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Limited space is always a concern in an RV, travel trailer, or fifth wheel and stuffing bikes into your RV is not convenient when heading out on an adventure. Fortunately, RV bike racks take care of that problem and free up your space.
There are many products out there and we have searched for and reviewed some of the best out there. Keep reading to learn more about RV bike racks to help you decide which one will work for you.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for RV Bike Racks
- OUR TOP PICK: Swagman 2-Bike Bumper Rack
- RUNNER-UP: Swagman Around the Spare Bike Rack
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: LEADRACKS 4 Bike Hitch Rack Mount
Comparison of the Best RV Bike Racks
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What is an RV Bike Rack?
An RV lets you take the entire family out on the open road in comfort and style. You can drive from coast-to-coast on long smooth highways or winding country lanes.
Sometimes, you need a break from asphalt and tar. You need to get out of the RV and explore. Whether you're heading to a beach or the middle of the woods, strapping a couple of bicycles to your RV makes your trip a well-rounded adventure.
An RV bike rack lets you make the most out of your summer road trip by exploring a little bit further than your campground.
Swagman 2-Bike Bumper Rack
How Does an RV Bike Rack Work?
Generally speaking, bike racks attach to the back of your RV so you can transport your family bikes without taking up valuable indoor space.
RV bike racks attach in three different ways: to the hitch, bumper, or ladder. In all of these options, the practical utility is more or less the same. They primarily differ in terms of installation, carrying capability, and the degree to which you can access your trailer hitch.
Review of the Best RV Bike Racks
When it comes to selecting the perfect rack, everyone has different needs. We reviewed a variety of products so that there is something for everyone. Here are some of the best options out there.
Best Overall:
Swagman 2-Bike Bumper Rack
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What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers love the smart and simple design of this RV back rack. Most people find the installation quick and easy. Plus, they love that it requires no tightening or maintenance after installation. Even on uniquely designed RVs, people do not have trouble with installation but for a few minor adjustments!
Why it Stands Out to Us
Swagman is a name with clout. When it comes to bike racks, its reputation precedes them. With the 2-Bike Bumper rack, Swagman does not disappoint. This bike rack caught our eye due to its simplicity, sturdiness, and versatility.
If you have a steel bumper, this rack should fit. It is as simple as that. When it is not in use, this rack sits quietly at the back of your RV and is not obstructive.
To top it off, Swagman wastes no time with unnecessary bells and whistles. The simple three-piece design features two welded u-bars and an upright rod to keep everything in place.
Bottom Line
The bottom line is the Swagman 2-Bike Bumper Rack is the best overall RV bike rack on the market. It is sturdy, simple, and gets the job done. For the average traveler, this rack is all you need.
Runner-up:
Swagman Around the Spare Bike Rack
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What Recent Buyers Report
People do not have much to complain about when it comes to this rack. It is reliable, easily adjustable, and holds bikes tightly and securely. At the end of the day, what more could you want? The worst reports relate to tires that are too big for this rack to fit around.
Why it Stands Out to Us
When attaching a bike rack to the back of your RV, you generally have to give something up. For example, you might have to lose your spare tire, trailer, or both. No rack comes without compromise. That said, the Swagman comes close.
The Swagman Around The Spare rack lets you pull a trailer, transport bikes, and keep a spare tire safely attached in case of emergency. Plus, the bike rack is good quality, easily adjustable, and does not rattle as you drive.
We were particularly impressed by this bike rack’s slim appearance, especially since it has to extend far out to fit around an RV tire.
Bottom Line
Once again, Swagman comes through. This rack is a fulfilling option if you have a rear bracketed spare tire that does not move. It looks good, attaches easily, and is easily adjustable. For us, this is, overall, a close second to the Swagman bumper rack.
Best for the Money:
LEADRACKS 4 Bike Hitch Rack Mount
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What Recent Buyers Report
The engineering on LEADRACK’s hitch rack gets strong commendation from consumers. The upright bar has a gentle angle, letting gravity do a lot of the heavy lifting when keeping everything in place.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The LEADRACK 4 Bike Hitch Mount Rack wowed us. It is an example of innovative design and old fashioned engineering. This rack comes with all of the perks and almost none of the drawbacks of a hanging rack.
