riding, Cholla cactus observation

Roads with restrictions that the RV could not handle:

• Death Valley, Death Valley Artists Palette, no RVs due to length restriction. This is a 9 mile loop. https://www.nps.gov/places/artists-palette.htm
• Death Valley, Twenty Mule Team Canyon https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/drive-twenty-mule-team-canyon.htm

Jeep roads:

• Mojave Desert, Lava Tube Trail. This is a five mile jeep trail that leads to underground caves which are actually lava tubes that you can hike in and see cool beams of light shine in. https://www.hikespeak.com/trails/lava-tube-mojave/ and https://www.nps.gov/moja/planyourvisit/upload/cinder_cones_sb_bl_lowres.pdf
• Arroyo Tapiado Mud Caves, Anzo Borego State Park near San Diego. This is an eight mile 4WD trail. https://californiathroughmylens.com/arroyo-tapiado-mud-caves/

Bike trails:

• Grand Canyon Rim, Hermit Road. This is 13 miles of cycling trails, the shuttle busses have bike racks. https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/hermit-road.htm
• Hoover Dam Historic Railroad Trail. This includes tunnels to the dam, there are big horn sheep. https://www.nps.gov/lake/planyourvisit/hikerr.htm
• Goat Canyon Railroad Trestle. This is 15 miles from Mexico, near the town of Titus, which is South of Anzo Borego. It's a 16 miles round trip along abandoned railroad tracks through tunnels. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/goat-canyon-trestle-bridge-via-carrizo-gorge-road
• White Tank Mountains (where we filmed the video interview) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Tank_Mountains

Electric bikes with all details listed:

• Rad Power Bikes RadRover 5 https://electricbikereview.com/rad-power-bikes/radrover/ and RadRover Step-Thru 1 https://electricbikereview.com/rad-power-bikes/radrover-step-thru/

Electric bike hitch rack and covers for RVs:

• Thule T2 Pro XT/XTR Hitch Bike Rack - for fat tires and heavier bikes https://amzn.to/2T0vOtD
• PRO BIKE TOOL Bicycle Cover for Outdoor Storage - durable, large enough for 2 ebikes https://amzn.to/3cllhQC
• Bungee Cargo Net - 5’ x 7’ prevents cover from tearing in the wind, covers 2 ebikes https://amzn.to/3cdMpBd
• Wireless RV Rear Camera, ensure bikes are stable when driving, easier to install than wired and works pretty well https://amzn.to/34PwqVG

Bike locks for transporting and riding:

• Abus Bordo GRANIT X Plus, Folding bike lock, Security level 15 https://amzn.to/2SeaHnE
• Abus Bordo Big, 4 Feet long, Security level 10 https://amzn.to/3plpUiY
• 15FT Security Braided Steel Cable, Security level 1 https://amzn.to/3ckMuD5

Tire protect to prevent flats:

• Tannus Arrmour Tire Inserts https://amzn.to/3fOe4uy
• Flat Attack Tire Sealer https://amzn.to/2Sa35Tk

Light and reflector upgrades:

• BrightRoad First Smart Motion Sensor Bike Light Set https://amzn.to/2TJmZoE
• Rescue Tape Self-Fusing Silicone Tape https://amzn.to/3uSlwJA
• Bafang Extension Cable 4Pin Plug Connector for Rear Light Repositioning https://amzn.to/3gdqfjs
• Black Reflective Stickers for Night High Visibility and Safety https://amzn.to/3pqtus7

Rear rack, trunk bag, pannier bags:

• Ibera Bike Rack Touring Carrier Plus for Disc Brake Mount https://amzn.to/3chrgGn
• Ibera Bike Trunk Bag - PakRak Clip-On Quick-Release Bicycle Commuter Bag https://amzn.to/3pmGU8x
• Ibera Bicycle Bag PakRak Clip-On Quick-Release All Weather Bike Panniers https://amzn.to/2TJntes

Swept back handlebar and ergonomic grips:

• Jones H-Bar® SG 2.5 Loop Aluminum Raised and Swept Handlebars https://www.jonesbikes.com/jones-h-bar-sg-2-5-loop-aluminum/
• Ergon GC1 Grips with shorter grip on right side for twist throttle https://amzn.to/3vUgPjA
• Small Bar End Bike Mirror https://amzn.to/3fPslqN
• Longer Bike Mirror Rotatable And Adjustable Wide Angle Rear View Shockproof Convex https://amzn.to/3vUh5z4

Water bottle upgrades and expansion:

• Dual Bottle Holder fits onto Rad Bike front basket mount, multiple colors, positions bottles inline with steer tube which could cause handlebar strikes unless you use a stem riser like this https://amzn.to/34QP1Rg or change the holes as shown in the video https://www.cascademanufacturing.com/products/bottle-holder-mounting-bracket
• Ibera Bicycle Lightweight Aluminum Water Bottle Cage https://amzn.to/3z4eapp
• Polar Bottle Breakaway Insulated Bike Water Bottle BPA Free, This is a medium height bottle which is shorter than many bottles to help reduce handlebar collision https://amzn.to/3uPM8eg

Comfort and armor upgrades:

• SR SUNTOUR SP12-NCX Suspension Seat Posts (27.2mm fits the RadRover 5) https://amzn.to/3cliRlg
• Aftermarket spring kit for NCX Seat Post https://www.srsuntour.us/products/sp12-ncx-spring-kit?variant=27528527875
• Non Quick Release Bicycle Seat Post Clamp https://amzn.to/3fSBDm2
• Skid Plate for RadRover 5 https://www.cascademanufacturing.com/products/skid-plate

 

[Art Deco]

This is exactly why I got interested in eBikes...to avoid towing anything behind my small RV. Once the RV is level and hooked up you don't want to move it, so you need something for the last 10 miles or so, and I am useless at backing a trailer. In fact I call my RV a NoTowBago ...

 

[Mike_V]

Thanks Court , for another well written, personal, timely and informative article.

 

[Art Deco]

@Court ... Thanks for the timeline on the video. Seriously.

 

[DaveMatthews]

Too cool! Good times with your Dad.

 

[Helaine]

It's lovely seeing you and your Dad hanging out and trading information. Really nice.