# Truck Owners - Cap Question



## mordac (Mar 6, 2006)

Trucks are obviously high on the favorite list for toting around our bikes. Most of the pics I've seen on this site are bikes in the box sans truck cap... I'm just wondering if most people don't use a cap because of height clearance with the bikes? 

I am considering a "smaller" truck - like a Tacoma or a Frontier and I'm just wondering if most mountain bikes are too tall to stand up properly in the box if you have a cap on. I ride a Reign 2 so the handlebar height is quite high - 41 inches actually.


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## TNC (Jan 21, 2004)

*Depending on cap.*

I have an S10 which would be in the size range as the trucks you're looking at. I have a camper shell on it and occasionally carry bikes in the back, on a rear hitch rack, and on the roof. I have put my large Bullit with a Monster T without the front wheel in the back of the camper pictured here. I have to tilt the bike sideways to get it through the dutch doors, but once inside it stands up...and that's without lowering the seatpost. This camper shell is not as tall as many and not as short as some. If you get one of those really low profile camper shell models, you probably won't get a bike to fit standing up. I usually take two bikes on big trips and carry them on the rear Sportworks rack. But when I ride, I'll lock the spare in the back. I'll also carry other bikes on roof mounts when our group is doing shuttles like at Moab and such. A camper shell is super useful for traveling and backcountry camping.


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## bungyfish (Apr 24, 2004)

*... frontier here...*

... I have an 05 Frontier w/ a shell on it out front right now... let me start by saying that I don't really like the cap...from a cosmetic stand point.. and the truck does ride and handle a bit differently w/ it on... but thats a good thing in the snow... .but it is highly functional for camping and traveling... I am in the process of a move and have had the cap on w/ the bike in the back for about a month... its nice to have all my crap back there to scam a ride whenever I feel it... and be able to lock it up and park and not stress my stuff getting stolen... as for the actual height inside it...?... the back window is about 34" from the bed to the window hinge... the inside height is right at 38"... it's a straight top.. meaning it same height as the roof of the truck all the way to the back... my Kona sits back there pretty easy... obviously the front wheel comes off and I can set it w/ the seat on at normal height.. but it has a tendency to rub a bit so I either lower it or take it off real quick.. and yes.. I have a QR on the seat... laugh away..ha... 
...on a different note... I shopped for a long time for it... drove the Tacoma and the Frontier... no contest in my book... love my Fronty... no regrets... 23k in 13 months.. no promlems yet...aside from a sqeak in the hood...ha.. 
...good luck.. hope this helped...
..mb...


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## karpiel666 (Jan 7, 2005)

Get a honda odyssey, if you are man enough to drive a minivan. Only vehicle that I know of thats smaller than a cargo van that can hold 4 downhill bikes and 4 riders and 4 riders gear, or plywood/sheetrock etc, all on the inside with room to spare.


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## CharacterZero (May 19, 2004)

mb- frontier owner here too, there is a good thread on them.
which cap did you go with? i have been considering one, but it is so easy to drop stuff in the bed without it...


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## Busta Rims (Aug 31, 2004)

CharacterZero said:


> mb- frontier owner here too, there is a good thread on them.
> which cap did you go with? i have been considering one, but it is so easy to drop stuff in the bed without it...


So as we pull in after long ride, you can flip open the side and sell me a taco!? Awesome!:thumbsup:

TNC,
That's a sweet camping/biking trip set-up you have there!

Joe


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## CharacterZero (May 19, 2004)

Busta Rims said:


> So as we pull in after long ride, you can flip open the side and sell me a taco!? Awesome!:thumbsup:


Look busta, i might be a new mexican, but that doesn't mean that i am willing to sell you any of my tacos. 
judging from teh wheel building skills exhibited in your avatar, you gots all the tacos you need	:ciappa:


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## rzims (Sep 7, 2005)

I have an F150 with a cap and love it. I have a 2x6 with 4 front wheel QR mounts bolted to it.
It's nice being able to keep all my crap in there and locked as someone earlier said.


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## Busta Rims (Aug 31, 2004)

CharacterZero said:


> Look busta, i might be a new mexican, but that doesn't mean that i am willing to sell you any of my tacos.
> judging from teh wheel building skills exhibited in your avatar, you gots all the tacos you need	:ciappa:


 Here locally Druber used to have a Dakota with a cap, and I was really diggin that set-up.


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## g-bike (Jun 1, 2006)

*GlassTite Raven High Rise!*

Go with a Glasstite Raven High Rise. I have a tacoma and it works the best, your bikes travel within the shelter of the cap, you store them out of sight, and it is better gas milage. Take care good luck and keep the rubber side down.


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## TNC (Jan 21, 2004)

*Tacos?...In Texas?*



Busta Rims said:


> So as we pull in after long ride, you can flip open the side and sell me a taco!? Awesome!:thumbsup:
> 
> TNC,
> That's a sweet camping/biking trip set-up you have there!
> ...


