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Old 08-31-2021, 01:29 AM   #1
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Clever solutions for carrying E-trike wanted...

We bought two E-bikes and a ridiculously expensive Thule bike rack to carry two bikes that are in the 55 pound range aa couple of years ago. Carried them on our Thor Axis 14.1.

I like mine but my wife got spooked by hers and fell a couple times, so we sold it and now she has an electric tricycle. It folds/disassembles at a center point. I'm trying to figure out a way to carry these two very different bikes and to not have to trash my Thule.

The bumper is not 4" square, so some of those simple bumper hitches are not a good fit. The best plan I've come up with so far is to get a ladder mount bike rack for my standard bike and then jury-rig some kind of platform on the Thule to accommodate the 24" back axle with of the trike. I'll probably disassemble it so the front wheel (and motor) will fit in our inside storage.

But you folks figured out all sorts of cool things... so anybody have ideas for me?

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Old 08-31-2021, 02:27 AM   #2
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Wow: good luck with that. Trics are giant. The easiest would be a pickup truck toad and toss the tricycle in the bed. Next wood be to get her back on the bike and have her get a lot of miles on easy ground until she gets comfortable.
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Old 08-31-2021, 02:37 AM   #3
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Buy a front hitch and mount the trike on a platform, standing up on its rear wheels.

The ladder mount isn't a sound or safe idea.
ONE other person on this forum will disagree. He'll say the ladder mount is a swell idea.
No one else will.
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Old 08-31-2021, 03:47 AM   #4
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Came here to say the same thing!
This would be the path to follow.



Quote:
Originally Posted by ducksface View Post
Buy a front hitch and mount the trike on a platform, standing up on its rear wheels.

The ladder mount isn't a sound or safe idea.
ONE other person on this forum will disagree. He'll say the ladder mount is a swell idea.
No one else will.
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Old 08-31-2021, 10:25 AM   #5
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Yeah don't put a 55lb ebike on the ladder...no good will come from that.

Put the Thule on a front hitch and then just get something like this (etrailer) for the rear.

Click image for larger version

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That should work fine on the trailer hitch on the 24.1. If you're already towing a toad you can get one of those dual recevier extensions.
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Old 09-01-2021, 03:19 AM   #6
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tell me more about...

Quote:
Originally Posted by ducksface View Post
Buy a front hitch and mount the trike on a platform, standing up on its rear wheels.

The ladder mount isn't a sound or safe idea.
ONE other person on this forum will disagree. He'll say the ladder mount is a swell idea.
No one else will.
0K... i've carried lawnchairs... and a [regular] bike once... strapped to my ladder... so what would you consider a safe weight limit for the ladder mount?

And i've never thought about a front hitch... how does that work on an Axis 24.1 with the drop-down engine cover?
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Old 09-01-2021, 04:00 AM   #7
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Like this
The hitch is about $109 online.
Bolts on.
Cut hole in cap, trim hitch to be flush.
I doubt you'll need to open your hood often while the rack is in place.
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Old 09-06-2021, 06:36 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ducksface View Post
Like this
The hitch is about $109 online.
Bolts on.
Cut hole in cap, trim hitch to be flush.
I doubt you'll need to open your hood often while the rack is in place.
Our state has a mandatory front license plate that would make that front hitch problematical... plus if I put a bike there with a rain cover, I'd be concerned about getting air flow - I'm amazed at how much fresh air is already heated even at highway speeds before it gets into the cab.

I'm tinkering with a new idea. If the trike can go on the Thule rack - facing upward - and be properly secured, then I'm looking at a simple bike rack I can attach to the back bumper to use the space between the back of the Axis and the Thule rack. Since the bumper is not 4x4 like the hitches sold, and it is tapered at the top rather than rectangular, I'm considering cutting 2x8 treated lumber and using it to make a top-and-bottom "sandwich" on the bumper to give me a surface to attach one of the simple hitches, just not using the U-bolts that it comes with...

First I have to get a neighbor to help lift the 72 pound trike onto the existing rack and see if it can be carried safely - otherwise it will just have to stay home.
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Old 09-06-2021, 06:44 PM   #9
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The front plate mounts with a hitch plug.
They're about $4+ at pepboys and their like.
It moves easily to the rack when the rack is installed. It's just a pin pull, no tools.

I can't help with the cover thing.
I don't use them.
A handgrip cover and seat cover would be adequate for me.

But
Your solution is easier And probably better.
Less build work and bike is in back.
Upright, standing on its tail is the answer.
And
I offered 50 bucks for one of those wheelchair hitch racks this weekend at a yard sale
I gave my last one away.
I would highly suggest you place an adv on craigslist and buy one.
It will lower that trike right to the ground for you.
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Old 09-11-2021, 06:27 PM   #10
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A multi bicycle rack - draft master

We have a variety of bikes that we sometimes mix and match on our carrier. They will support singles, trandems, trikes, and recumbents - all on the rear rack. It also lowers to make loading/unloading a lot easier (really nice to be able to load a tandem single-handed).

You can look up draftmaster online. The best part is that you can call and tell them what you are looking for, and they will give you a configuration that works. One note: We use it on a Vegas 24.1 - and we needed the extender to keep the top of the rack from hitting the RV. With the extender, the top is a few inches from the RV.

Our tandem goes everywhere with us - no problem in 5 years of use.
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Old 09-11-2021, 08:25 PM   #11
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A Seasucker might work too.?.? Works great on a regular bike.
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Old 09-11-2021, 10:25 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by morningglory View Post
We bought two E-bikes and a ridiculously expensive Thule bike rack to carry two bikes that are in the 55 pound range aa couple of years ago. Carried them on our Thor Axis 14.1.

