bike rack travel trailer

11 Best Bike Racks for Travel Trailers (Updated 2023)

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As there are many types of bike racks available for your travel trailers, it is common to get confused. Choosing the right bike rack needs much experience and you need to think it over carefully according to your requirements.

So in this article, we present you with a list of bike racks that are suitable for any RV or travel trailer.

Different Types of Bike Racks for Travel Trailers

There can be plenty of bike racks for your travel trailer. They are all of the different shapes, sizes, and styles. Based on the preferences of different people, these racks had categorized into several types. If you are wishing to transport or haul your bikes with an RV or trailer, you need to find out which type of rack will be the most perfect for your trailer or RV. In order to get the perfect bike rack for your trailer, you need to be clear about these types of bike racks.

Just like the types of bike racks for normal vehicles, there are generally three types of bike racks available for Trailers, RVs, 5th Wheel Campers, and similar type vehicles. They are – hitch-mount, bumper-mount, and ladder-mount bike racks. We are going to demonstrate each of these racks and highlight the differences among these bike racks. Therefore, the management for choosing the suitable type for your trailer will be much easier once you have identified the differences.

Hitch-Mount Racks:

Most of the RVs, trailers come with a hitch pre-installed. So, hitch-mount bike racks are the most popular for a trailer. Moreover, the people who own an RV or a trailer; kind of look for the hitch-mount racks first rather than the other types because these are the choices that come into their minds first.

Again, these racks have different kinds with different bike load capacities. Most of the time you will find that these racks have the ability to carry 2, 3, or 4 bicycles respectively and you will find them in the market accordingly. Depending on how these racks carry your bikes, they can be found in hanging-style and platform-style.

With that being said, it is up to you to decide what style of hitch-mount bike rack suits your trailer the best. At the same time, you should also determine how many bikes you are willing to carry according to your preference. You may already know, hitch-mount bike racks are also available for regular type vehicles. This shows excellent versatility for such bike racks as these racks have proved to work very well with almost all regular types of vehicles.

The main difference between a regular vehicle hitch-mount and a trailer hitch-mount is the size of the hitch-receiver. Most regular hitch-mount racks work with 1.25” x 1.25” or 2” x 2” receivers. On the other hand, trailer hitch-mount racks only work with 2” X 2” receivers. But that doesn’t mean that you should try a regular hitch rack on a trailer because the hitch racks that are built for trailers or RVs are much stronger and can handle excessive pressure for being mounted at the back of an RV or a trailer. That is why these racks are called “RV approved”.

Bumper-Mount Racks:

If your bikes remain in a horizontal position while they are being mounted on a bike rack and also stays relatively high above the ground, then you may face a problem. The problem is the difficulty of accessing the rear-view mirror. When the bikes remain in such a position, the only thing you see when you look at the rear-view mirror is your bikes. They block the view and it will become difficult to see what is behind your vehicle. This difficulty rises to the next level when you are trying to park your trailer or you are driving backwards.

Therefore, some trailer owners like to have a bumper-mount rack for transporting their bikes. Bumper-mount bike racks provide a clear view by eliminating any visibility issues. Therefore, for the cautious drivers; these racks will come in very handy.

Hence, you may experience some issues if you use this kind of bike rack. For example – these racks can only work with a trailer or RV that has Steel welded bumper. Any spot-welded bumper or aluminium constructed bumper will not work with these types of racks. Then again, your RV or trailer must have a 4” to 4.5” square shape bumper otherwise; these racks will not accommodate. Most of the time, they are made to transport two or four bikes of the same type and size. So, if you plan on transporting two different types of bikes however, this type of rack is not suitable for you.

We should also inform you that a rack like this can provide the strength that can adapt the pressure coming from your bike’s weight. This type of rack maintains a balance of the overall weight combining the bikes and the trailer. Just make sure your RV or trailer features the optimal bumper if you wish to mount a rack like this. Most of these racks are able to carry either 2 or 4 bikes and they don’t require the usage of the hitch. As a result, you get an option to mount other things on your trailer hitch.

Ladder-Mount Racks:

The last but not least type of bike rack is the ladder-mount type. If your trailer contains a ladder at the back, then you can think of installing this type of bike rack. This type of rack keeps your bikes vertically where the front tires remain facing towards the ground. Most of the time, you will find these racks carrying two bikes at the back of an RV or trailer. Sometimes, they ensure proper security by providing hooks and rubber straps for the bikes.

Sadly, there are some disadvantages to this type of rack as well. We can start with the difficulty of loading and unloading of the bikes. Since your bikes remain at a high level attached to the ladder. So when you are a short guy or if you own quite heavy bikes, then there will be a hassle to load and unload your bikes as lifting them at a higher level will be quite difficult. Again, if you want to access the ladder for other means, you have to unmount the rack first and you have to do that every time you want to access the ladder that is very tiresome and exhausting. Moreover, these racks don’t have a mentionable capacity for bike loading. They can be expected to carry at most 2 bikes and they have to be very light.

