# pickup truck bed bike mounts



## TrailNut (Apr 6, 2004)

ya'll got any recommendations for a six-passenger kingcab pickup truck bike mount/rack. 
i need to fit three bikes, maybe upto six, in the 6.5' bed


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## dirtmerchant (Jan 19, 2004)

TrailNut said:


> ya'll got any recommendations for a six-passenger kingcab pickup truck bike mount/rack.
> i need to fit three bikes, maybe upto six, in the 6.5' bed


Heck, throw something over your gate to protect it and hang the bikes off the back. I got leftover carpeting from my sister. It was perfect. My bed is almost the same length as yours. Doing it this way also leaves room at the back of the bed for riders and/or your gear.


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## meloh1 (Jan 13, 2004)

*Got a bed liner?*



TrailNut said:


> ya'll got any recommendations for a six-passenger kingcab pickup truck bike mount/rack.
> i need to fit three bikes, maybe upto six, in the 6.5' bed


Most bed liners have indentations for either a 2x4's or 2x6's to fit across the front of the bed. Buy some of these Rhode Gear mounts http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=22692&item=7110098806&rd=1 from eBay for $5 (shippings kinda high but overall it's still really cheap) and you're all set. I have mine mounted to a 2x4 and the 2x4 secured to the bed by turnbuckles. A buddy has a truck like yours and his truck mounts are right under the 2x6 he uses so he just made a slot in each end of the 2x6 and ran a strap from the bed mount, through the slot, over the 2x6 and through the slot on the other end and down to the bed mount. Both methods secure the 2x4 or 2x6 well. You can put as many of the Rhode Gear mounts as your bed will handle. I have 4. If you want more than 3 you will have to angle them to keep handlebars from hitting each other. I think there would be no problem with 6. Easiest, cheapest and most secure. No damage to the truck or bikes. No drilling, etc. Wheels go between the front of the bed and the 2x4 or 2x6. Slick.


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## skiahh (Dec 26, 2003)

*Here's my solution*

And it keeps my entire bed free for gear. First one (green truck) is my old one, second pic, mine is on the right (blue). I've had 4 bikes up there at 80 MPH just fine. Room for probably two more, maybe more with creative rack/tray mounting. If you have a topper, the white truck on the second truck is my buddy's answer.


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## acme5432one (Sep 14, 2004)

I just got some fork mounts and screwed them to a 2x4 and throw it in the bed and attach the bikes. Then I just tie the bikes down so they don't slide around.


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## dirtmerchant (Jan 19, 2004)

skiahh said:


> And it keeps my entire bed free for gear. First one (green truck) is my old one, second pic, mine is on the right (blue). I've had 4 bikes up there at 80 MPH just fine. Room for probably two more, maybe more with creative rack/tray mounting. If you have a topper, the white truck on the second truck is my buddy's answer.


Ooh, that's nice! So is that custom made?


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## skiahh (Dec 26, 2003)

*Thanks!*



dirtmerchant said:


> Ooh, that's nice! So is that custom made?


Nope, not really. Sort of custom designed in that I had never seen it done this way before I set out to do this, but all the parts are easily available. You just get 4 Thule "Artificial Raingutters" (Part # 542 I think) and bolt them to your bed rails. Then use a raingutter mounted rack of your choice (I'm currently using Yakima, but Thule or any other brand works just fine). I put ski wings up there in the winter and of course, bike mounts the rest of the year. You could also put a rocket box up there or a cage/bin thing or whatever. You're probably not going to get a kayak mount to work with out some lift devices though. I'd also probably put some reinforcements if I wanted to load up a cargo box in the middle of the span - my bed is pretty wide and I prefer to be on the safe side. Maybe just a post down the the bed in the center of the bar or something.


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## TwoWheeldTerror (Aug 30, 2004)

skiahh.....would it be too much trouble to get a closeup photo of those "rain gutters"?

That is my biggest concern...how badly is it going to look on the truck.

Thanks.


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## TrailNut (Apr 6, 2004)

*brilliant*



dirtmerchant said:


> Heck, throw something over your gate to protect it and hang the bikes off the back. I got leftover carpeting from my sister. It was perfect. My bed is almost the same length as yours. Doing it this way also leaves room at the back of the bed for riders and/or your gear.


i'm speechless


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## skiahh (Dec 26, 2003)

*Oh yeah - the whole thing comes off in a few minutes...*



TwoWheeldTerror said:


> skiahh.....would it be too much trouble to get a closeup photo of those "rain gutters"?
> 
> That is my biggest concern...how badly is it going to look on the truck.
> 
> Thanks.


Sure. I've got to take it down this afternoon anyway, so I'll take a couple pictures with the bed "naked". They're really unobtrusive.

Also, I plan to get the bed Rhino lined shortly, and with the black liner, they're really even less visible.


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## TwoWheeldTerror (Aug 30, 2004)

Thanks!