Despite its intricate appearance, the rack assembles in just a few minutes. We loved that the entire rack folds in half when not in use for easy storage. Its upright bar is capped with a series of solid clamps, making loading and unloading easy. These clamps also adjust to compensate for the number of bikes you are hauling.
Bottom Line
We could not be more impressed with the engineering of this rack. LEADRACK’s team put together a solid and sleek piece of equipment. The weight capacity of 84 pounds and a four-bike carry capacity makes good use of the trailer hitch’s capabilities.
Best RV Ladder Bike Rack:
Camco RV Ladder Mount Bike Rack
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What Recent Buyers Report
Reviews for the Camco ladder mount are almost entirely positive. From time to time, a buyer notes that the rack stopped working after a long journey. In most cases, the journey in question called for a stronger rack.
Why it Stands Out to Us
If you know RVs, you know Camco. With this RV bike rack, Camco doesn’t disappoint. We love this rack’s convenience.
The Camco ladder rack is small and lightweight. It is also easy to install and store. This bike rack is top of the line if you need to lug a couple of bikes from campsite to campsite. When finished, it is easy to fold and stash away beneath the seats.
Generally, hanging ladder racks get a little shaky on long journeys. We appreciate the extra straps that Camco tosses in to keep everything tight when you’re on the road.
Bottom Line
The Camco RV Ladder Mount rack is the best hanging ladder rack out there. If you’re looking for a lightweight, easy to install a rack for shorter trips, you can’t do better than this.
Best RV Bumper Bike Rack:
Quick Products QPRBM2R
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What Recent Buyers Report
When it comes to the price range of this rack, there is little competition to mention. Feedback from recent buyers reflects this. Most criticisms focus on the unadorned appearance of the QPR.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This rack drew us in with its practicality. This design is a long-lasting, sturdy piece of equipment. It features an alloy steel frame, anti-corrosion, and anti-rust powder coating, and steel u-bolts to ensure that nothing fails.
The QPRBM2R attaches to the bumper at four points to maintain an even distribution of weight. Its slotted wheel wells make loading and unloading simple, and the upright bar provides much-needed frame support.
Another advantage to the Quick Product bumper rack is its price point. You will not find another bumper rack of this quality at such an affordable price.
Bottom Line
As far as we’re concerned, Quick Product’s QPBM2R is your best bet if you want a bumper-mounted rack. The durable construction and practical design make this piece hard to beat.
Best 4 Bike RV Bumper Rack:
Swagman 4-Bike Bumper Rack
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What Recent Buyers Report
This rack comes highly recommended by customers. Buyers had no issue taking this rack along with them on cross country journeys or thousand-mile road trips. Most customers are thrilled with the construction and design. That said, some people mentioned that it wiggled a little.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The Swagman 4-Bike Bumper Rack primarily stood out to us because of its simple and neat design. Whether it’s fully loaded or carrying a single bike, it is stable and secure.
This rack attaches neatly to the rear bumper and reaches out about 34 inches, which is not far at all on a 30 or 40 foot RV. It does have enough space to leave room for your fifth wheel, meaning that you don’t have to give up safety.
Despite its small size, this rack has a weight capacity of about 120 pounds or 30 pounds per bike.
Bottom Line
Swagman’s standards don’t slip. If you’re in the market for a bumper rack, look no further. As advertised, this rack is simple but fully featured, and even better, it carts enough bikes to get the whole family out on the trails.
Best RV Hitch Bike Rack:
Swagman TRAVELER XC2
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What Recent Buyers Report
Feedback from buyers is overwhelmingly positive. It gets rave reviews about its convenience and size. People have installed this rack on everything from trucks to travel trailers to RVs. After installation, everything stays snugly in place without any annoying rattles or wiggle.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The Swagman Traveller is a platform bike rack, which provides support beneath your bikes when on the road. After examining its features, we were impressed by this bike rack’s security and convenience.
The Traveller comes with a bumper mount adapter. It can easily be adapted to latch onto a four or 4.5-inch steel bumper. Whichever option you choose, you lose no stability.
One of the perks of this bike rack is its upright arm. It features ratcheting hooks and a push-button release to hold everything securely in place. When not in use, the rack can easily fold down for storage.