Dude, I don't sell tacos. I'm the local Good Humor man...LOL! Can you say, Cheech & Chong?


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## TNC (Jan 21, 2004)

*Problem w/minivans*



karpiel666 said:


> Get a honda odyssey, if you are man enough to drive a minivan. Only vehicle that I know of thats smaller than a cargo van that can hold 4 downhill bikes and 4 riders and 4 riders gear, or plywood/sheetrock etc, all on the inside with room to spare.


The only problem with "most" minivans is that they do not hold up well to rougher backroads. I'm not talking about 4X4 trails...just decently rough dirt roads. Don't get me wrong...I've seen people driving all sorts of vehicles in places they shouldn't have been, but I wouldn't want to do it to one of my vehicles if it was a minivan. If it's a rental, who cares...or maybe if you're one who trades vehicles every 2-3 years. 2-wheel drive pickups are quite capable of taking some pretty gnarly backroads, as long as traction is available.


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## karpiel666 (Jan 7, 2005)

TNC said:


> The only problem with "most" minivans is that they do not hold up well to rougher backroads. I'm not talking about 4X4 trails...just decently rough dirt roads. Don't get me wrong...I've seen people driving all sorts of vehicles in places they shouldn't have been, but I wouldn't want to do it to one of my vehicles if it was a minivan. If it's a rental, who cares...or maybe if you're one who trades vehicles every 2-3 years. 2-wheel drive pickups are quite capable of taking some pretty gnarly backroads, as long as traction is available.


It actually holds up really well. We've been driving the crap out of ours, We have had it airborne, bottomed it out and slid around many turns. It basically gets driven the same way the subie did. It has 88k miles on it now and it just last week had a full service/tuneup. There was nothing wrong with engine, suspension or tranny and no underbody damage. And as far as minivans go it has great ground clearance.


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## TNC (Jan 21, 2004)

*You're a lucky man.*



karpiel666 said:


> It actually holds up really well. We've been driving the crap out of ours, We have had it airborne, bottomed it out and slid around many turns. It basically gets driven the same way the subie did. It has 88k miles on it now and it just last week had a full service/tuneup. There was nothing wrong with engine, suspension or tranny and no underbody damage. And as far as minivans go it has great ground clearance.


LOL!...airborne? That's what I meant when I said that I've seen people driving all manner of vehicles in gnarly places. I'd be amazed that you've been constantly pounding that minivan by getting airborne and bottoming it out frequently and "not" have undercarriage strikes of some consequence. Hey...I'm not flaming you here, but most people really need to know that minivans have some serious handicaps in rougher terrain or at least are more prone to damage and early death when compared to a pickup. I would totally agree that minivans are probably better for pavement and smooth dirt roads, as they get better mileage and have about as much room as most pickup/shell combos. Maybe you know how to drive your minivan on rough backroads in a manner that minimizes damage, but you just know that many folks would be more likely to damage the van or at least get it stuck and end up with a bodacious tow and repair bill. I drove a Honda Goldwing Aspencade on a 30 mile 4WD road one time. It was stupid, but I got away with it. Honda makes good stuff...including their minivans and Goldwings.


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## crashtestdummy (Jun 18, 2005)

I have an 04 Frontier long bed Crew Cab with a Leer flat top shell. My bike fits in the back minus the front wheel and seat. The bike is an XL Lenzsport Behemoth, with 5" of front travel and 29" wheels. It's a tight fit, but it does fit. I can also carry one other bike in the back, and 4 on the roof. You need a 72" bed to carry more than one bike upright in the back, with the tailgate up.


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## NorKal (Jan 13, 2005)

TNC said:


> Dude, I don't sell tacos. I'm the local Good Humor man...LOL! Can you say, Cheech & Chong?


Dave's not here man....


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## bungyfish (Apr 24, 2004)

*... Zero...*

... I went w/ the ARE cap... I got it from Catamount in VT... total was about 800 out the door w/ the sliding window up front... couldn't be any happier w/ the performance and function of it... and I get between 1 and 2 MPG better on the highway... not much difference cruising around town... that being said.. I take it off when I am not going to be using it functionally...not a big fan of the way it looks... I'm pretty vain I know.. but it comes on and off real easy.... happy shopping...
...mb...


