Hauling Bikes in a Cargo Trailer

Triathlon Forum
1

I am setting up a cargo trailer to haul my bikes. Any creative suggestions on how to secure the bikes in the trailer to maximize space?

2

I’ve been toying with the same idea and maybe someone can comment on my thought. I’d like to use the fork clamps designed for pick-up trucks, bolted to the wall of the trailer. I think it would be best to have the rear wheel on the floor of the trailer to lessen the strain on the fork as the trailer goes bouncing down the road.

3

I was thinking that too. Or perhaps suspending the bike upside down from the ceiling of the trailer by both wheels?

4

If you do that, never underestimate the havoc inside a trailer at highway speeds. In other words, make sure the wheels can’t come up and out of the supports. I’m a little leary of the load capacity my trailer’s roof and I think I can mount to the wall supports without going through the wall itself.

Scan down through the pictures in this article, these guys get a crap ton of bikes and gear in a trailer, granted a pretty big one.
http://www.roadbikeaction.com/Tech-Features/content/67/3878/2011-Team-Camps.html

5

**If you do that, never underestimate the havoc inside a trailer at highway speeds. **

And don’t put ANYTHING else in there without tying it down very securely too.

It would suck to secure your bikes then have them damaged by a ricochetting floor pump :wink:

6

Use the fork clamps for $15-20 each. Mount on board at 30-45 degree angle to clear the handlebars of adjoining bikes - this also can elevate to front a bit. Tie the rear down with velcro straps though plastic electrical staples. I’d use screws v. nails for the clamps/staples for security and removability. Might want to put with bikes in backward so you have easy access to the clamps. Front wheels can go in a wheel holder or wheel bag/case.

I use a block with fork clamps in a SUV and put the front in a wheel bag next to it. The block will need to be bigger than you think or well anchored.

7

I do not know how big your cargo trailer is, but what I have done in the past is to take a 4ftX8ft sheet of plywood and mount as many front fork clamps to the plywood as I need. You can arrange the bikes anyway on the plywood that works best for you. Start with the plywood sheet in the trailer and arrange the bikes the way that works best, slide the plywood out and bolt the fork clamp mounts through the plywood, then slide the plywood back into the trailer to make sure you did not screw up the forks
placement. When you are not hauling the bikes you can simply slide the plywood sheet with the forks mounts out of the trailer and lean the plywood up against the wall in the garage until you want to haul the bikes again. This plywood fork mount system works for pick-up beds and vans also.
Hope this helps