How are you guys lifting your ebikes over your truck tailgate pad?

[zipur]

I saw someone with a similar tailgate pad load his e-bike at a trailhead parking lot . He lowered the tailgate, put the bike in the bed and raised the tailgate under the bike. It was awkward at best and would only work with a single bike.

I also carry my bikes in a pickup and long ago gave up lifting them into the bed. At 74, these heavy e-bikes are a chore for me to transport. IMO, If you're going to dedicate your pickup bed to carrying bikes, why not buy or make something like this:

View attachment 64468 View attachment 64472 View attachment 64469 View attachment 64470 View attachment 64471 View attachment 64467

These have been posted here many times and the first one is my avatar pic. I've been using variations of this rack for over 10 years and the concept works very well.
It's made from scrap pieces of PVC pipe and cost less than most hitch style racks. There is no attachment to the truck at all and the rack easily slides out when not in use.

Can you post some more closer views of this, Outstanding idea!

 

[Prairie Dog]

I’m still able to lift the Trance over the tailgate of our Nissan but admit that owning a compact pickup does help immensely with the lower ride height. Getting ready to head out on the road with family tomorrow.

The Creos meanwhile ride in relative safety and comfort.

 

[sc00ter]

My wife and I can get pretty much anything up to 125cc in the bed of a small, low pick-up with no ramp. I get the front wheel onto the tailgate, she holds the handle bars and I lift the rear end in next. These modern factory lifted trucks are to high, you need a ramp. I have a aluminum folding ramp from Cycle Gear that works perfect and folds small.

When I haul my 'Runner in the bed of our small pick-up (Subaru Baja) I lay my bike on its left side and hang the front wheel over the tailgate (tailgate closed) and put a moving blanket around the tailgate and front wheel. But the Baja is leaving us so now I need to find a hauling solution for my Honda Fit. These ebikes are much heavier and larger than a conventional bicycle. Guess we gotta pay to play!

 

[AHicks]

Feel your pain. I eventually gave up trying to make a pad on my truck's tailgate work and went with a bike carrier installed in the hitch. Later on (as some of my bikes got even heavier) I have used a tow behind utility trailer most of the time, swapping the ball out for the bike carrier only when I was going extra long distance and taking one of my lighter ebikes.

For your setup, you almost need ramps like you would with a motorbike to walk the bike up (using the throttle perhaps to assist?) and then close the tail gate with the pad, lift the bike over the pad while in the bed, hop down and put the ramps in the bed with your bike. I have a buddy with a truck and 90lb fat tire ebike that does this, but also had a motor bike he carries in his truck bed using the same ramps so he already had the ramps to work with.

Good luck!

 

[TNC]

I didn't see this mentioned in detail, so I have a question. Those using a tailgate pad...when you mention having trouble lifting the bike over the tailgate...the tailgate is down when you're doing this...right? I'm not being snarky, I've just never used a tailgate pad. I would guess you lower the tailgate first, push the bike in backwards lifting the rear wheel in first, get in the bed of the truck, position the bike in such a way so that you can pull the tailgate shut, pull the tailgate shut with a nylon rope or such, put the pad on the tailgate if they don't already fasten to stay on the tailgate when you open it, then lift the front wheel over the pad and tailgate. I know that even with the tailgate down, some of these pickups have an extremely tall stance. I agree...these bikes are heavy...LOL!

 

[john peck]

Was going to pick up the new raceface t2 tailgate pad for my truck, but first I tried to lift up the bike over the closed tailgate.

Wow, thats heavy! Thr bike is 50 pounds, and I just can't lift it up that high.

How are you guys lifting that heavy bike over the tailgate to transport on a tailgate pad?

I tie a loop of rope ´round the seat tube & down tube as a low handle to lift the bike, otherwise
there´s no way to get a good grip. Still a struggle; I have ´rice crispy´ knees.( snap, crackle, pop )

 

[6zfshdb]

Can you post some more closer views of this, Outstanding idea!

