How much room in the back...

[tomesd]

...for 2 mountain bikes? I posted a reply in another thread but it was kinda buried.

This is a big concern for my wife. We plan on having a slightly modified RB 13 plan in our EB and have been trying to figure out how much space is actually needed in the back area for 2 mountain bikes side by side with the front tires removed. I have seen a RB 50 plan in a EB that shows 2 road bikes tucked back there nicely in the extra 20" but the handle bars on a mountain bike are a few inches wider. We think that ~25" will be required, making our dinette even narrower. Any thoughts or pics?

Ideas and feedback would be greatly appreciated!

[Greg In Austin]

No expert on that floorplan, but if you face them opposite directions so the bars overlap, and stand them on the back tires I would think the footprint would be small.

[bsdctx]

One set of handle bars is likely to be about 25" wide. Add another bike with as much overlap as you can get and you'll probably need 30" if you don't turn the handlebars. Turn the handlebars 90 degrees and you'll narrow things considerably (but will the bar pointing forward on the bike make it too long?). Take off the outside pedals and you'll gain another few inches. Put an old blanket inbetween the bikes and bungee them tightly together. You could do this all at home and get exact measurements.

[tomesd]

Thanks for the thoughts- I tucked two together with the handlebars opposite and the widest part seemed to be the bottom end from the dérailleur if one and the outer pedal of the other. Hadn't thought to turn the handlebars 90 degrees though. I'll have to check on that. Any other ideas?

[jage]

Note that on the 50 the width of the bed span varies quite a bit based on the size of the enclosed area on the passenger side.

[billwilson]

why not use Aluminess rackss

understand wanting them inside but man, they eat up space

[tomesd]

Originally Posted by billwilson

why not use Aluminess rackss

understand wanting them inside but man, they eat up space

yea I know! My wife has some very expensive bikes that she doesn't want to worry about when she stealth camps and what not. Well have an aluminess bumper and rack
as well.

[gregd]

It would be a simple thing to loosen the stem and rotate the bars to be inline with the bike. Or, better yet, just slide the stem off the steerer tube and bungee the bar to the top tube. It would take an extra 5 minutes to setup the bike before a ride but I would say having your steeds safely packed away from peering eyes is a good thing.

I'm new here, looking into the SMB thing, and the above solution is what I have come up with, if we decide to go with an EB and leave 20" of cargo room at the back. We ride, a lot, and packing bikes away inside is key. Dragging bikes up dirt roads on any sort of rack is just bad for them. One time my wife's front wheel on her brand new Ibis popped out of the wheel tray on a Thule rack while driving up a nasty dirt road and drug along behind my truck for about 10 yards before we realized it had happened. Not good. Bikes go inside.

[joey2cool]

We're getting a modified RB36 layout in a 2WD 2010 Ford E250. We specifically designed the layout to accomodate two mountain bikes in the rear 24" without taking the wheels off. I measured the widest at the handle bar placing the bikes at opposing ends from each other. The pedal width is not quite as big as the bars and they line up with the aisle space even if they stick out a bit. The bar height will clear just over the top of the gaucho seat back when it is up. We requested custom recessed walls 24" wide by 28" high. Then we're covering these walls with SMB West diamond lonplate (same stuff we're putting on the floors; it's easier to clean and keep nice). The walls are recessed to allow 71" width floor space - the standard is 69" once insulation and wall covering is put on. That width was as much of a concern as the depth because we want to keep the wheels on - spent too much time assembling bike brakes over the years of packing them in and out of our truck bed with the wheels off. We also put in four heavy duty tie-downs on each side of the van (two high and two low). The plan is to use rachetting straps to secure the bikes. Hope this helps!

[tomesd]

Originally Posted by joey2cool

We're getting a modified RB36 layout in a 2WD 2010 Ford E250. We specifically designed the layout to accomodate two mountain bikes in the rear 24" without taking the wheels off. I measured the widest at the handle bar placing the bikes at opposing ends from each other. The pedal width is not quite as big as the bars and they line up with the aisle space even if they stick out a bit. The bar height will clear just over the top of the gaucho seat back when it is up. We requested custom recessed walls 24" wide by 28" high with an SMB West standard rubber diamond plate floor material will run up these recessed walls (easier to clean and keep nice). The walls are recessed to allow 71" width floor space - the standard is 69" once insulation and wall covering is put on. That width was as much of a concern as the depth because we want to keep the wheels on - spent too much time assembling bike brakes over the years of packing them out of our truck bed with the wheels off. We also put in four heavy duty tie-downs on each side of the van (two high and two low). The plan is to use rachetting straps to secure the bikes. Hope this helps!

Sounds great! We are having a modified RB 13 in our EB and will use 24" in back for two mtb's back there as well. We hadn't thought about having the walls recessed- may holler at Jeff to see what it would involve. Who are you working with at SMB west? Also, how are they securing your tie downs to the walls? We are having them secure some footmans loops in several places to secure "Raingler" netting/shelves back there that we can use for when the bikes aren't with us and need them very sturdy.

I'm glad someone else has thought to do this as well!