I like mine but my wife got spooked by hers and fell a couple times, so we sold it and now she has an electric tricycle. It folds/disassembles at a center point. I'm trying to figure out a way to carry these two very different bikes and to not have to trash my Thule.

The bumper is not 4" square, so some of those simple bumper hitches are not a good fit. The best plan I've come up with so far is to get a ladder mount bike rack for my standard bike and then jury-rig some kind of platform on the Thule to accommodate the 24" back axle with of the trike. I'll probably disassemble it so the front wheel (and motor) will fit in our inside storage.

But you folks figured out all sorts of cool things... so anybody have ideas for me?
Have the same issue with the one I bought for my wife. One fall is all. Haven’t sold it yet and doubt she’d do better on a trike. But if I did I’d probably get a little trailer for them.
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Old 09-11-2021, 10:29 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by morningglory View Post
Our state has a mandatory front license plate that would make that front hitch problematical... plus if I put a bike there with a rain cover, I'd be concerned about getting air flow - I'm amazed at how much fresh air is already heated even at highway speeds before it gets into the cab.

I'm tinkering with a new idea. If the trike can go on the Thule rack - facing upward - and be properly secured, then I'm looking at a simple bike rack I can attach to the back bumper to use the space between the back of the Axis and the Thule rack. Since the bumper is not 4x4 like the hitches sold, and it is tapered at the top rather than rectangular, I'm considering cutting 2x8 treated lumber and using it to make a top-and-bottom "sandwich" on the bumper to give me a surface to attach one of the simple hitches, just not using the U-bolts that it comes with...

First I have to get a neighbor to help lift the 72 pound trike onto the existing rack and see if it can be carried safely - otherwise it will just have to stay home.
No one looks for your front license plate and air flow isn’t a problem. I put a pickup box on the front of my diesel dodge pulling 5th wheel with no issues. A lot of fisherman do that.
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Old 10-02-2021, 06:33 PM   #14
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I'm a moderator on a Facebook medical support group with about 10,000 members, so I offer a lot of information and support to people. I'll admit to having a pet peeve - people asking a lot but then disappearing so we never know the outcomes. So... this group is always so helpful - here's a thank you and an update on how I handled this...

I didn't want to invest in a new bike rack as I don't know if this is a one-time transport or will become regular. I didn't want to alter the Thule rack in any way - I don't remember what I paid for it but I just saw it listed at REI for $850!

I'm a wood guy - never learned to work with metals... so...

I put wood supports on the bike rack to level it off at the height of the bumper. I wired the spacers in place so if I want to remove this the bike rack is intact and unaltered. I cut a 3' x 5' sheet of old heavy duty plywood that had been exposed to the elements for years. After attaching it to the wooden spacers, I decided it doesn't need to be bolted into the bumper - I actually thought that the difference in motion between the hitch and bike rack and the bumper could be worse if I locked the two together. There is a layer of felt between the plywood and the bumper and it is putting a considerable amount of the load onto the bumper - but if it needs to flex, it can. I mounted tie downs all over the plywood and for the final ropes over the rain covers I just drilled a bunch of holes around the perimeter.

It ain't elegant - but I think it is going to work. Haven't road tested it yet, but will next week.

Thanks to all who contributed... gave me a lot to think about!

https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...ike_rack_1.JPG

https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...ike_rack_2.JPG
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Old 10-21-2021, 11:19 PM   #15
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over 2000 miles... worked great!

Two weeks, over 2000 miles... lots of Colorado and Utah mountain driving... high winds... bikes were used in Utah and arrived in Arizona in perfect shape!
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Old 10-22-2021, 05:14 AM   #16
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There's 2 locations that I wouldn't recommend carrying ANYTHING of any weight, #1 the 4" sewer hose holder, which is the only weight it was designed for, that's some times called a bumper, #2 a RV ladder if you want it & whatever you've strapped to it to remain attached to the rv.
A good sturdy rack mounted to the front or in the bed of a pickup toad would be the best options.
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Old 10-22-2021, 12:56 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Travelin' Texans View Post
There's 2 locations that I wouldn't recommend carrying ANYTHING of any weight, #1 the 4" sewer hose holder, which is the only weight it was designed for, that's some times called a bumper, #2 a RV ladder if you want it & whatever you've strapped to it to remain attached to the rv.
A good sturdy rack mounted to the front or in the bed of a pickup toad would be the best options.
We carry a folding electric trike, a folding 2 wheel e-bike as well as ramps to load and unload them in the bed of our GMC Canyon.
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Old 10-22-2021, 07:47 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by Travelin' Texans View Post
There's 2 locations that I wouldn't recommend carrying ANYTHING of any weight, #1 the 4" sewer hose holder, which is the only weight it was designed for, that's some times called a bumper, #2 a RV ladder if you want it & whatever you've strapped to it to remain attached to the rv.
A good sturdy rack mounted to the front or in the bed of a pickup toad would be the best options.
Good thoughts... We don't pull a toad, so that was out... and probably the nicest feature of the Axis is the front view through its ridiculously large windshield, so I really didn't want to have to cut through the fiberglass, mount a hitch, adjust for the license plate, and then deal with the whipping of the bike cover and the reduced air flow into the grill. I know a lot of bikes are hauled without covers, but these are electric bikes and I don't like to expose them to the elements plus the fall bugs in Nebraska and eastern Colorado would make a real mess of an uncovered bike.

The bumper on the Axis is not a sewer hose holder... really a pretty solid bumper... but my design put the primary weight on the bike carrier and hitch and then some weight across the whole length of the bumper as the load settled down the plywood on the [padded] bumper.
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