When you know about the advantages and disadvantages of these bike racks, you can probably understand that these racks are for those who don’t have any hitch or bumper on their RVs or trailers. So if your RV or trailer do have a bumper that is capable of mounting a bumper-mount rack or a hitch that is appropriate for a hitch-mount rack, then you should go for them instead of buying a ladder-mount bike rack.

The Importance of a Trailer Bike Rack

If you are thinking – “I have an RV that is different from a regular vehicle, should I buy a bike rack ?” Then I must say you obviously should. Having a bike rack on your trailer can be beneficial in a multitude of ways. Like any regular vehicle, a trailer lets you the option to mount a bike rack on its hitch-receiver, bumper, or even on the ladder if it contains any. The manufacturers already thought about this requirement, so they built these vehicles in such a way that they can adapt a bike rack. So what is the importance of an RV or trailer bike racks that will lead you to buy them? We are going to discuss them below –

You can maintain a good condition of your bikes:

If you think you can store your bikes inside your RV or probably you are already doing it, then it will be normal that your bikes will be prone to scratches and damages as they are being stored in a small space

The situation will be worse if you make a typical RV ride on a bumpy road. Your bikes will collide with each other and get damaged and scratched off their paints. As a result, they will certainly vanquish their overall quality. So if you are wise, you should not hesitate to invest in a good quality bike carrier for your trailer.

you invest in a quality bike carrier and invest once rather than buying different cheap racks again and again. Different RV bike racks protect your bikes in different ways. So before you buy, try to make sure the bike rack that you are buying will carry your bikes in the most convenient way and will meet the requirements to adjust your trailer.

Convenient storage of your bikes:

I don’t have to remind you again that you can store your bikes on a bike rack in a suitable way instead of just storing them inside your trailer, you already know that. If you are a real outdoor sports lover who loves to go out with his bike frequently, then you need a suitable bike carrier no matter what type of vehicle you drive. Because of the limited storage inside of an RV or trailer, loading your bikes will be problematic.

The problem arises when you plan to make a group tour with multiple bikes. It is almost impossible to make a tour of 4 or 5 people where everyone has a bike and you need to load their bikes and also your bike along with them. A high-quality bike rack can carry multiple bikes at the same time and keep them secured and protected during the whole tour. Therefore, a lot of valuable room inside your RV or trailer will be saved.

You will have peace in mind when you know that your bikes are safe on the rack and with the available space inside your trailer, you can keep other necessary stuff that you will pick up during the trip.

Bike loading and rack’s portability:

A problem may arise when you simply just leave your bikes inside your trailer. That is the loading and unloading problem of your bikes. If you are somehow able to cram your bikes inside your RV, it will be very difficult to take them out. It will be a trouble because you need to take your bike out from a small space and you may damage or scratch the bike while taking it out. The trouble will be bigger if your trailer is filled with other stuff and all of the stuff is laying on your bike. If you really wish to damage your bike you can do that. There is also another problem when you want to take out your bike even if there is no stuff laying on your bike. The problem is the weight of your bike. It will be very tough to take out a heavy bike from inside an RV. All these loading and unloading problems can be solved easily if you install a bike carrier on your trailer. An ultimate bike carrier can make storing and removing your bikes a breeze.

However, this feature ultimately depends on the type of bike rack as some of the types need some effort to mount and unmount the bikes. For instance, storing and removing your bikes on a ladder-mount bike rack can be challenging due to the heights where this type of rack keeps your bikes.

When we talk about the portability of RV or trailer bike racks, we can see that most types of these racks stick to the RV or trailer. When you install a bike rack on your trailer or RV, you should know you can’t install and uninstall the rack again and again. These racks were meant to attach to the trailer for a long period of time, they don’t permit you to carry them around in your hand.

Keep your bikes safe from collision:

If you wish to proceed with your journey leaving your bikes inside your RV, then you will certainly make a grave mistake. Your bikes will tangle together and they will make frequent collisions with each other and with other things that will be laying around them. This situation will cause a great disaster and you will find your bikes damaged. I am sure you don’t want that to happen.

A good bike rack will offer assurance against this type of occurrence. Various bike carriers keep your bikes in various positions outside your RV and they provide adequate safety and security so that you can make a worry-free trip knowing that your bikes are safe.

Hitch-mount, ladder-mount, and bumper-mount racks keep your bikes relatively far from the trailer and ensure there is enough space between two bikes. That is how bike racks reduce the collision among bikes. But you can enhance the avoidance of collision if you tighten your bikes with straps or hooks so that they don’t sway when the road condition is not ideal.

