Pop Up Camper Bike Rack (Everything You NEED To Know) – Buyer’s Guide for 2023

As pop up campers rise in popularity, the demand for 2a good quality, reliable, pop up camper bike rack is increasing. The bike rack for pop up camper niche is not very large, but there are still some incredible products on the market today. The problem with the pop up camper popularity ends up being that bike enthusiasts no longer have a good space to stash their rides. 

Even though the trunk access is limited and the RV trailer hitch receiver is blocked by the pop up, there are options to get around all of these problems. We have compiled a list of seven of the best pop up camper bike racks that will help you out. With one of these, there’s nothing stopping you from heading out and finding an incredible adventure with you bike on the trail bringing you back to sleep in your pop up camper at night. 

IMAGE PRODUCT DETAILS
  • Features: Tilt away mast, Four Bike Capacity, Lifetime warranty, Individual tie downs for each bike.
  • Benefits: Fold down to compact size and store away when not in use, rest easy knowing your bikes are safe.
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  • Features: Accomodates bike rims up to 23.2 inches, Easy assembly and installation, anti-wobble hitch to keep everything stable.
  • Benefits: Easy to store, fits most sized bikes, get a smooth ride without damaging bikes.
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  • Features: Fits 20 in to 29 in wheels and up to 3 inch tires, No frame contact means no damage to paint or frame.
  • Benefits: Easily mount your bike on the roof with no worry about space or weight.
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We have chosen the Allen Sports 4 Bike Rack as our top pick for a variety of reasons. This is a simple all around rack that comes along with a lot of features that make it easy to use and effective in both security and stability. It is incredibly easy to install and use as one of the best frame mount racks, meaning you don’t need to go through a crazy amount of work in order to get it up and running. If you have fewer or even more bikes you can just buy a size up or down and make this a custom fit to your needs. This will make any bike enthusiast happy while travelling with their pop up camper. 


Best Bike Racks for Pop Up Camper 2023

1. Allen Sports Hitch Racks – Our Top Pick

The Allen Sports hitch racks comes out on top when talking about pop up camper bike racks. This bike rack is made of high quality and durable material that fits into the RV trailer hitch receiver of just about any pop up camper. It may seem like just an average bike rack, but in the end, all of its features and utility for pop up campers makes it the best. 

This bike rack is assembled easily and can be installed within five minutes of receiving the package. The tilt away feature makes it a good choice for when you don’t even have the pop up camper attached to your car and still want to use the bike rack and your trunk. Allen Sports produces bike racks that will accomodate up to five bikes and down to two as well if you are wanting to up the size or bring it down. 

Living in a pop up camper means that you’re probably working hard on finding different ways to save space in all aspects of your life. This bike rack folds down to a compact size that can be easily stored and stashed away when it’s not needed for your bikes. It isn’t something that will continue to take up space even when you don’t need it. Life in a tiny home is not one that allows for those kinds of products. 

Features

Tilt away mast style construction, Maximum capacity of four bikes, Lifetime warranty, Easy and simple installatiion process, Individual tie downs for each bike ensures security, Built in lock for anti-theft security

Pros

  • Folds away to a compact sized for easy storage
  • Built in locking mechanism for security
  • Tilt away feature for trunk access
  • Lifetime warranty

Cons

  • You may want a different locking system
  • Extended periods of time with heavy weight can bend the rack

2. Swagman Hitch Bike Rack – Most User Friendly

The incredibly simple to set up, simple to use, Swagman XC2 Hitch Mount Bike Rack is our second, and our most user friendly pop up camber bike rack on the list. The platform style trailer hitch is great for making loading your bike a cinch, as there is no complicated strapping of the bike onto the rack. It is as easy as lifting it up, on, locking it into place, and getting on the road. 

With the capacity of 35 pounds per bike, for two bikes, this is a great option for couples that are living in their pop up camper and only need to bring two bikes with them. The adjustable ratchet arm locks these two bikes into place securely and gives you a peace of mind without a lot of additional work. 

The Swagman XC2 will fit any type of bike, even fat tires, with a 20 to 29 inch wheelset. The anti wobble RV trailer hitch works to make sure that the bikes have a smooth ride and aren’t too severely affected or damaged by the motion of the tow vehicle. Putting this onto the back of your pop up camper is going to be a great option if you aren’t going to be bringing much weight and don’t mind the two bike maximum. 

Features

Accomodates bike rims up to 23.2 inches, Easy to assemble and install, sturdy design with an anti-wobble hitch to keep everything stable, Folds away compactly to save space when not in use

Pros

  • Easy to install and easy to load bikes with ratchet arm
  • Fits all different styles of bikes
  • Folds down to tuck away nicely when not in use
  • Anti wobble hitch helps to save your bike from being damaged while on the rack

Cons

  • Can’t carry more than two bikes
  • Rack has considerably low weight capacity

3. YAKIMA FrontLoader – Best Roof Carrier

This pop up camper roof bike rack is great for when you are out there solo and want to get time in on the trails without a hitch or other space to put a bike rack. Because it only carries one bike, it weighs a slight 13 pounds and is an easy install. The steel construction means that it is going to last you a long time. Pair that with the trustworthy name brand of Yakima, and you have a fantastic bike rack that will accommodate your pop up camper needs. 

