Mountain Bike Carrier Ideas

I find that most people that don't MTB have no clue what the pads are on the back of trucks when they don't have bikes on them

 

Haha thats a good point.

 

A friend of mine had theirs stolen a few years ago. That's the only one I've heard of. I usually just take mine off and throw it on the back seat. I don't use it often so that's where it usually lives anyways. Makes a decent seat cover. I there will be 2-3 bikes on the tailgate I don't bother to strap it down so removing or putting it on is very quick.

 

Not sure if this was said, but the RaceFace T2 has a reinforced hoop that you can use to lock the pad to your truck. I don't use it, but you can.

Anyone ever have issues with a tailgate pad rubbing on stanchions? Its making me nervous.

 

I use a kuat hitch rack for my mtb and it has a lock - not completely theft proof but it will take a bit of time and tools to get it off. More of a one less thing to worry about while on the trails especially if I’m away for longer rides. I believe most of the mtb community are decent ppl I’m more concerned with the random person who drives up to the trailhead knowing that you will be away from the truck for a few hours.

 

No. Tailgate pads are the standard at this point. Not really any downside

 

So the Bomber Strap works with the OEM cover folded up? I thought back wheel will hit it and not allow bike to fit in short bed.

 

A tailgate pad will definitely make the back wheel hit on larger frame bikes in a short bed, actually maybe most adult frame sizes. The bomber pad I think would work fine in a short bed if it's like the kind you pictured that secures the front wheel in the front facing position. After wrestling my factory cover on and off enough times, I can appreciate that feature if I was biking alone.

 

I sewed up some soft tie down straps, similar to motorcycle tie downs but I used carabiners versus the heavy metal hooks. Quick and easy to strap 1-2 bikes in the bed

 

isi advanced out of australia is a pretty slick hitch mount. Rock solid and doesn't wobble, high clearance etc.

 

Cool looking bike mukluk?

 

I have the RaceFace T2 and really like it. I have not had issues of the pad rubbing on the stanchions or the lower part of the frame but that is probably because I am not a pro rider and we don't really drive that far or on rough terrain to get to our biking location. We are mostly a short drive to a park or something like that.

But when I was researching the pad idea, I did read about a bunch of people talking about this -- not only on the stanchions but also the down tube (which can rub even if it is secured tight with the pad strap. I came across two options. First, apparently there are pads made to protect in these kind of situations. But it seemed that most people buy those soft pads you wrap around your plumbing pipes and that seems to give people all the protection they need.

Hope that helps ...

 

Close, the Beargrease. Really fun bike and it clears 27.5x4.5 tires for plenty of float in the snow, and then plenty light for summer bikepacking

 

Some guy in LassenCounty, CA thought mine was for hunting...I guess the blocks on the raceface pad looks like gun barrel rests. Haha. I was like isnt it illegal to hunt from your vehicle?

 

I have a couple tailgate pads, a Raceface and an EVOC, (The EVOC is better), but I only like to use the "Canadian bike rack" for short, little hops, like a shuttle back to the top of the hill. The vibrations and dust damages the paint on the tailgate, damages the finish on the fork leg, and really, really damages the down tube on the bike. I always keep micro fiber rags in the truck to put between the tailgate pad and the down tube.

So with this new truck I built a small rack that mounts at the tailgate.

 

Awesome rack, but I full heartedly disagree with a tailgate pad damaging the truck. Mine stays on all summer with no issues.

Most bikes have frame protection these days on the downtube so I'm not concerned with that.

Edit: That lunar rock? Beautiful color.

 

You stole my idea!! But in all fairness, you executed it way better than I could have, haha.

 

It is a pretty cool idea and keeps the bike a lot safer than a pad or hitch.

 

my pad rubbed my frame down to the metal, Ide put a protector on your frame if you shuttle often imo

 

i had that thought when i got my rtt, lol. in all fairness, there were some windows broken at the lot i parked in. like 2 break ins the month leading up to me going there.

some pads have a security thing in them too. my dakine has a metal eyelet on one side you can cable lock it to something. not gonna help if someone really wants the pad, but prob more work than most would put in. id be more worried about someone stealing my tailgate... and now im paranoid