Has anyone mounted a bike rack on top of the bed, and still have the option to use your bed cover?? Looking for a neat way to be able to keep things dry in the bed and carry (and lock) a few mountain bikes without having to use a hitch style bike carrier...

 

I debated this forever. I ended up getting a hitch mount by Yakima...holds four Mountain Bikes and Im able to lock them with no problems.

I ended up buying a Leer 700 Series Tonneau since I need the dry feature too for items I place in the back...I go snowboarding during season and like the extra "trunk" type space.

Its a bummer though...I like the bikes mounted on the rear...looks better! Oh well...let me know if you figure something out, Id like to know.

 

I haven't seen this recently, but in about '98 or '99 I had a friend that put an Expy roof rack on his Leer bed cover, then bought the Yakima roof rack bike carriers. I think he had to put some stiffeners on the inside of the bed cover. But it frees up the hitch for a trailer that way. I am going to be exploring this soon, since I will have a bed cover, and still need to pull a trailer, and haul bikes. Of course I guess I could mount the bike carrier on the trailer. Hummm, decisions, decisions.

 

^ Interesting.

 

I ended up getting bedrails, then using Yakimas X-Towers (ebay) designed for the Nissan exterra. Along with tower extensions (ebay), I can roll-up my cover without any problems. I use eveything from bike mounts to the basketcase, to the Rocketbox. I will snap some pics tommorow, and post them.

 

you could also take the rails that they sell for attaching to cars without roof racks or rain gutters and attach them to the bed rails. Then use the towers. I haven't checked the measurements yet but it would achieve what you are talking about (I want the same thing for my ski rack and bike rack).

 

In my 2004 5.5' box with a ARE tonneau, i can fit 2 mountain bikes with seats and both wheels still on lying down under the cover. Lots of room left over for other stuff. If I took the front wheels off and the bike seats, I could easily fit 3 bikes and lots of other gear. Plus they are locked away, and hidden from anyone who might like to ride off with them!

With a 6.5 or long-box you would have heaps of room.
Just another option.
Brad

 

Thanks Guys...

You mean attaching one of those low profile Thule Top-Tracks permanently to the top of the bed rails, and then using the towers that you just clip into those tracks, right? I think that might be the way to go, the tracks are less than 1/2 inch or so high..unfortunately they need to be permanently attached to the top of the bed rails... I guess not a big deal, since they are black and should blend in fairly well... small picture but somehing like this.... http://www.rackattack.com/cart/produ...ges/10TB60.jpg

 

Best... Bicycle... Rack... Ever.... The Sportworks racks they are now owned by Thule and cost a pretty penny, but it's the best damn rack i've ever used.

I bought one used to save some cash, as Thule charges ~380$ for a 2 bike version now. Even at that price though it's still pretty much worth it. Sportworks is the company that makes the easy loader bus racks.

later
Tarkin

 

that's the track I was talking about. I just don't know how the heights work out (height of the track, the tower, the bars, etc.) so I don't know if the rack will roll up with it in place. Would let you mount anything though from bike racks to ski racks, kayak rack, etc.