Dinette bike rack

[ScarabChris]

I have been wrestling with the idea of a bike rack idea on my Jay Feather 25BH. I know there are ones that can be mounted on the bumper and over the propane tanks.

But these are pretty nice bikes and fairly new and living in South Florida and doing 99% of our camping in the state the idea of the bikes being hammered by the sun and rain when driving would drive me crazy. We drive through some crazy rain and with the big rigs blowing by us the bikes would be filthy and rusty in no time.

So before I was breaking down the dinette, putting the table top in as if I were converting it to a bed but upside down to prevent scratching it and removing all the cushions and laying the bikes down in the dinette.

So I had this idea. Simple PVC rig on the outer support pole to support the bikes. It also lifts the front tires off the floor so the slide can operate and not drag the tires on the floor. You can still walk by the front of the bikes when the slide is in.

What do you think??

[homer1959]

Nice !

[Tunce the traveler]

Wow, I never thought of that space for our bikes. I just place them inside and use a moving blanket to protect everything. These are electric bikes made in Boulder Colorado and their called "Opti Bike" and enough power for any hill in your way. We can ride into town even if it's 20-25 miles away and it's the only way to see the Red Woods so you can look all around. They can go all the way up to Pikes Peak.

[VinceN]

I've been researching the best way of hauling our bikes and I must say that I love your idea best! Would you post a picture of the modification without the bikes on the rack so I can better understand what you did and perhaps try it out in our rv.

[ScarabChris]

Originally Posted by VinceN

I've been researching the best way of hauling our bikes and I must say that I love your idea best! Would you post a picture of the modification without the bikes on the rack so I can better understand what you did and perhaps try it out in our rv.

Yeah I'll snap a couple close up pictures. But it's very basic and I made it using PVC pipe parts laying around my garage. It's a 1.5" cupling with a hole bored through both sides for a length of 1/2" pipe with a couple 90 degree elbows on the ends. Long bolt through to keep the 1/2" pipe from twisting.

Then some velcro. The hook side on the inside of the bottom half of the large cupling to make for a tighter and insulated fit over the table pole and the loop side of the velcro on the 1/2" pipe to cushion the bikes.

The part wants to spin on the pole when you hang the first bike but once you put the 2nd bike on it stays in place. No need to even tie them down. They wedge in pretty tight.

[ScarabChris]

Originally Posted by VinceN

I've been researching the best way of hauling our bikes and I must say that I love your idea best! Would you post a picture of the modification without the bikes on the rack so I can better understand what you did and perhaps try it out in our rv.

Here are the pictures. Correction on the cupling size, it's a 2" that fits over the dinette pole.

[VinceN]

I can't wait to see if this will work out for me too.

[FiremanJosh]

Do you strap the bikes to the PVC rig or do they stay in place on their own?

[ScarabChris]

Once hung on the PVC rig they stay in place pretty good.

[FiremanJosh]

Thanks for the info! Looking for a good way to carry the kids bikes to the CG.

[VinceN]

Finally had time to try out this mod today and unfortunately it didn't work for me in my 23rb. It was the bikes and not the modification. It really is a great idea and I am glad that I tried it out because it is one of the cheapest mods I think I have tried so far.

[jamesmc321]

so where do you put the table top now?

ours has the U shaped table with two legs... my bikes would have to go parallel to thecamper vs perpendicular --- love the idea

[dpi7800]

I to did a mod to utilize my dinette as a bike rack. I went about it a little differently. I up graded the plywood under the seat cushions and also added a little more bracing to the frame work underneath. Then I mounted fork mounts to the new plywood. I also added an 1/8" X 2" aluminum flat bar to also strengthen the plywood and to help alieviate any side to side sway from the bike while in transit.

So far works great. We used it over our summer vacation which I drove about 4,000 miles round trip.

I don't have photos right now and it may be a while because the 5er is in the shop for some warranty work.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by Tunce the traveler

Wow, I never thought of that space for our bikes. I just place them inside and use a moving blanket to protect everything. These are electric bikes made in Boulder Colorado and their called "Opti Bike" and enough power for any hill in your way. We can ride into town even if it's 20-25 miles away and it's the only way to see the Red Woods so you can look all around. They can go all the way up to Pikes Peak.

HOLY MOLY those are expensive!!

OP, great job! I love the idea! Those dinette legs are known to be a bit wobbly and/or not attached very well at the bottom; any problems or concerns with that?