The patented ZIP STRIP binds down on the wheels, ensuring the bike is securely in place before setting off. When a roof bike rack takes on all of the weather and wind your tow vehicle does, it needs to be sturdy, and this is one roof bike rack you can count on. 

In addition to being securely strapped on, Yakima has given users two different locks to help provide the most secure anti theft system on the list. On top of that, when a bike is strapped on to a roof bike rack, it’s going to be pretty obvious when someone is trying to steal it. This can also be a drawback, as putting it on the roof bike rack can be more difficult due to the necessary lifting. This is also the safest bet for your bike as the frame will never make contact with the rack, preventing any accidental damage in transit. 

Features

Fits 20 in to 29 in wheels and up to 3 inch tires, No frame contact makes it a good choice to protect carbon fiber and custom paint, Space for separately purchased locks to be added to the rack

Pros

  • Two locks for anti-theft protection included in the build
  • Steel construction for a long lifespan
  • Secure ZIP STRIP binding system on the wheels
  • No frame contact means no accidental damage

Cons

  • Difficult to lift bike on to the roof rack by yourself
  • Only made for one bike
  • Higher price tag than most

4. Let’s Go Aero Carrier System

This tongue mount bike rack, or an A frame bike rack, uses an innovative design that allows you to carry two bikes and still be able to have full access to the trunk of your tow vehicle, pop up camper and all. Every bike frame is going to have a snug and secure place in this bike rack, on almost all pop up campers. Although, there are a few pop up campers that this will not fit so it’s important to check out the dimensions before your purchase. 

Sway control cradles and locking no-motion pins help to add to the incredible stability provided by this pop up camper bike rack. It is super easy to install, and strapping bikes down is easy once you get over the more difficult process of loading the bikes in a higher, and less spacious position. The Power Tower frame used on this bike rack makes sure that the tongue of your pop up camper is left undamaged as well as protecting the bikes while heading to your next big adventure. 

With this A-frame designed bike rack, the rear hitch of your pop up camper is going to now be accessible. This may be one of the best ways to increase your towing capacity if you are planning on bringing even more gear for bigger trips. The tucked away position up against the camper will keep your bikes safe, and free up more room in both the trunk and the rear hitch. 

Features

PowerTower frame protects tongue jack from impact, two different sway control cradles, two lockable no-motion pins, fits all bike frames and a-frame RV trailers

Pros

  • Maintains access to the trunk even when fully loaded 
  • Easy to install and secure bikes down
  • Frees up your pop up campers hitch for additional rack or towing

Cons

  • Difficult to load bikes in the tighter space
  • Works with most, but not all pop up campers

5. Pro-Series Reese Eclipse

Reese has been in the game for helping everyone carry and tow their gear as safe as possible for years on end. They have made a big name for themselves, and it is completely deserved. This is another hitch mounted bike rack that will fit into the 2 inch receiver of your pop up camper. Once installed, it is incredibly easy to load bikes and feel comfortable that they are safe back there. 

The 120 pound and four bike capacity allows you to travel with the whole family, or bring yourself multiple bikes for all different riding situations. Don’t worry, because each different type of bike is going to comfortably fit on this rack behind your pop up camper. They’ll be comfortable in the sturdy cradles and rubber padding that makes for a soft but strong ride. Heavy duty hook and loop straps are used to make sure those bikes aren’t going anywhere but your final destination. 

To wrap it all together, the anti-rattle hitch bolt helps bring the movement inside the hitch receiver to a minimum. This will help keep your bikes from crashing together while moving, preventing any unwanted damage. With a cable lock, you can easily lock up all four bikes to the rack and walk away without any worries. 

Features

Tilt-away capability to free up trunk space and easily unload bikes, Straps with hooks and looks make use simple, Soft cradles to be easy on the bike, additional rear reflector for road visibility

Pros

  • Anti-rattle hitch pin helps prevent damage
  • Rubberized cradles give a soft, no-slip, strong ride
  • Heavy metal makes it a sturdy build

Cons

  • There are some reports of shotty welding quality
  • The slanted angle can make certain spots difficult with the bike chain

6. Stromberg Carlson

The Stromberg Carlson CC-275 is an RV trailer tongue mounted hitch that allows you to place any hitch mounted bike rack in between your tow vehicle and your pop up camper. It is a great option as it allow you to pick out just about any bike rack that you want and put it to use. While it can get in the way of certain features of some pop up campers such as a propane cover or pull out beds, it is an aerodynamic option that sits rather low. 

