# Truck Cap - Rise vs Flat



## norope (Nov 9, 2009)

I am getting a cap for my Tacoma and am on the fence between a standard flat Snugtop (Rebel) vs a rise cap (high liner). 

For those who have a cap, do you have a cab height/flat or a rise cap? I would like the added space of the rise but do not like the way they look as much and am not sure if the extra room would even be helpful for bikes on long trips etc. I am using a hitch rack for local trips and areas the bikes do not need to be locked up.

Flat or Rise?

Thanks


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## evasive (Feb 18, 2005)

I don't own a truck myself, but most of my friends do. One of them put a rise cap on his Tundra, and it made dealing with bikes (or rafting gear, etc.) noticeably easier. Several of us commented on how nice it was to be able to stand bikes upright (front wheels off to turn the bars online with the frame) and how nice it was to have a little more height when crouching in the bed. I agree that I prefer the look of a flat cap, but the rise is really nice to have.


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## bsdc (May 1, 2006)

You need to take some measurements and figure out what you want. I'm thinking you can probably fork mount your bike with the front wheel off with a flat cap. Then you have to figure out if your really want to leave your front wheel on with your bike upright and if so, will the rise cap handle that. Remember the bike will be longer with the front wheel on. Will the bed be long enough.

My guess is flat cap, front wheel off, fork mount will work best.


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## ne_dan (Mar 19, 2007)

I had a tacoma with a flat cap. If you have a dropper post or QR seatpost clamp you can just buy those fork mounts that you can mount to a 2x4, drop the seat and you're good to go. There were very very few times where I wished I had a riser cap, and I spent lots of time sleeping in the back of it.


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## lunchwagon (Apr 29, 2010)

I have a cab-high cap. It's a full size truck though, so it probably has a bit more vertical space than what you'll get with a Tacoma. If I want to put my bike inside with both wheels on I have to lean it over on it's side. If I had a rise cap I could probably stand the bike up, but it would be close.

Another thing to think about- if you're planning to sleep back there while camping, the extra head room of a rise cap would be nice. Especially if you have some sort of elevated sleeping platform on top of the wheel wells.

I usually carry bikes on the hitch unless it's just me, then it goes inside. Here's mine:


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## xjcrawlr (Jun 19, 2007)

I have a Nissan Frontier, and I had a cab-height shell on it. 

After about a year, I hated it.

It was too low to put anything of size in (bikes, funiture, ME, whatever..) and too high to put anything on top! So I sold it.

If I had a raised shell, I would still own it.

My vote....raised shell. So much more practical.


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## Mr.Biker (Sep 17, 2011)

I also have a Tacoma and it is a short bed quad cab. I purchased a Leer 180 mid rise cap for it and I find the extra room it provides was well worth the cost. The cap height allows me to remove my bike's front wheel and mount my bike inside on a fork mount (the mount is attached to a sheet of plywood cut to fit the bed). However, this uses up too much of the interior space so I usually carry my bike on a hitch carrier. I can also carry my bike on the detachable roof rack. 

The cap also allows me to lock up the personal belongings of the students that I ride with (I run an after school mountain bike club for middle school students and boy, they tend to have a lot of stuff.) I have included a few photos of the truck and cap.


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## Da Chetster (Mar 8, 2007)

So far, I can't find this specific question addressed in any of the similar threads. 

Goal - new cap/topper for F-350 Super Duty long bed that will accommodate four bikes (two road, two mountain) upright, preferably w/o removing front wheel(s) and with minimal wranglin', bulldoggin', wrasslin' and foul language. Really hoping ARE MX with walk-in door will work; also thinking about Leer 122 if the ARE w/ walk-in won't. Any experience-based advice and tips appreciated.

I have had a cab-height ARE for 10 years and I am happy with it. I know not to buy cheap, go for quality, all that motherhood. I'm looking for specifics about the overhead clearance, door clearances, etc. and putting bikes in & out, transporting them upright, etc.

Thank you!


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