Pop Up Campers Archives - RVing Headquarters

Camping season being in full swing means it's prime time to take out your pop up camper to your favorite campgrounds. And bringing the bikes along is a great way to get around camp and explore the area! You're probably wondering: is there even a such thing as a pop up camper bike rack? The answer is yes, and there's more than one kind. In this pop up camper bike rack guide, we're covering a lot - including the 9 best bike racks for pop up campers. You'll learn: All the ways you can bring your bikes with your pop up camper Different mounting options The 9 best bike racks for your pop up A buyers guide to help you choose And more! Let's get started. Can You Put a Bike Rack on a Pop Up Camper? Yes, you can absolutely put a bike rack on a pop up camper. And you might be happy to know that there are multiple different types of bike racks you can use with your pop up… You’re not just limited to one type or style. No matter how many bikes you have or what your towing set up is, there is a bike rack for you. 9 Best Pop Up Camper Bike Racks List: (All Mount Styles & Carrying Capacities) ProRac Tent Trailer Bike Rack - 2-Bike Tongue Mount Swagman Bike Rack - 4-Bike Bumper Mount CURT Clamp On Trailer Hitch Bike Rack - 3-Bike Tongue or Hitch Mount Swagman Traveler XC2 Bike Rack - 2-Bike Hitch Mount Elevate Outdoor Bike Rack - 4-Bike Bumper Mount Elevate Outdoor Bike Rack - 2-Bike Bumper Mount Let’s Go Aero Bike Rack - 2-Bike Tongue Mount Swagman Nomad Bike Rack - 2-Bike Hitch Mount MaxxHaul 50027 Bike Rack - 2-Bike Hitch Mount Pro tip: Want to jump straight to the detailed overview of each bike rack? Click here. Ways To Bring Your Bikes When Towing a Pop Up Camper The hardest part about picking the best bike rack for your pop up camper is choosing what way you want to bring them. There are multiple ways to mount a bike rack on your tent trailer, but that’s not the only way you can bring them! You can also bring your bikes by using a bike rack on your car - aka your tow vehicle. Pop Up Camper Roof Rack Bike Rack Perhaps less common is the pop up camper roof rack. Some pop up campers come with roof rack bars installed, or you can install them yourself as an aftermarket accessory. If you have a roof rack on your pop up camper, you can use a standard roof rack bike rack to carry your bikes on top of your pop up. Keep in mind that a roof rack should be installed correctly to avoid voiding your warranty or causing damage or leaks to your pop up roof. Pop up camper roof rack (Amazon) Upright roof rack bike rack (Amazon) Fork mount roof rack bike rack (Amazon) Bumper Mounted Bike Rack Another way to bring your bikes on your pop up camper is with a bike rack that secures to your camper bumper. Bumper-mounted bike racks are popular with all types of RVs and they work great on pop ups, too. These bike racks fasten securely to the bumper of your camper and can hold anywhere from 2 - 4 bikes. There are several bumper-mount bike racks on our list! Tongue Mounted Bike Rack If you’ve ever seen someone carrying bikes between their camper and tow vehicle, chances are they’re using a tongue-mount bike rack. A tongue-mounted rack attaches to the tongue of your camper hitch, typically with an adjustable clamp. These types of bike racks can carry between 2 - 4 bikes. Front Hitch Racks on Your Tow Vehicle You can mount a bike rack to the front of your tow vehicle and carry your bikes in front of your car up against the grill. We don’t recommend this option, mostly because it’s a detailed installation and your bikes can be in your field of view. This is typically only done on large trucks or motorhomes. Plus, there are so many other (and better) ways you can mount a bike rack on your pop up! Tow Vehicle Roof Bike Racks If your tow vehicle has a roof rack, you can use a roof-mounted bike rack to carry your bikes. With these roof racks, your bikes sit straight up or tilted with the front wheel removed. Either method will add a significant amount of height to your vehicle, so be aware of that when