This gives you a huge amount of choice. Depending on the shape of your towing vehicle and your pop up camper, getting to choose any bike rack is a great plus rather than having to buy the only one that actually fits your towing vehicle/camper setup. 

The installation of the Stromberg Carlson does require drilling and making a permanent alteration to your RV trailer tongue. This can be an intimidating decision to make, but is highly worth it when trying to get a much more versatile option. The other drawback is that this is only rated for 100 pounds maximum. This means that once you load it up, the bikes can start to move around a bit. Sharp turns can lead to bumping bikes against each other and your vehicle. 

Features

Adjustable to most a-frame RV trailers, still able to tow vehicles, raised receiver on the a frame for the bikes, mountable on A-frame from widths of 14 to 55 inches, accomodates any rack with a 2 inch receiver

Pros

  • Adds a huge amount of versatility and options to your purchase
  • Fits most RV trailer tongues
  • Sits low and is rather aerodynamic for a bike rack

Cons

  • This isn’t really a bike rack, it just lets you have one that you will need to purchase separately
  • Can get in the way of certain additions or features of your pop up camper

7. CURT Clamp-On

The CURT Clamp On bike rack is the opposite of our last option. It is anything but permanent and is incredibly convenient as it allows you to still tow with a ball mount. The cradles are made of durable but soft plastic that help to fit different bike frames without damaging them. This will help give your bike a secure ride on the rack without a damaging vice grip. 

CURT specializes in products that make towing easier for you. With this bike rack you don’t have to sacrifice the capacity to tow while carrying your bikes. The pop up camper that takes up the ball mount can still have its place in your system. This space is never used and it is good to see it finally be put to a good use with plenty of space to carry bikes. 

The problem with its positioning is that you will be unable to open your trunk while the hitch is mounted on your towing vehicle. To open the trunk on your vehicle, you would need to remove the rack. This can be difficult because the clamps need to be incredibly strong to support the weight of both the rack and bikes while hitting bumps in the road. 

Features

Easy to use clamp on design, maximum carrying capacity of 135 pounds with space for three bikes, adjustable rubber cradles are soft but secure on bikes, additional reflectors for added road visibility

Pros

  • Folds down easily for good storage
  • Allows you to still tow with the ball mount
  • Great weight capacity

Cons

  • Locking cable needs to be purchased separately
  • Can be difficult to remove the tight clamp from above the ball mount

Bike Rack for Pop Up Camper Buyer’s Guide

If you’ve just moved in to a pop up camper, just bought a bike or a pop up camper, or just want to start bringing your bikes along, you are going to need the best pop up camper bike rack for you. It’s not an easy thing to do. There are a lot of things with a lot of moving parts and different connections. Several different things can get in the way of finding a good spot for your bike rack, but there is definitely a good answer for you out there. The right amount of research on this page will lead you to the best bike rack for your situation. You can also read our recent post wherein we talk about which is the best between Thule or Yakima roof rack.

Your Vehicle

One of the first things to consider is going to be the type of vehicle you use to tow your pop-up camper. It is going to affect the rack that you can buy due to the space behind the car. Vehicles with a larger RV trailer bumper can get in the way with a lot of racks on the RV. A spare tire that is mounted to the rear of your car can be difficult to get around, but they do make bike racks that clamp on for exactly that reason. But we do have a separate article that will help you find the best spare tire bike racks reviews that may help your camping adventure. Also, you can check our recent post about the best surfboard bike racks review if you are planning to ride on your bike when going to the beach.

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Make certain that the bike rack you end up with will have sufficient space for you to keep your bikes safe from bumping up against the rear of your vehicle. 

Your Bike, or Bikes

Most of the bike racks we have included in this list will be able to carry almost any kind of bike, but not all of them will carry any size or style. If you ride a fat tire bike, you definitely are used to making different accommodations for your bike, and this won’t be an exception. 

If you are incredibly concerned about your bikes being beat up while on the road, certain racks take better precautions than others in that area. Some bike racks are capable of not even touching the frame and ratchet down onto the wheels to protect the frame. This is great for making sure you don’t damage your bike on the way to getting to use them on the road or trail. No matter what kind of bike you ride, there is definitely a rack that will carry it, but there are probably some that don’t.

It’s possible that you are out there living in your pop up camper alone, or are with your entire family on the vacation all kids dream of. The number of bikes that you bring along is going to greatly change the number of options you have to choose between when looking for the best bike rack for your pop up. 

Carrying Capacity

While most bikes aren’t incredibly heavy, they definitely can be, and the weight of many different bikes adds up fast. When a bike rack has a weight capacity, the closer you get to that load capacity, the less stable the rack is going to be on the road. It will start to wobble and shake and some racks will start to bend while fully loaded over extended periods of time. 