Our Top Pick(s)

After tremendous hours of research and hard work, we like to entitle the Swagman E-SPEC as our “Overall Best Choice” among all the bike racks.

RV Approved + eBike Compatible Bike Rack | Overall Best Choice

The Swagman E-SPEC will be a fantastic bike rack when you are looking for a bike rack not just for regular bicycles but also for eBikes and fat-tire bikes. This rack offers an outstanding weight-bearing capability where it can load 2 bikes of 70 lbs each, now that is great. You can protect your bikes with locking ratcheting hooks and protect the rack itself with locking hitch-pin. So, you can guess this rack doesn’t compromise even for a bit when it comes to security. Load any bike effortlessly because this rack can hold a tire that is up to 3” wide. This rack is blessed with some impressive features such as foldability, convertibility, versatility, and so on. And we can assure you, these features make this rack superb. A fat-tire tray is available to load fat-tire bikes that need to be bought separately.

Type: Hitch-Mount (Tray-Style)
Adaptable Hitch Receiver: 2”
Rack Weight (lbs): 60
Dimensions (inch): 39 x 12 x 11
Bike-Wheel Diameter: 20” – 29”
Number of Bikes: 2
Max Load Per Bike: 70 lbs.
Maximum Weight Limit: 140 lbs.

11 best bike racks you can buy today for travel trailers

All of these 11 bike racks are outstanding in their own aspects. Although we have declared our overall best choice, your personal choice may migrate to another bike rack from our selection as you may be looking for a bike according to your own preferences. So we highly recommend you to read the whole post because we can assure you it will be worth your time. But for the people who are always busy and who can spare very limited time, we have made this comparison chart so that they can have an overall idea about all of the racks quickly.

# Hitch-Mount Bike Rack

1) Swagman E-SPEC rack

Max Load Per Bike: 70 lbs
Maximum Weight Limit: 140 lbs
eBike Compatible: This rach was designed to carry any heavy bike or eBike that weighs up to 70 lbs.
Locking Ratcheting Hooks: You will have peace in mind knowing that your bikes are safe with locking ratcheting hooks and hitch-pin that are included with the rack.
Adaptable Wheel Size: Fits any bike with a wheel diameter ranging from 20” to 29” and with a tire width up to 3”.
Bike Compatibility: Can accommodate any bike of different frame sizes, shapes and styles.
Foldable: This rack allows you to conveniently access the rear hatch by folding itself.
Convertible: You can convert this rack either into a folding eBike rack or a non-folding RV eBike rack according to the installation of the bolt.
Versatile: A versatile rack for heavy-duty usage with a weight-bearing limit of 140 lbs for 2 bikes.
Easy Assembly: This rack allows a simple installation process that should be completed within a few minutes if you go by the instructions.
Corrosion-Resistant: A steel rack with durable powder coating that makes it corrosion resistant.
Available Fat-tire Tray: For loading any 3” to 5” fat-tires, you will get an option to buy an additional fat-tire tray for this rack.
A limited lifetime warranty will be provided with this rack.
There are negative reviews that point to the bottom straps of this rack got snapped.
This rack stays considerably far from the rear of the vehicle that makes parking or backing-out the vehicle a little bit difficult.
Bike’s handlebars seem to remain very close to the RV.

It is not common to find a rack that can be used on an RV trailer and at the same time can be used as a normal bike rack with everyday functionalities when it comes to using it on a passenger vehicle. That is why “Swagman” has introduced the E-Spec . This bike rack is a tray-style hitch mount bike rack that is approved to use on RVs, 5th Wheels and Travel Trailers. This rack will support 2” x 2” class -3 hitch receivers for these types of vehicles. The ratcheting arms are very soft to protect your bike frame and the straps will keep the wheels of the bikes very steady during the whole time of the adventure.

Swagman E-SPEC

This rack is great for using on any passenger vehicle as well. It will fold up for convenient storage and also for rear hatch or tailgate access. You don’t need to worry about your prized possessions as this rack includes locking hooks and a hitch-pin that offer adequate security. Also, a fat-tire tray is available for loading any fat-tire bikes with 5” wide tires. With a total weight load capacity of 140 lbs, this rack is capable of holding any heavy bike up to 70 lbs each. Check out this video if you want to know about the installation process of this rack –

