Bike Storage

[rcr]

Has anybody stored their bikes inside the Hi-Lo while traveling?

What other ways do you take your bikes along?

I have 3 kids so that makes 5 bikes total to haul...

I'm faced with the following options:

• Stow them in the TV (a very tight fit)
• Mod a hitch similar to what skmwalden did in another post
• Put a bike rack on the roof (not a desirable option)
• Store inside the unit.

Any other ideas?

 

[Neal and Bev]

rcr -

Just wondering if you've come up with any bike storage ideas yet. Other than the list of possiblilites that you listed, I can't think of any others.

Neal

 

[rcr]

So far the option that requres the least amount of setup for me is storing inside the Hi-Lo...

Eventually, I will probably end up getting a rear bike rack at least for my DW and mine. The 3 kids bikes are smaller and can remain inside (for the time being.)

I'm also going to look at folding bikes - those are intriguing.

My previous rig was a Coleman E3 Popup trailer and it had a huge 5'x7' toy hauler platform up front. Very easy to just throw everything up there. But in that rig we had virtually no internal storage. Everythings a trade-off.

 

[jedelen]

Bicycle Carriers

I have a further question: my wife and I ride a tandem bike and wonder if anyone has used any kind of tandem carrier that might, perhaps, mount on the back bumper?

 

[eltech]

I used to have a set of Thule bars on my tow vehicle. I had four bike mounts on this and two more on a rack on the rear bumper of the trailer - six bikes that I carried all over Western Canada

 

[thermonieum]

there is a bike rack that attaches to the spare tire, but i don't know how many bikes it will carry

 

[rcr]

At some point or on some models (my '95 for example) Hi-Lo removed the rear spare tire and stow it between the tongue in front - behind the propane bottles.

Update -

I have opted to put my bikes in the back of the tow vehicle. I purchased a snugtop for the Avalanche and they fit great and are secure. The main reason for choosing this method:

1. Didn't want bikes inside the Hi-Lo moving around while towing.
2. Some camping trips we actually have to drive to where we're going to be biking, especially because of my youngest (he's 4). Having the bikes in the TV opens up many options for us.

 

[Tony-HILO]

rcr - I bought a "downtube" bike which was reviewed in the July 2008 issue
of 'Trailer Life'. It was included in the same article that they had reviewing the
Hi-Lo 15T towlite. It is a fold-up bike and we figured that we would buy one
and try it. We will store it inside the back of the truck in the camper shell
along with a regular mountain bike. Still takes up room so we'll see.
There was also another article in the same issue "Rack 'Em Up" which listed
several bike rack options.

Folding Bike & Folding Bicycle Accessories for Sale : Manufacturer & Retailer : DownTube.com
www.acar4hitches.com
Masterbuilt
Home of the Sixnall, LLC pop-up camper bike rack (specifies for your pop-up trailer)
SWAGMAN Bike Racks
Thule - Thule Racks - Rack, Carrier, Or Hitch Solutions For Use With Cars, Trucks & RVs
RV Accessories, Pickup Truck Accessories, Top Line Manufacturing
Yakima Racks, Bike Racks, Roof Racks for Skis, Cargo & Kayaks - Yakima

Tony

 

[dschulz-HILO]

Receiver hitch

I am considering welding a receiver hitch to the back bumper just below and off to the side of the spare tire. I have it measured out and I believe I can slide the bike rack in and although a little off center, I am thinking it will ride. Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

[JMDoering]

Before you have a receiver welded on, price compare to a bolt-on receiver. Our '69 has the spare tire mounted on the rear bumper, and I was able to bolt a receiver off to the side and it has worked real well for mounting a bike rack. I don't think I would trust a bolt-on receiver for any real towing, but the weight of a bike rack with bikes isn't much, and a bolt-on is perfectly adequate for the job. Our bolt-on cost less than $100 when purchased last year. We just had an estimate for welding a receiver to the rear bumper of our 2704T. Ouch at $400, and unfortunately a bolt-on receiver won't work on this model.

 

[wvjeepr]

How about having the spare tire mount welded to a hitch mount which gets welded to the bumper. Then a bike rack would fit behind the spare.


H

 

[dschulz-HILO]

I did look into the bolt on receiver, don't believe it will work on my 2207, but I have not ruled that out. I live in farm country and have lots of buddies who will welded it on for a six pack, that I get to share with them after it is done. When we get done with harvest I am going to have a couple guys look at it and see what we can come up with. THanks for the feedback.

 

[DaveL-HILO]

I built a bike rack for the back of our 24' 99 towlite, we have 4 boys = 4 bikes, which I made to fit where the spare tire bolts on to the bumper. Hauled the spare in the back of our truck for awhile until I made a place to bolt the spare it to the bike rack.
Also after going to several campgrounds that did not allow cloths lines attached to trees I made a cloths line rack that was adjustable and attached to the bike rack.
Currently I have moved it to our 2409T and it fit on it a well. Only have one son that takes his bike now but we use the cloths line everywhere we go.

 

[CarlF]

My husband welded a homemade 2" receiver onto the bottom of the our 24' towlite bumper just to the right of the spare wheel. We have two adult and two children bikes. On our last trip out the weld held, however, a small square of the bumper ripped away where the weld was. We lost two bikes and have a hole in the bottom of the bumper. Thankfully no one behind us was hurt. HiLo said that the bumper was not a strong enough metal to accomodate the bikes.

I would really like to get more detail information from Dave regarding exactly how you did your bike rack and the clothesline. I was also hoping that we could have the clothesline for drying. Maybe even some pics to give us an idea of how you did it?

 

[DaveL-HILO]

Will have some pictures soon, I took some of the rack and clothsline on my recent trip will post them soon.

 

[skmwalden]

Here is how I did it ...

http://www.hilotrailerforum.com/f17/bike-rack-224/

 

[CarlF]

Thanks Steve. Great ideas. You're right, a picture says a thousand words!

Carl & Renee
Ohio
2404T

 

[nusslejj-HILO]

Bikes and Hi-Lo's

I solved the Bike problem two ways.

1) Purchased (2) Dahon bikes and bags from Camping World several years ago. One or both store under the table of our 22,26,17,15 HI-LO's. Because they are in bags, they don't mar or damage the seating walls at all.

2) Custom weld 1 1/4" Class II receiver bars to the rear. I've done this now 4 times successfully. Each trailer of course is a bit different, but don't just weld to the bumper -- not nearly strong enough -- you have to also attach to the frame. You can weld to the bumper to help stop any 'twisting' motion, but the majority of the weight has to go to the frame.

Finally, after destroying MANY bike racks over the years because the trailers don't have much suspension, I have finally found one that actually will take the beating -- a SARIS THELMA 2 or 3 bike rack. They are very light weight, and hold the bikes by the tires, so their center of gravity is a good bit lower than an "inverted L" design rack.

Hope that helps,
Jeff N.

 

[CarlF]

Thanks to all for the great ideas.
Any pic's yet of the clothes line?


Carl & Renee
Ohio
2404T

 

[Pipers Family]

bikes over the propane tanks

I saw a picture of some full size bikes mounted on a rack over the propane tanks- not sure how much wiggle there was or how the additional weight on the tongue effected the pull, but something you might want to consider..