RV Bike Rack Battles

This post will take a different spin than my regular posts.  Rather than discussing a trip we've taken, I will describe the route we've taken to achieve our goal of being able to take our bikes with us on our trips.  We've gone round and round with different options.

The Honeymoon Phase

Take 1:

The story begins with us at Middleton RV last fall where we purchased the many accessories for our new RV; this included the Jack-It bike rack.  We paid $250 for the Jack-It which is about $50 over the Amazon price; however, we were happy to pay this as Middleton put this baby together and mounted it on our RV as part of the deal.  It ended up that we did not use the new bike rack until the following April when we went to Arrow Rock state park.  In April, we had some trouble figuring out how to mount our bikes, but after help from our local bike shop to move the pegs and much effort on our part, we were finally able to hoist the bikes up onto the rack and off we went.  It seemed hard.

Young and Hopeful

Take 2:

While visiting the Jack Seismore RV museum in Amarillo, we saw a bike rack which could be mounted onto an RV back ladder.   This looked easier to us, and we were so hopeful it would be, and for $50, we were willing to try.  We should have known better, and the $50 price should have tipped us off.  We used this new ladder bike rack on our next trip to Branson.  While it was easy to assemble and put on the RV back ladder, it was a much harder task to mount our bikes and secure them.  Nowhere on the box or the directions does it mention a weight limit.  It does say the bike must be balanced to prevent damage.  Even before we saw the damage to our RV ladder, we didn't think it was any easier to get our bikes on this rack.  Plus, when we took down the bikes, Dan's gears were messed up.  Another trip to the bike shop.  We decided to give Jack another try.

Before

After

Take 3:

Back to Jack.  We try again and do more "customizing" of the height of the legs and the position of the pegs.  The first bike goes on easy enough, and the second bikes does eventually.  We take a picture, so we can remember exactly how the bikes are mounted.

  

Victory!

Take 4:

Most of the time, it is just Dan and I on our travels, but our yearly trip to Michigan is a family plus gathering.  Dan's son, Danny, wants his bike along, so now we have a third bike to transport.  Thus, we go back to the RV back ladder rack, and his bike has a ticket.  Since it is only one bike on that rack, it is easier to mount and secure.  We don't believe there will be any further bending of the back ladder.  While we probably will only use it once a year, the $50 RV back ladder bike rack is now seen as a purposeful purchase.

Stowaway for Danny

Take 5:

Time for a break after all that!  Once in Michigan, though, we take down those bikes, hop on, start to pedal and we leave those bike rack battles behind us.  All those bike rack troubles can just go jump in the lake!

The End