The number one question we are asked regarding mountain biking with kids has nothing to do with biking. It isn’t about kid’s bikes, or trails, or tips for getting up a hill. No.

It is regarding how to get to the trailhead… with all the bikes.

And the struggle is real, right?! Transporting two bikes takes some thought, transporting 4 bikes is more of a headache, but at least most bike rack manufacturers have thought through that. But for families of 4 or more? What about families who are taking a lot of bikes, maybe mountain and road bikes?

What on earth do they do?!

So I hunted down some biking families, some I know personally, some I’ve followed for years on Instagram. But we all have two things in common. We love biking. And we’ve figured out how to make it work with our kids (and all the bikes) in tow.

What we don’t have in common? How we solved the problem. Each family has a unique approach! One that might work for you!

The Ericksons | 5 Bikes | Ford F150 | Build Your Own Bed Rack Using Fork Mounts

Part-time in Utah and part-time on the road with their Ford F150 and their 25′ Airstream. Often on the road for months at a time biking, hiking and camping. All five bikes are stored and transported while still being able to tow a trailer. (See the Youtube video here)

The Facts:

• Bikes are inside, locked and protected 24/7.
• Make your own, making it less expensive.
• Can still tow a trailer.
• Harder to access bikes, especially if towing.
• Have to remove front wheel when loading.
• Limited storage of other items in the bed of truck.

• The Charrettes | 8 Bikes | Land Rover |Yakima Roof Rack + Kuat NV 2.0 plus the 2 bike add on

Full time travelers with their Land Rover and Kodiak camper trailer, they are seeking out the best trails and the best waves. (You can follow them at Pedal Adventures.) A busy biking life and traveling to races necessitates multiple bikes as well as multiple ways to carry them! Four bikes go on the roof of the truck and four on the back of the Land Rover or camper with the Kuat NV. They had a welder custom make a 2 inch receiver hitch for the camper.

• It’s rare in Colorado to be truly in the mountains and have a solid unboosted 4G LTE signal. After many years we have a few of these places figured out. Bonus when you can ride great trails from camp.

  A post shared by Jen, Randy, Kalden, Lars (@pedaladventures) on Aug 4, 2017 at 1:59pm PDT

  The Facts:

  • • Multiple racking options depending on activity.
    • The roof rack can be hard to load/unload.
    • Kuat NVE 2.0 is moved between car and trailer depending on needs.
    • Kuat is easy and quick to load, tilts to allow access to the back end.
    • They can transport 8 bikes! Enough said.

  The Konopas | 4 Bikes | Nissan Frontier |1Up – USA Rack

  Busy family of four that spends the bulk of their time in weekend warrior mode, with multiple week long trips sprinkled throughout the year. They need quick access, easy loading and adaptability. The 1 Up- USA rack (with 2″ reciever) can hold up to 4 bikes on their truck.

  

The Facts:

• Super easy and quick to load, unload, and lock.
• Hitch mounted so not compatible with towing a trailer.
• Versatility of going from a 2 to a 3 to a 4 bike rack in very little time.
• Step up design, adding clearance as you move away from the back of the truck.
• Rack touches only the tires, not the frame of the bikes.
• Has a tilt lever to access back end of truck, but it is a bit awkward.
• Depending on customization, you can fit kid’s bikes, road bikes, mountain or even fat bikes.
• Expensive.

The Mayers |4 Bikes + Balancing Bikes/Kid trailer | Excursion/Mini-Van | Kuat NV 2.0 + Rocket Box

This family of 7 hasn’t slowed down, they’ve merely adapted to bringing everyone along! You’ll find them biking and hiking around the Tetons and can follow them at Tales of a Mountain Mama. They routinely have 4 bikes, balance bikes and a trailer they need to transport. The use the Kuat 2.0 to carry 4 bikes and either toss small bikes and trailers in the back of the truck or in a rocket box.

Used with Permission: Amelia Mayer

• The Facts:

• Holds 4 bikes (with the extender).
• Easy to change from 2 to 4.
• Accommodates fat bikes and kid bikes (with adapter).
• Super easy to load and unload bikes.
• Bikes are very stable.
• Folds up when not in use. Tilts of access back of vehicle.
• Great anti-rattle device.
• Integrated bike repair stand.
• It’s heavy and big (especially with 4 bikes) but does stand upright for storage.
• Expensive.

The Currens | 5 Bikes | Dodge Ram 1500 | Yakima High Roller Rack

After spending 3 years traveling full-time, they now split their time between traveling in their Airstream and enjoying their condo near the Tetons. They need an easy way to transport bikes that gives maximum room for storage and ability to still tow. (Find more info at CurrentlyWandering.com)

Used with permission, Jess Curren

• The Facts:

• Can access 5 bikes easily.
• Can still tow trailer.
• Can store a ton of gear in the bed of the truck.
• Bikes can be loaded/unloaded with trailer hitched up.
• Bikes are in the elements and visible at all times.

• The Sutherlands | 4 Bikes |Ford F150 Raptor or Jeep Cherokee| North Shore Rack

• Rae and her family of four are avid bikers, but she is also the founder of WomenMTB (Find it on Facebook), an amazing women’s mountain biking club here in UT. She is often found organizing group rides, shuttling riders to trailheads, and organizing trips around the west. The North Shore Upright Hitch Rack can be purchased in the 4 bike or 6 bike configuration.

North Shore 4 bike rack; Used with permission, Rae Sutherland

The facts:

• Really easy to use. Folds down with bikes on to get out of the way of the tailgate and easy to do fully loaded.
• Just as light as my old Kuat 2 bike rack.
• Upright design makes it less of a headache when off-roading, it’s high off the ground so not going to scrape.
• May be challenging to put bikes up on the rack if you are very short. We are tall, so I can’t say for sure.
• Easy access to bikes, locks with a cable or chain wrapped around.
• Only works with mountain bikes, not road or kid’s bikes.
• We use Voile rubber ski straps instead of the ropes the rack came with. The voile straps are easy and strong.
• Has been known to not clear a very low overhead height (garages), but rare.

Do you have a system that works well but isn’t covered below? Feel free to submit it for possible inclusion –> alyssa@kidproject.org.

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