High Capacity Bike Racks? Bike racks in general.

[duneslider]

Hey guys,
I saw @byathread has a LOLO 6 bike rack and got me thinking what others are using for carrying lots of bikes at once. I mean these things fit 8 people so you could have a need to carry your bike plus 7 buddy's bikes too.

My current setup is a Thule 4 bike tray rack with 4 bikes. A yakima front loader on the roof. A 16" wheel bike in the back with the helmets and gear. Not ideal and child number 5 is a couple years away from riding but eventually we will be at 7 bikes.

My setup works but the rack usually lives on my jeep in the 2 bike setup. So when a family ride comes up it is a bit of a chore to swap the rack to the expy, add the extension, put the roof rack on, and then load everything up. Getting a bike to the roof isn't the easiest. I have a small werner paint work platform I throw in to help me get high enough to do the roof bike.

I had been looking at the Recon Racks 6 bike rack. The LOLO looks super interesting. Curious what you all are doing for bike carrying. Really curious about those who have used the LOLO rack.

 

[AAOO]

Ban all high capacity bike racks. No one needs that many bikes!

 

[shane_th_ee]

4 kids, but the two youngest are still on 8" bikes, which are plenty easy to just throw in the back of my Max. As 4 bikes is enough for now, I'm using a Thule T2 XT Pro with the 2 bike extension. The 2 bike extension is essentially a permanent attachment. The rack mostly lives on the back of our travel trailer, but sees some duty on the back of the Expedition. At ~100lbs it is a bit of a chore to move between vehicles.

Pros: I can move it between vehicles, it's compatible with 20" wheels, it's compatible with our full carbon road bikes, I can use the same key for it and the kayak racks. And I really like that the cable locks are long enough that I can use them to lock up the bikes without having to load the bikes on the rack (this is really helpful when we're out camping).

Cons: (Other than price and weight and not formally being TT rated) The only thing I really don't like about it is that while it's a no-frame contact design, the ratchet arms have a tendency to walk and end up in contact with the front brakes on the bikes. Fortunately, the arms are coated in a relatively soft rubber so it doesn't damage the bikes, but it is causing pre-mature wear on the arms...

When the time comes to haul 6 bikes, the alternative to a 6 bike rack would be to have a front mounted receiver installed on the Expedition...

 

[shane_th_ee]

Ban all high capacity bike racks. No one needs that many bikes!

I used to have one, but took it with me when we went kayaking. There was a horrible boating accident and I haven't seen it since.

 

[Adam Huskins]

I’m in the market for a rack and have been considering the Yakima FourTimer. Then, I saw this and am curious how it would fit on the Expy??




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[duneslider]

The only negative I have heard about that yakima is that it doesn't do anything but fullsize mountain bikes. Not good for kids bikes or anything other than mountain bikes with front suspension. That may or may not be something to consider.

 

[byathread]

I’m in the market for a rack and have been considering the Yakima FourTimer. Then, I saw this and am curious how it would fit on the Expy??

My $0.02 - Hangover and Recon don't allow the rear window to open without lowering the whole connected assembly. The Lolo does this tilting business as well, but, a bit awkward regardless of what monster rack being used as you'll need to get the pin back in once it's upright again...with all the bikes on it. The Recon redesign looks like it might be OK/handier for that tilt, but, wasn't an option when I got the LOLO. Also, I can't imagine what that sucker weighs with those wheel baskets! A wife/kid/buddy to help tilt down if you have to do it, but, then it's just another thing to do... I went with the Lolo as I needed something to go on the camper and something for my family of six (kids 4, 6, 8, 11) that'd be relatively future proof. Bonus with the Lolo is in standard/recommended position (leaning slightly toward vehicle) I can open and reach in the rear window and grab stuff out of the back (helmets/bags/etc.). Wasn't sure if I'd be able to, but, in looking at the other options, it isn't happening on them without tilting down.
Anyway, I liked this option the best for a number of reasons; Made in USA, weight, having shorter family members lift their own bikes up to the rack when they are tall enough, the fact that there is a plane that doesn't get crossed that is away from my paint on the Expy and gel coat on Camper, etc.
I have had to move some controls slightly on certain bikes to avoid stress on cables, but, now that they are moved, loading up is a breeze/simple.

