Well, howdy there! You wanna haul yer bikes around in yer pickup truck, huh? It ain’t as simple as throwin’ ’em in the back and callin’ it a day, no sirree. You gotta get yerself one of them bike racks for pickup trucks. Let me tell ya, there’s a whole mess of ’em out there, and figgerin’ out which one’s right for ya can be trickier than a greased pig at a county fair.
First off, ya gotta think about how often yer gonna be usin’ this thing. Is it just for the occasional trip to the park, or are ya gonna be luggin’ bikes all over creation? And how many bikes are we talkin’ about here? One? Two? A whole dang bicycle gang? That’ll make a difference, ya see.
Then there’s yer truck itself. What kinda truck ya got? A big ol’ monster or a smaller one? Some racks fit some trucks better than others, it’s just the way it is. And don’t forget the bikes! Some bikes are heavy, some are light, some are big, some are small. Makes a difference, y’know.
Now, let’s talk about money. ‘Cause these things ain’t free, ya know. You can spend a little, or you can spend a lot. It all depends on what ya want and how fancy ya wanna get. But remember, sometimes ya get what ya pay for. A cheap rack might fall apart on ya quicker than a politician’s promise.
- Hitch Racks: These things hook up to that square hole in the back of yer truck, the one ya use for pullin’ stuff. They’re pretty sturdy, and they can hold a bunch of bikes. But ya gotta make sure ya get the right size hitch, see. They come in different sizes, like shoes. You measure that hole, inside to inside, and then get the right size ball mount. Makes sense, right? And even if you ain’t pulling nothin’ heavy, a bigger hitch is good, some of them stronger bike racks only work with the bigger hitch, the two-inch one. They call that a class 3 hitch, I think.
- Bed Racks: These go right in the bed of yer truck. Some sit inside the bed, others go up over the sides. Good for pickup folks, ya know? Keep them bikes safe and sound, and out of the wind. But they might take up some space in the bed, so if ya gotta haul other stuff too, that’s somethin’ to think about.
- Trunk Racks: Now, these ain’t usually for trucks, but some folks use ’em on their SUVs or cars. They strap onto the back, ya see. But if ya got a truck, you’re probably better off with one of the other kinds. But they do make trunk racks for all kinds of cars, so that’s good.
So, how do ya pick the right one? Well, read up on it, that’s what I say. Look at the different kinds, see what fits yer truck and yer bikes and yer wallet. Some are made of aluminum, some are made of steel. Some are fancy, some are plain. There’s even one called the Thule 201 Insta-Gater Pro, sounds fancy, huh? Made of aluminum and plastic. Measures somethin’ like forty inches by eighteen inches by seven inches, I think. They’ll tell ya how much weight it can hold, too.
And don’t forget to measure that receiver hitch tube. Measure it from the inside to the inside, ya hear? That’ll tell ya what size ball mount ya need. It’s important, ya know, like measurin’ flour for a biscuit recipe.
Bottom line is, ya gotta do yer homework. Don’t just grab the first rack ya see. Think about what ya need, how much yer willin’ to spend, and then go from there. And once ya get that rack, make sure ya install it right. Ya don’t want them bikes fallin’ off on the highway, do ya? That’d be a mess worse than a spilled jar of molasses on a hot summer day.
So there ya have it. A little bit of common sense advice on pickin’ out a bike rack for yer pickup truck. Now go on out there and find yerself a good one, and happy haulin’!
Choosing the Best Bike Rack: A Summary
- Figure out how often you will use it
- Know how many bikes you will carry
- Consider the type of truck you have
- Think about the type of bikes you will carry
- Decide on your budget
- Measure that receiver hitch
And that’s all there is to it, easy as pie, right?
Tags: bike racks, pickup trucks, hitch racks, bed racks, bike transport, outdoor gear, cycling accessories, truck accessories