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## Ridin'Dirty (Jun 4, 2004)

if you have a truck bed liner or any place to hook something to the inside of your truck bed just hook tow straps to your seat rails and pull tight on each side. your bike isn't touching anything and won't move. You can run a long bungee cord through the front tire too. 2 bikes are just as easy - one tow strap holds a bike to one side of the truck, and another tow strap hols the second bike to the other side. Then just attach a small bungee cord to the inside seat rails of both bikes to keep them standing up. Works like a charm


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## skiahh (Dec 26, 2003)

*pics without the rack*

Here's what's left if you take the rack down. Comes off in about 5 mins or so. Takes a bit longer to reinstall it - 20 or so; less if you have a helper.


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## PickledFish (Jan 24, 2004)

cheque out the Insta-gater. There's a review for it in the Thumbnail Thrash Tests of this month's MBA. You could probably fit 3 max but it looks so convenient and simple (and relatively cheap) that I'm thinking of getting one for myself.


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## dirtmerchant (Jan 19, 2004)

TrailNut said:


> i'm speechless


I can't take credit for it. That's how everyone here shuttles. Everyone catches a ride with everyone, so we pile in as many as possible. Even if you run out of room, you can throw one more bike on TOP of the bikes (flat on its side of course).


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## meloh1 (Jan 13, 2004)

The problem with this type of setup is it won't work if you have a tonneau cover. Otherwise it's a good solution and frees up your bed for more stuff. You can also just throw a rack on top of the cab but it makes for a bit of a reach.


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## meloh1 (Jan 13, 2004)

*Whoops, should've been under Skiahh*

12345


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## Berkeley Mike (Jan 13, 2004)

*You could do this.*

You could permanently mount these block mounts three across just behind the cab. for those times when you needed to do more bikes you could put blocks on a two by four as described earlier in this thread and place that in the bed by the tailgate.
For security I loop all the bikes together with a very thick and long cable and lock (of course I still never take my eye off the bikes.)
The advantage this system is that it is always in place for most usage, expends for the less frequent large loads, and is very inexpensive. 
The only trick is to create the Wrench to get between the cab and the bed. It's not like you are going to take one of your open end Snap-ons and bend it but the thin metal wrench wasn't too hard to find.


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## skiahh (Dec 26, 2003)

meloh1 said:


> The problem with this type of setup is it won't work if you have a tonneau cover. Otherwise it's a good solution and frees up your bed for more stuff. You can also just throw a rack on top of the cab but it makes for a bit of a reach.


True, but you can do the same thing by bolting the "artificial raingutters" to the tonneau (hard tonneau) and mounting the rack over that.

It WILL work with a soft tonneau - I know because I had one for a while (I wouldn't recommend Leathermen's/LeBra brand of tonneaus!). I'm planning on eventually getting a roll-top tonneau and my setup will work with that, too.


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## meloh1 (Jan 13, 2004)

Only if there's room to mount the brackets outside the tonneau rails or if you get the more expensive flush style tonneau cover. I'd still wonder if the tonneau cover would hit the towers or rails when you roll it up. When all's said and done I'm too cheap to go this way. For $35 I carry four bikes securely.

For a soft tonneau go with Truxedo. Did alot of research and looking and they've got the best design.


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## meloh1 (Jan 13, 2004)

Yeah, I described how to build the 2x4 model earlier. Problem is you can only carry three bikes this way and I often carry four and you drill holes in your bed. I don't like putting holes in my bed because of rust. Anytime you do that in my climate you're inviting trouble, even if you treat it properly. I also have a soft tonneau cover and the rolled up cover might interfere with mounting the fork in the quick release. I leave my 2x4 setup in all the time. Seldom interferes with hauling other stuff.


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## TwoWheeldTerror (Aug 30, 2004)

Thanks skiahh!


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## hammerheadbikes (Jan 9, 2004)

Here's mine
I had used a painted 2x6 in the past but the paint always wears away

here's what I did this week:
had a custom metal fabricator make this for me out of 1/8" plated aluminum
mounted everything with stainless steel hardware and red locktite
can fit 4 bikes 
on the front side at each end are eyehooks, I can put 4 wheels in front of the carrier and lock them up with a cable
the fork mounts are from Rocky Mounts and are all locking with the same key


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## TrailNut (Apr 6, 2004)

*pickup bed without having to remove the front wheel?*

Ok, I've been able to transport six bikes with no bike mounts, strapped in.

but
i'd like to be able to mount three+ bikes on the pickup bed without having to remove the front wheel

got any suggestions?


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## zod (Jul 15, 2003)

PickledFish said:


> cheque out the Insta-gater. There's a review for it in the Thumbnail Thrash Tests of this month's MBA. You could probably fit 3 max but it looks so convenient and simple (and relatively cheap) that I'm thinking of getting one for myself.


Best truck rack made IMHO......I own two insta-gaters and love them. You might be able to fit 3 bikes at the most with insta-gaters though so if you are going to shuttle 6 or so bikes the best option is to shuttle-b1tch them, as seen in the very first picture in this thread.......


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