best rack for pickup bed

[54ny77]

Needing a rack for my pickup bed (long bed) to hold 2 bikes. Am sorta concerned the tension-style racks (that span side to side) from Thule or Yakima might pop off if I hit a bump or continuous rough pavement (roads only, not off road). My truck bed can really bounce around. Is that concern largely unfounded?

Would appreciate someone's recommendations/tips based on specific product experience (the good and bad). :beer:

[mtb_frk]

I have the Yakima biker bar. It locks to the bed, so no falling off. I can't use any kind of cover with the truck though which is a bit of a downside. As an bonus I can leave the bikes in the bed and still park in my garage. Also i bungee the rear wheel to a tie down in the bed otherwise it will walk around a bit.

[54ny77]

thanks mtb.


I have the Yakima biker bar. It locks to the bed, so no falling off. I can't use any kind of cover with the truck though which is a bit of a downside. As an bonus I can leave the bikes in the bed and still park in my garage. Also i bungee the rear wheel to a tie down in the bed otherwise it will walk around a bit.

[OtayBW]

I use a nice piece of clear cedar, 2x6 with a couple of fork mounts bolted onto it. Cut it long enough to fit inside any flare of your bedliner (if you have one) and it will stay put. Just lift the whole assembly out and stick it in the garage when you don't need it. Will try to locate my pics.

[thirdgenbird]

I made my own for my last truck. It had a slot in the bed for a 2x6 so cut wood to length, bolted on two cheap fork mounts and a pair of eye bolts. After the whole works was assembled, I tack welded the hardware and painted it with spray on bed liner. I ran steel cable from the eye bots to the bed tie downs and padlocked it in.

The whole project was much cheaper than an off the shelf rack, it worked with my access cover, and it also gave me a cargo divider. With bikes in,I could keep other cargo from hitting them and bikes out I could keep small item from sliding to the front of the bed where I couldn't reach them. It was so handy, I rarely took it out.

[djg21]

Needing a rack for my pickup bed (long bed) to hold 2 bikes. Am sorta concerned the tension-style racks (that span side to side) from Thule or Yakima might pop off if I hit a bump or continuous rough pavement (roads only, not off road). My truck bed can really bounce around. Is that concern largely unfounded?

Would appreciate someone's recommendations/tips based on specific product experience (the good and bad). :beer:

What kind of truck? I have a pair of the Rocky Mount clutch SD mounts for a Toyota that I got last year, and then took off when I got a cap.

http://www.rockymounts.com/Clutch_SD_p/011.htm

[54ny77]

F150 long bed.

I might make something, always enjoy that but like anything it's usually lack of time.

What kind of truck? I have a pair of the Rocky Mount clutch SD mounts for a Toyota that I got last year, and then took off when I got a cap.

http://www.rockymounts.com/Clutch_SD_p/011.htm

[Blown Reek]

Thule 501 Insta-Gater.

http://www.rackwarehouse.com/images/productimages/thule/thule-501-insta-gater-pickup-truck-bike-rack.jpg

[downtube]

I made my own rack set up.

My Chevy truck came with these tie down loops built into the side of the bed.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5814/20659029682_f0c7100a3a_z.jpg

I bought a piece of steel angle iron from the hardware store. I cut it to length drilled holes and bolted it through the tie down loops. I used a small piece of the angle iron to be like a washer on the backside of the loop. I added 3 commercially available fork mounts and painted the cross bar. All in maybe an hour and a half of work included a quick paint job. This set up has been in place for 6 years and has never had a single issue.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/610/20481528699_599665587b_z.jpg

Sorry about the dirty bed, it is a truck.

[bikinchris]

I have an old Bike Tight glider board. It's an aluminum glider board that is weighted down and has a rough texture on the bottom. It holds three fork mounts. Those have rusted mounting hardware and need to be cut off. That seems to have been the most convenient method besides the wooden plank method.

I don't have a pickup anymore, so I may sell it. I see there are a bunch online too.

[ntb1001]

I use a Thule expanding bar rack with fork mounts.I have it set very tight so the is no way it will pop out on a bump.
I also use a cheap expanding bar on the other end up against the back wheels and use some toe straps to attach the back wheels so they don't bounce around.