Recommended Platform-Type Bike Rack for 20 ft. RV

Updated 06/18/2012 | Published 06/13/2012

Products Featured in This Question

Swagman XTC2 Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount

(1635)

$198.28

Swagman XC2 Bike Rack for 2 bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount

(1953)

$182.72

Question:

I just bought a 20 ft. rv with back entrance it has stairs that are lowered when door opens, also have a spare on the back of rv. Looking for a 2 bike carrier to fit the hitch. One of the bikes is a row bike, is heavy and cumbersome. Does not fit well on our current bike rack. Would like to know if the sport rack 2 #A30901 would be a rack that would work with rv. Have read reviews and know of requirements to measure from the hitch. Any other information would be helpful to find out if this will work for our rv. Thank you

asked by: Bareedy17

Expert Reply:

Because an RV has a greater distance between the rear axle and the back bumper than is typically found on a passenger vehicle or SUV, anything attached to the rear of the vehicle will experience additional shaking and bouncing. (Remember riding in the back seat of the school bus?) Because of this, only certain bike racks are recommended for use on the rear of RVs, because they have been designed to withstand these additional bouncing and jarring forces.

The primary problem with the SportRack bike rack you mentioned is the hooks used to secure the bikes to the rack. The hooks are secured using knobs that keep the hooks in place. Shaking and bouncing will cause these knobs to loosen, possibly resulting in the loss of the bikes. The Swagman XTC-2, part # S64670 is a very similar rack but the hooks use a positive ratcheting system that locks into place and will not be affected by the bouncing.

You will need to determine if you have sufficient clearance to be able to use the rack. The Swagman # S64670 provides 8 inches from the hitch pin hole to the closest edge of the rack. You will need to measure rearward from your hitch pin hole to determine how much room you need to clear any obstructions like a spare tire. If this distance is less than 8 inches, the XTC-2 would be a great choice. The Swagman XC, part # S64650 offers 10-1/2 inches of clearance.

These racks are the most similar to the SportRack model you referenced, although we offer other racks that are approved for use on an RV. If you click on the provided link, you can see all the RV bike racks we offer.

expert reply by: Mike L