 

[Adam Huskins]

My $0.02 - Hangover and Recon don't allow the rear window to open without lowering the whole connected assembly. The Lolo does this tilting business as well, but, a bit awkward regardless of what monster rack being used as you'll need to get the pin back in once it's upright again...with all the bikes on it. The Recon redesign looks like it might be OK/handier for that tilt, but, wasn't an option when I got the LOLO. Also, I can't imagine what that sucker weighs with those wheel baskets! A wife/kid/buddy to help tilt down if you have to do it, but, then it's just another thing to do... I went with the Lolo as I needed something to go on the camper and something for my family of six (kids 4, 6, 8, 11) that'd be relatively future proof. Bonus with the Lolo is in standard/recommended position (leaning slightly toward vehicle) I can open and reach in the rear window and grab stuff out of the back (helmets/bags/etc.). Wasn't sure if I'd be able to, but, in looking at the other options, it isn't happening on them without tilting down.
Anyway, I liked this option the best for a number of reasons; Made in USA, weight, having shorter family members lift their own bikes up to the rack when they are tall enough, the fact that there is a plane that doesn't get crossed that is away from my paint on the Expy and gel coat on Camper, etc.
I have had to move some controls slightly on certain bikes to avoid stress on cables, but, now that they are moved, loading up is a breeze/simple.

Can you open the tailgate with bikes on/removed with the Lolo?


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[byathread]

Can you open the tailgate with bikes on/removed with the Lolo?

If you mean the main hatch on the expy, yes you can open it if you tilt the whole assembly down (bikes on or not). If you mean a pickup truck tailgate, I'm not really sure... It'd be close or wouldn't open all the way I'd think, depending which angle position you have the rack. There are 3 positions on the Lolo: 1 steep angle toward the vehicle, 1 slightly toward the vehicle (that's how I have mine) and 1 dead vertical.

 

[Wayne Decker]

8 bikes? Use a trailer. Set up a small utility trailer with fork mounts for the adults and whatever works for the kids.

That being said, I ride every day, but it's usually just me. Then I just put it in the back with the sets all down. I have a three bike hitch rack when I need more.

 

[byathread]

Have some pics over here in case anyone is interested:

https://www.expeditionforum.com/threads/lolo-bike-rack.40643/

 

[shane_th_ee]

I went with the Lolo as I needed something to go on the camper and something for my family of six (kids 4, 6, 8, 11)

Is the receiver on the camper installed even with the rear bumper? If so, does it clear the bumper mounted spare on the camper? (That's the other thing I don't like about my Thule. I had my TT receiver installed even with the bumper so the spare tire keeps me from being able to store it in the upright position.)

 

[duneslider]

I need to get a good hitch installed on the back of my camper but I still don't trust putting bikes back there. I have seen too many bikes with racks that have come off trailers. Just seems to be some weird bounce on the back of trailers that causes something to fail. These upright racks may not suffer that sort of fate though. Not sure what the root cause is.

 

[shane_th_ee]

I have seen too many bikes with racks that have come off trailers... Not sure what the root cause is.

That's people buying the $40-$70 bumper receiver adapters instead of spending hundreds of dollars to have a welding shop custom fab and weld a class III/IV receiver to the trailer frame. Most people are carrying cheap hybrids and some kids bikes. They're not spending $1500-2000 on a receiver and rack. Those of us transporting several times that amount in bikes will though...

 

[duneslider]

I have seen bike racks broken off at the hitch laying on the ground. I think its the leverage of those long 4 bike racks (yakima, thule, kuat), in fact, all those manufacturers say in their manuals not to put their racks on the back of RV's.

Yes, I have seen whole RV bumpers on the ground with bikes and rack still attached when people use those bolt on bumper hitches.

 

[Artie]

Ban all high capacity bike racks. No one needs that many bikes!

Think of the children!

 

[duneslider]

Ban all high capacity bike racks. No one needs that many bikes!

I wasn't going to even respond to this because it is wrong on so many levels. The correct number of bikes is obviously n+1.

 

[shane_th_ee]

(channeling my best Tom Hanks)Uhh... lessee.... they's time trial bikes, cyclo-cross bikes, they's down hill bikes, cross country bikes, trials bikes, road touring bikes, racing bikes, beach cruising bikes, they's commuter bikes...

 

[aporthole]

We have a 6-bike Recon Rack. It is the best rack you can buy. We are in the Pacific Northwest and big into mountain biking. The Recon is the primo-gold standard.
http://recon-racks.com/

 

[aporthole]

We have a 6-bike Recon Rack. It is the best rack you can buy. We are in the Pacific Northwest and big into mountain biking. The Recon is the primo-gold standard.
http://recon-racks.com/

 

[duneslider]

The Recon Rack has been on the top of my list but I have seen pictures of bikes with holes worn through the tires side walls and heard of bikes bouncing out of the baskets. I think he has improved the straps that hold the tire down, so that issue is maybe gone now but I have seen pictures of tires being worn through. The Recon from what I am told also doesn't handle little kids bikes very well and he doesn't care about that, or care to offer anything that would help that situation, again which is fine but for someone like me that makes it hard for me to want to drop $1400 and then not be able to carry the bikes I have.

The Recon is also by far the most expensive rack out there. The LOLO is also made in the PNW and costs half as much. I was pretty much set on the Recon until I saw the LOLO and now my interest has been peeked.