routing under bridges and overpasses. Tow Vehicle Hitch Bike Rack You can also mount a bike rack to the hitch of your tow vehicle by using a dual hitch receiver attachment. A dual hitch receiver attachment like this one from CURT allows you to double your receiver - thus enabling you to tow your pop up camper and use a hitch-mounted bike rack. Truck Bed Bike Rack If you tow your tent trailer with a pickup truck, you can always put your bikes in the bed of your truck. A popular method of towing bikes in a truck bed is by using a tailgate cover and hooking your bikes over the tailgate. This tailgate cover can accommodate up to 6 bikes in total, which is perfect for a camping trip where the whole family wants to bring their bikes. Alternatively, you can use a bike rack in the front of your truck bed for standing the bikes up in the bed like this one from Heininger Automotive (pictured). Spare Tire Bike Rack If you drive a vehicle like an SUV or Jeep with a spare tire on the back, you can use a spare tire bike rack to carry your bicycles on your tow vehicle. Spare tire bike racks can hold anywhere between 2 - 4 bikes depending on the brand. This one from Hollywood Racks (pictured) holds 2 bikes and mounts securely on the spare tire. Pop Up Camper Bike Rack Mounting Options We covered mounting your bikes on both your camper and your tow vehicle. To sum up, here are the mounting options specifically for your camper: Bumper Mount Tongue Mount Roof-rack Mount Hitch Mount How to Add a Hitch to Your Pop Up Camper Bumper You can add a hitch receiver to your pop up camper bumper with a simple adapter. Adding a hitch receiver to your bumper opens up a whole new world of bike-carrying options! You can essentially use any hitch-mounted bike rack with your pop up camper with one of these bad boys. When selecting a bumper hitch receiver, be sure to read reviews and also look at the weight capacity. We recommend the CURT brand for stability, but it’s a little pricey! Here are a few bumper hitch receivers for any budget. CURT Bumper Hitch Receiver - 3,500 lb Capacity TOPTOW RV Bumper Hitch Receiver - 3,500 lb Capacity Reysun RV Bumper Hitch Receiver - 3,500 lb Capacity Pro tip: You can use a bumper hitch receiver to bring many types of accessories. You can even use it to mount a generator to your camper. Keep in mind that any accessories you add to your camper bumper will add to your overall towing weight. 9 Best Pop Up Camper Bike Racks Without further ado, let's get into the best pop up camper bike racks! 1. ProRac Tent Trailer Bike Rack - 2-Bike Tongue Mount ProRac Tent Trailer Bike RackTongue mountUp to 2 bike capacityFork-mount bike mountingTelescoping poles adjust to any pop up camper heightWeight: 23 poundsCheck Price on Amazon The ProRac tent trailer bike rack is the only bike rack on this list specifically made for pop up campers. This bike rack attaches directly to the trailer frame at the tongue and has telescoping poles to adjust to the perfect height for your specific pop up camper. It can hold up to 2 bikes with a fork-mount - meaning you take off the front wheel to secure the bikes to the rack. Helpful Customer Review: "This rack is rock solid. Way better built than I had anticipated. Easy to install. Very adjustable. Fit perfectly. I have a 1998 Jayco. So happy with this purchase. Zero worries about zooming down the road with bikes on there." - Gretchen 2. Swagman Bike Rack - 4-Bike Bumper Mount Swagman Bike RackBumper mountUp to 4 bike capacityHolds various sizes of bikes and wheel sizesUp to 30 lbs per bikeWeight: 41 lbsCheck Price on Amazon This Swagman bumper-mounted bike rack can hold 1-4 bikes on the bumper of your pop up camper. It’s designed for 4” to 4.5” square bumpers, so it will fit most campers. This bike rack is simple to use and can support various sizes of bikes. We even saw a customer using it to carry their tricycle, so if you need a bike rack to carry a tricycle, this is the one! Helpful Customer Review: "This Bike rack is the best by far that we have had! Four adult bikes fit without a problem. I