It can be a daunting task to transport five bikes since most racks don’t support so many. Learn the best way to transport five bikes in one go
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For those who enjoy going outdoors and spending time with family and friends like to ride bikes when they are camping or hiking or even on a picnic, bikes come in handy on such occasions.
It allows spending quality leisure time together in recreational activities and sporting events where cyclists go for the marathon, racing events, and others.
For cyclists who enjoy riding their bikes and taking them for all such occasions, transporting or taking their bikes from one destination to another is also essential, be it a family with kids going on a family trip or professional cyclists going for a cycling event.
Certain times the number of bikes is more than one which can be transported easily on a car rack. You need to find a suitable way to transport five bikes at once since no ordinary bike rack will carry as many bikes for you.
In this article, we will discuss the best ways on how to transport five bikes for those that require them.
You might also like to read : How Fast Can You Go With Bikes On Roof
4 Ways To Transport Five Bikes
#1 Using a Tailgate Mount Rack
Bikes can be carried on a bike carrier that you can mount on the rear door of your vehicle. You can carry bikes on a rack that is mounted on the rear gate of your vehicle. Most of the carriers can carry a maximum of 3 bikes on the rear door of your vehicle. You can check for the rear door carriers available for your vehicle, as many modern cars cannot take a rear door-mounted bike carrier because of the tailgate design. It is not possible to fit a rear door mounting bike carrier if your car has a spoiler.
You will need to carry two bikes on the roof if you use a rear mounted rack in your car since the carrier can only take three cycles in the rear.
Let us have a look at the advantages of using a tailgate mount rack:
- It is easy to load bikes on a rear trunk rack.
- These racks can be used by multiple vehicles. This helps you borrow or rent the racks quickly and is a good investment if purchased as it can be used on other cars.
- The tailgate racks have a lower cost than any other rack options available, making it easy and inexpensive for you to transport the bikes.
- The bikes on the rear mount can be seen easily, ensuring their security.
A few disadvantages of having a rear-mounted trunk rack are:
- Opening of the rear boot as you will require to take the bikes off to open the boot
- In the event of a rear-end accident, the bikes are sure to be damaged
- If you don’t secure the bike in the right way. There is a high possibility of damage.
- If the rack isn’t correctly installed, it can scratch the paint of your vehicle
- Mounting a rear rack limits your access to the rear door and space of your vehicle.
Other things to consider while carrying your bikes in the rear carrier are:
You need to ensure that high-mounted rear door carriers do not bump into any cargo that you might be carrying on the rear side of the vehicle’s roof, such as a roof box that is long enough to reach all the way to the back.
The cost of the number plate and light board is to be considered if they are obstructed by the bikes.
You can also transport the bikes in two different cars while mounting them in the rear mount trunk rack if you cannot mount the two bikes on the roof because of the bike weight or for safety measures.
#2 Using Tow Bar Carrier For Bikes
The tow bar bike carrier can carry all types of bikes, such as fat bikes and e-bikes, without much effort. Being lightweight and robust, these carriers are easy to install and make a very useful option for carrying bikes with four bikes in the rear.
The tow bar carrier costs economical and is cheaper in independent garages than dealers. Among the tow bars for bike carriers, a “bolt on” style tow bar is generally more affordable than a “detachable” tow bar or “swan neck” tow bar. It is a good investment for your bike carrier as it enables you to mount it on several different vehicles in the long run.
The tow bar carrier is easier to install than fitting several bikes on the roof of your vehicle.
The tow bar generally fits up to four bikes due to its nose weight, which it can withhold. On certain cars, such as 4x4s, where the nose weight is at least 200 pounds, it can carry five bikes on a bolt-on style tow bar. For other vehicles, the one bike has to be carried inside the car or on the roof.
Some advantages of the tow bar carrier are
- The tow bar carrier is lightweight
- It is easy to install the tow bar carrier
- The carrier can carry five bikes depending on the nose weight
- It is a good investment as it can be used on multiple cars.
You might also like to read : Can You Get 4 Bikes On a Roof Rack?
#3 Truck Bed
One of the best ways to carry five bikes is on a truck bed. Since trucks have a design suitable for carrying things for a long haul, they make an excellent bike hauler. A rented pickup truck would be convenient for transporting five bikes at the same time. The large bed gives a convenient option to load and unload the bicycles with ease and without a negligible amount of expense.
Although the bikes could be loaded on the truck bed, it is not advisable as the bike is likely to move around and risk getting scratched or damaged while being transported. However, there are numerous solutions for transporting your bikes in trucks without being damaged.
One of the cheapest methods is to use soft straps or bungee cords to hold up the bikes. It is cost-effective, reliable and an easy way to secure your bikes in the truck. Avoid straps that are of ratchet-type as it is tricky to identify the exact tension required to hold down the bike.
Be cautious while securing the bike as strapping the front alone is not sufficient enough, and the rear may get bouncy. It is advisable to use a long strap. The strap will secure the rear of the bike by the bike’s saddle.
You can also make a DIY bike rack using PVC pipes. Although they may not look aesthetically pleasing, it is very durable and can last for years. A little paint job on the rack can do the work.
You can even opt for commercial truck bed solutions for bikes from Yakima, Thule, and Dakine, which are popular among mountain bikers and you can use it to carry other bikes as well. These companies make truck tailgate blankets, and the feedback mentions that the cushion of the adequately designed tailgate blankets keeps the bikes secure.
- Innoracks Velo Gripper secures the bed’s side with elastic and ratchet straps and secures the bike at the bed’s side.
- The Thule Bed Rider secures the bike using the front fork and requires the removal of the front wheel.
- Yakima Bedrock Tower allows the use of almost all of the bike’s racks and frees up the bed for carrying cargo.
#4 Using Logistics services
You can also use the services of a logistics company that provides relocation services as packers and movers to transport the bikes. The logistics company packs and ships the bikes to your destination.
The bikes are loaded in a container trailer for ground shipment and transported to your designated destination. This saves you the hassle of buying carriers and making arrangements for transportation using your vehicle, as the logistical company bears the risk.
You might also like to read : Do You Need A Light Board For A Bike Rack
Answers To Other Commonly Asked Questions About Carrying Multiple Bikes
What is the cheapest way to ship a bike?
The cheapest way to ship a bike is by using a ground shipment service where the bike can be put in a bike box and approximately 30lbs of luggage. The shipment takes three days to reach the destination.
Can you carry five bikes in a car?
Yes, it’s possible to carry five bikes in a car, depending on the car type. While it’s not advisable to carry all five bikes on the roof of the car as it won’t be easy to fit it in, mainly if it’s a 4X4 or MPV. Many people carry three bikes on the rear and one or two bikes on the roof.
Can you put five bikes on a four bike rack?
It is challenging to get four bikes on a four bike rack, and adding a fifth one will not be kept secured as others could not be worked when exceeding the weight capacity of the bike rack and will risk damaging the bikes.
What sort of carriers can be used to transport five bikes?
The carriers that can help transport five bikes are a rear door mounted bike carrier and the tow bar bike carrier.
Can we transport five bikes on a truck bed?
A truck bed is one of the easiest and inexpensive ways to transport the five bikes. The bikes can be transported using a truck bed or by strapping them with bungee cords.