How to Choose a Bike Rack for a Fifth-Wheel or Pop-Up Camper

To help you choose a bike rack that is compatible with your camper and bikes, it is important to consider four simple points

• Vehicle Compatibility
• Bike Compatibility
• Vehicle Accessibility
• User Compatibility

Vehicle Compatibility

Do you have pop-up or fifth-wheel camper?

• Bike racks can be mounted to the camper 2 ways
  • Mount to the roof of pop-up campers
  • Slide into the hitch
    • We offer hitches for campers

Does your camper have a hitch?

• What size hitch receiver do you have?
  • Hitch receivers are usually 1-1/4" x 1-1/4" or 2" x 2"
  • Bike racks are designed to fit 1-1/4", 2" or both receiver sizes
• What class is your hitch?
  • Class 1
    • Carries up to 2 bikes
    • 1-1/4" Hitch receiver
  • Class 2
    • Carries up to 4 bikes
    • Usually a 1-1/4" receiver
  • Class 3
    • Carries up to 5 bikes
    • 2" Hitch receivers
• A Class 2 bike rack designed to fit a 1-1/4" reciever will NOT fit in a Class 1, 1-1/4" receiver.
• Ensure that bike rack is compatible with your hitch receiver
• Swagman non-folding, single-arm, hitch-mount bike racks are the ONLY hitch-mount racks designed to endure the rough, bumpy ride behind a towed camper

Bike Compatibility

Bike racks come in a variety of styles. Consider what style bike rack would be most compatible with your bike frames and transportation reqirements.

Roof Mount (For Pop-Up Trailers)

• Wheel-mount bike rack
• Each bike wheel is placed in a holding tray
• Bike is held in place using bungee straps (included with rack)
• Accommodates all bike sizes
• Accommodates most wheel sizes
• Capacity: 4 bikes
• Simple loading

Hitch-Mount Bike Racks (Single Arm)

• Only single arm racks made by Swagman have been approved for use behind campers
• Single-arm-model bike rack supports bike by securing it's crossbar to rack
• Capacity: 4 bikes
• 2 Styles

• Single, Rotatable Cradles
  • Rotates to keep wheels level, providing excellent ground clearance
  • Secure bike frame to rack with hand knob when you tighten top plate
  • Accommodate most styles and sizes of bikes simultaneously
  • Can be bulky - sometimes make it difficult to secure bikes with small frames
    • May require an adapter bar
  • Load and unload easily

• Top Plate
  • Single top plate secures all cradles simultaneously
  • Top plate must be removed to load and unload any bike
  • Alternative-frame bikes will have adequate ground clearance
    • An adapter bar may be necessary

Vehicle Accessibility

Roof- and hitch-mounted bike racks do not limit the accessibility of your vehicle.

User Compatibility

Choose a rack with features that make it convenient and easy for you to handle.

Installation

Roof Racks

• Mount to roof of a pop-up trailer
• Tie-down mounts must be installed as anchors for rack tie-down straps
• Requires drilling

Hitch-Bike Racks

• Mount into hitch receiver
• Installs easily
• Consider using an anti-rattle hitch bolt to reduce jostling of bikes and rack during transport