Trying to solve the Airstream bike rack conundrum? Here’s what we learned when we asked the same question.
A little background: For our bikes, we chose the Giant Sedona DX and Liv Sedona DXmodels. They are comfort bikes with more aggressive tires and suspension to allow for crossover between regular paved trails and gravel. I’ll cover that choice in a later post, but for this step that means about 60 lbs. of weight to consider when deciding where to carry them on our trailer/tow vehicle set-up.
Researching a Bike Rack for the Airstream
The part of this project that took the most time was researching which bike rack we wanted to use. We learned that there isn’t a single perfect bike rack solution for Airstreamers. The few options available each come with trade-offs, which makes the decision more difficult and clearly an individual one.
Trailer-based Solutions
There are two primary approaches to including bicycles in the mix when traveling with your Airstream; trailer-based solutions and those that rely on the tow vehicle. This post focuses more on the trailer solutions because that is the direction we chose, but we’ll mention the other ideas and flag the one that, given the opportunity to do this again, we may try on the next round.
Rear Frame Mount
Airstream doesn’t recommend a traditional frame-mounted hitch style rack on the back of the trailer. The frame was not designed to have the additional weight and jarring torque force from the added rack and bikes attached at this location. It jeopardizes the structural integrity of the trailer.
That said, Seth Hughes’ bike rack mod takes the concept to a higher level that seems to address some of the engineering concerns typically associated with a rear frame-mount solution. This is a must-watch video for anyone interested in this type of a solution.
Forward Mounting a Bike Rack Above the Propane Tanks
Images by Lippert, Arvika, and Stomberg-Carlson
Another trailer-based approach that addresses the rear torque concerns is forward mounting a bike rack above the propane tanks. This solution mounts to the A-frame at the front of your trailer and can accommodate up to four bikes. The bikes remain visible while towing and generally don’t interfere with most of your trailer and towing systems.
That said, the possible drawbacks of this solution include increased tongue weight, challenges with loading and unloading bikes from an elevated
Tongue rack bracket options popular with Airstreamers:
- Arvika https://www.racksforcars.com/15147/Arvika-Airstream-Travel-Trailer-Bracket/
- Jack-It by Lippert https://amzn.to/2TmfDmo
- Stromberg-Carlson https://amzn.to/2DK3ovd
Rear-mounted Fiamma Carry-Bike
The Fiamma Airstream bike rack was designed in conjunction with Airstream engineers and addresses the structural integrity concerns that are raised by some of the other solutions. It is light-weight and bikes are easily accessible from the back of the trailer.
Potential cons that have been noted about this solution include impeded access to the rear storage compartment, a propensity for bikes to be more exposed to road grime and dirt, and the lack of visibility to monitor the bikes while underway.
We decided that this solution, given Airstream’s involvement in the design, felt like the right place for us to start. We are do-it-yourselfers and chose to buy our rack from Colonial Airstream and self-install. Our next post will share some of the things we learned in doing the project. So if this option interests you, stay tuned for more details.
Tow-vehicle Bike Hauling Options
Many Airstreamers have chosen to forego a trailer-based rack altogether and look to the tow vehicle for bike transport options. The options here range from a front-mounted receiver hitch to racks on top of the cab or tonneau cover, to storage inside the rig, whether in a van, topper or directly in the bed of a pick-up truck. One of the strong positives to this approach is your bikes are always with you, whether or not you are towing your trailer. While we chose to go with a rear-mount trailer bike rack, there are a couple of these tow vehicle solutions that might be contenders for us if there is a next time.
Front-mounted Receiver Hitch
Photos by Etrailer.com, Kuat, Swagman
Many haulers choose to use a front-mount hitch to avoid some of the downsides of a trailer-based solution. Just like a traditional rear-mounted bike rack, this solution uses a standard receiver hitch installed on the front of your tow vehicle in conjunction with a compatible rack. E-trailer.com (no affiliate) has a lot of good information about this option.
Some of the concerns that have been noted with this solution include the obstruction of the license plate, distracting to the driver, and reduced front-clearance. Proponents of this solution have found ways to address these concerns by choosing the right rack and adjusting its location on
Components popular among Airstreamers:
Tonneau/Bed-mounted Bike Rack
The roll tonneau cover/ bike rack combination is a solution we would consider in the future.
Sean and Kristy from Long Long Honeymoon have a great video that shows this configuration in action.
The cover rolls inside the rear of the bed of the truck, allowing for a rack system to be installed above, which can accommodate any of the available gear components for that system.
Some of the downsides of this solution are the cost, short-term loss of the ability to put taller items in the bed of the truck, rear visibility reduced when not towing the trailer, and sacrificing some bed space to the internal roll mechanism.
In Conclusion
This list covers most of the primary options for bringing bikes on the road with your Airstream. As an addendum, there are many who choose to carry their bicycles inside their tow vehicle or inside the trailer. Given the downsides of limited space, dealing with securing the bikes while at camp, and the inconvenience and risk of damage to the inside of the trailer, we chose to forego those options.
In the end, we chose to self-install the Fiamma on the back of our 2018 27’ Globetrotter. So far we are happy with our choice, which allows us to load and unload the bikes without lifting them over our heads, provides a securable storage location (bike locks), and is structurally approved by Airstream. We will keep you posted!
We are always learning; let us know in the comments if you have picked up any tips or tricks that can help the rest of us on this journey.
.
You must be logged in to post a comment.