2) Yakima LongHaul rack

Premium Hitch Bike Rack for RV and Travel-Trailer

Type: Hitch-Mount (Hanging)
Rack Weight (lbs): 32
Dimensions (inch): 28 x 13 x 41
Number of Bikes: 4
Max Load Per Bike: 37.5 lbs
Maximum Weight Limit: 150 lbs
RV Approved: This rack was tested and permitted to use on RVs.
ZipStrip™ cradles: Loading and unloading the bikes will become a breeze with the help of SuperCush ZipStrip™ cradles.
Anti-Sway Design: The cradles are designed in an anti-sway style for keeping your bike in place and reducing bike-to-bike contact.
Full SKS Security Package: This rack includes a full SKS Locking package where you lock the last to the RV with a hitch lock and lock the bikes to the rack with LockDown™ cables.
Foldable Arms: Allows convenient parking and storage by folding the arms down when you are not using it.
Stable Transportation: This rack Stabilizes your bikes with 2 integrated safety straps that come with buckles.
Build Quality: Made of sturdy steel furnished with a silver powder coat that makes it chip-resistant.
Yakima Bottle-Cap Opener: Take a break during your journey and enjoy a soft drink anytime by opening the cap with the help of Yakima’s signature bottle-cap opener.
Bring-Your-Own-Lock Point: You can reinforce the overall security by adding extra locks with this threading point.
Offered with a limited lifetime warranty from Yakima.
This rack may not accommodate all shapes and sizes of bike frames.
Bikes remain very congested that can make 2 bikes collide with each other.
You cannot wish to mount a spare-tire at the back of your RV while this rack is being installed.

When the demand for using an RV and travel trailer grew rigorously, then Yakima thought of making a bike rack that can work both on regular type vehicles and on RVs, Travel-Trailers and 5th Wheel Campers. Thus the Yakima LongHaul was produced. The name suggests that it can stand up for tours that consist of long miles. As a result, it was built, designed and tested through and through. This rack is estimated to take 5 minutes to be installed and some assembly is required.

The LongHaul vows to transport 4 bikes with ease and care where each bike can weigh 37.5 lbs. So, the total weight limit for this rack is close to 150 lbs. This rack is very exceptional when it comes to security. This rack includes a full Same Key System (SKS) security package where you can lock your bikes as well as lock the rack to the vehicle. Also, features “Bring-Your-Own-Lock” threading point that lets you add an extra lock for additional security.

Yakima LongHaul

3) Swagman Dispatch rack

RV Approved Hitch Mount Bike Rack

Rack Weight (lbs): 44
Dimensions (inch): 37 x 14.5 x 9.5
Max Load Per Bike: 45 lbs
Maximum Weight Limit: 90 lbs
Ground Clearance: This rack is designed to provide excellent ground clearance.
Bike Compatibility: Most sizes, shapes, and styles of bike frames can be fitted on this rack.
Locking Mechanism: Locking mechanism includes locking hitch pin and cable to protect your bike and the rack from theft.
Bike Frame Protection: Padded hooks protect the bike’s frame from abrasions and scratches.
Sliding Wheel-Tray: To adjust bikes of different lengths, you slide the tray for the perfect position.
Folding Option: For better access to the rear hatch or tailgate, you can fold the vertical mast and make the rack into a compact unit.
Ratcheting Hooks: These hooks hold the top tubes of your bikes firmly.
Adjustable Hooks: To accommodate different bike sizes, you can independently move the hooks with push buttons.
Available Fat-tire Tray: You can buy a fat-tire tray separately for this rack if you wish to load a fat-tire bike.
Rated to be used on RVs, Travel-Trailers, and Motor-homes.
As the rack remains relatively far behind the back of the RV, parking and back-driving can be a little bit challenging.
It would be better if the ratcheting hold-down parts were metal instead of plastic.
The instruction in the manual is not very co-operative.
Difficult to store the bikes.

Thinking about the people who are suffering from ground clearance, “Swagman” introduced the Dispatch . This rack sits 17” far from the hitch pin hole for sufficient ground clearance. “Swagman” send their products through rigorous testing to know if the products are capable enough to handle the extra pressure while they are towed behind the back of an RV. And the Dispatch has also gone through these types of testing programs to prove it is reliable enough to transport your bikes safely to their destinations.

This rack is capable of carrying 2 bikes with a total weight bearing limit of 90 lbs where each bike shouldn’t weigh more than 45 lbs. This rack can adapt fat-tire bikes where the tires are as wide as 5” if you combine it with the additional fat-tire tray . This rack provides adequate security for both your bike and rack by deterring the thieves.

Swagman Dispatch

# Bumper Mount Bike Rack

4) Swagman RV Approved 2-Bike Bumper Rack

Excellent Bumper-Mount Rack for 2 Bikes

Type: Bumper-Mount
Adaptable Bumper Size: 4 – 4.5” Square
Rack Weight (lbs): 21
Dimensions (inch): 26.5 x 21 x 2.5
Max Load Per Bike: 30 lbs
Maximum Weight Limit: 60 lbs
Special Design: This rack was designed in such a way that it can endure the pressure for being used on an RV, 5th Wheel Camper or Trailer.
Installation Bolt: You need to install this rack around the square shape RV bumper with 6.5” and 8” long installation bolts.
Additional Support: While you are towing with your bikes, the upright bar in the center of this rack provides additional support.
Bike Compatibility: The tire rails of this rack support most regular shapes and sizes of bikes.
U-Bolt: With these steel bolts, this rack secures itself with the bumper of your RV.
Simple to Use: Pretty simple to load and unload the bikes.
Build Quality: Made of Steel and the powder coating makes it corrosion-resistant.
When you purchase this rack, you will get a limited lifetime warranty.
Both of the bikes need to be in the same shape in order to load onto this rack.
Bikes may lean toward the RV and hit the rear glass that shows its lack of adjustability.
The inside slot will only load a bike with 2” wide tires.
This rack was not designed to be used on a C class or a larger RV bumper.
Poor design and might get rusty within a few months.

