Truck Bed Bike Rack

This bike rack is made from steel fence posts, plumbing fittings, various threaded hardware, and two hockey pucks for good measure. As always, everything is right off the shelves of the local big box hardware store. No special order parts here. Also no truck beds were harmed (drilled / cut or welded) in the making of this rack.

The beauty of a pick-up truck bed is you can haul a lot of stuff by just throwing it in the back. The downside is that it looks like you just threw a bunch of junk in the back. I wanted a bike rack that did a better job of organizing the family bikes.

There are professional bike racks for the bed of a pickup. Usually they are a cross bed bar and hold the bikes by clamping the front forks. Of course the front wheel needs to be removed to do this.

The objectives with this design was to secure the bikes without having to remove the front wheels. I didn't want to have to deal with storing loose wheels and besides, a few of the family bikes do not have quick release hubs.

Note: If you notice in the photos in this step, the bike on the driver's side of the vehicle still has the hitch mount used in the "Tow a Boat with a Bike" Instructable. http://www.instructables.com/id/Tow-a-Boat-with-a-Bike/

Disclaimer: This rack works for a Dodge Ram pick-up with the 6.5' bed and works with the older plastic cleat tie down and the newer metal loop tie-down (2003 - 2008 maybe even earlier). Other trucks may have different hard points.

Step 1 Set-up

The set-up consists of 3 cross bed beams:

The Rear Beam holds the bike upright with Hoop Straps that restrain the rear tire.

The Front Beam and Upper Beam work to stabilize the front tire.

The Front Beam and Upper Beam are tied together with two threaded rod Side Struts

Comments

[jjacks10]

I am trying to accomplish the same thing, three bikes in my truck without scratching them.  I like the way the brackets hold the tires.  My thought was to try to secure the bikes to each other, then they would stand on their own. Then just use one strap to keep them in the bed.  Now you got me thinking a different direction. What does anyone think of my idea?  I am not sure I could make the system shown.

[l8nite]

A lot of thought went into this and its nicely constructed. I especially like how you used the built in tiedowns, I can see how that system would work in a number of applications. A couple of questions, why not build a regular parking style rack for the front? is it a stability thing? Wouldn't bungees or ratchet straps be more convenient on the back rack (which other than the bed mountings is the part I like best)for different size bikes?