Bicycles & bike in Maverick at OSH

[Ranchero]

I own and ride multiple city bikes. Generally they are larger frames and longer - unlike the little one displayed in the Maverick bed at Oshkosh.

In the past for bikes I have used a Ranchero, an El Camino, an F-150, and now am using a Ford Transit Connect SWB. The FTC is great because the bikes are protected inside from weather and invisible to others when the FTC is parked. However with the front wheel on the front tire intrudes a bit to bother arm room for driver and passenger.

The little bike on display at OSH makes me leery about getting one my big ones safely secured in the Maverick bed. My bikes are generally about five feet from the front of the front tire to the center of the rear hub and about six feet, or a tad more, from the front of the front tire to the rear of the rear fender.

I am hoping that the Maverick bed, with the tailgate down, can accommodate two or three bikes. I can secure them well to bed locations. I hope the tailgate will not bounce. I am anxious to measure the bed and tailgate for the purpose of loading my bikes. I would prefer to have bikes inside the FTC but am so intrigued by the Maverick that I am willing to consider putting bikes in the Maverick bed and leave the tailgate down. I don't want dirty or stolen bikes and I don't want a damaged tailgate or bike.

Any comments?

Sponsored

 

[Bikeric]

Maybe use the rear most roof rack crossbar (an option) and attach fork mounts to it?

 

[BDennis]

Using that 2x4 method of mounting the skewers leaves too much room wasted room upfront. Mount a couple of short 2x4 pieces on the front of the board so you can mount the skewers further forward. This combined with bed extender should easily take care of longer bikes.
For the poster of this thread, how far from the end of your fork to the outside of your rear tire?

 

[Ranchero]

Thanks. These are bicycles I am carrying - not motorcycles. They are big - like Dutch city bikes. I prefer not to take off the front wheel but I can. I prefer to load one or two or three assembled bicycles in a vehicle - without removing the front wheel. I want them in fully assembled, if possible.

My wife has a Ford Escape. We just did a trip. My one bike was in back, on top of our other stuff. For that I had to take off the front wheel, left pedal and saddle and rotate the handle bars 90 degrees. That's fine but I'd rather not waste the time on a bike carried in my own vehicle.

I want to mount between one and three bicycles, parallel to each other, in the back of a Maverick. I do not want anything other that flat, horizontal mounting - like illustrated by that little bike on the Maverick at the EAA in Oshkosh. I can strap the bikes down securely. The bike on Ford's display Maverick was tiny - not like mine. It fit fine.

With the tailgate down I think my bikes can fit. I am worried about damage to the lowered tailgate from road grit, the tailgate bouncing on freeway joints and the whole load fitting. I will measure and inspect when the Maverick appears at a local dealer.

Apx. 5 feet from end of forks to end of rear wheel - same distance from front of front wheel to bottom of rear wheel/center of rear hub. I want to mount bikes with front tire touching back of cab, horizontally and with rear wheel/rear fender sticking out over lowered tailgate. Length of a bike in the truck that way is 6 feet or a bit more for some bikes.

 

[mamboman777]

Thanks. These are bicycles I am carrying - not motorcycles. They are big - like Dutch city bikes. I prefer not to take off the front wheel but I can. I prefer to load one or two or three assembled bicycles in a vehicle - without removing the front wheel. I want them in fully assembled, if possible.

My wife has a Ford Escape. We just did a trip. My one bike was in back, on top of our other stuff. For that I had to take off the front wheel, left pedal and saddle and rotate the handle bars 90 degrees. That's fine but I'd rather not waste the time on a bike carried in my own vehicle.

I want to mount between one and three bicycles, parallel to each other, in the back of a Maverick. I do not want anything other that flat, horizontal mounting - like illustrated by that little bike on the Maverick at the EAA in Oshkosh. I can strap the bikes down securely. The bike on Ford's display Maverick was tiny - not like mine. It fit fine.

With the tailgate down I think my bikes can fit. I am worried about damage to the lowered tailgate from road grit, the tailgate bouncing on freeway joints and the whole load fitting. I will measure and inspect when the Maverick appears at a local dealer.

Apx. 5 feet from end of forks to end of rear wheel - same distance from front of front wheel to bottom of rear wheel/center of rear hub. I want to mount bikes with front tire touching back of cab, horizontally and with rear wheel/rear fender sticking out over lowered tailgate. Length of a bike in the truck that way is 6 feet or a bit more for some bikes.

I ordered the trailer hitch with my XLT Mav. I'm planning on putting a bike hitch for most of my biking adventures.

 

[medgar]

I follow the simpler the better and diy method. If you will take of the front wheel off, you can purchase a man made wood 2x4 cut it to fit bed where the inserts are located. Purchase Yakima or off brand front skewers and screw them into the wood. No rot and the bikes will not go anywhere.

 

[KansasGravel]

Check out Latchit rack. www.latchitrack.com. They retail for $399. Pretty clever solution. The lock on the tailgate locks the rack, there is a cable lock included in the tup tube, it should give you plenty of length for your bikes and they can fit up to 5 bikes. I emailed them to see if the small version will fit, and they seem to think it will, but have to test it themselves when Mavericks become available. They do work with the ranger and gladiator tailgates.

 

[mamboman777]

Check out Latchit rack. www.latchitrack.com. They retail for $399. Pretty clever solution. The lock on the tailgate locks the rack, there is a cable lock included in the tup tube, it should give you plenty of length for your bikes and they can fit up to 5 bikes. I emailed them to see if the small version will fit, and they seem to think it will, but have to test it themselves when Mavericks become available. They do work with the ranger and gladiator tailgates.

That's cool! I noticed it doesn't fit current Honda Ridgeline. Probably need to poke them to make one that fits the Mav

 

[KansasGravel]

That's cool! I noticed it doesn't fit current Honda Ridgeline. Probably need to poke them to make one that fits the Mav

I think that the primary issue with the Ridgeline is the design of the dual opening tailgate. They say that the padding is a tiny bit bunched in the Gladiator, accounting for how narrow the opening is on that truck. (50”).

 

[mamboman777]

QUOTE="KansasGravel, post: 20323, member: 2068"]
I think that the primary issue with the Ridgeline is the design of the dual opening tailgate. They say that the padding is a tiny bit bunched in the Gladiator, accounting for how narrow the opening is on that truck. (50”).
[/QUOTE]
That makes perfect sense. Still, I would seek confirmation from the company before purchase. All that being said, looks like an awesome product.

Sponsored