cmurphy

I drive an F-150 and I'm looking for a bike rack for the bed. There's a ton to pick from online but none of them really look all that secure and the prices really vary from one product to the next. Anyone have a good recommendation?

(I tried the search feature first, I promise!)

AngryScientist 

a 2x8 with fork mounts in the bed.

Phantoj

I have the Xport bike rack; I think it's a Performance brand:

https://www.performancebike.com/bikes..._400005_400019

I picked it up off of craigslist for $35. I'm totally pleased with it; it's a decent quality product. Only problem is some of the hardware on it is getting rusty, but I leave it outside, so that's to be expected. It's super-easy to take out and put in, and it can be locked in place.

What do you mean by "secure"? For a casual theft-deterrent, I'll put a padlock around my front QR so the bike can't be removed from the rack, and the rack is solidly locked into the truck bed.

saratoga

My preference: Get a rack for the hitch, put a tonneau cover on it and call it a day. Bikes go on the rack, gear goes in the now covered bed and you have tons of room in the truck for your passengers.

That's what I did with my 2500HD and the Super Duty.

edit^^ that's the rack I have. It's available in a two or four bike configuration and it isn't terribly expensive.

cmurphy

A lot of racks look like they don't have anything to keep the bike stable. I just don't want my bikes falling over (and potentially out of the truck).

topflightpro

Buy the fork mounts already mentioned and construct your own.

Many pickups have slots for holding 2x4s in place. You can use those.

Alternatively, I cut a 4x4 to the exact width of the rear of my pick up bed. I then put Eye-bolts in either side and use clips to connect the Eye bolts to the loops in my truck bed - the loops are designed for tieing things down.

The 4x4 doesn't move and it holds the bikes nicely. Plus, it puts the fork mounts at the back of the truck, making it easier to get the bikes in and out. I'll try to take a photo for you later today.

rat fink

Now, why didn't I think of that? You guys are awesome!

Phantoj

??? It's impossible for a bike to fall over/out when the fork is clamped tightly into its fork mount.

Northwestrider

+ 1 for the 2 by 8 idea, it's worked great for me as well although I used a 2 by 4.

krazygl00

I did this for a while and it worked great, but it has its drawbacks. Hefting the bikes into place and then with one hand adjusting the fork mount then clamping the fork can be a pain, especially if your truck is a bit tall. Since the bed will be uncovered, leaves and debrid and junk accumulate in front of the 2x8. A good compromise would be having a bed toolbox and bolting the mounts to the toolbox.

^^^^^^ This. A thousand times win. I have a toolbox, a cloth toolbox tonneau cover (not common but they do make them) and a hitch rack. I've had about 4 hitch racks and the best one I've found is the Thule 916XTR T2 It is what's on my truck (also a Chebbie 2500hd). The feature that puts this over the comparable Yakima rack is that it has a tilting function where you can tilt the rack down while the bikes are still on it and still open the tailgate. It's the greatest thing ever. With the tonneau all the gear goes in the back and stays (amazingly) dry for trips, and the cab isn't crowded.

cmurphy

No I mean the ones that look like a small version of a rack you'd see outside a high school.

revchuck 

I've got this same rack in my F150, and it's very secure. It's been in there for just under 50k miles with the bike mounted with no problems. It will rust, though, and the spot weld holding the lock broke on mine. The lock doesn't play a part in securing the rack to the truck, just in keeping someone from folding it so it can be removed, so I'm not worried.

The downside is that the top of the bars are above the cab, so your brifters will be exposed to the wind and whatever's in it, like rain and dust.

If I had it to do over again, I'd go for the 2x8 and fork mounts. Just as secure, and it keeps the bikes out of the wind. It's cheaper, too.

rothenfield1

Yakima makes the Beddy Jo rack which is a 2 bike fork mount rack that sits in the bed and has straps to bars that wedge between the tailgate and the bed. Thule makes a similar single bike rack that has a bar that comes up to grab the frame of the bike so you don't have to remove the front wheel. I didn't try either of these, so I can't comment on how well they work. I went with a hitch mounted rack.

mmmdonuts

Some PU trucks have cargo systems with rails. You can bolt fork mounts, bars, or wood to them with channel T-bolts. Others have slots to hold 2x lumber. My soft tonneau has front and rear aluminum bars. I bolted a 2x4 with fork mounts under the front bar. It's elevated and out of the way so I have full access to the bed (without bikes). I've seen trucks with racks mounted on top of a hard tonneau. The bikes were exposed but it did the job. I had a flat 2x6 with fork mounts in the bed but got tired of having to keep it from moving around which is why I changed to the bar.

TromboneAl

This system works great for me. I just put the bikes in with their handlebars over the Yakima crossbar. A few bungee cords to keep things solid, and I'm ready to go. Of course it's only worth it if you have the Yakima rack already.

uncrx2003

This is what I use on my truck. Works perfectly!

https://www.amazon.com/Thule-Insta-Ga.../dp/B003RZ5GU4