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## karpiel666 (Jan 7, 2005)

TNC said:


> LOL!...airborne? That's what I meant when I said that I've seen people driving all manner of vehicles in gnarly places. I'd be amazed that you've been constantly pounding that minivan by getting airborne and bottoming it out frequently and "not" have undercarriage strikes of some consequence. Hey...I'm not flaming you here, but most people really need to know that minivans have some serious handicaps in rougher terrain or at least are more prone to damage and early death when compared to a pickup. I would totally agree that minivans are probably better for pavement and smooth dirt roads, as they get better mileage and have about as much room as most pickup/shell combos. Maybe you know how to drive your minivan on rough backroads in a manner that minimizes damage, but you just know that many folks would be more likely to damage the van or at least get it stuck and end up with a bodacious tow and repair bill. I drove a Honda Goldwing Aspencade on a 30 mile 4WD road one time. It was stupid, but I got away with it. Honda makes good stuff...including their minivans and Goldwings.


Yea I should have said SO far its doing ok, but between my mom and I we kill cars really fast and the odyssey has lastet the longest so far. Short list of cars over the past few years. Chevy blazer: died of twisted frame from jumping speedbumps.chrysler minivan: died from extensive underbody damage. Ford explorer: died from hitting a 2 foot deep patch of water on the highway, four other people had already hit it and they hadent done anything to mark it. Honda civic: got tired of having no space and how stupid a downhill bike looks on the roof.Ford ranger: got to pissed of at having to do warrenty work on it, tranny went out twice and many other problems and we dident like the bikes exposed in the back. Honda element: Dont know where to start, just overall a crappy vehicle, but we managed to wreck the interior. And now the odyssey, so far nothing wrong but once we move into a house it will be replaced by a subaru STI for mommy and an older legacy for me. So I guess you could say we dont keep cars a real long time


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## dcairns (Mar 26, 2006)

I had a Snug-Top Hi-liner on my old S-10.









I have a full sized gas guzzling truck now, that has a straight back SnugTop and a BedRug.








(yeah, I know it's not my bike in there, but I don't have a picture of that handy)

In either case, I just tossed the bike in the back when it was just my bike. If I had two bikes, I would take the front wheels off and clamp them upright.


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## slowrider (May 15, 2004)

*perfect*








I have an 02 Dodge Dakota quad cab (crew cab) and it's a perfect bikemobile. Two weeks after I bought it I took four freinds on a ten day vacation from So Cal through St George, Moab, Durango (pouring rain so) Sedona and it prooved itself a great way to haul five or more bikes and people and all our junk without having to have a full size van or truck. I have since hauled six bikes and six people for two hour trips and while it's tight for that many it's workable without having to pay for and drive a behemouth of a vehicle when you're not hauling you're freinds. One added advantage to the shell over the bed is that the tinting on my shell windows is so dark theives can't even tell there is anything valuable in the truck. As for the height of the shell my bike is 42.5" high and as long as you can dump the saddle (or remove the saddle and post) and remove the front wheel they fit under my cab high aero shell no problem.


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## TNC (Jan 21, 2004)

Alright, Cairns! Does the U.S. government know you're stealing military secrets? Well, OK...maybe military secrets and a 50 year old airplane don't go together...LOL! What's the story on the model there? Looks pretty cool...and pretty damn big.


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## logbiter (Dec 30, 2003)

mordac said:


> Trucks are obviously high on the favorite list for toting around our bikes. Most of the pics I've seen on this site are bikes in the box sans truck cap... I'm just wondering if most people don't use a cap because of height clearance with the bikes?
> 
> I am considering a "smaller" truck - like a Tacoma or a Frontier and I'm just wondering if most mountain bikes are too tall to stand up properly in the box if you have a cap on. I ride a Reign 2 so the handlebar height is quite high - 41 inches actually.


I've had 2 toyota pu's w/ shells (one '84 4x4 long bed, the other my current '92 xtra-cab) that were just a bit taller than the cabin. no problem fitting in bikes w/o front wheel & riser bars. You might have to lower the saddle, depends on the bike. I never had any bikes in there w/ longer travel forks though.


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## Padre (Jan 6, 2004)

I can fit at least 6 inside using fork mounts...and I've had 3 up top so far.... 

before the shell, i could fit about just as many but with wheels on...


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## crashtestdummy (Jun 18, 2005)

Padre said:


> I can fit at least 6 inside using fork mounts...and I've had 3 up top so far....
> 
> before the shell, i could fit about just as many but with wheels on...


Can you post a photo of at least 6 bikes inside?


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## Padre (Jan 6, 2004)

crashtestdummy said:


> Can you post a photo of at least 6 bikes inside?


No pic...
the downside of six is that there is little room left for gear.

i have a fork mount rack that places 2 bikes opposing eachother and perpendicular to the bed about 6" apart up against the cab. Wheels slot in between.

The other 4 oppose each other running parallel w/ the bed.


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## cobym2 (Apr 11, 2005)

I have a 2000 nissan frontier crewcab with a shell on the back. its a pretty short bed. I have cheap diy fork mount on a piece of wood. Pretty secure. My HT fits with lots of room to spare, but I have to skew my M heckler with a 130mm fork at bit to get it to fit.


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