Bottom Line
Whether you want to put it on your hitch or bumper, the Swagman Traveller is a great rack. It is easy to assemble, easy to store, and exceptionally versatile. This bike rack has a load capacity of 70 pounds, which is more than enough for two bikes.
How Do I Choose an RV Bike Rack?
Choosing the right bike rack for your needs is a daunting task. For the most part, it comes down to the kind of RV you have, how you use it, and how many bikes you need to carry.
Bike Capacity
One of the primary features of bike racks is the number of bikes it carries. Take a moment to consider the number of people in your household who are likely to be riding.
Weight Capacity
Just as important as the number of bike slots on the rack is the rack's weight capacity. Be sure that the bikes you plan to place on your rack do not exceed the maximum weight capacity. If they do, you could run into serious trouble.
Installation
Thinking about the ease of installation is something to consider when buying a rack. If you plan to bring your bikes on every trip, a lengthy installation process is not a huge concern. However, if you plan to switch between carrying bikes and towing a kayak trailer, you might want something that removes quickly.
Storage
Another factor to consider when choosing a bike rack is the storage of the rack itself. Some light hanging racks can easily be folded and stashed inside the RV if you need to take it off for any reason. Other racks might be too bulky or heavy to store inside your RV.
Types of RV Bike Racks
The three main types of RV bike racks are ladder-mounted, bumper-mounted, and hitch-mounted. Each has its pros and cons.
Ladder-mounted
These bike racks hook onto the rungs of the ladder on the back of your RV. Unlike the other two styles, these racks carry your bikes vertically. Ladder-mounted racks are popular because they retain full access to the hitch, allowing you to pull a trailer or vehicle as well as your bikes. A drawback of this style is that they have a lower weight capacity, meaning you can carry fewer bikes.
Bumper-mounted
If your RV has a square, the steel-welded bumper on the back, bumper-mounted bike racks are a great option. These racks attach to the bumper, carrying your bikes slightly behind and above it.
One of the perks of the bumper-mounted rack is that it rides low and does not obstruct visibility through the back window. Unfortunately, they tend to carry a maximum of two bikes.
Hitch-mounted
Hitch-mounted bike racks are probably the most popular style on the market. These racks come in either platform or hanging styles, and both simply slot into a standard two-inch hitch. Having the style options available with a hitch-mounted rack is a nice perk. As they attach to the trailer hitch, these can also carry the most weight of any RV bike rack. The downside of these racks is that they do not allow for any other towing.
RV Bike Rack Platform vs Hanging - Comparison Overview
While there is a wide range of bike racks available, all of the categories mentioned above divide into two styles: platform or hanging racks. The design you choose depends on what you need from your rack.
Here are the primary differences between the two:
Platform
Platform racks provide a stable lower base for your bike. Generally speaking, the bike wheels slot into supports on the platform. A post, bungee cord, a clamp support the frame of the bike. The platform prevents the bikes from moving by providing a secure base as well as upper support. They are often easier to load due to their height. The biggest downside is that they’re generally larger and heavier than hanging racks.
Hanging
Hanging racks have upper support that clamps onto your bike’s frame. They are often lightweight and easy to store, install, and remove. These racks also take up less space than a platform rack. The downside? They usually have a lower weight capacity and do not keep your bikes as stable while in transit.
Conclusion
No matter how comfortable your RV is, after spending long hours cooped up inside, you need to get out and stretch your legs. There is nothing better than getting active and getting a little fresh air at the same time. RV bike racks make your road trip a little bit sweeter.
People Also Ask
An expertly designed rack is not only convenient but is also necessary in terms of travel safety. Securely attach your bikes to avoid them falling off and potentially causing an accident. If you’re still not sure which bike rack is the best fit for you, here are some other things to think about while deciding.
How Do You Carry a Bike on an RV?
The best way to carry a bike on an RV is with a rear-mounted bike rack, whether it’s a hitch, bumper, or ladder installed. Installation is usually quick, but it is essential to follow the directions closely to ensure that your rack and the bikes lock in place
Are RV Bike Racks Hard to Install?
The method for installing an RV bike rack varies depending on the type of rack you have. That said, bike racks are generally easy to install. Hanging ladder racks are the easiest to install as they simply clamp onto the ladder. Hitch rack installation is also simple as they slide and lock into a pre-existing hitch. The most time-consuming rack to install is a bumper rack, which requires bolts for support.