I'm hijacking the OP's original post here but I hope these help:
The pictures in post #6 were taken 10 years ago and the original rack has been updated a bit since then. The concept remains the same though.
The rack itself is made with two Thule Sidearm roof racks bolted to a simple rectangular "frame" made from 4" PVC pipe. The frame is sized to fit the truck bed exactly so no tie downs are necessary. I got a bit creative with the pivoting legs and handle which are made from cut up PVC fittings glued & screwed in place for strength. A much simpler design would work just as well. With the first version of the rack, the legs & handle were a separate piece that attached to the frame with pins when in use. Some of the pictures show more detail.

As I get older, I'm having more difficulty lifting and sliding the original rack into the truck bed. This is particularly true with two bikes loaded. To make things easier, I added wheels to the frame and leg ends. I converted one of the storage bins to hold a winch which pulls the rack up and into the truck. The winch is mounted to the rack rather than in the truck so the entire unit can be removed leaving the truck bed completely empty. I also added larger side storage boxes to carry gear and offer more protection for the bikes.

 

[zipur]

You inspire me to build one, that’s a great idea and easy to make. Just using 4 in PVC as a ramp is awesome. Thank God for trucks! Everyone should own one. Thanks for the pictures.

 

[Tom M]

You inspire me to build one, that’s a great idea and easy to make. Just using 4 in PVC as a ramp is awesome. Thank God for trucks! Everyone should own one. Thanks for the pictures.

Or you could just get a folding aluminum ramp and a bike stand instead of that contraption. If you have the shorter bed you would have to remove the front tire anyway to close the tailgate.

 

[6zfshdb]

Or you could just get a folding aluminum ramp and a bike stand instead of that contraption. If you have the shorter bed you would have to remove the front tire anyway to close the tailgate.

Yeah, it definitely is a contraption but my feet never leave the ground to use it. At my age, climbing in and out of a pickup, even using a ramp, isn't as easy as it once was. When I was 20, I would throw the bike over the side of pickup and all I needed was a bungee to hold it in place. Unfortunately, things change as you age.

 

[Yamahonian]

Yeah, it definitely is a contraption but my feet never leave the ground to use it. At my age, climbing in and out of a pickup, even using a ramp, isn't as easy as it once was. When I was 20, I would throw the bike over the side of pickup and all I needed was a bungee to hold it in place. Unfortunately, things change as you age.

Something tells me you were an engineer

 

[jhonmichal]

Hi
I am new to this forum.
I read all of your replies and I know that all of you have good information about the tailgate pad. Can you guys recommend to me the best bike tailgate pad? I want to buy it.

 

[Elkman]

Look at all the solutions for motorcycles, including dirt bikes, as it is not necessary to reinvent the wheel. The ramps I have bought for my e-bikes are ones made for use with motorcycles.
A problem with most pickups is that the tailgate requires moving any item 18-24 inches to get into the box of the truck. There are a few pickups with tailgates that swing to the side or drop down vertical and worth considering for your next truck. Very expensive though as with the Ram that charges more than $2,000 for their special tailgate option.

 

[Browneye]

Hi
I am new to this forum.
I read all of your replies and I know that all of you have good information about the tailgate pad. Can you guys recommend to me the best bike tailgate pad? I want to buy it.

Gear Lab reviewed all the popular ones last year here:

The 6 Best Tailgate Pads of 2024

Searching for the best tailgate pad for your truck? Our experts researched the top models on the market before purchasing six for side by side testing and...

www.outdoorgearlab.com

The problem with an eMTB is weight. So if you have an Levo SL or something that's under 40lbs it might be do-able, or if you're a young buck and strong as an ox, it might be no problem. But a regular ebike is going to be mid-50's to the 60 lb mark, and I don't know about you, but lifting one of them over my head to throw on a tailgate pad is a non-starter.

Tying down in the back of a box is a different matter, and no, you don't need a ramp, even for a heavy bike, cuz you only lift half of it at once, and only one end at a time. You pop the front wheel up with the bars, onto the tailgate, then grab the seat stay and lift the back as it rolls up and in. I made a chock system for my pickup when I had motorbikes, and you can buy these, and they work great for bicycles too. Standard tie-downs.

Also for a pickup, a nice quality hitch rack with a wheel stopper tie-down is cheap enough to buy, super easy to load, and frees up your box for other cargo.