SWB internal bike rack solution

[Deadagain51]

If you like me don't fancy leaving expensive bikes on a tailgate or tow hitch rack while you dive into a motorway service station or the pub on a weekend away then you might be interested in the system I'm using in my SWB Kombi.

It's not a new idea and can be found as old threads on older generation forums but thought it might be a new idea to some 6'ers.

I'm basically using a pick up truck mount fitted across the tailgate opening. remove the front wheels of the bikes and clamp forks onto mounts which can be positioned along the bar to allow best nesting with the next bike. My set up will easily accommodate 4 bikes behind the second row of seats.

Here's it loaded up with three bikes to wet your appetites:-

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If you want to do a really cheap version, I custom cut a scaffold board, sanded and painted it, and mounted fork mounts to it…works a treat, if it wasn’t for my shelving system I would get 3 mounts on that, however I have just added a 2nd wood strut that sits further back…I can get 2 29” emtb’s in by just removing the middle seat, or take out 2 rear seats to get 3 bikes in

 

[WinFreak]

If you want to do a really cheap version, I custom cut a scaffold board, sanded and painted it, and mounted fork mounts to it…works a treat, if it wasn’t for my shelving system I would get 3 mounts on that, however I have just added a 2nd wood strut that sits further back…I can get 2 29” emtb’s in by just removing the middle seat, or take out 2 rear seats to get 3 bikes in

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If you angle the fork mounts slightly you can get the bikes closer together, like so:

 

[Deadagain51]

Doesn’t work with 29” ebikes, they get clattered about too much, the way I have done it there is a decent amount of space between them so you don’t get handlebars clashing, etc

 

[WinFreak]

That’s odd, other than them being a bit heavier I can’t see why they would move so much more.

Mine are really sturdy like this and don’t move at all but having the handle bars staggered means they’d miss eachother should they move.

Also I bolted the fork mounts through the plank into some pronged nuts rather than using the little screws it came with, that stopped some movement as well.

 

[Deadagain51]

Yeah we tried having them like this, I think it’s due to the shelving system that’s in. Easiest solution was having the one in the middle set back. I got some cheap 3d printed fork mounts to start with and they were shockingly bad, ended up selling them and buying some decent alloy ones, much better, I know what you mean about the screws though…need to get some bigger ones in mine as the y do work loose

 

[WinFreak]

You could try drilling all through your plank and ramming some pronged nuts in the bottom and then using bolts to clamp them on, shouldn’t move anywhere then.

I plan to put some more holes and nuts in mine so I’ve got some flexibility to bring different bikes.

 

[Deadagain51]

They look very similar mounts to mine…come with different fittings so will fit various wheel sizes, boost, normal 100mm and also spindle

 

[Deadagain51]

You could try drilling all through your plank and ramming some pronged nuts in the bottom and then using bolts to clamp them on, shouldn’t move anywhere then.

I plan to put some more holes and nuts in mine so I’ve got some flexibility to bring different bikes.

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I have just been testing doing away with the fork mounts altogether and just pivoting the seats rather than removing them the rear wheel sits inbeteeen the seats and they act like a wheel mount. Need bungee ropes but so far seems bang on..next road trip with 3 of us I will test this system