was in my car following our camper during our last trip ( 3 1/2 hours) It did not move at all!" -Curlyfreakout 3. CURT Clamp On Trailer Hitch Bike Rack - 3 Bike Tongue or Hitch Mount CURT Clamp On Bike MountTongue or hitch mountUp to 3 bike capacity135 lb max carrying capacityWeight: 13 lbsCheck Price on Amazon The CURT Clamp-On trailer hitch bike rack is a good option for you if you want a sturdy rack that doesn’t connect to your bumper or hitch receiver. This clamp-on bike rack securely clamps onto any 2” by 2” ball mount shank on a trailer hitch receiver. This is a really versatile bike rack option, but keep in mind if you drive a truck or SUV, you will have to remove it every time you want to lower the tailgate or open your hatchback. Helpful Customer Review: "I drove from Virginia to the Florida keys and back over a 2 week period 2,300 miles. The rack was firm and held my bike securely. Easy to clamp on and off, easy to stow. Very pleased." - Jacob 4. Swagman Traveler XC2 Bike Rack - 2-Bike Hitch Mount Swagman Traveler XC2Hitch mountUp to 2 bike capacityComes with bumper hitch receiver adapterCenter arm folds down when not in use 35 lb weight capacity per bikeWeight: 28 lbsCheck Price on Amazon The Traveler XC2 hitch-mount bike rack from Swagman works with various RVs and campers - including pop ups. It only takes a few minutes to install this bike rack into a hitch receiver and you’re good to go! Once you arrive at the campsite and take your bikes off, you can fold down the upright bar so that you can extend your pop up camper bunks without removing the whole rack. Bonus: this bike rack actually comes with a bumper hitch receiver adapter, so you can use it on your bumper without purchasing a separate receiver. Helpful Customer Review: “I was pleasantly surprised how nice this rack was. The weight should tell you how sturdy it is. I added the Curt receiver just because I wanted more support. The one it comes with isn't bad.” - Greg 5. Elevate Outdoor Bike Rack - 4-Bike Bumper Mount Elevate Outdoor RackBumper mountUp to 4 bike capacityCan be used on any camper trailerMax capacity of 140 lbsFor bumpers that are 4" to 4.5:Weight: 35lbsCheck Price on Amazon This bike rack from Elevate Outdoor can support between 1 - 4 bicycles and has a max capacity of 140 pounds. It has bumper adapters to securely mount to your camper’s bumper - it’s designed for bumpers that measure 4” to 4.5”. Keep in mind that you will need to purchase tie-downs separately, and a set of good ratcheting straps should do the job just fine. Helpful Customer Review: “I replaced my 2 bike rack with this so we can bring all the bikes. Nice kit, it was pretty easy to install. The holes for the second vertical didn't quite line up so I had to drill a new one. And you need to use ratchet straps to hold the bikes as there is nothing to actually secure the bikes with this mount. It is very sturdy. I weigh about 200 pounds and can stand on it no problem. Some of the slots are a little small for mountain bike tires, I had to put my 29er in the last slot! Way better than the typical hitch mount style racks. I never worry that my bikes are going to fall off.” - SGTalon 6. Elevate Outdoor Bike Rack - 2-Bike Bumper Mount Elevate Outdoor Bike RackBumper mountUp to 2 bike capacity60 lb carrying capacityFor bumpers that are 4" to 4.5"Weight: 16.5 lbsCheck Price on Amazon This bike rack from Elevate Outdoor is almost identical to the previous one, but this one holds up to 2 bikes instead of 4. This bike rack is easy to install and can hold a maximum of 60 pounds. Like the previous rack, this rack is designed to fit 4” to 4.5” bumpers and installs with U-bolts around the bumper. Helpful Customer Review: “Works great! Easy to install. No issues after we drove all the way from Florida to Michigan.” - Amanda 7. Let's Go Aero Rack - 2-Bike Tongue Mount Let's Go Aero RackTongue mountUp to 2 bike capacityAdjustable wheel cradleCan be used on many types of trailersWeight capacity of 80 poundsWeight: 23 lbsCheck Price on Amazon This tongue-mount bike rack from Let’s