Bike Hauler - my single and multiple bike carrying solutions

Jahn · Apr 17, 2024

I spent a lot of time looking at different ways to carry bikes. I wanted to carry up to 5 mountain bikes, have a quick option to carry 1 bike and have a usable hard roll up tonneau cover. Here’s what I came up with:

For up to 5 mountain bikes -
I use a Yakima tailgate pad to go out with my kids.

For a single bike -
I use the Kuat SR with the hitch mount. It just arrived today and you can open the tailgate all the way down with the rack in its storage position. Just barely! I’ll leave this hitch rack on all summer - it looks great!

Ford Maverick Bike Hauler - my single and multiple bike carrying solutions IMG_8020

Ford Maverick Bike Hauler - my single and multiple bike carrying solutions 71339334741__8DD1291D-A24B-4BA2-B988-4455068745F4

jcast0311 · Apr 17, 2024

Jahn said:
I spent a lot of time looking at different ways to carry bikes. I wanted to carry up to 5 mountain bikes, have a quick option to carry 1 bike and have a usable hard roll up tonneau cover. Here’s what I came up with:

For up to 5 mountain bikes -
I use a Yakima tailgate pad to go out with my kids.

For a single bike -
I use the Kuat SR with the hitch mount. It just arrived today and you can open the tailgate all the way down with the rack in its storage position. Just barely! I’ll leave this hitch rack on all summer - it looks great!

Link for single rack please

wvpc · Apr 17, 2024

That is a nice setup with 1 or 5 bikes. With my 1 Up dual carrier rack I can drop the tailgate to the "limit" position. Not fully down flat.

Jahn · Apr 17, 2024

Here’s the link to the Kuat rack. It is expensive but it fits beautifully. Picture below is with tailgate down.
https://www.kuat.com/product/piston-sr-hitch-rack/?specs

Ford Maverick Bike Hauler - my single and multiple bike carrying solutions IMG_8017

bgn · Apr 17, 2024

Kashima on a bike rack! I thought I had seen it all.

Deweyordeweynot · Apr 18, 2024

Jahn said:
I spent a lot of time looking at different ways to carry bikes. I wanted to carry up to 5 mountain bikes, have a quick option to carry 1 bike and have a usable hard roll up tonneau cover. Here’s what I came up with:

For up to 5 mountain bikes -
I use a Yakima tailgate pad to go out with my kids.

For a single bike -
I use the Kuat SR with the hitch mount. It just arrived today and you can open the tailgate all the way down with the rack in its storage position. Just barely! I’ll leave this hitch rack on all summer - it looks great!

Sweet rack! Alas, my short wheelbase recumbent won't work on it, but I am working on a solution.

Alabama Maverick Owner · Apr 18, 2024

Here’s how I haul 2 recumbent trikes. I still have room for one regular bike on the front of the rack.

Ford Maverick Bike Hauler - my single and multiple bike carrying solutions IMG_0092

Ford Maverick Bike Hauler - my single and multiple bike carrying solutions IMG_0095

Earle · Apr 18, 2024

Here is the one I like the best, Check this one out, it’s call Ride88.

Ford Maverick Bike Hauler - my single and multiple bike carrying solutions IMG_0677

colinl · Apr 18, 2024

I have a yakima dr tray + 1 that I've owned since 2017 and had it behind several SUVs we owned. I really never liked it compared to a roof rack, but it was quieter. (A roof rack with 3 bikes going 80 is quite a sonic experience.)

One of the things I was really looking forward to with a Maverick, my first ever truck, was using a tailgate pad. I haul one MTB most often, but I also haul 2 quite frequently.

I just use a tailgate pad for one bike. that is really nice with your hitch rack that your tailgate can open, but I've noticed more drag and less gas mileage at interstate speeds with my hitch rack compared to bikes on the tailgate. I still use my 3 bike hitch rack for vacations when I have a bed full of stuff, under a soft trifold tonneau cover, but otherwise the tailgate pad is a lot better for me because of rear visibility, loading items in the bed, and honestly just walking around the truck.

Oscarcat · Apr 18, 2024

Jahn said:
I spent a lot of time looking at different ways to carry bikes. I wanted to carry up to 5 mountain bikes, have a quick option to carry 1 bike and have a usable hard roll up tonneau cover. Here’s what I came up with:

For up to 5 mountain bikes -
I use a Yakima tailgate pad to go out with my kids.

For a single bike -
I use the Kuat SR with the hitch mount. It just arrived today and you can open the tailgate all the way down with the rack in its storage position. Just barely! I’ll leave this hitch rack on all summer - it looks great!

What's wrong with the simple way: lowering the tailgate and hauling them in the bed? I'm sorry I didn't take photos when last I did it that way with 4 adult bikes but it is very simple, inexpense, no rack to store or mount.

Similarly, with two bikes, I bunge one to the left side and one to the right. Yes, the backup camera squawks when you put it into reverse with the tailgate down but that is minor.

Deva · Apr 18, 2024

I have an older kuat transfer that I put in the Mav. Just to see how it goes.
had some errands to do in the next town over about 90mikes so I took the bikes in for there yearly tuneup.
Was a pretty strong head wend that day but I did notice a 5 mpg difference in mpg.

also got the Himal tale gate pad that I will use most of the time.
unless it sucks. Still have yet to instal.
Figured I would give it a few months or more as there still lots of snow in these parts. Then decide if I am going to get another Kuat bike rake.

that single bike rack is cool that you can lower the tail gate.

Ford Maverick Bike Hauler - my single and multiple bike carrying solutions IMG_2321

Ford Maverick Bike Hauler - my single and multiple bike carrying solutions IMG_2323

colinl · Apr 18, 2024

Oscarcat said:
What's wrong with the simple way: lowering the tailgate and hauling them in the bed? I'm sorry I didn't take photos when last I did it that way with 4 adult bikes but it is very simple, inexpense, no rack to store or mount.

a lot of things are wrong with hauling bikes in the bed.

if you literally mean with nothing, it's a pain to strap everything down securely so that they don't move, fall out of the bed, or scrape against each other. if you mean with a mount like reply #8 in this thread, you can do that but I find it a waste of very limited bed space compared to a tailgate pad.

if you just want to dump cheap bikes in the bed and don't care about what happens to them, you are a different kind of bike owner than I am. but yeah, that can be done.

ZABSMAV · Apr 19, 2024

Alabama Maverick Owner said:
Here’s how I haul 2 recumbent trikes. I still have room for one regular bike on the front of the rack.

That can't in anyway be safe, or legal.

Alabama Maverick Owner · Apr 19, 2024

ZABSMAV said:
That can't in anyway be safe, or legal.

Sure it is. It is just a recumbent trike rack on the hitch with a second trike in the back of the truck. I have also added lights on the rack for safety.

Ford Maverick Bike Hauler - my single and multiple bike carrying solutions IMG_0093

Ford Maverick Bike Hauler - my single and multiple bike carrying solutions IMG_0094

ZABSMAV · Apr 19, 2024

Our state has laws for rear overhang exceeding 4 feet. Anything overhanging more than 4 feet requires a red clearance light at the rear for night travel. Also, in the daytime, red or orange flags are required for an overhang exceeding 4' rear. I am sure your state will have similar laws.

Bike Hauler - my single and multiple bike carrying solutions

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