The Swagman RV Bumper Rack 2 provides an economic way to transport 2 bikes efficiently. The rack was designated as an RV approved rack by “Swagman”. They give this title to those racks which were engineered to be strong enough to withstand the extensive stress while they are being mounted on the back of an RV, 5th Wheel, or a Trailer. This rack can accommodate most common bike shapes and frames except for those where the tire is wider than 2”. So, some of the MTBs, eBikes as well as most fat-tire bikes won’t adjust onto this rack.

This rack keeps the first bike 6.25” far from the bumper and there is almost 34” distance between the bumper and the end of the rack. Any spot-welded bumpers or bumpers that are made of aluminum and wider than 4.5” will not suit with this rack. With a decent weight load capacity of 60 lbs, this rack can hold 2 bikes of 30” each.

Swagman 2-Bike Bumper Rack

5) Swagman RV Approved 4-Bike Bumper Rack

Heavy-Duty Bumper-Mount Rack for 4 Bikes

Rack Weight (lbs): 41
Dimensions (inch): 43 x 45 x 2.5
Maximum Weight Limit: 120 lbs
Special Design: To withstand the extra load of pressure for being at the back of an RV, Travel trailer, or 5th Wheel camper; this rack was designed in a special way.
Installation Bolt: 6.5” and 8” long bolts need to be used for installing this rack.
Additional Support: While towing, your bikes will get additional support from the upright bar in the middle of this rack.
Bike Compatibility: Most bikes with regular frames and sizes will accommodate this rack.
U-Bolt: This rack gets itself secured to the bumper with some steel U-shape bolts.
Simple to Use: This rack is fairly easy to attach and use.
Build Quality: Constructed with steel and coated with powder in order to resist corrosion.
This product will be warranted for a lifetime at the time of purchase.
Sometimes, the mounting holes are not in the correct alignment.
Each of the 4 bikes needs to be in the same shape if you wish to mount them.
The quality of the hardware is very poor and it is hard to tighten them permanently.
Provides the minimum safety for both your bike and RV when you load all 4 bikes on the rack.

The Swagman RV Bumper Rack 4 is basically the upgraded version of the Swagman RV Bumper Rack 2 where you will be able to load 4 bikes effortlessly instead of 2. Although it is updated, most of the features are pretty much the same. For example – this rack is designed as an RV approved product, this rack has the same build quality and other features are also the same. The main difference between this rack and the Swagman RV Bumper Rack 2 is the number of bikes that can be loaded. It can load 4 bikes where the Swagman RV Bumper Rack 2 can load only 2.

Like the Swagman RV Bumper Rack 2, this rack keeps the first bike 6.25” far from the bumper. This rack will not fit any spot-welded bumper or any bumper that is made of aluminum with more than 4.5” wide. This rack has a maximum weight capacity of 120 lbs for 4 bikes where each bike should weigh approximately 30 lbs.

Swagman 4-Bike Bumper Rack

# Bumper-Mount Spare Tire On Bike Rack

6) Swagman Around the Spare Deluxe Bike Rack

Bumper-Mount Rack That Supports a Spare-Tire

Type: Bumper-Mount (Spare-Tire On)
Rack Weight (lbs): 22
Dimensions (inch): 34 x 12 x 26
Max Load Per Bike: 35 lbs
Maximum Weight Limit: 70 lbs
Spare-tire Compatibility: This rack can be mounted around most of the spare-tires.
Spare-tire Access: You can remove the top half of the rack with some release-pins for quick access of the spare-tire.
Adaptable Bike-Frame: This rack can adapt any bike-frame where the diameter is up to 1.5”.
Anti-Sway Cradles: The anti-sway cradles reduce bike-to-bike contact and its durable rubber straps won’t let any scratches on the bike’s finish.
U-Bolt: You need to mount this rack to the bumper of your RV with U-bolts and brackets.
Secure Bike’s Top Tube: This rack secures your bike’s top tube with 2 Nylon straps from excessive shocks and jolts.
Build Quality: Constructed with sturdy steel and it is corrosion-resistant for the black powder coat finish.
All mounting hardware for attaching the rack to the bumper is included in the package.
This product is warranted for a limited lifetime.
May not adjust the spare-tire of current model RVs.
Will not accommodate some mountain bikes such as some GIANT brand bikes with 28” tires.
This rack is not very suitable for accommodating women’s bikes.
Some people complained that this rack had ripped off their bumpers.