Go Aero can carry up to 2 bikes and easily installs on your trailer tongue. You can attach it to your pop up camper tongue, cargo trailer, or even a boat trailer. This carrier has several features for enhanced stability and to prevent it from shaking and wobbling as you’re moving down the road. Helpful Customer Review: “I didn't know there was bike racks like this. I am very impressed so far. I bought the cheaper option of open box and it was missing the instructions/manual. Even without it, it was very easy to put together.” - RFI71 8. Swagman Nomad Bike Rack - 2-Bike Hitch Mount Swagman NomadHitch mountUp to 2 bike capacitySupports 35 lbs per bikeFolds up when not in useWeight: 43.9 lbsCheck Price on Amazon The Swagman Nomad is a different take on the Swagman Traveler bike rack. This hitch-mount bike rack has 7” of additional ground clearance which is really helpful if your pop up camper bumper is closer to the ground. The increased clearance allows you to get your camper up your driveway or against curbs without a problem. Instead of folding down when not in use, this bike rack folds up. So, you may need to take it off your camper to set up your bed bump-outs. Helpful Customer Review: “Really like this bike rack. It tightens down in the hitch so there’s no bouncing around.” - Joe 9. MaxxHaul 50027 - 2-Bike Hitch Mount MaxxHaul 50027Hitch mountUp to 2 bike capacity40 lb per bike carrying capacityFits most bikesVertical post is removable when not in useWeight: 33.1 lbsCheck Price on Amazon If the MaxxHaul 50027 bike rack looks familiar, your eyes aren’t deceiving you. This bike rack does look very similar to the Swagman Nomad, but there are a few key differences. The first difference is the removable post: the upright post is removable when not in use, so you don’t have to remove the whole bike rack to open your pop up. Second, this bike rack weighs 10 pounds less than the Nomad. While both bike racks are great options, the MaxxHaul weighs a little less. This bike rack is marketed for most vehicles, and one look at the customer reviews shows pictures from plenty of happy customers using it with their camper trailers. Helpful Customer Review: “Even my wife was skeptical that this rack would work for the price being charged. It is half the cost of a very similar rack and hundreds less than some big brand names. It went together very easily I have transported two bikes on it with ease after the initial set up. No wobble or swaying. I did not have to use the hitch tightener but it could be helpful for some. The tilt function allows me to open the tailgate on my truck with the bikes loaded. I have added some extra padding to the part that tightens down on the top of the bike frame.” - Anonymous Pop Up Camper Bike Rack Buying Guide: What to Consider Before Buying Before making your purchase, there are a handful of things to consider before getting a bike rack for your camper. How Many Bikes? Pop up camper bike racks can carry anywhere between 1 to 4 bikes, and up to 6 or more if you plan to put your bikes in the bed of your truck. Weight The weight of the bike rack with the bikes attached will add to the overall weight of your pop up camper. Depending on your tow vehicle, you may have to be careful about additional weight if you have a low towing capacity. Ease of Use Will you be leaving your bike rack installed on the camper or will you have to put it on and take it off each time? What would you prefer to do? Some bike racks stick straight up and will be in the way of your bed bump-outs, so you'll have to remove them to set up camp. Others are lower profile, and others still fold down when not in use. Mounting How do you want to mount your bikes on your camper? Would you prefer them on the roof, tongue, or bumper? Knowing this will help you narrow down your options. Wrapping Up If you're in the market for a pop up camper bike rack, any of the bike racks on this list is a great option. They're all pretty lightweight and very sturdy and enable you to bring all your bikes along for a great biking and camping trip.