Options to haul bicycles in bed

[Neomonk21]

My daughter is starting to do really well riding her bicycle so I had to get one to keep up with her. I bought a cheap Ozark Trails M.2 Ridge at Walmart just to get me something semi-decent on the cheap side. It's been well over 20 years since I rode a bike so I'm a bit rusty.

The first issue I ran into was that the bike didn't fit in the back of my Gladiator. I removed the front tire and laid it down to get it home. I also have an issue with my tonneau cover not folding up the whole way so the last third of my bed is covered. I'm thinking of getting one of those mats that hang over the tailgate just to get me by for now. Ultimately, I'd love to build a pull out platform that I can install a bike mount in once I get my bed cap.

If possible, can you share how you haul your bicycles?

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[Bandit’s Lair]

You can always do the hitch mounted rack if you don’t want the bed cover open.

 

[maninblak]

https://1up-usa.com/product/quik-ra...VfN34aSEVMyXx-7J1JJ7la9S6-su6NdcaAvbdEALw_wcB

 

[Improper_1]

I do alot of road and light gravel cycling, and have a mojave with a tiger T1 tonneau cover. I would recommend:
#1) hitch mount - as it is easy to remove and put on another vehicle. it is also easy to load and unload the bike and you can keep the tonneau closed to keep goods in the bed dry. Only negative is it likely will interfere with parking sensors, and it adds length to the vehicle (mine is too long with a rack to fit in the garage). I would advise getting one with the "hoops" for the wheels as it is the most stable and won't have your bikes swinging around while driving, and avoids paint damage to your frames. Hollywood racks, swagman and curt make similar inexpensive models (< $300). you may also get lucky and fine a used Kuat or similar rack at discounted price. Ifr you dojn't like it, no harm, and just sell it

#2) I've seen people rig up bike fork mounts and attach them to the trail rail system or improvise and use a 2x4 or 2x6 mounted in the bed. The downside is it does take up your bed, and the wheel needs to come off and you need to climb into the bed each time.

#3) Taking the tire off and on and climbing in the bed gets old to me as I ride several times a week, so I got he billy bars low profile bed rack and a 1-up roof mount rack. I can still rollup the tiger T1 tonneau cover as the be rack does not interfere with the cover. I just plop the bike up there, clamp down on the wheels and am good to go. It was pricey, but I use it constantly and it is super easy. Plus I mount other things to the bed rack while off roading. Now I am thinking of a kayak, so I can just get some mounts for that bed rack probably.

I generally don't like the tailgate covers or the style of racks where the bikes hang, as there is more vibration and the bike frame paint gets scuffed over time.

 

[Neomonk21]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm leaning toward the hitch idea, but I guess I need to install my hitch first! In a perfect world, I'd have my bed cap already so I can get rid of this dumb tonneau cover. That would open up some options that would be better for my situation.

 

[Sweetums]

A bit of T-slot and some front fork mounts on one side with some big-ass magnets on the other side makes a great removable mount.

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...-bicycle-rack-installed-difficulty-1-5.76365/

 

[HOLLYWOOD33]

This has worked well for me over the years (has been used on 4-5 different vehicles).

They're not cheap, but the quality is very solid!

https://kuat.com/collections/bike-r...Ajx7XbrNdogwso-nBO8DAS4ScxNUKWOcaAqz-EALw_wcB

 

[In3briatedPanda]

i run a kuat piston pro. had a transfer v2 before that. I could not find a solution that fit my needs for a bed rack and I do not possess the skills, nor the money to hone said skills, to build what i want.

edit: i would use a 1up hitch rack as well. those are my two brands of choice, personally.

 

[SummertimeCarl]

I use the EVOC tailgate pad and I like the solution. I'm actually about to buy a 2nd one for the other side now that my kids have upsized bikes. (They sell a larger 5-bike one I think but I wanted to keep the rear camera unobstructed.)

I store this pad behind my back seat at all times in case I stumble upon a Facebook Marketplace deal I can't pass up. Ha!

I don't keep this on the truck unless I'm riding my bike the very next day - ~3 minutes to set it up and ~2 minutes to take it off.

There are much cheaper tailgate pads on the market also; They likely work just fine but I don't know from experience.

The hitch solutions are great too but I didn't want another thing to store in my garage and the 4-bike hitches are excessively bulky IMO.

 

[A 2]

I use the EVOC tailgate pad and I like the solution. I'm actually about to buy a 2nd one for the other side now that my kids have upsized bikes. (They sell a larger 5-bike one I think but I wanted to keep the rear camera unobstructed.)

I store this pad behind my back seat at all times in case I stumble upon a Facebook Marketplace deal I can't pass up. Ha!

I don't keep this on the truck unless I'm riding my bike the very next day - ~3 minutes to set it up and ~2 minutes to take it off.

There are much cheaper tailgate pads on the market also; They likely work just fine but I don't know from experience.

The hitch solutions are great too but I didn't want another thing to store in my garage and the 4-bike hitches are excessively bulky IMO.

I‘ve been riding and transporting bikes for many years. This is by far the most convenient and safest way to transport bikes.

Throwing them in the bed, if they fit, only gets you one bike. Also you risk damage to the bikes.

Hitch racks are an inconvenience to store when not using them. Also leaving them on the truck may not allow the garage door to shut.

Bike trays require cross bars. And on our trucks that means you loose quick access to the bed for larger times when needed.

A tailgate pad is clutch.

 

[stingrey]

I use the Thule Apek XT hitch mount.
Holds 4 bikes. Easy to install, no tools required, it is lockable. It has an integrated cable lock which is good enough to keep most honest people honest.

 

[Tatanka]

For just 2 bikes, we use the Raceface T2 Half Stack tailgate pad. Our kids are younger, so we through the Thule Bike Trailer in the bed and put my wife and I's bikes on the pad, then use a chain-lock to secure it to the tie-down loop at the base of the bed. Carries MTBs and Hybrid bikes well (best with the same of each type).

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