If your RV, 5th Wheeler, or Travel-trailer contains a spare-tire at the back and at the same time you wish to load your bike in a convenient way as there is no space inside, then the Swagman Around the Spare Deluxe bike rack will be a perfect choice for you. This RV approved rack lets you carry 2 bikes even when the spare-tire is mounted at the back. With a weight load capacity of 70 lbs, you can load 2 bikes where each bike must weigh 35 lbs at the max.

This bike rack includes anti-sway cradles that hold your bikes still. This rack can be installed onto 4”-4.5” continuously welded square-shape RV bumpers. If you are uncertain whether this rack will match your RV or not, then you should consult the manufacturer or local RV dealer. This rack provides 12.75” spare-tire clearance and the maximum diameter of your bike frame should be 1.5” in order to be mounted on this rack.

Swagman Deluxe Bike Rack

# Ladder Mount Bike Rack

7) Swagman Ladder Rack

Decent Ladder-Mount Bike Rack for Your Trailer

Type: Ladder Mount
Rack Weight (lbs): 6.5
Dimensions (inch): 26.5 x 18 x 2
RV Approved: This RV approved rack mounts quickly and effortlessly to your ladder with hooks.
Soft Cradles: These cradles hold your bikes gently and make sure they don’t fall off.
Rubber Strap: 2 rubber straps are included for securing your bikes to the rack and the rack to the ladder.
Dual Arm Design: The design of this rack promotes dual arms that provide excellent support for holding the bikes.
Corrosion and Rust Resistant: This rack is made of lightweight aluminum for resisting rust and corrosion.
Versatility: This rack is versatile enough to fit any ladder rung shape of most RVs and motorhomes.
Foam Pad: 2 foam pads are attached to both arms so that it doesn’t damage or scratch the ladder.
Safety Reflectors: Both arms have integrated reflectors at the ends that ensure safety at night.
Like all the Swagman bike racks, you will get a limited lifetime warranty with this rack.
People have misleading comments about this rack, which hints at its inherent breakdown.
You have to do a lot of rigging in order to secure your bikes as you expect.
This rack stays pretty high to reach. So loading and unloading your bikes might be difficult.

The Swagman Ladder Rack is designed to adjust any RV, motorhome, or trailer’s ladder. This rack needs to be installed on the ladder. Therefore, you will get the access to use your trailer hitch and mount a spare-tire at the back if you wish. However, make sure your RV has a ladder or at least supports installing a ladder. This rack has become an RV approved rack by “Swagman” that indicates its versatility to withstand the exerted abuses.

This rack provides safety for transporting 2 bikes with soft cradles and rubber straps. With a weight-bearing capacity of 70 lbs, you can load a bike with 35 lbs of weight. It is very light for its aluminum construction that helps you to lift it up while you install it on the ladder. Its dual arm design offers great stability and the rear reflectors at each end of the arms ensure safety traveling at night.

Swagman Ladder Rack

8) Camco RV Ladder Mount Bike Rack

Another Great Ladder-Mount Bike Rack for Your Trailer

Rack Weight (lbs): 8.2
Dimensions (inch): 23 x 11 x 3.7
Fit Cradles: This rack features some fit cradles that will hold your bikes tight on any type of road.
Outdoor Gear Support: This rack can not only carry bikes but also can carry different types of outdoor chairs.
Folding Option: This rack makes convenient storage options by folding into a compact shape.
Stability: This rack keeps your bikes stable with 2 adjustable straps.
Easy Installation: Simple installation, simply just mount the rack on your RV ladder.
Quick Removal: To access the RV ladder, you can remove this rack within a few minutes.
Build Quality: Rack’s tubes made of strong steel material.
Colour: This rack offers 2 different colours to choose from.
A limited 90-days warranty will be offered with this rack.
The overall build quality of this rack seems very cheap.
Screws cannot hold the bottom rail properly as the hinge arrangement is not properly aligned, it has large gaps.
This hanger type rack may bend and can possibly cause an accident.

The Camco RV Ladder Mount Rack will install onto any RV ladders. This rack can be a budget-friendly option if you are looking for something similar and you only have a few dollars to spend. 2 bikes will sit perfectly on this rack with sufficient space clearance to avoid collision between each other. This rack will stay in place on the ladder locking pins and will not scratch the ladder or cause any damage for its soft-grip handles.

