Waiting for our bikes....bike rack question

[High Plains Rider]

I took advantage of the cyber Monday sale and bought a Radrover for myself and a Racity Step-thru for my w. In the meantime I ordered the 1 Up USA Super Duty Double Bike Rack. I need to convert one of the trays to hold 4 " tires. My question is, "Should I convert the tray closest to my SUV or the second tray furthest away"? Perhaps it makes no difference?

 

[Redrock]

Did you order the ramp to assist with loading the heavy ebikes? They don't advertise it but they can provide it for a small extra charge. It will save your back from lifting the heavy bikes onto the rack. Sorry, don't have an answer about which tray to place close to the SUV.

 

[6zfshdb]

From a weight standpoint, the heaviest bike should be closest to the vehicle but it may be more difficult to load. I'd wait and see how the bikes would best fit on the rack before doing any modifications.

 

[ebikemom]

The 1Up rack folks are super helpful on the phone. When I was considering what rack to buy, I telephoned a couple of rack companies. With the 1UP rack, I had a fender question (they don't recommend the rack for bikes with fenders, but provide insulating materials for people who want to use the rack with fenders anyway, with the caveat that the fenders are likely to get bent), and they put me on the phone with an engineer. Give them a call! They might even have a modification part available??? Who knows!

 

[CodyDog]

Congrats on the new bikes! My Rad Rover is closest to my truck bed and my wife's Como is on the outside on our dual rack. Heavier weight towards the mount will create less stress on the rack while going over bumps and such.

 

[Feliz]

As others have stated above the heaviest bike should be nearest the vehicle, the further away the weight the more stress.

 

[High Plains Rider]

As suggested I called the folks at 1 Up USA and asked the question. Since Radrover is only 5 lbs more than the Radcity, they said it didn’t make any difference which tray I convert for fat tires. So, as suggested I converted the tray closest to the vehicle. Thanks for the good advice!

 

[JohnT]

I have that 1Up rack for four bikes with one fat tire kit. I move the trays around, depending on need. I think I’ve had it about 4.5 years.

Like others have said, putting the heaviest bike closest to the vehicle is ideal, but if the biggest bike has the widest bars, clearance vs the back of the vehicle might be more important. Those racks flex. Once, I didn’t slow down for train tracks and didn’t notice how deep the dips were. The rack bounced, and the closest bike smacked the rear window! Luckily, nothing broke.

I use this rack for bikes with fenders. The front is no problem, but watch the rear. I grab the tire below the fender so there’s no bending. If I feel it’s needed, I’ll strap the bottom of the wheel to the rack to keep it from bouncing up.