Lots of people want to bring their bikes along on an RV road trip. From kids biking around the campground after a day on the road, to serious mountain bikers shredding on your trip, there are lots of reasons you may be looking for a pop up camper bike rack.
One Reddit user looking for advice, settled on a ball mount hitch, which we’ll look at below.
When you’re looking for a pop up camper bike rack, be sure to read reviews from other users to see what they like and don’t like about the rack. You may find that they love it for reasons that don’t suit you and the way you travel.
This post contains affiliate links. RVshare may receive compensation if you make a purchase after clicking on a product or service link.
How Much Does a Pop Up Camper Bike Rack Cost?
A pop up camper bike rack can range in cost from about $70 to $200. The lower-cost racks may fit fewer bicycles, so you’ll want to check that the pop up camper bike rack that you choose is suitable for your travels. Here are a few pop up camper bike racks and their costs, so you have an idea of what one might cost:
- $72.99 – Discount Ramps Elevate Outdoor RV or Camper Trailer Bumper Bike Rack for 1-2 Bicycles
- $85.84 – Allen Sports Deluxe 2-Bike Hitch Mount Rack
- $90.00 – Swagman UPRIGHT Roof Mount Bike Rack
- $114.99 – Elevate Outdoor RV or Camper Trailer Bumper Bike Rack for 1-4 Bicycles
- $124.20 – Allen Sports Premier Hitch Mounted 4-Bike Carrier
- $158.65 – Swagman RV Approved Around the Spare Deluxe Bike Rack
- $199.99 – Tow Tuff Steel Cargo Carrier Rear Bumper Bike Rack
Tips For Choosing the Best Pop Up Camper Bike Rack
Even though a bike rack for pop up camper is a pretty specific item, there are some different factors you’ll want to consider when you’re shopping for one. There are several kinds of pop up camper bike racks out there. Since you’ll be driving a tow vehicle, with your pop up camper behind, many of these pop up camper bike racks are the same as those for your car or truck. You’ll simply mount them on your vehicle as usual, and then tow your camper behind.
Let’s take a look at them, and why you might or might not want to use each kind.
Hitch-mounted bike rack
A hitch-mounted bike rack fastens into your trailer’s hitch. It comes in three styles – hanging, tray, and vertical. Hitch racks can hold up to four bikes, and they shouldn’t affect the handling of your vehicle when you drive. The one disadvantage to a hitch-mounted bike rack behind your trailer is that if you want to transport your bikes with just your tow vehicle, you’ll need to make sure the bike rack will fit your vehicle’s hitch, and you’ll need to move it after you set up camp.
Front Mount Hitch Bike Rack
Although most bike racks are on the back hitch of a trailer, you can also find hitches that attach to the front. Since you’re towing your pop up camper with a tow vehicle, this hitch would attach to the tow vehicle. You’ll be able to see your bikes as you drive, but you’ll want to make sure they don’t obscure your headlights.
Tow vehicle roof bike rack
A roof bike rack lets you carry your bikes on the roof of your tow vehicle. Along with the front mount hitch, this rack lets you transport bikes after you’ve unhooked your trailer. A roof bike rack also lets you use different styles of racks for different bikes. You will need to be careful of the extra height of your vehicle when bikes are on top of it, and you’ll need to make sure you don’t overload your roof.
Towing bike rack
You can also fix bikes between your tow vehicle and trailer, with a bike rack that mounts onto the ball mount. You’ll find hanging and platform-style bike racks.
Camper roof bike rack
You may have a pop up camper that came with a roof mounting system already installed, and there are after-market options as well. You can use a standard roof bike rack on your pop-up. The advantage to this is that your overall height will be lower, since you’re not putting bikes on top of your taller vehicle. It can also reduce drag. However, some racks require you to drill holes, which you may not want to do in the roof of your camper. You’ll also want to make sure you don’t put more weight on the camper than is recommended.
What to Consider When Choosing Your Bike Rack
When you’re choosing your pop up camper bike rack, you’ll want to ask yourself a few questions:
- What types of bikes do you want to bring and how many?
- What accessibility do you need?
- What is your preferred method of mounting your bikes to your camper?
- What models would be compatible with your type of pop up camper?
You can get even more advice on finding the best RV bike trailer for you by checking out our post on picking a bike rack.
Installing Your Pop Up Camper Bike Rack
You’ll always want to check the manual or instructions that come with your bike rack before installing it. Here are a few general guidelines for how to install your pop up camper bike rack.
To install a hitch-mounted bike rack:
- Check your hitch receiver to make sure you have the correct one for your bike rack. If your vehicle doesn’t have a hitch, you’ll need to purchase and install that first. To find out the size of your hitch receiver – receivers are rated by class, and there are 5 classes of hitches. Class 1 and 2 have 1.25-inch openings. Class 3 and 4 hitches have 2-inch openings. Class 5 hitches are for commercial vehicles.
- Purchase a hitch-mounted bike rack with the correct receiver. Set up the rack according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Pick up your bike rack and insert the end into the hitch receiver. You may want help – some of these bike racks can be heavy!
- Line up the bolt holes from your bike rack and the hitch receiver. Insert the hitch bolt that came with your bike rack and tighten it. Some racks also have a cotter pin, which you should also insert to keep the bolt in place.
- Make sure the pop up camper bike rack is completely installed and ready and load bikes onto the rack. Tighten any straps and clamps that fasten onto your bikes to keep them in place. Shake the bikes to make sure they’re secured before driving.
To install a tow vehicle roof bike rack:
- Make sure you have all the pieces of your bike rack kit together. Put the bolt in the hole on the front and secure it.
- Anchor the bike rack to your vehicle’s cross bars.
- Secure your bike to the bike rack. Often, this involves taking off the front tire and mounting the frame to the roof rack. The rear wheel slides into a wheel holder in the back.
- Check all of your bolts, straps, and other fasteners. Make sure the bike is secure before driving.
There are several other types of less popular pop up bike racks for campers and you’ll want to check the manual for instructions on how to install those.
Hopefully, this article has helped you to decide how to find the best pop up camper bike rack for your family!