Camco Ladder Mount Bike Rack

This rack comes with a folding feature so that you can convert it into a compact shape by folding it. This will access a convenient storage option. This rack can hold up to 2 bikes with a combined weight rating of 60 lbs at maximum. With this decent weight load capacity, you can load a bike that can weigh up to 30 lbs. This video will help you by providing a guideline for installing this rack –

# Towing-Ball Mount Bike Rack

9) Swagman Traveler XCS2 rack

A Fantastic Towing Bike Rack

Type: Towing-Ball Mount (Platform-Style)
Adaptable Towing Receiver: 2”
Rack Weight (lbs): 36.1
Dimensions (inch): 40 x 12 x 24
Above the ground Storage: When you place your bikes onto this rack, they remain 17” high above the ground.
Push-Button Ratchet Arm: Adjustable ratchet arm with push-button that promotes quick loading and unloading of your bikes.
Locking Mechanism: A locking hitch-pin will be provided to secure the rack to the vehicle and a 100 mm security cable can be bought for your bike’s security.
Adaptable Wheelbase: Wheel-hoops can be adjusted to accommodate most wheelbases of traditional bikes.
Sliding Bracket: With a hand-tight knob, you can adjust this bracket by sliding it over the ball mount.
Rear Hatch or Cargo Access: This rack will fold down easily to provide you convenient rear hatch or cargo access.
Padded Hooks: These padded hooks ensure there are no scratches on the bike’s frame.
Rust and Corrosion Resistant: Furnished with black powder coat to resist rust or corrosion.
This rack is covered under a limited lifetime warranty by Swagman.
An extra-long ball-mount might be required to mount this rack.
The .75” set of screws can break the weld while inserting them.
This rack is a bit heavy. As a result, the overall weight that needs to be carried increases a lot.
While your bikes are mounted on this rack, you may face difficulties gaining rearview access.

For the towing-ball mount bike rack selection, we have chosen the Swagman Traveler XCS2 . You want to carry your bike and at the same time you want to tow a car or trailer, this rack provides the ultimate support. This rack is a fantastic bike rack with some premium features that can handle the extra pressure for being mounted on the towing ball and ensure your bikes go to their corresponding destinations.

This rack allows you to carry 2 bikes of different shapes simultaneously. This rack offers a weight-bearing capability of 70 lbs for the combination of 2 bikes where each bike weighs about 35 lbs. Bikes with different sizes of wheelbases up to 52” and tires up to 3.5” wide can be accommodated with this carrier. The length of its shank sleeve is 3”. If you want to add extra security for your bikes, then a package of anti-wobble hitch-pin and locking cable is available ( Item 64030 ) that needs to be bought separately.

Swagman Traveler XCS2

# Tongue Mount Bike Rack

10) Let’s Go Aero Jack-It (429756) rack

Provides Fine Jack Clearance

Type: Tongue Mount (Over the A-frame)
Rack Weight (lbs): 25 lbs
Dimensions (inch): 30 x 20 x 8
Max Load Per Bike: 40 lbs
Maximum Weight Limit: 80 lbs
V-Shape Design: This rack has a tall V-shape design that enhances stability and balance.
Hitch or Cargo Space: This rack lets you utilize the necessity of the cargo space and access new hitch or cargo utilization space.
SwayControl™ System: This system provides protection of your bike’s frame by enhancing natural stability.
Adjustable Cradles: These wheel cradles hold your bikes by their wheels with soft rubber straps.
SwayStop™ Straps: These straps hold the bikes by their wheels and keep the bike’s paint protected while transporting them.
PowerTower Frame Protection: The tongue jack remains protected from impacts with this type of protection.
Build Quality: Made of durable steel and furnished with black powder coating that helps it to resist rust.
This rack is backed by a 1-year limited lifetime warranty.
Some say the package doesn’t include what it shows in the picture. For example – In the picture, there are 2 lace loops holding the bike’s pedals; but they don’t actually come with the package.
Check your RV’s compatibility for this rack, as this rack won’t work with RVs that have manual cranks.
Loading and unloading of your bikes can be challenging as this rack keeps them relatively high above the ground.
The installation instructions are a bit of a joke.

If you wish to see your bikes by looking at the rear-view mirror while traveling in your trailer or 5th wheeler, this Jack-It from Let’s Go Aero will be an excellent option that can make it happen. Its patented frame design installs over the A-frames of most trailers and it is a V-shape vertical-stand rack that keeps your bike horizontal relatively high from the ground. This rack comes with a package that includes the following parts –

4 – Wheel Cradles 4 – Lockable Pins 3 – 1.5” x .75” Mounting Bolts

Also, this rack can be suited with most electric tongue jacks as it offers 22.5” of base clearance. With an outstanding weight load capacity of 80 lbs, you can load 2 bikes of 40 lbs each. Be noted, there are 2 versions of this rack – one is for 18” jack and another one is for 22” jack. So first, measure the height of your jack for purchasing the right one.