A roof rack is going to give you the highest weight capacity, but it isn’t always the best choice for people that may not be able to get the bike up there. Different bike racks that attach to the hitch or tongue will most likely have a lower load capacity, but you don’t always need to carry a huge amount of weight with you on the road. 

Mounting Type

There are several different mounting types that will work with different bike racks for pop up campers and almost any hitch type. This is going to give you a lot of options to choose between and help you to get the exact pop up camper bike rack you want for your pop up camper. 

Wheel mount racks versus a hitch mounted rack that is a bumper rack will be wildly different than roof mount racks when it comes to installation and use.

A pop up camper hitch bike rack is going to work with both an adapter or a hitch receiver that may be on the rear of your pop up camper. This will extend your length just a bit, but can also be incredibly easy to use. 

Front mount hitch camper bike racks will attach in front of your towing, allowing you to easily monitor them and not take up even more space in the back. They can obstruct the view slightly and are prone to more damage coming from the front. 

A towing vehicle bike roof rack will go on the roof of your towing vehicle and make work with or without the pop up camper attached. It can be difficult to access, which is a huge drawback but does have some of the highest carrying capacity on top of the towing vehicle due to the ability of your vehicle roof to carry more.

Ball mount camper bike racks are going to be more difficult with a pop up camper. The pop up camper itself often uses a ball mount to attach the RV trailer. If you have this available, then this is a great option. For more information about RV bike rack, you can check our recent blog where we talk more about it.

A truck bed bike rack can be great because you have loads of space while towing the pop up camper of your dreams. It gives you a good alternative to just tossing the bikes into the bed without being attached well. 

The final kind of mount is a camper bike roof rack. These can be really difficult to access but will have a high load capacity and definitely won’t be in the way. Remember to measure the height of your pop up camper to ensure you can make it under bridges! Also, our post we we talk about roof mounted bike rack reviews might be helpful for you.

Reliabilty and Durability

The build quality of your camper bike racks is going to determine how long they are going to last and how much you can really trust them. If you buy cheap and flimsy bike racks, you’ll end up being anxious about if your bikes are even still back there while going down the road. 

One important thing to remember is that you have a weatherproof coating like a powder coat finish on the bike rack to avoid rusting and the possibility of damage to the rack. 

Security

A lock on your camper bike racks is going to be the only way to really protect your bikes from anyone looking to grab them from you. Some of these bike racks come with a lock that is either integrated into the system, or comes along with it. There are also a lot that need to be purchased separately which can be rather annoying and easy to forget to purchase. Remember to put a lock in the cart as well for both the bikes and your bumper hitch receiver. 

Convenience and Ease of Use

The installation process of each of these bike racks is a bit different. Some of them are going to be incredibly convenient and easy to use, but some of them are more difficult. These all have tradeoffs however. Putting bike racks in the tight space between your car and the pop up will be kind of difficult and cramped no matter what, but some features like a tilting mast will make it a bit easier. 

If you want to access your trunk and utilize that storage in addition to the camper, some racks will allow for that and some will completely block off the trunk access point. It’s worth paying attention to the external features on your camper as well such as a propane cover or large bumper that will get in the way of bike racks. 

Storage

If you donb’t want to keep the bike rack attached to your car at all times, it will be important to be able to pack down the rack to a compact size and store away. With a pop up camper, looking for more space to store things is difficult and annoying. It will be a huge relief to easily fold the rack up and stash it behind a seat or behind a counter in the camper. 


Final Thoughts

The best pop up camper bike rack for you, or for you and your family, is going to make your adventures incredible by adding the ability to bring your bikes along with you on any trip. It expands the way you can enjoy the outdoors while you go on for a weekend or a new life in the pop up camper. The camper itself can be difficult to work around, but the best names in the industry have put their top engineers together to bring you what you need to make it work. 

IMAGE PRODUCT DETAILS
  • Features: Tilt away mast, Four Bike Capacity, Lifetime warranty, Individual tie downs for each bike.
  • Benefits: Fold down to compact size and store away when not in use, rest easy knowing your bikes are safe.
Check Latest Price
  • Features: Accomodates bike rims up to 23.2 inches, Easy assembly and installation, anti-wobble hitch to keep everything stable.
  • Benefits: Easy to store, fits most sized bikes, get a smooth ride without damaging bikes.
Check Latest Price
  • Features: Fits 20 in to 29 in wheels and up to 3 inch tires, No frame contact means no damage to paint or frame.
  • Benefits: Easily mount your bike on the roof with no worry about space or weight.
Check Latest Price
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Austin Mills

Austin Mills in an outdoor enthusiast. He's been featured on some of the top outdoor & fitness blogs sharing his expertise in order to help others. In his free time, he likes spending time with his dogs enjoying the outdoors.