Jack-It Bike Rack

# Tongue Mount Bike Bunk

11) Stromberg Carlson CC-275 Bike Bunk

Offers Stability of Your Rack to Carry 2 Bikes

Weight (lbs): 15
Adaptable Hitch Size for the Adjusted Rack: 2”
Dimensions (inch): 8 x 4.75 x 2
Max Load Per Bike: 50 lbs (Approximately)
Maximum Weight Limit: 100 lbs
Use it with your bike rack: Use this bunk on a bike rack that supports a 2” x 2” hitch receiver and also that is approved to be used with this bunk.
Raised Receiver: This bunk creates a raised platform on the A-frame and makes a perfect place for your bikes to be put on.
Allows Post Brackets: Its vertical tubes have a curved design that allows any post bracket to be mounted on the A-frame where the width should vary from 14” to 55”.
Build Quality: The whole bunk is made of strong and durable steel.
Quick Installation: The setup of this bunk is very quick and easy.
The bolts that are included in the package may need to be replaced with 3” bolts.
It might be very frustrating to assemble this bunk and the instructions are terrible.
Instead of keeping the bikes higher, this bunk keeps the bikes relatively low.

The Stromberg Carlson CC-275 is the first cargo-carrying system that attaches to any type of bike rack over the A-frame. This bunk is designed for any bike rack that fits 2” hitch receivers and that is RV approved. This bunk can be mounted on any A-frame that has a width range from 12” to 52”. However, turning-radius and the racks position will determine if this application will suit your bike rack or not.

This rack allows you to transport your bikes while you are towing a trailer. This bunk provides an excellent weight load capacity to the rack which is almost 100 lbs and this bunk enables the rack to carry 2 bikes. Therefore, 2 bikes can be carried on this bunk where each bike weighs 40 lbs.

Stromberg Carlson CC-275

How to Properly Install a Bike Rack on a Travel Trailer

The installation process of any RV or trailer bike rack depends on the model you end up buying. As we have discussed earlier in this article about the three different types of trailer bike racks, each of them has different installation methods as they mount on different positions of your trailer or RV.

Thankfully no matter what type of rack you buy, you will get an installation manual that will lead you to assemble and install the rack step-by-step. Each of the three different variants of trailer bike racks is very easy to install. However, we will demonstrate the procedure for installing a bumper-mount bike rack on your trailer or RV –

First, you need to be sure your bumper is suitable enough to adapt to a bumper-mount bike carrier. It cannot be welded with any spot or it cannot be made of Aluminum. It must have a square shape with a width ranging from 4” to 4.5”.
When you buy a bumper-mount bike rack, you will get an adapter that needs to be screwed into the bumper of your RV. If you find there is no such adapter when you open the package, then you need to purchase it separately. This adapter rests on both the top and bottom of the bumper.
Once you have successfully completed step-1 and step-2, now it’s time to screw the bolts and nuts. Double-check if you really tight the bracket over the bumper of your trailer otherwise, it can lead you to some serious complications.
Now slide the rest of the carrier into the place and fasten it with a bolt.

Does that sound too difficult? Honestly, I don’t think so. The installation process for a hitch-mount and ladder-mount is also pretty easy. All of them come with installation manuals that are filled with useful guidelines and detailed images.

The most simple and effortless installation process is offered with ladder-mount bike racks. You really don’t have to do much in order to install this type of rack. Just put it on the ladder at the back of your RV and tight it with some screws, that’s it. Hitch-mount rack might not have the most simple assembly, but I am sure you will figure it out with the help of its installation manual. Again, there are a lot of useful videos you can find on the internet that can help you if you face any difficulties installing any of these bike racks.

Once you have finally attained the knowledge about the usefulness of different types of bike racks by reading this article, it will be a breeze to choose the right trailer bike rack for you. You just need to apply the learning properly while you give a search for buying a trailer bike rack for yourself. And who knows you might end up buying one of these 11 bike racks from our list. Because the racks that we have selected are all quality products and they will be beneficial for different users with different sets of requirements.

No matter what is the design of the carrier or the type of carrier, just make sure it meets all the requirements that you have desired. If you can finally select a bike rack that is close to perfect, your entire trip with your RV or trailer will become much easier and relaxed.

You don’t have to load your bikes in your trailer anymore. Your RV or trailer will be left with enough room to store any stuff you may pick up during the trips. We wish you the best of luck for finding a suitable bike rack for your trailer and as always we thank you for reading this article. We hope this article has benefited you a lot.

My name is Dion Lewis.I’ve been cycling since my childhood. When I was in high school, I started racing in our local competitions.In my college life, I took a part-time job in a bicycle shop and I learned how to repair and maintain bicycles professionally.Though I love racing, mountain biking is another thing I do frequently. My friends, neighbors, and colleagues treat me as an avid rider and take my suggestions while they plan for a new bike or bike gear.